My first blog about the reunion was decidedly negative, based on emotions that come flowing out of me so readily at any given moment.  Now that those have been chronicled, let me say that the weekend had some moments of redemption.  Riding around south Milwaukee to pick up a birthday cake for Jim – “the best bakery in Milwaukee” according to our driver and tour guide, Hank.  I walked in and immediately began lamenting the lack of such old fashioned bakeries where I live.  Half the baked goods case was cookies of every stripe, and I ended up buying a dozen Holstein cow cookies, as big as Mike Tyson’s fist.  Hey, the sign said “MOO!” – how could I not?  The BBQ at Jim and Peggy’s Friday night was lovely – a hot summer night, no clouds, old friends, including a few who were not expected.  There was a lot of whispering – “who was that guy I just hugged?”  – it is not as easy to recognize people as it was even five years ago.  Jim and Peggy played a set of acoustic music, Peggy’s beautiful voice lulling us all into peace.

Saturday found us in the middle of another blistering hot day – where’s the ocean breeze? oh yeah, I’m not in California anymore – and we walked and lounged around on the grassy mall and tried to get oriented – so many new buildings, it was sometimes hard to figure out where we were Saturday and how that translated into where we went to class 35 years ago.  Saturday night a few threatening clouds rolled in during the outdoor dinner and although they did not rain on us, they ushered in a stiff breeze that tore tablecloths off the tables and turned over the vases of flowers that the planners had lovingly placed there.  The clouds moved on and left behind a cool, delightful evening.

Possibly the worst DJs in the history of DJ-ing provided the music.  OK, we all understand that if you’re playing for reunions from 10 years to fifty years you have to be patient.  However – Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond – not once but TWICE!  That was not the only song that made you want to scoot right back into the 21st century (more Lady GaGa please! please!) that they found it necessary to play twice. Oh well, it cleared out the crowd and they got to go home early.

All in all it was very mellow, I just think waaaay too much and take waaay too much to heart, as usual.  However, until the 30th I never wanted to go to reunions.  I have always made an effort to keep in touch with those I want to keep in touch with.  A few others I have reconnected with through Facebook and Linkd In.   I don’t know that I will find it necessary to push my luck again and attend a reunion only to have my sweet memories marred by the present or have bad memories revived from the depths where they belong.  We’ll see.

In the meantime, summer is almost over.  A few visitors coming to California (now that kids are grown, people are travelling again – c’mon out!) the end of August, then September I begin to change my career focus in earnest.

So.  There.  It’s all good.