I recently went to my 40th high school class reunion. For some reason we all decided the 40th was a huge deal and there was a big fuss with lots of people there. My friends went to Rockford so that we could all be together and have good visits. There were rival high schools: Rockford East (the E-Rabs) and ours, Guilford (the Vikings). Not all of my friends went to the reunion--the East people stayed away.
I flew from Plattsburgh, which was a great change from Burlington, my usual point of departure. I flew to Boston, where I got totally lost and confused. It was like a comedy show, an old lady trying to get from point A to point B but not remembering that B comes after A. I asked for directions and information about 16 times, and everyone I asked was patient and friendly.
I finally got on my Boston to Chicago flight. There were at least 20 Asian students on the plane, all very sweet and tired. I had all 3 seats to myself, having switched with one of the students so he could sit with his classmates. It was an uneventful and peaceful flight. I tried to sleep, having gotten up at 4:30 to catch the 6:00 a.m. flight to Boston. Well of course it was an a.m. flight, why else would I get up so early? duh.
Once I got to O'Hare I faced more complications and confusion, but again everyone was helpful and guided me to the bus to Rockford. I had a strong reaction to seeing the sign saying "Rockford" in the window of the bus. Like, I'm really going there, and it really exists. I hadn't been there in a long time.
Priscilla met my bus, after some confusion on my part about which bus I'd be on.
That night (Fri.) there was a big party at Martha's mother's house. It was great, lots of people I love to be with. Our friend Joanne was there--she had a stroke and is in a wheelchair. She's a brave and cheerful person.
Sat. morning we went to a memorial service for Connie's father. It was a hot, sunny day and the background of the mourners was corn, corn everywhere.
We drove around and visited for most of the day (trips past the 2 houses I lived in as a youth). I told my mother that one of the houses looked really good. She had an unenthusiastic reply. My family has mixed memories of Rockford. Obviously we weren't completely happy there: we've all settled in places far from the Midwest.
Sat. night was the much-awaited for reunion. I had a not-so-great time. It turned out that I didn't want to mingle and introduce myself to my former classmates. I was a wallflower. But I didn't mind too much. Some of my friends mingled madly and had a great time. We stayed until the bitter end. No, it wasn't bitter, and I don't know the origin of that saying.
Sunday was great, a Swedish breakfast at one of Rockford's most popular restaurants (the Stockholm Inn. Priscilla and Pat, my tour guides, are Swedish and very proud of it. As proud as I am to be a resident of Hawkeye). Good visits with some friends, then a trip to our friend Kathy's house waaaaay out in the country. Kathy is one of the most optimistic and cheerful people I'll ever know. She and I went on a famous camping trip to Colorado when we were young. Just the 2 of us, and we drove there from Rockford in K's green Volkswagen station wagon. What a time we had.
I flew home on Monday. Much more organized this time, knew the rules and figured out how to switch terminals in Boston. I even knew the best way to go through security. On the way out I got stopped because I had a dollar bill in my pocket, in spite of our orders to "take EVERYTHING out of your pockets." What, did I think I was special? au contraire.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
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The view from the plane, leaving from Plattsburgh and flying over Lake Champlain. It's a pretty place, where I live.
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This is my friend Priscilla and her husband (also my friend) John. This is at the reunion. I think John is saying "No, really, staying the WHOLE night?"
I stayed with Priscilla and her mother. It was grand and we had lots of good visiting time. People from the Midwest are a special type of person.
I stayed with Priscilla and her mother. It was grand and we had lots of good visiting time. People from the Midwest are a special type of person.
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Kathy and Ruby (Ruby is the dog, Kathy is one of my closest and best friends, even though we rarely see each other).
On Sunday Priscilla took me on a tour of Rockford. It was wonderful, and we laughed and reminisced. Past our junior high school (a huge building, even bigger than I remembered), past the Midway Theater and the Coronade Theater, where we used to go to Sat. matinees for 35 cents, through downtown--it looks way different now, but we talked about the stores we used to go to. DJ Stewart's was too expensive for me to shop at but we used to go there, to see what we couldn't have I guess. There was a tea room in the basement of the store.
There was a jewelry/record store called Comay's. Of course there were LPs and 45's. You could go into a booth, wear earphones & listen to records to see if you wanted to buy them. Or if you just wanted to listen. Albums were $4.98 for mono, $5.98 for stereo. That was a lot of money and you didn't buy one unless you SERIOUSLY wanted it. Like all of the Beach Boys' albums, in my case.
On Sunday Priscilla took me on a tour of Rockford. It was wonderful, and we laughed and reminisced. Past our junior high school (a huge building, even bigger than I remembered), past the Midway Theater and the Coronade Theater, where we used to go to Sat. matinees for 35 cents, through downtown--it looks way different now, but we talked about the stores we used to go to. DJ Stewart's was too expensive for me to shop at but we used to go there, to see what we couldn't have I guess. There was a tea room in the basement of the store.
There was a jewelry/record store called Comay's. Of course there were LPs and 45's. You could go into a booth, wear earphones & listen to records to see if you wanted to buy them. Or if you just wanted to listen. Albums were $4.98 for mono, $5.98 for stereo. That was a lot of money and you didn't buy one unless you SERIOUSLY wanted it. Like all of the Beach Boys' albums, in my case.
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Martha, looking serious. She's not really this serious, she laughs a lot. She lives in California. Maybe that's why she looks so serious.
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Priscilla is a good sport. She has a cat and isn't really a dog person, but who can resist Ruby?
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This is Dave reading the book that describes the achievements of my classmates. The book was passed out at the reunion, and was interesting (to say the least). Here he's reading about someone who claimed to have been a gold assayer, retired early and traveled all over the world (a long list of places he visited). I'm convinced this was all made up, and am jealous of his creativity. All I said was that I'm a librarian. dull.
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The view from Kathy's house. I'd forgotten how endless the rows of corn are. I never forget how far you can see, though. Some Midwesterners feel claustrophobic when they visit mountains, but I like both geographies. I prefer mountains, obviously, but I do like the scenery here.
ferry land
I had to go to Burlington (Vt) recently. This is what it looks like when you board the ferry that crosses Lake Champlain. I had to go for my mamm-e-oh-gram. That's what someone at work calls it. She also says she's "fusstrated," and other things. Can't think of any right now.
Anyway, all is well with my mammio. I'm clean. I'm lucky.
Anyway, all is well with my mammio. I'm clean. I'm lucky.
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Here's what the ferry looks like. Well, OK, it's what the OTHER ferry looks like. The ferries swim past each other, but the people mostly don't wave. Except for the tourists, sometimes.
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Linda, getting ready to cook another feast on her campfire. She does an amazing job and is very creative.
Linda's feet
Here's the paella Linda made. It was delicious. She cooks it over the fire, which makes it even more impressive and delicious.
I don't have my pictures from my RI vacation---they're on my laptop at home & I keep forgetting to load them here. Let's just say: it was a great time. I got to visit with my sister, my niece, my mother, our other family member Mark. The dogs didn't think it was the greatest time, though they did get some morning walks. Mostly they were confined to my mother's dog's pen. Lots of things to bark at from the steps, though, according to Chances. She likes to sit with her back to the house, barking endlessly. My mother thinks this means she wants to come in, but I know better. I don't know what she's barking at, or why she's barking, but it's entertainment for her so who am I do judge?
More pictures from The Ocean State later, I'm sure--
More pictures from The Ocean State later, I'm sure--
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So here we are, in all our glory. What a handsome group, what a happy group. It was a wonderful visit.
Monday, August 23, 2010
| Greed: | Medium | |
| Gluttony: | Medium | |
| Wrath: | Low | |
| Sloth: | Medium | |
| Envy: | Medium | |
| Lust: | Medium | |
| Pride: | Medium |
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geez. I look like a pretty boring (but tolerant) person.
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