Saturday Memories

I'll leave it up to the sharp eyes of readers to identify these folks who attended last night's five-class reunion at the Sandpoint Events Center.

The night sped by too quickly as did the visits.

"Kid in a candy store" comes to mind as I think about virtually every step taken on each of three floors at what the SHS grads in this photo all thought of as the "old junior high." 

Ghosts of the past came up in conversation as one attendee did a pretty good rendition of librarian Esther Weaver's famous snear.  That would be an upper lip on twitching upward on one side.

Charlie Stidwell's photo on an easel greeted everyone as they strolled in to the gym.  Afterward, a virtual smorgasboard of faces and in some cases vague familiarity kept the action lively throughout the night.

Thank God for the nametags.  Once identified, though, revelers wasted no time in recollecting moments or happenings from the past associated with each other.

One of the folks in the photo above told me he has a photo of his fifth or sixth birthday party where both of my brothers were present. 

And, of course, I can dig out some photos from my first or second birthday party where his sister was present.

We definitely go back.

It was difficult to have quality visits with everyone, but the exchanges, brief as they were, will stick in my mind for a long time.

Suffering spouses, like my husband Bill who've endured these parties over the decade fared well.  After all, after several decades, you get to know a lot of the members of the reunion casts.

Marilyn, Teri and the gang who put on this reunion have to be smiling this morning about pulling it off and experiencing such a positive turnout and response.

I promised Bill that we would probably drop in, spend a few minutes and duck out by a reasonable time.

We may promise a lot of things in marriage but sometimes those guarantees falter, as did my claim before last night's gathering.

I think we were among the last few out the door except for the organizing crew who were cleaning up. 

Doggies and cats went to bed about 11:30 p.m., two or three hours later than usual, and I collapsed for a short night's sleep a few minutes later.

Yesterday was a full day with the powwow in Post Falls, a quick change of clothes at 6 p.m. and another run to town for the party.

I enjoyed every minute of the day and will remember so many of its images for a long time.  Tomorrow I'll post a few of the scenes from the powwow. 

For today, a few more reunion photos and one more shout out to let folks know that Rick Gehring, my colleague and friend who suffered a massive stroke in early February spent his first night back home at Oden Bay. 

If these steps could talk, they could surely provide stories of epic proportions about all who have used them and passed through those doors.

To say that these two upperclassmates added spice to my high school and college years would be an understatement:  Sally O'Donnell and Karen Nelson O'Donnell from the Class of 1964. 

Mark LaMoreaux and I started first grade together at Lincoln Elementary School.  Mark is a phenomenal photographer and professor at the University of Idaho. Two other of our Lincoln first grade classmates attended:  Arthur "Smokey" Chubb and Larry Copley.