Mintbug update!

I ended up sending some specimens of those bugs to an entomologist at MSU. He replied with a detailed letter that identified it as a Cottony Cushion Scale insect. He also requested that I call him because it is really strange to see it in Michigan, and is normally a tropical bug. I was going to post the contents of the letter, but I don't have it with me. Oh, well.

Because my mom moved so many times when I was growing up, I lost track of many people who were part of my childhood. I don't even have a specific house I can point to and say "There's where I grew up!" It makes me feel my childhood has disappeared.

Since the advent of the Internet, I have frequently remembered this or that person with whom I used to be friends in elementary school, or who taught music, or was a neighbor, or whatever. Some of these people I have been able to find, which pleases me no end. With others I have had little luck. Often there are many people with their exact name. So I am going to post the names and a brief description of some people I still wish I could get in contact with. I know I have looked myself up online from time to time, and maybe someday they will too!

People from Urbana, IL, ca. 1970s:

Jennifer/Jenny Savage
--Leal Elementary, and our moms were friends. I saw you again around 1991, when we were both around 22 or so. Last I heard you were in Seattle, but there seem to be a lot of Jenny Savages out there now.

Stephen/Steve Bodnar
--Leal Elementary. We both planned to be scientists when we grew up, and spent a lot of time at the library together. You had a house with a pond, and we looked at mosquitos under my microscope.

Jeff Shanholtzer
--We went to church together and also played army, looked for UFOs, and went to the antiques store down the street, where the owner gave you a toy gun for free.

People from Harbor Beach, MI, ca. 1980s:

Jennifer Booms
--We were "smart girls" at Harbor Beach high school--how uncool! I went to Norway as an exchange student our senior year. I think you went on to become a physician, maybe in California?

People from various countries, ca. 1980s:

Gabi/Gabrielle Arndt --Weddingstedt, aus von Heide, Deutschland
--We rode the bus together to Heide. You had a German Shepard dog named Timo, and your dad was in the military. We talked about boys a lot!

Val/Valerie Keen -- Sula, outside of Langevaag, Norway
--You were an exchange student from New Zealand, and I was an exchange student from the U.S. You gave a me my first (and last!) surprise party! You made a Pavlova the first time Mimi and I came over to visit you. The last I heard from you, you were

Mimi/Marian(Marion?) Marie Stryker
--You were an exchange student also from Michigan the same year I was. I have looked for you at various times, but it seems you've moved almost as much as me!

Maggie Haase--You were also an American in Norway, but you got married and changed your name really soon after. I have no idea where you went!

Anyone! -Who was involved in that whole Rotary thingummy...