reunion trip

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.