Category Archives: Local Life

A look, in photos, of latest area events, local everyday people and places.

Local Life

An R-FH Area Veterans’ Homage

Gallery

Our annual Veterans Day tribute … (Click one of the photos in the above gallery to enlarge and scroll.)

Their faces are the faces at the core of a close-knit community. Some have passed. Some are still with us. They are cherished. They are veterans.

They were and are neighbors, dads, and just plain friendly faces around the Rumson-Fair Haven area towns.

They served. They fought for freedom.

They lived and still do live their lives with hometown pride, honor and respect. They were, they are founding fathers, friends. They were, they are cornerstones of the sense of community that is the Rumson-Fair Haven area.

The gift of their legacies bears no upscale real estate market value. They passed along a love of country and community that is priceless.

Thank you, on Veterans Day, to the veterans of the area who have passed and those who are still with us. You are cherished, honored.

Take a look at some of their faces and remember the legacy they carry.

— Elaine Van Develde

— Photos, courtesy of families of the Rumson-Fair Haven area.

Local Life, Opinion

Retro RFH Class in Gym

Image
RFH gym teachers of the 1970s Photo/RFH yearbook
RFH gym teachers of the 1970s
Photo/RFH yearbook

A reprise (originally posted on March 15, 2017, in honor of RFH gym teacher Lynn Broten, who recently passed away …

With the sting of the first fall frost and longing for that breath of warm fresh air, thoughts turn to days spent in the young teen sweat-infused gym at RFH. Oh, the ritual of that mandatory indoor exercise.

Ahhh, memories. More like a little PTSD remembrance of the torture the class was for some — especially when stuck inside. When you’re not an athlete and, for that matter, can barely volley a ball (and I mean barely), gym class day was the day of trying to get some sort of note of excuse from your mom to get you out of the embarrassment. Forgery became a talent. Though some moms could feel the uncoordinated kids’ pain and easily relented with prompt penning.

Continue reading Retro RFH Class in Gym →
Local Life

Retro RFH Political Clubbing

Image
RFH Political Science Club of 1974-75 Photo/RFH Yearbook
RFH Political Science Club of 1974-75
Photo/RFH Yearbook

A reprise of an RFH classic from 2016, just because it’s that time again … 

Election Day is here.

And, as usual, political season has been in full swing in more ways than one — punches are being thrown in all directions.

It’s why they call it silly season. But, let’s take the focus off the national and local politics of today and step back in time to the 1970s and politics as it was with RFH students and teachers.

Continue reading Retro RFH Political Clubbing →
Local Life, Opinion

Retro Rumson Kids’ Witching Hour

Image Leave a comment
Witchy best pals in Rumson on Halloween 2015 Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Witchy best pals in Rumson on Halloween 2014
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

A Halloween reprise, just because it’s an all-time favorite photo of costumed Rumson besties …

Are you a good witch or a bad witch? Which witch is which? Either way, or both, the rain never falls on some of the best of times between best buddies. And it all starts when they’re growing up together like these two little witches with lots of magical moments ahead.

Continue reading Retro Rumson Kids’ Witching Hour →
Local Life

Retro RFH Rainy Day Lunching

Image
Lunch time for Halloween trick-or-treaters at RFH circa 1977
Photo/George Day

Well, rainy Halloween week’s days like today and hangin’ in the Senior Commons at RFH were just about as cool as The Carpenters’ hit Rainy Days and Mondays song in the 1970s. It didn’t have to be on Monday, though. And nothing got RFHers down when it came to Halloween fun and lounging. The fun just stayed inside and all RFH cozy-like.

Let’s face it. It’s not every day that you get the chance to grab a bite of good ol’ RFH cafeteria grub — or a little scary costumed sustenance, let’s say.

It’s also not every day that you get the chance to “cop a squat” in the RFH senior lounge to ingest the spirit, or spirits, of the day in the company of Harpo and Groucho Marx.

Continue reading Retro RFH Rainy Day Lunching →
Local Life, Opinion

Retro RFH Halloween: Some Bunnies & Ghouls

Image
RFH Halloween of 1977 with a gaggle of girls Photo/George Day
RFH Halloween of 1977 with a gaggle of girls
Photo/George Day

Reprise … Just because it’s that time of the year and it’s a classic shot … 

Some bunny got dressed for RFH Halloween 1977 — or a few bunnies and other assorted suspicious characters, that is.

The Halloween spirit was in the air, that’s for sure. And this senior gaggle of girls embodied it. From controversial, yet timely and popular, Playboy bunny costumes, to Raggedy Ann, a ghost, a cat, a gypsy and whatever else, they were parading and pleased with their choices.

Then they benched themselves for a little haunting respite and pose. But, surely, knowing this crew, there was some mischievous haunting to come. They weren’t done.

Continue reading Retro RFH Halloween: Some Bunnies & Ghouls →
Local Life

Retro RFHers’ Hunt for a Hippie Good Time

Image

They were on the hunt for a great time filled with tradition. That was the crew of ’78 on this very day, Oct. 22, 47 years ago, on that infamous Hippie Hill on the Haskell Estate in Middletown, where The Hunt was held annually back in the day. Remember? We do.

Continue reading Retro RFHers’ Hunt for a Hippie Good Time →