Walking into Eskimo Joes on Friday night and seeing a bunch of people that I haven’t seen in 35 years was really fun. Every time someone walked in the door there was a moment of thinking “who is that? “ about several classmates. Most I knew having worked on the committee and I probably looked at the yearbook pics more than some. What a fun time it was trying to move around in a crowded room from such a good turnout and only making it a few steps before getting a hug and a memory from someone. Took me 20 minutes to make my way across the room at one point to get to the ladies room. LOL
Saturday’s lunch at Hideaway Pizza was just as fun. No one had nametags at that event. But since most had been at Joe’s the night before it was easy to figure out who you were talking to. In an area not far from ours was a class having their 60th Class reunion. I think that was the year. Suffice to say there were a lot fewer than our class and a lot more gray. Not a lot though.
And finally, after months and months and months of planning came the big night. The 35th Class Reunion main event at the Circle H Ranch in Stillwater. Our classmate Crystal Shedrick Hayes and her husband Roger offered up the use of their barn for our reunion and it was a perfect setting. The weather was perfect, the decorations were great, and the food was really good, some of it having been provided by our classmate Wayne Whitmore and his wife Connie who own Whitmore Farms. Classmate Danny Badger made the perfect MC.
Getting 78 people to stop what they were doing and take a picture was a bit of a challenge but we did it and I can’t wait to see the results. Talking and catching up on each others lives would have been entertainment enough but we had a talent show that rocked! Several members of the Concert Choir in High School actually got up early after the night at Eskimo Joes to go to the high school and practice a song to sing at the reunion. They were awesome. Time had not changed their voices and harmony. Following that was classmate Mike Schwager, Cindy Head Parks and Kenny Parks performing on violin, guitar and bass . Then Cindy accompanied by Kenny played guitar and sang a couple of original songs she had written.What a hoot! She is so talented. She still looks just like she did in High School and is as nice as she was then. Kenny is too. And the way he looked at her as she sang made it obvious they were still very much in love.
Danny Nelson and the Pioneerettes were quite entertaining. And Danny’s other songs,especially the tribute to Tom Williams were also very good. And the nerves I felt about performing for a group of peers disapeared as soon as I stepped on stage. Probably my favorite performance yet. Well received and got lots of compliments. It was wonderful to see the groups of people all around the room sharing stories of the past and catching up on what’s happened in the 35 years since we graduated. I hated to leave Saturday night. And when I did decide to go it took me a while to get out of there because of the last minute hugs and conversations. I can’t wait for 5 years to go by so we can do it again. And I intend to keep to my intention of staying in touch with some of the classmates who are close by.
The only downer to the entire weekend was I hit a raccoon on the way back from Stillwater to Tulsa. When I got to Joe’s I was convinced that the raccoon was still under my car because it was making a noise. Since I had hit it about 30 miles from Joe’s house he assured me that it had probably fallen off it if had been stuck. I wasn’t convinced and the thought of Rocky Raccoon still under my car was making me sad. Joe asked if I was always so emotional over road kill. I thought that was funny. But he took the time to go out and look and see what was making the noise..Turns out the raccoon knocked loose a piece of plastic underneath the car and it was dragging.
Sunday night I did the icebreaking comedy before a speed dating event in Tulsa at the Marriot. It was a light turnout. The group was younger, 26-35 and the nerves were obvious. I managed to make them laugh and I think the experience probably was a lot less intimidating by the time I got through. From there to folly practice and a bunch of super seniors that are so much fun.
And my final performance of the 3 in a row, at Wagoner Civic Center on Monday for a group of senior volunteers. I was a little leary after my experience at the Okmulgee Senior Center but this group was receptive and still had sense of humors. It was a lot of fun. And I left feeling very good about it. One remark that one of the speakers made that stuck in my mind was “I’d rather wear out than rust out.” I liked that.
I’d much rather wear out than rust out. I may sometimes take on way to much in this thing we call life, but I am so much happier when I’m out and using my gifts and talents and not just sitting around thinking about it. There is a verse in the Bible I really like.
Galatians 9-10
So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit.
That’s a good verse to live by.
I told my co-workers the Raccoon story yesterday before I ended up going home from work, feeling bad. When I came in to work today, a stuffed raccoon greeted me on my keyboard. I am so thankful for co-workers with a sense of humor. And I’m thankful for my high school friends who made this weekend so fun. And I’m thankful for my new boyfriend Joe who drove all the way from Tulsa to check on me and bring me dinner. I am so happy right now. I am living La vita dulce….(the sweet life) life may get loco(crazy) but I’m fully engaged in it.
Carpe Diem
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