There are hundreds of pictures and hours of video from last year's activities. Of course, I can only use a small portion of the video here. The whole year was a lot of fun as you can see. We had a blast. We start with the Fishing and Casting Valentine's Dance, "Heart 2 Heart", held February 10th at the Lakeside Pavilion.
Don and Nancy Campbell
Sue and Harry Bubnack
Katie and John Andrew
Next is the Lake San Marcos Formal Dance at the Country Club February 18th. The theme was Academy Awards. They even had a red carpet out front under the porte cochere for us to walk along. We sat at tables named for Academy Award winning movies and had a contest to see who knew the most about the movies. It was quite grand.
Don and Carol Alexander were our glamourous hosts.
A stunning table centerpiece.
Terri and Tom Strathairn looking like movie stars (eat your heart out, David).
All the past Presidents of the Formal Dance Club in attendance.
St. Patrick's Day is always pretty crazy here at Lake San Marcos. Of course, there is a boat parade with elaborate decorations. Then a Yacht Club party at the Pavilion. Photos from the March 17th festivities.
This photo was taken by Nancy Campbell aboard the Kreutzberg's boat. Serious Irish types are Don Campbell, Rich La Farge and Joan Graves.
A bevy of beautiful Irish Princesses: Dian Pedersen, Mary Kreis, Barb Lee and Carol Alexander.
Also taken by Nancy Campbell, we have an Irish toast from Renate Engert and Pat Kreutzberg.
Norma and Terri with silly shamrock headgear.
You see the end of the boat that Katie and Terri are sitting on? It was supposed to be carrying them plus all those folks on the dock (Barb, Ken, Eli, Janet, Norma, John Andrew and John Lee). Wouldn't you know it? The boat worked fine when John and Barb took it out that morning. Just put 9 people on it who want to go somewhere and, naturally, it won't start. The photo is compliments of Nancy Campbell (on a boat in the parade) as we watch from the shore, obviously still with our senses of humor.
The March 18th Cotillion was an international theme and our invitations were passports. Tom and I wore kilts at the Scotland table which Terri decorated. His kilt is authentic, the Strathairn plaid, obtained from Scotland. Mine, I got at a local thrift shop. Below we re-enact the Highland Fling...sort of.
April in Paris was the theme of the Formal Dance on the 15th of that month. Pictured is the committee who put the dance together. Carol and Don Alexander, Janet Nichols and Eli Whitney, Norma and Ken Beall with Renate and Edgar Engert.
First party of the Yacht Club summer season was May 16th, a "Fiesta Del Sol". We did have a beautiful sun festival that day. Above Eli blends some Margaritas.
Senor Edgar and Senor Ken.
And Senor Tom, our Captain.
On Memorial Day, May 25th, someone organized an impromtu gathering down at the South Shore Landing. We all brought something to grill and we played "Two Buck Luck". Below a few folks hang around the barbecue grills while dinner cooks.
The gang at the Two Buck Luck table. It's a game of chance played with dice. Last player standing wins the pot. We played with quarters instead of dollar bills.
The Fishing and Casting Club hosted a Luau on June 9th. Making the most of Norma's collection of grass skirts are Tom, John, Eli, Harry and Edgar.
Joe and Sue Ceccarelli look excited to be there.
Renate excels in the hoola hoop contest.
Jeannine and Dennis dancing at the luau.
Dian and Art Pedersen in matching Hawaiian print shirts. Too cute.
On June 13th, The Kreis's and the Alexander's hosted a kareoke garage party in the Kreis's incredibly clean and organized garage. This event was such a classic that I made a 6 minute video with the stills and video footage I captured that night. Too bad I can't upload it here. Above we have Renate and Edgar singing with Dennis, Mark and Billie Bob.
Eli and Evie belt one out.
See? This is actually a garage, I kid you not. But it looks like a very clean kitchen, doesn't it?
Sorry you can't hear the great musical ability of these folks. What they may lack in talent, they make up for in enthusiasm.
Linda Rich with host, Bob Kreis.
John gives Barb a sweet garage party kiss.
Another big event this year was the Yacht Club Mardi Gras on June 20th. That's Janet Warren behind the fancy mask holding the fish plaque. I also put together a video memory of this event that's about 13 miniutes. We really let the good times roll in that one (laissez les bons temps rouler, as they say in New Orleans).
King and Queen of the Mardi Gras, Norma and Ken with a Sadie-Sue look-alike crowning her umbrella.
Some of the Mardi Gras Ladies of the Lake.
Bob Warren, Oscar Sarkisian and Dennis Wittmayer create some revelry.
Eli and Janet having a good time.
Colorful masks adorn the posts surrounding the dance floor.
Theresa and Terri looking very beautiful.
The ladies with decorated parasoles marched in the umbrella parade.
For the past several years, our Country Club has hosted Marines from Camp Pendleton in a big day-long golf tournament. It is a major event with 60 members hosting 60 Marines. Then we have a big dinner party at the Country Club with all the wives/girlfriends also attending. There are speeches and lots of raffles and gifts for the Marines (all golf related). Everyone enjoys it immensely. For the past couple of years, the Marine Corps Band has given a concert on the green in between the tournament and the dinner. (The Band joins us for dinner, of course).
The Marine Corps Band in their fine uniforms really excites the crowd.
The gentleman in the pink sweater is Morgan Jones, a long-time resident of Lake San Marcos. He is 96 years old. He is a Bataan Death March survivor and recounted the story several years back at this event. The young Marines were spellbound and gave him a standing ovation upon his conclusion.
Rick Grant was a tournament player and Marine sponsor.
That's Sandy Rhatigan with the Marine Corps Band member.
Jane and Jim Rush also played in the tournament and sponsored a Marine.
Fourth of July at Lake San Marcos is always an extravagant celebration beginning with a flag-raising ceremony first thing in the morning. Then Kiwanis Club (very active here) barbecues hamburgers and hotdogs; a big fund raiser for them. In there afternoon there is a boat parade with elaborately decorated boats and various dinner parties and picnics everywhere with fireworks at Bradley Park in San Marcos (of which we have a bird's-eye-view). I take lots of pictures every year and this year got lots of video footage as well.
Norma is aboard the Kreutzberg's boat. I loved her red basketball shoes.
The Kreutzberg's boat was named "Rockettes Red Glare". We had the remarkable privilege of having Don Kreutzberg, Eli, and Ken Beall on the front in skirts kicking their legs in unison. It seemed to be a great hit all over the lake. (As an astonishing side note: Ken went in for a quadruple bipass the next week. Go figure.)
The Parade Marshall, Gene Williams, tries pretty much in vain to organize the myriad boats.
The winner of the first prize, the USS Constitution, sails in front of the hotel. Believe it or not, with a lot of work on the owner's part, this is a reconfigured party board.
Evie, on board the Parade Marshall's boat, does little to maintain law and order on the high seas.
We had a very nice party at John and Katie's, also in celebration of her birthday, July 5th. Here is a decorated table with a beautiful centerpiece of white roses and white hydrangeas by the one and only, Renate.
Tom Strathairn visits with John and Katie's daughter, Martha, and sons, Andy and Matt.
Debra Olsen loves a good Fourth of July get-together.
Renate Engert dines with Tom and Sandy Rhatigan.
This classic photo was taken at a summer event at the South Shore Landing on July 11th. Janet and Bob Warren's boat, in which she is sitting, is named "It's Five O'clock Somewhere". Her shirt, festooned with cocktails, has the same written on it, as does the cocktail glass she's holding. Typical of life at Lake San Marcos.
July 18th the theme of the Yacht Club Party was American Bandstand. Awards were given out for the Fourth of July boat parade. The Kreutzberg's boat "Rockettes Red Glare" won the second place trophy. All aboard were invited up to receive the award. Someone took a picture of us re-enacting the Rockettes kicking. Unfortunately, Ken and Norma were absent as he was recovering from his recent open heart surgery.
On September 11th, Bob and Mary Kreis hosted a Spanish/American party in their home, Mary being of Spanish birth.
Mary, at the bar wearing a Barcelona T-shirt, holding a martini.
The Kreis's set quite a colorful table.
The biggest party of the year is the Yacht Club Black and White. Held on September 19th this year, it attracted almost 200 people. I have lots of video and pictures. It is worth an entire video and I'll finish it yet.
The Kreutzbergs in between the Williams.
Florrie and Pierce Clifford dancing.
Terri Strathairn and Judy Widener (Judy's wearing a cocktail dress with rhinestone clips on her black flip flops).
A table decorated by Debra Olsen, Yvonne Manley and Heide Warren won 2nd place. Quite elegant with real silver candlelabra and strings of pearls. (We have to haul all this stuff down to the picnic grounds on our boats).
Bill Hotz, Mark Geneau and John Lee with Stolichnaya shooters at the vodka and caviar bar.
Jessie Hogan, who also takes a lot of pictures of Lake functions, wears a T-shirt describing his role.
Nancy Broach, Gerri Sweat and Pam Hertzog dressed in versions of black and white.
Rich and Sharon La Farge are having a good time.
Pam Hertzog and me, along with several others, attempt to remember all the moves of the Macarena.
Sylvia Sherwood and Jack Anstine were in on the fun, too.
That evening awards were given out for the Chili cook-off held in August. Some of the winners are wearing their apron prizes.
Bob and Mary Kreis gave many of us bota bags as a secret gift, then issued the above invitation. This party was great and I got good video footage which I'm going to use to end this whole recap. See below.
Carol, Eli and Dian on the Kreis's boat.
Also aboard were Jane Koning, Mary Kreis and Sue Bubnack. See the bota bags around their necks?
Harry and Eli as the drinking contest begins. Be sure not to miss the video below.
Pat Kreutzberg and Jeaninne Wittmayer in between Jim and Audrey Oliver at the October 13th Fishing and Casting Dinner/Dance.
Charlene and Gene Schlaline enjoy at dance at this party.
The Cliffords and the Knutsens shared a table. (They're next door neighbors.)
The Club Board of Directors staged a surprise birthday celebration for Norma Beall that night.
Heide Warren gave a birthday party for Debra Olsen on November 7th. We had a preview Thanksgiving dinner of roasted turkey. Like everyone else here, Heide is a great hostess and cook.
The dinner table decorated with lighted bunches of grapes and carnations. It was lovely.
The birthday girl savoring a glass of wine from our Walla Walla, WA stash. The chef pig holds a sign that reads "Today's Special - A Basket of Hugs". That's Heide for you.
Sally Fabian and Fred Bond were there to celebrate.
The Formal Dance Club held its annual Christmas dance on December 2nd. The theme this year was "The Snowflake Ball". Norma contributed all of these pictures except the one of the Holbrooks.
Irene and Ralph Johnson, Helen and Al Zimmerman, Pat Jordan and Vern Peckham and Virginia and Oscar Zoebisch all look very elegant.
Also attending were Peter and Judy Bitto, Paul and Elaine Jordan, Bill Arnett and Gwen Wiedeman, and Luis and Thelma Pallares.
Edgar, decorated with snowflakes.
Betty and Bill Holbrook dance to the music of "Our Song".
Party hosts Lew and Joan Walton with Edgar and Renate and Don and Carol.
I have ended the year with the above party. As you can see, I omitted events that have already been well documented like Halloween, the October Formal Dance and the Yacht Club Christmas Party. (Look in the archives for those.) Be sure to check out the video of the Bota Bag party. It's demonstrates the usual Lake San Marcos behavior, or maybe I should say misbehavior.
