 Last weekend was the reunion trip. Thanks to my daughter Keri the trip was pleasant and a lot of fun. Once we got settled in the hotel, we had a great visit with my first love, "Smokey" or Wayne as he is known now, and the joy to meet his lovely wife, Elaine. We visited Alameda and the carriers like the ones he sailed in the Navy. It was quite windy but worth the experience, Those ships are huge. After we drove around Alameda and ended up at Chinatown where we ate authentic Chinese food. It was the beginning of a wonderful weekend. When we went back to the hotel, we went to the bar and found quite a few of my old classmates who were in the midst of conversations. A few of the people visited with those staying at the hotel because they couldn't come to the event on Saturday. We had a great time laughing and sharing stories. Keri fit right in and enjoyed the evening. On Saturday, we met again for breakfast and more sharing. Around 1:30 p.m. we went to reservation area and waited for the big yellow school bus to take us to the reunion. When we arrived we began with a Memorial Mass for all our deceased classmates. Father Paul Schmidt presided. (He attended O'Dowd for one year and then entered the seminary. Now after 50+ years he is retiring. ) It was touching to see all those attending and on the altar area was a huge display of our class photos. As the names were read during the Mass, it was very emotional. After the Mass, we walked up the hill to the new Center for Environmental Studies. Snacks of fruit, cheese and crackers awaited us and the DJ showed up and we had music in the background as we visited and connected with old friends. Later we were shown a short video about the new center and what they hope to accomplish with the building. After that we took another walk to the cafeteria where a wonderful buffet dinner and dancing began. More people showed up for the evening event and again it was fun reconnecting. After 58 years all pretenses are gone and genuine caring and concern prevail. All in all, it was a delightful experience. On Sunday after another breakfast with some classmates, we journeyed back to Nevada. More about the reunion can be found here http://odowdclassof56reunion.weebly.com/ Getting ready for my 58th Class Reunion. Decisions, decisions on what to pack. You can tell I don't travel much these days. It will be fun to reconnect and we will get to tour the school on Saturday.
Tonight I have a going away dinner for one of our friends at St. Gall who is moving closer to his children. It is always sad to see someone move away. Tomorrow is a funeral for another good man. Remember to kiss those close to you often and give them a big hug. You never know when it will be the last time. |
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