I was reading some entries on our NHS '65 website and noticed that our classmate Tommy Nichols had a unique email address that led to his art gallery. I contacted Tommy and was intrigued with his work and how he came to his interest in art and design. We have traded many emails and Tommy has sent along several pieces of art that pay tribute to our old NHS days and to our old neighborhoods. The following is from a recent email Tommy sent to me.

Hi Dwight -- Always interested in Art & Design-- Designed my first home interior in Georgetown in 1966. '66-' 67 North Texas State To Play Football, Majored In Architecture & Interior Design. In '67 I volunteered for the Army and became an E-6 Staff Sgt and Airborne Ranger assigned to the 3d Ranger company and Special Ops. After my tour of duty I went back to school and graduated from the University of Maryland in '72 with a BA in Interior Design. For 4 years after graduating I worked in design in the DC area.

1978 - Took Off To Surf And Hang Out With The Beach Bum Scene In Manhattan Beach California

1980 - To Present ---- Nichols & Associates / T. Nichols Gallery Designing Homes In Palm Springs, Aspen CO, Palm Beach Fla, San Diego

2001 Formed T. Nichols Gallery To Produce Photo Art -- History - National Parks - Route 66 -- Hotrods & Harley's Are The Mainstay Subjects.

New And Exciting Web-Site Coming Soon

To The Class Of 65:

There Was A Time When All Was Fine And The Halls Were Filled With Laughter, There Seemed To Be A Spirit Then That Held Hands With Old Northwestern.

From A Mile Away You Could See The Lights, No Home Work And Your Outfit Just Right, Find A Place To Park The Stands Are Full And Cats Are On Field.

For Those Who Were There, For Those Who Care, It Was A Special Time. It Seemed To Be A Structure Free Yet With Rules That Requested Respect. The PTA, Was Parent Led,

And We Loved A Man Named Glen.

I Am Older Now But It Remains So Clear And How Good It Feels To Say, I Was A PG Kid That Went to School At Northwestern In The Day, So I'll Wash My Car, And Cruise To The Mo, To See If You Might Be There, I Know You're Not Just Another Thought That Was Alive In The Friday Night Air.

Go Cats, Tommy Nichols

Gail Sartoris Vittur - and Friends.

Gail Sartoris Vittur Janet Ramsen Woods Lisa Bragunier Wilson Peggy Gibson Schirmer

Lisa Bragunier Wilson contacted me a while ago expressing her concerns for her friend and classmate Gail Satoris Vittur. She wrote:

Gail suffered a serious home accident this weekend. Gail and Janet are very close and I wanted to let her know Gail's status. Apparently, Gail fell at home- breaking ribs, clavicle and suffering severe head trauma. She had emergency brain surgery on Sunday to relieve a blood clot in the brain, but is doing quite well today. I expect her recovery to be a long, slow process and would appreciate Janet's thoughts and prayers for her recovery. If you could forward this email to Janet or provide me with her contact information, I would greatly appreciate it.

(Lisa continues)

I recently retired from Burger King Corporation and hope to accompany Gail to one of the upcoming NHS reunions for old times sake.

Following is the story of our friendship: Am reluctant to say that Gail is my "oldest" friend, but she has definitely been a part of my life longer than any of my other friends. Gail and I were "BFF's" from kindergarten through my sophomore year at Northwestern when my family moved to Florida. During these years we were inseparable - sharing school, mutual friends, band, church, choir, youth group, majorettes, and mothers who were also close. The relocation to Florida and loss of that friendship was a difficult adjustment. Over the years in which we were establishing careers and nurturing families, the friendship dwindled to exchanging Christmas cards, infrequent visits and phone calls. About ten years ago, we reconnected and discovered the intervening years melting away. In addition to our shared childhood memories, we discovered a shared passion for travel and scheduled an annual adventure to nurture and maintain our friendship in amazingly beautiful scenery and fascinating locations. The call from Gail's office telling me of her frightening accident immediately aroused my feelings of wanting to be with her during this struggle to survive and recapture her old life. Other than a very hyper and loving chocolate lab, there was nothing to hold me in Miami. So I made arrangements for the lab, packed the car and headed for Baton Rouge. i was there for about two weeks and watched Gail battle and progress from hospital to rehab in her home. When I left Baton Rouge, I was certain that she would regain her old life - perhaps with a bad haircut for a brief period of time. It was my hope to lighten her struggle with a friend by her side as a shoulder to cry on and a cheerleader for her challenges. I never doubted for a moment that Gail would be there for me should the situation be reversed - "that's what friends are for".

Take care and hope to see you at the next reunion.

Lisa Bragunier Wilson

As Lisa requested I contacted Janet Ramsen Woods and told her of Gail's accident. I let Janet know that Lisa had especially wanted her to know. I closed the loop and let Lisa know that Janet had been informed and gave Lisa Janet's contact information.

A few days later Gail wrote me:

I am doing very well for someone who had a traumatic brain injury, a broken collar bone and 5 broken ribs. I go to rehab 3 times a week and I work in the office for about 2 hours each day. I still cannot drive so my friends are taking me everywhere. I will have to go through one more surgery to put a screw in my broken collar bone. My friend Lisa drove all the way from Miami to stay with me for 2 weeks. Janet calls me regularly. I am so blessed to have such good friends and neighbors. My neighbor from across the street saw me walk outside of the house after my fall and called the ambulance. If I had stayed in bed that day, I would have died. It took about 2 weeks to get my speech back. I knew that my speech was bad and I could hear every mistake but I didn't know what to do about it except to keep on talking. I sounded like a drunken idiot but I didn't care. I just kept on talking and didn't much worry if anyone was listening or not. I can walk really well and my goal is to get my life back. I really look forward to driving myself around instead of having to rely on others all the time. I will try and keep you posted on how I am doing. Gail

10/27 I am doing very well. I talk to Janet and Lisa every couple of weeks. Peggy didn't make it over here because of Hurricane Gustav. No damage-just a lot of clean up in the yard. We all communicate via the email. I'm now working full time and am going to my regular exercise class. I finished physical and occupational therapy last week. I am so very fortunate to have so many concerned friends and family.
Gail

"That's what friends are for..."

Planning for our 45th Reunion

Your reunion committee would love to have your suggestions about our next reunion tentativley scheduled for the summer of 2010. We are less than 2 years from our 45th! I am hopeful that with the website and newsletter we can spread the word to as many classmates as possible and generate enthusiasm for our next reunion. Please think about location, dates, activities, that would make you want to attend - and let us know. You can read the names of the reunion committee above. We would love to have your thoughts. Look for developments on our website and in future newsletters.

Does this make you feel OLD?!

THE STATION
by Robert J. Hastings

Tucked away in our subconscious minds is an idyllic vision. We see ourselves on a long, long, trip that spans the continent. We're travelling by passenger train, and out the windows we drink in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle grazing on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, of row upon row of corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hills, of biting winter and blazing summer and cavorting spring and docile fall.

But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour we will pull into the station. There will be bands playing and flags waving, and once we get there so many wonderful dreams will come true. So many wishes will be fulfilled and so many pieces of our lives finally will be neatly fitted together like a completed jigsaw puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles, damning the minutes for loitering...waiting, waiting for the station.

Sooner or later, however, we must realize there is no station in this life. No one earthly place to arrive at once and for all. The journey is the joy. The station is an illusion - it constantly outdistances us. Yesterday's a fading sunset, tomorrow's a faint sunrise. Only today is there light enough to love and live.

"When we reach the station, that will be it!" we cry. Translated it means, "When I'm 18 that will be it! When I buy a new Mercedes, that will be it! When I put the last child through college, that will be it! When I have paid off the mortgage, that will be it! When I reach the age of retirement, that will be it! I shall live happily ever after! Unfortunately, once we get "it", the "it" disappears. The station somehow hides itself at the end of an endless track.

So gently close the door on yesterday and throw the key away. It isn't the burdens of today that drive men mad, but rather regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow.

"Relish the moment" is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24: "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, go barefoot oftener, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. The station will come soon enough.