I'm back

I know it's been a while and that my faithful reader(s)   must have thought I fell into a hole.  I did, sort of.  The illness has gotten the better of me and the test results are encouraging in what is NOT going on but no real answer as to what is.  I am going to figure it out myself, what the triggers are and what I need to do to feel better.  I was SO sick on Saturday, it was touch and go as to whether I would be spending it at the class reunion or in the hospital.

I have been involved , somewhat, in the planning of our 40th reunion. The 30th was so sad, with a cookie cutter feel to the party and so sparsely attended I wondered what this one would be like. Frankly, without the advent of social media I don't think it would have happened at all.  We had just over 100 people and it was wonderful to see everyone and reconnect. It was a LOT of fun. Chris and I had worked on the memorial video and I must say AGAIN he did a beautiful job.  When the lights came up, I saw the looks on my classmates faces.  The intent was not to make everyone cry, but to honor those who had passed on properly. I was especially pleased to find a very happy photo of my old friend Gregory Wilson beaming with a woman and a llama in what I assumed was a memory of a trip to Peru.  I want to thank Espi Murphy and Carolyn Rodriquez for their tireless behind the scenes work on gathering photos and information.  We had a few snafus, where people told us that so-and-so was dead only to fine they were ALIVE-- YIKES!  Trina Smalley-Thalheimer (Arnold)  I'm glad we found you and you came to the party!!!  Chris and I stayed at the hotel which was way more expensive than my usual place, but I was glad of the room at the end of the party, as Chris and I were not in any shape to drive anywhere; NOT from strong drink, but pain and pure exhaustion. My knees tell me I should NOT "dance" anymore!  I really can't dance but I had fun on the dance floor all the same! I had been running on adrenaline and the crash was hard.  The room WAS a two room suite and it was very nice, but I don't think I will be going back there any time soon.   We joined our friends for breakfast in the morning and that was nice, to talk and laugh a bit more before we parted company.  I came home and slept!

Being on a committee is hard work.  There are always a few people who forget that the objective is not to put on a party or event that is THEIR vision but to work together for a common goal.  There is always that one person who want to hijack the proceedings and people I call "crabgrass" who come late to the committee and try to takeover the whole event and reinvent the thing midway through the process. .  There are always a few people who want to take all the credit for the work, without having done much of it.   When I was working on all of those branch openings, I remember one of my bosses complaining, that at the openings, "everyone who had nothing to do with it will stand up on the podium and pat themselves on the back". That's human nature, I suppose.It takes a strong leader to keep the group on task without letting the whole process turn into a battle royal  For me, the reward is the result of the work.  This party was awesome and I am happy to have played my part in it.   We are already talking about a 45th!