There's a reason why this 30 year old picture is being posted here at this time. I won't say anything more about it yet, other than it was taken at a Halloween party back in probably 1979. (Yes, back before there were even Fieros!)

Dave, you're not allowed to say (because Dave has inside information), but would anyone else care to guess who these two Fiero club members are?

Okay, it was easy to guess who that handsome young 23 year old buck was , but it's going to take one of the long time club members here to guess who the the girl is.

She may not be a current member of the club, but...

No more tips today.  

That's a negative on all three guesses, Tristan. You and I have never met this woman at a club function.

The club "old-timers" should know her though.

Capt Fiero wrote: LOL, In October of 79 she was probably fairly well developed in her Mothers tummy.  She was born in November of 79.

So there you go Tristan, I said it wasn't Lisa.

Capt Fiero wrote: However its hard to believe those pics.   Her looks barley changed in the last 20 years.   One of the nicest most bubbly Fiero owners I have ever met. Scratch that, she "was" the nicest most bubbly Fiero person I have never met.

I'm sure she'd be most pleased to hear that.

Okay gang, here's a tip as to who she is - She has a supercharged personality.

(And Dave cleverly snuck in a tip there as well.)

We got us a winner!!!

Yes, it's Marianne, who I haven't seen for 25(?) years.

Story to follow...

Yes, an incredible coincidence. It's a very small world.

I was with Dave yesterday and we had lots of time to talk as we drove to his locker and back to pick up a part. Dave was talking about this supercharged Fiero that was recently bought back by the fella who had originally built it years ago. (This has all been discussed at length in messages on the club’s mailing list.) Dave was mentioning the names of various people somehow involved in this transaction, names such as Erwin and John Everitt and some woman’s name... all people whom I’ve never met at Fiero club functions (in the year I’ve been a member) and therefore people who I have no idea who they really are.

Dave was telling me about the woman who was selling the supercharged Fiero, and he casually mentioned that she was a professional clown. All of a sudden the little light went on above my head, and I thought... How many women named Marianne (as Dave had mentioned her first name) can there possibly be in the Lower Mainland who are professional clowns? (I previously had found out that Marianne had become a professional clown during a singular phone call with her ten years ago.) Sure enough, it’s the one and the same person!

I knew of Marianne in high school (Templeton in east Van, where Marcel was also a student). She was a couple of years below me so I had no social contact with her, but I remember she was real cute. It wasn’t until five years after high school graduation when I went to Langara College that I actually met and became great friends with Marianne. Yes, alas, we were just "great friends".

We eventually went our separate ways (probably around the time she started going out with the fella she later married), and except for that one phone conversation ten years ago, we’ve had no contact at all for 25 years. It is interesting to note however, that during that one phone call we had ten years ago I might’ve mentioned that I was driving a Fiero at the time. She certainly didn’t mention that she had one. Hmmm... now I’m curious how Marianne became interested in Fieros.

Perhaps Dave can chip in and mention some of the details of Marianne’s history as a Fiero owner, including of course the recent sale of her Fiero(s).

It’s a small world, a very small world indeed. Marianne, if you ever see this thread, we need to chat!

Heh heh, it's interesting seeing a picture of someone that you haven't seen for more than a couple of decades.

When I return later today, I'll post one or two more pictures of Marianne from a hundred years ago.

This is a shot I got from Dave that looks like it was taken of John Craker taking the shot above of Marianne.

This image, circa January 1982, is very bittersweet for me. That's of course, Marianne on the left, but the fella on the right...

Well, the fella on the right is Bror, my best friend who suddenly passed away in July of last year. Damn, I miss him.  

An interesting twist to this story... The young fella I brought to the club meeting a week and a half ago (who's very much interested in getting a Fiero) is Bror's son Mathew.

I hope Mathew does join, he seemed like a polite guy.

This is all so odd to me though, being a relative newcomer to the group. All these names and dates... Most of these pictures are older than I am!

I just got an email from Marianne and I directed her to this thread. Stay tuned folks!

Well curiosity got the better of me and I had to pull out the old Templeton annual and check out the photos of Patrick, Marianne, Bror, and of course myself..........what a shocker eh? Patrick.

Lookin back at snap shots from 1973...ouch!

Marianne, like Patrick said earlier, we never hung out either, it was the age difference then. (Two or three years)......but you may have known my sister, Yvonne.

Thanks for being the reason to take me back into memory lane.

Marcel V.

Marianne wrote: The one of Pat and I was taken at Halloween - yup aprox 25 years ago!!! For a two year old I did pretty good with my space lady costume! Nyuck Nyuck!

"Space lady costume"? No way! If I remember correctly you were imitating Bo Derek from the 1979 movie " http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078721/ - 10 ".

It appears I was imitating Bo as well as I found this other image of Bo wearing the same cowboy hat I had on at that party.

And Marianne, there's no point denying the fact that the party was more like 30 years ago...

We've got lots to catch up on!

Romeo wrote: Man... you guys are almost as old as I am.

I've got socks older than you, junior!

marcelvdgn wrote: Well curiosity got the better of me and I had to pull out the old Templeton annual and check out the photos of Patrick, Marianne, Bror, and of course myself..........what a shocker eh? Patrick.

Oh, I don't know about that. We haven't changed that much in the last 36 years, have we Marcel?

 .....  .....  .....  .....

These 1973 high school annual pictures would've actually been shot in the fall of 1972. I was 16 years old at the time. Geez, if I would've known then what I know now... but I guess that applies to most of us!

Marianne wrote: Sigh even when I was having my pic taken I was still talking!

Heh heh, that's exactly what you said 30 years ago the first time we looked at the 1973 annual together!

Marianne wrote: Pat, I was deeply saddened to hear about Bror's passing and my heart goes out to his family and friends. It was nice to read you have taken his son to one of the club meetings - they are a great bunch of people.

Thanks Marianne, I appreciate the sentiments. I won't dwell on it here, but yes, I was really crushed when Bror died last summer. (The anniversary of his death is July 14th.) I have to admit I was rather teary-eyed when I posted that old photograph from 27 years ago of you and Bror. It brought back many fond memories from all those years ago.

I still remember lining the two of you up so I could also have the posters on the wall of Donna Summers and Deborah Harry (Blondie) in the shot.

Marianne, you and I have plenty of catching up to do!

A candid shot of Marianne where I surprised her with my camera as she was about to get into my "Hugger Orange" 1970 Nova SS...

Marianne wrote: Waves hi to Blair, Oldest son who remembers you Pat and has had a few chuckles reading this Blast from the Past.

Oh, I certainly remember Blair as well. I seem to recall seeing pictures (must be yours) of Blair and myself in a kiddies wading pool in some local park. I imagine Blair is old enough to go in a pool without adult supervision now.

So Marianne, when are you going to respond to my email from last Saturday? Do I have to wait another 25 years?

Marianne, I'm not sure who didn't get what email, so I included my last one to you in my response to your PM.

Why don't you come to the club meeting this Saturday? I can't go to the August meeting, but I'll certainly be at this upcoming one.

There are probably plenty of newer club members reading this thread who'd be curious to see just who the heck you are.  The old time members would probably enjoy seeing you again as well.

Anyway, think about it!

Marianne wrote: Where and when is it going to be held?

Saturday, July 11th 7pm

ABC Country Restaurant

10410 158 Street, Surrey, BC

Try to arrive around 6:30 as we have fun out in the parking area beforehand kicking tires and swapping breakdown stories.

Marianne wrote: You'all know I'm going to be jealous that everyone has a Fiero but me now.

Hey remember, this is a Fiero club. On any given day half of them aren't running!

Marianne wrote: Crap! I don't have time to... get implants before then.

Didn't you once tell me that just enough to fill a champagne glass was adequate.  

Marianne, if you can make it to the meeting it'll be great to see you again!

Marianne was at the club meeting last night. I'm pleased to report that she still looks more like my pictures from 25-30 years ago than that picture posted of her from the club function in 2003. Funny (or not so funny!) how lighting and lenses and angles can distort how a person really looks.

And she's just as talkative as she ever was!

So it was great to see Marianne again. We caught up on a lot, but we've just barely scratched the surface. Another meeting is definitely in order!

Well Marianne, I think you know what everyone is thinking now... You need to buy another Fiero.

Marianne wrote: Pat had planned on having coffee and chatting about the "Ole days" but still going a bit crazy with the reno's going on at my place.

No problem, Marianne. It took us 25 years to meet up again. What's a couple more months for our next chat?

Marianne was conspicuous by her absence at the September meeting. It was so quiet.

That may also be because you didn't have me yelling across three tables during conversations.

But on Patty's point, where are you Marianne? You're a cool lady, we need you at those meetings.

Romeo wrote: That may also be because you didn't have me yelling across three tables during conversations.

I wasn't going to say anything, but... Where the heck were you?

I thought you'd want to come say "Au revoir" to us all before you headed up north.

Romeo wrote: North fell through anyways, you lucky dog.

What, you're not going now?  How come I never see these memos?  

Marianne wrote: So guess that's a good excuse for missing the meeting and not as yet getting together with you Pat for a cup of coffee.

Geez Marianne, sorry to hear you've had your hands full with your son's health problems. Glad to hear however that he appears to be getting better!

The cup of coffee can wait until you've got some spare time. Hopefully that won't take another 25 years though.

Am I Mario? If I am, Gretchin is SO getting renamed "Yoshi".

     Family always comes first, so please be with him.  Cars come 2nd.

If Lisa was as sick as your son, the club would need a new person to run EVERYTHING or it would close.   Nothing in the world is more important than family.

However if I ever Die en route to to a club meeting, please finish the meeting.   Then at my funeral, bring all the Fiero's you can find, oh and please bury me with the steering wheel in my left hand, the shift knob in the right hand, a gas pedal pushed right in at the floor of my case.  Maybe the smell of track bit in the air.

Romeo wrote: Am I Mario?

Heh heh, I see you've made your usual indelible impression on another woman.

Calling Marianne, calling Marianne...

I know you're around.

I saw a couple relatively recent posts of yours on the Wall at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=109271901058&v=app_2373072738&ref=ts#!/group.php?gid=109271901058&v=wall&ref=ts - Templeton Secondary School 1974 ('69 to '79ers who hung out with us)

Judging from the photos posted and the "Friends" listed at that Facebook site, it could/should be renamed Hastings Elementary School (the 1960's)  

I don't see anyone originally from my elementary school, Lord Nelson.

Marcel, I don't know what elementary school you might've gone to.

I joined Facebook just a few days ago to send a message to a fella I bought one of my Fieros from several years ago. I also ended up looking up people I knew from decades ago. I gotta be honest and say I've been kind of shocked at some of the pictures. Some of these people I haven't seen for 37 years. Yikes!

Romeo wrote: Man, I can't think of anyone I haven't seen in 37 years... Oh, wait.

You would have to go into a trance first and focus on a previous life!

Hey, first dibs on the headlights! (...if they have the motors attached.)

Geez, it just dawned on me... Are you moving out of that place with the fantastic yard?

Aw, say it isn't so.

Marianne, get in touch again when you've got something interesting to discuss for a change.

Wow, sounds like a hectic last few months. Glad to hear it's winding down.

You mention Rob Starr. It was Rob who I cropped out of the picture of you and I on page one of this thread.

Good luck with the final move this weekend. We'll be waiting for a report.

Marianne, if you're still moving stuff you desperately need to downsize!

Let us know how you made out.

Marianne wrote: This means more....you guessed it....RENOS!!! So once again "one of these days, I'll get to sip lemonaid, sit on my new porch and invite friends and chat about Fieros.

Well, I guess that means it'll be another 25 years before we see each other again!

Thanks for checking in, Marianne. Keep us abreast of your progress.

Just when you thought it was safe.......I'm baaack.

I just returned last night from Amsterdam! Took a much needed vacation after 10 years of being a slave to the animals. 17 days of Freedom!!! Visited London, Paris and Amsterdam. Yes, I know I'm bragging but if I told you my lastest reno disaster you'd have sympathy for me.

Had to return to work today and then go pick up my two of my dogs at Matsqui Prison where I had placed for boarding and training. The Pit Bull and one of the Old English Sheepdogs. People always chuckle when I tell them I put my dogs in prison, but it's a great program. A Win/Win situation where they take the most unadoptable dogs and match them up with inmates. Inmates benefit and dogs become highly trained adoptable dogs. They fund their program by taking in private peoples dogs..so it's why I took two of mine there for duration of my trip.

 Suffering from jet lag but in a happy mood I visited the prison today, after work and spent 2 hours with the inmates showing me what my good dogs learned. The other two dogs and numerous animals stayed with professional pet sitters. It took 5 of them to do my job. That's okay however, as it gave me bragging rights to boast that I do the job of 5-7 people but then not everyone can be a super woman!

Now, the daily grind continues - blah.

Pat, I definately would be interested in getting together for a Langara reunion!

Marianne

PS - As for that nice porch I spoke of earlier in my post. The contractor whom we had throughly checked his references turned out to be a major scum of the earth. Who destroyed my home, a flat roof garage that does not have access either via doors or stairs, didn't pay his sub contractors, nor his employees - thus they walked off the job and left two of our walls exposed to the elements for the last six months. How come people have all the luck? Anyways - you can now see why I REALLY needed a vacation after 3 nightmare renos, animals , work...sigh I even make myself tired writing about it.

I'm sorry that happened to you as well Romeo. We should wish the fleas of a 1000 camels infest their armpits.

It kinda sucks having to pay back a loan for the next 10 years and the house is in worse shape than previously. Blah!