Dinner With Friends...

I worked from 10-4 yesterday and then motivated over to a local restaurant for dinner with friends. This is the same group that worked tirelessly to host a fabulous 50th class reunion last summer. 

We rekindled our friendships - made new ones - and we all came to the conclusion that we need to see each other more often than we have in the past. We had a great time chatting about how we kept busy this winter, shared (more than) a few laughs, and have already picked a date next month to reconvene. 

I have to giggle when I look at this photo. Our friend, Mary hates having her photo taken, so she fairly hides when the camera comes out. If I'd notice this during the process, I would have probably said something, but I didn't this time, so I'll share my thoughts with you.

It doesn't matter if you're large or small, old or young, healthy or not. Photographs are the way that future generations will know we existed. A picture is a true snapshot of our lives at that instant the shutter closes. It's a recording of who we were right then.

My friends, please don't shy away from the camera. Embrace your place in history. Let your loved ones look back on your life through the images that live on after we're gone.

"Here endeth the lesson". I can hardly wait until next month, when we do this again, and next time, I'm going to stand next to Mary and prop her up if I have to. She's beautiful - inside and out - and I'm going to try to convince her she needs to radiate that out into the world.

Well, That Was Fun...

Reunion Wrap-up Gathering (l-r: Mary S., Karen C., Pat B. Rose R. and me. Missing: Jane W.)

 

On Sunday afternoon, a group of us from our 45th Class Reunion Committee gathered to get a final accounting on our party in August. Numbers came out good, and we even still have money in our checkbook as we look ahead to our 50th!!

I hosted the group here at the farmhouse, and we had fun as we "conducted business". These are ladies I've known since we were all kids. I had lots of snacks prepared, and each of them brought along goodies, too, so we nibbled and laughed while we went over the last celebration. Then, we brainstormed ideas for the next one!

(Missing from our pictures is another friend, Jane W., who left before we got out our camera phones.)

 

Reunion Wrap-up (l-r: Mary S., Karen C., Joe G., Rose R. and me. Missing: Jane W.)

 

At one point, we mentioned something about our ages...and we all agreed, we sure don't know how we got to be sexagenarians, because we don't think or feel like it! 

We kind of kept track of the Packer game (they lost - booo!), and then said our goodbyes mid-afternoon. We've decided we'll be getting together again to continue early planning for the 50th, and to spend more time together. Another reason I'm so glad Handsome and I moved back to Wisconsin. These are really wonderful women (and Joe) and I'm close enough now, to see them more often.

I'm back in the studio today. I'm going to be doing a local craft show in November, so I've got some ducks to get in a row as I prepare for that. I think I'll start working on Christmas gifts early, too this year. I can't believe how quickly it's coming! What are you doing this week?

It Was A Great Party...

Class of 1973 - photography by Ken Bauer

Saturday night was full of fun, friendship and surprises. It was the 45th class reunion for my high school graduating class. I was part of the planning committee, so I helped with anything that needed to be done prior to, during and after the party. There was still lots of time to visit, dance and catch up.

Not everyone who attended the party (and was a member of our class) is in this photograph. I noticed twenty or more people who chose to stay outside to visit or watch us taking the photo. (It was really hot outside, and worse inside.) I think they were just more comfortable not huddling next to the classmates that were posing for the picture (or perhaps they were camera shy).

Dr. Cyd Quarterman and me - BFFs for 57 Years and Counting

When I spoke with my oldest, best friend a few months ago, she told me she wouldn't be able to come as she planned to be in Wisconsin a few weeks prior and wouldn't stay on or return. I was disappointed, but completely understood.

I was sitting with my stepsister (also a classmate and long-time friend), Sher, when I glanced up to see my BFF walk across the room. She had decided to surprise me and come back to Wisconsin (from Georgia) for our reunion! She brought her younger brother as her "plus one". I've known him since he was a "pup", so we also got a chance to talk.

I couldn't have been happier to see her, and to spend time with her brother. She really blessed me by taking the time to come back to town for our reunion celebration, and we're planning to get together later this week at her mom's before she heads home.

Planning Committee Volunteers (L-R: me, Mary Schingen, Karen Suhs, Karen Courtney)

Mary, Karen S., and Karen C. were all busy Saturday night. The reunion really was the work product of Mary and another classmate, Rose Reigert. They called for volunteers to help plan the party, and that's how I got involved.

The night of the party, it was all hands on deck to make sure food and drink were available, a fun photo area with props was set up, and of course, end of night cleanup was accomplished. There was also plenty of time for committee members to eat, dance and be merry. (I'm sorry we didn't get a photo of all the committee members and volunteers together. This wouldn't have happened without them!)

John Freund and me

John is the younger brother of one of my old high school boyfriends. John was in my class, and he and I had time to share what's been going on in our lives since we last spoke.

We shared a couple of old stories, and he told me what his brother is doing in the northwest part of the country, too. Lots of changes (although not unexpected) since we graduated and his brother and I went different ways. It was nice to learn that they're all doing well.

Rose and Me

More than a few classmates passed since our last reunion (five years ago), but Rose Roberts is the younger sister of one of those who passed in the last year. She came to the reunion to visit with some of her sister's old friends, and we ran into each other.

We visited for quite a while, catching up on friends and relatives, and she's still as lovely as she always was. Rose always had a quiet elegance, and a great sense of fun. She seems to have become even more so over the years, and we hope to see each other again soon.

All in all, it was another memorable time with so many old friends. The next time we're all together, we'll celebrate our 50th. It's so hard to believe, when so many of still feel like thirty year olds inside. Sure, we have a new ache here, or a little "hitch in our giddyup" from time to time, but our hearts and minds are all still vibrant and fun filled.

I'll continue to work with the committee to plan the golden anniversary of our graduation, and pray that all of us alive today will be able to celebrate together in 2023. What a celebration it will be!
 

Oh, What A Night...

 ...and what a great day, too! 

My class reunion day began with Cyd. We ate lunch at a favorite restaurant

in my home town. Afterward, she and I hopped in the car and went to my

Aunty Margaret and Uncle Dick's home near the lake. Because of our long

shared history, she loves my aunt and uncle as much as I do, so we stopped

by for a few cups of English tea, biscuits and conversation. We also got to
tour their beautiful floral gardens while we were there. Both of them enjoy
gardening. (I love to "look".) It was a truly lovely afternoon spent with them.

Yesterday was Aunty's Birthday and our visit was only part of her gift.

We're not finished surprising her, either.

Happy Birthday, Aunty Margaret!

 After we finished our tea and thanked them both for their hospitality,

we drove back into town to our old neighborhood where Cyd had

reserved accommodations at a Bed & Breakfast in a carriage house.

It was behind a home we passed every day as kids. It was perfect!

We got ready to go to the reunion, and we were able to walk to the venue

from the B & B. (We even used some of the shortcuts we used as kids!)

l-r: Sue, Karen, Cyd, Deb, Jean and moi!

 Old girlfriends couldn't wait to catch up...after a picture, of course!

l-r: Colleen, Patti, John, Cyd, Mrs. Eric, Erik, Jeff and me

So many friends, so little time!

From our class of nearly 700, there were about 140 people who came out

to reminisce and celebrate. I didn't want to miss saying hello to a single 

one of them. I took lots of photos to share on our class Facebook page, 

and I have many more to add to my own personal photo album at home.

I still had plenty of time to enjoy hearing about how friends are doing now. 

There are wives, husbands, children and grandchildren for some of us.

Some are retired, some enjoying interesting travels and exciting careers. All

of us are blessed with good health and we were all so happy to see each other.

l-r: Sherryl, Mutzie, Del and me

 I even spent part of the evening catching up with my step-sister, Sherryl, old

roomie, Mutz and a great friend, Del. These are friendships that have lasted

 a lifetime. We had so much fun talking about old apartments, old crushes

 (sometimes thanking God for unanswered prayers!), and all things new.

A friend asked me Saturday night what I have learned in the past forty years.

I thought about it a moment, remembering that every single classmate I saw

greeted me with a smile and a hug. (We hugged a lot last weekend!) and I

replied, "After forty years, everyone is equal...everyone is a friend."

All the silly cliques have disappeared. We were genuinely happy to see

each other. We realize now that we were all young, all struggling to find

our places in life. We were developing our personalities into the people 

we are today. We were becoming our wonderful, unique adult selves.

Now, we can value each other for our differences, as much as 

for all those qualities that make us the same. Although it seems to have

taken forever, in grand retrospect, it was actually just the blink of an eye.

We've all grown up.

Happy 40th, Class of 1973.

I'll never forget the great celebration we shared this year.

You're all truly the best of the best.

Feels Like Home...

 It was after midnight when I got home last night...too late to edit a 

pile of photographs from an evening spent with old school friends.

A small group of us gathered at a local restaurant to kick off a weekend commemorating the 40th year since we graduated from high school together. I saw many old friends and we talked about shared memories, but none like the memories I share with this one woman.

Cyd and I have been friends since we first laid eyes on each other in first grade. That was fifty two years ago. We both had long braids and when she walked into our classroom as a new student, we immediately hit it off. We became friends in that instant, and we've been fast friends ever since. 

If you're lucky enough to have one friend in your life like this, then you're lucky enough, indeed. The kind of friend who knows your own childhood as well as you do. The kind of friend who's shared the best and worst of times with you. The kind of friend who you can be away from for years, and never doubt that you're still BFFs...slipping back into conversation like a comfortable, well-loved, favorite sweater. You just know that you'll be friends until you die.

I'll be spending the day with her today, and then we're going to spend the night together at a bed & breakfast right in the middle of our old neighborhood. She lived on Olcott Street, and I on Division Street. The B & B is on the corner of Olcott and Division. We'll go to the reunion and when they kick us out, we'll sit up all night catching up on years of old stories.

I love this woman. When I'm with her, I'm a kid again. We're safe and steadfast. Being with her is easy. When I'm with her, it feels like home.