Monday, October 20, 2008

Follow Up on the Reunion

For those of you who read a previous post about my husband's reunion I thought I'd give you an update on the second and last night. The schedule was this: 6:00-7:00 drinks (cash bar) and visiting, 7:00-8:00 dinner, 8:00-8:30 comments and awards, 8:30-12:00 dance with 60s music.

Here's what really happened:
6:00-7:00 Mostly visiting. Very little drinking. Much less drinking than in past years when we were much younger. Makes you wonder if the less drinking should be chalked up to age, more people on medication that prohibits alcohol (refer back to age), cost of alcohol in retirement (refer back to age). Whatever the reason it was nice. Nobody that I saw or talked to over indulged, unlike past years. In addition I noticed only 2 people go out to smoke. That's way less than before and a really good thing. Maybe people are finally old enough to know better!

7:00-8:00 Dinner was a delicious buffet. A very fattening, high carb and bad for the heart buffet but oh my goodness it was delicious. Yeast rolls, potatoes au gratin, squash/rice casserole, green beans, and prime rib with peach cobbler for dessert. Now picture the class of '63 (all of whom are 63 years old now) eating this heavy meal and then trying to stay awake afterwards. :) Hilarious....yawns galore!

8:00-8:30 Awards were given for the longest marriage (March, 1963) and the shortest marriage (July, 2008). Hope springs eternal - that's my take on the most recent marriage!

8:30 The music started and the little band was actually very good. Not too loud - I worried about that. Admittedly they weren't a lot younger than my husband and his friends and had to have the music since they could no longer be sure they would remember the words, but it was enjoyable.

Here's another thing I noticed. Not very many people danced any more. But those who did had a joy filled time, including the women who danced with each other! Two couples I'll tell you about - the first was a couple who were very good dancers. The woman was the class member and was/still is tall and thin. In her younger days she was a professional dancer for a while. She had on a slinky white dress with a beautiful white sweater over it. She took the sweater off to dance and the dress was spaghetti straps. She also had on beautiful spiked heels. And ya'll, she danced every dance in those heels. I freely admit that I haven't had on a pair of heels...well, can't remember the last time. I have no idea how she did that! No matter how wonderful those shoes were, and they were truly wonderful, I would be worried about falling and breaking a hip! I also can't imagine at this age wearing a slinky, spaghetti strap cocktail dress but she wore it well. The other couple I want to tell you about later in the week.

Now that dance was supposed to last until midnight. Half of the group left when the music started. Half of the half left were gone by 10:15 (including us!). And I'd be willing to bet that by 10:30 everyone who wasn't on the clean up committee was gone. How time does change all of us - always before this class closed down the place at midnight by standing outside still talking as the employees left!

Have you been to a class reunion lately? If not, why not? Whether you like it or not the people you went to school with impacted and changed your life. They were part of what makes you who you are today. Good or bad they helped to form you. Those that you didn't like or weren't nice people then, may be completely different today - God works many miracles in people's lives. You should go just to see those miracles! The people who were nice when you knew them before still are. It's good to see that. And at this point success is thought of in a completely different way than it was before - if you are healthy you are better off than many in your class. If you are happy you are successful beyond what many have been able to attain. It's good to go back to your roots, to be nostalgic for a while. It makes you so much more appreciative for the people in your life now and the relationships you have that have brought you happiness.

21 comments:

  1. Sounds like a fun reunion, Marlene. It's interesting to hear about the people who were there and I can't wait to hear about the other "dancing" couple.

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  2. I thought that was very interesting...class of 63 are all now 63 yrs. old! Cool!

    I have a 30th class reunion this November. I graduated with over 300 kids. I can't say I have fond memories. My school was drug infested and there was racial tension. I graduated mid-term my senior year at 17 years old and I haven't looked back. I wish I had graduated from a smaller school and had the same experience my parents had. Oh well....

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  3. Hmm. I love the way you are stringing us along "The other couple I want to tell you about later in the week." I am hoping that it is a lovely tale of Mr. Bush and his lovely wife, M. as they got on the floor and cut a rug!

    I missed my last reunion because it was so poorly planned. Ah well, life goes on and I shall too.

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  4. This is such a thoughtful post, friend.

    High school was not a happy time for me. I am still in touch with 2 of the 612 in my class. They persuaded me to attend a reunion and it wasn't an enjoyable experience. Not many attended, and most of those who did were still shallow and filled with themselves.

    That being said, I'm glad for the two I do stay in contact with.

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  5. I, too, am in suspense about the other dancing couple.

    Ole and I attended our 40th reunion several years ago and had a wonderful time. We've made them all in the past 40 years and also noted drastic changes in behaviors and attitudes - fortunately all for the positive. Ole and I are high school sweethearts, graduated the same year from a class of 378. Out of that class there were 15 married couples. At the 10 year reunion there were 7 couples still married. At the 20 year reunion there were 5. At the 40 year reunion the same 5 were still alive and married. I'm with you on the heels - can't remember the last time I wore them OR pantyhose (snicker).

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  6. My 25th high school reunion is this coming weekend. I'm not going. It's too much money and it's just not my thing. Because of all the coorespondance leading up to the weekend, I am back in touch with a good friend I haven't seen since graduation. He lives in Texas and is coming up for the reunion. He'll probably get a group together at one of the local watering holes and I'll go to that. The folks we hung out with will be there and those are the folks I want to see. The "mean crowd" as we used to call them will be at the formal reunion and I can just do without that.

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  7. I graduated from a very large city high school full of cliques and a lot of very snobby catty people. There were also racial problems in some classes and it was a rough time for many kids. I had my own friends and I was dating my college boyfriend (now husband), so I had a great experience despite those groups, but some of my friends weren't as lucky. I think it can be very different and very painful for some people to go back in time when it was so hard for them. But I am glad you had a good time!! I did at one reunion but the last one we went to wasn't worth the time or money.

    Now I can't wait to hear about the other couple - hummmmmm!!

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  8. My high school reunion is comeing up next Saturday and we are going.
    It will be interesting to see who is still around. It's visiting and catching up in the afternoon followed by a fish fry. It will be an early evening.

    You haven't said where yours was held.

    Jo S.

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  9. Sounds like a wonderful time! I haven't gone back yet. I should... I know. It will be my
    25th in a couple years.

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  10. Sounds like a very nice reunion. I've been out of high school for 38 years (surely, I NOT that old! LOL) and haven't been to a reunion since my 25th reunion. Guess, I better start making plans for that 40-year earmark!

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  11. lol loved this post. Did you ever notice that when you meet friends of your kids you think oh how grown up they are. Until you think and look at your own kids. Suddenly oh dear am I that old.

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  12. I actually met my husband at our 25th class reunion. Our class had over 700 graduates and you just didn't know everyone. We had both been divorced from first spouses for 8 years and had a wonderful time that night, which led to many emails, phone calls, plane tickets, and a few years later marriage. We just celebrated our 4 year anniversary in October, so if you're thinking ofnot going to your reunion.....think again!

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  13. My class voted to NOT have any further reunions...the steering committee did, that is...I didn't get to vote because I wasn't consulted. I never did learn the reason why so I can only guess that it was perhaps low attendance at the previous reunions. It's a shame but I never see or hear from my close classmate friends who have left the area. I wish it was different but it isn't. Then there's my husband's class and they still get together every five years and have a very high percentage in attendance. (we're not from the same town)

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  14. Sounds like you had a wonderful time! I have never been to a class reunion~mostly because my husband couldn't get off work and I didn't want to go alone. Maybe someday we'll make it to one. I do still keep in touch with several of my friends from HS. Only one of them has gone to the reunions.

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  15. Sounds like a fun reunion. Glad that you two enjoyed it together

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  16. This was fun to read. I graduated from high school in 1975 and have not been to any of my reunions. We went to a couple of my husband's reunions but were underwhelmed so haven't gone to the past three or so. We both stay in touch with a few people we graduated with who were close friends so I guess we haven't felt a need to go back and connect with the whole class! lol

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  17. If she was a professional dancer and still practiced, she probably was used to dancing in the heels. I couldn't even walk in them. I have a balance problem and have been wearing one inch heels most of my married life.
    A few years ago, we went to Honey Bear's college decade reunion. It was fun although being a decade reunion, we didn't know anyone. He has a high school reunion coming up next year. We haven't been to the last couple but maybe I can talk him into this one. He is class of '61. My class hasn't had one in years that I have been aware of but I would go if they did.
    I love to dance. We've taken lessons a couple of times. Honey Bear's company has the best Christmas Parties. Everyone comes in very casual dress, they have a buffet, Karaoke and dancing. I look forward to it every year. I'm afraid I've always been more of a party animal than he is but he indulges me.
    I'm glad you went and that you enjoyed it. I can't wait to hear about the other couple.
    Mama Bear

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  18. Marlene, sounds like you had a great time. I am really enjoying reading your posts!!!

    I love to dance and my favorite is chair dancing...I do that a lot while working or sewing...LOL

    Marlene

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  19. I do so wish that we all still danced -- you know -- just like they did on the Lawrence Welk show. I am growing up in the wrong era.

    ohh. BTW -- I tagged you.

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  20. Marlene when you post it just feels like you can see the couples on the dance floor and the ones yawning at the tables. Love to read them, I'm glad you had a good time.
    Hugs,
    Bonnie

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  21. I've never been to one of my reunions. I moved in the middle of my junior year. I only made about five friends at my new school. I would die to go to my former school's reunion, but even though I've offered to go... I'm not invited.

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