Newbie Orientation and Old Friends

It was a first for yesterday's "Ha Ha, We Don't Have to Go to School" gathering.  

Newbie retirees Barbara Tibbs and Johnny Nitcy went through an orientation ritual devised by Duane Ward, who, along with his wife Marilyn, has been hosting the potluck for the past few years. 

The event's purpose:  reveling in the fact that these retired teachers are now free of school bells and lesson plans.  

The picnic is held each year precisely the same day "pre-retirees" among the local SHS staff and friends officially begin their school year. 

There will be no reporting this morning about details involved in Barbara and Johnny's induction ceremony.  We'll just say they passed with flying colors and with great big smiles. 

Yesterday's gathering turned out to be especially fun when former SHS faces some of us hadn't seen in nearly 30 years showed up at the party.  

Twas great to see everyone and do a little catching up on "life after high school." 

As a side note, my other sister Laurie Tibbs, who also retired this year after 34 years at Farmin-Stidwell Elementary,  spent her first day of "official freedom" teaming up with her former colleague Colleen Filipowski on a 17-mile bike ride along the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes. 

Happy Thursday.  Enjoy the photos, and hopefully some readers will recognize a few faces from their school days.