After 6 months of preparing, and falling WAY behind on this blog, my class reunion has finally arrived. The committee planned a daytime, family-friendly picnic at the park where, as kids, we swam, played baseball, and had carnivals. It was fun to see all the
Mini-Mes running around filling water balloons. My kiddos hid in the shadows tossing the football around, but I was glad to have them there. The committee did such a great job on fundraising, that we were able to provide free food at the picnic!
In between the picnic and evening festivities, there was a high school tour. I skipped that this time so I could change (it was sweaty hot!) and help set up. My partner in crime and loooooong time friend, Becca, and I managed the check-in table. Those books on the table are the prime reason I am so behind on this blog. I collected and edited pictures and bios from classmates, searched for senior photos, scanned old school activity photos, and made a memorial page for those few classmates who have passed on. Then I added advertisements designed by another committee member and tried to align the whole thing into a power point file that was sent to a printer in Idaho. The books ended up costing less than $4 a book and looked AWESOME if I do say so myself. But, phew! I am glad it's done.
Finally after check in, I was able to do a little socializing. Love this sneaky photo Jim took. It was really fun for me to catch up with classmates and hear what they are up to now. I think I've only been "home" 5 or 6 times since my folks moved 19 years ago.
Becca alerted me that it was starting to get dark and if we were going to take a group photo, we better hurry up and do it. Jim tried to tell me it was too late, that there was no way I could get all the classmates organized before sunset. Oh yeah? I told him to give me 10 minutes. It took me less than 5. I finally found a use for my cheerleader skills. I used my booming teacher/cheerleader voice with the help of a microphone to call out individuals to "head to the hill." And they listened! I love our class.
Jim always asked me what "group" I was in in high school. I could never explain to him that that's not how our class was. Yeah, we had our good friends. There were athletic kids that hung together and farmers and whatever, but - at least I never felt - that anyone would ever exclude somebody. I went to bonfires with farmers. I went to games with athletes. I hung out with other band members. Anybody could.
After the reunion, we headed to a bar downtown. Jim ended up getting the same story from a guy I didn't know very well in high school. He told Jim, "It didn't matter who you were (in our class.) We all just got along." The thing is, I didn't know this guy very well, but when we saw each other that night, we hugged like old friends. We have a commonality.
When we were in middle school, our principal was killed in a hunting accident, our 6th grade math teacher developed a brain tumor and died while we were in high school. Our sophmore year, a classmate, loved by us all, was killed in a car accident that killed another high school student and injured two of our other classmates. Maybe these experiences made us realize that life was too short for petty disputes or childish games of snobbery.
The night of the reunion, at that bar, my hair was a sweaty mess. I desperately needed a hair tie (because there was no way I was going to stop dancing!) Another classmate who I didn't know very well, took two bobby pins from her hair and whipped my hair into a bun that withstood all my rockin' moves. LOL Two minutes later another classmate showed up with a hair tie that he had gone out to his truck to get. I haven't seen either of them since graduation day. So much love, I tell ya.
So, anyway, I had a great time. We stayed out late. My folks came down to Delavan to be with the kids while we were at the adults-only dinner. We stayed at
Lake Lawn Lodge where my parents and I all worked at one point during our days in Delavan. Owen stayed in my parents' room that night. My mom stayed in our room with the other two until we got home.
Mia slept with us so you can imagine how rested and happy I was when the above photo happened at 7:30 a.m.!!! The cars for the Antique Auto Show started rolling down the grass with their old engines roaring and the MC directing traffic. Owen and my dad went out early and took a look around. I was glad that I didn't have to join them. Old cars are not really my thing.
When we finally did get moving and checked out, we took the kids to see some of the circus monuments downtown. Delavan is known as the original
circus town in Wisconsin, although Baraboo has the International Clown Hall of Fame.
Luckily somebody was using their head when they picked our team mascot and did not make us the clowns. Instead we were the Comets. Different, but at least not laughable.
After the park, we drove past my old house. The same people who bought it from us still live there. The trees have grown, the neighborhood has expanded. How much is relative. In my mind the neighborhood spreads all the way from Delavan to St. Paul and out to L.A. and down to Florida. All the places where my classmates have gone to build their lives and start their families. Looking at it that way, it really is a small world.
