It's Christmas Eve.

...and I just got back from a long trip to S.A. and hard to jump right into the Christmas mood. Hearing the winter weather reports about the Midwest makes me only slightly nostalgic, but the timing is at least right. Thanks for all the nice thoughts, everyone, about the Christmas season. I still remember all the religious Christmas songs we'd sing in A Capella and boy's choir. Can't get away with that today.

Dec 23, 2009...A note from Claudine

Hi Bob:

I just finished tuning into the blog and so very much appreciated your last items for the blog. Very thoughtful and very much in tune with my thinking.

I too dread growing old, but feel it every day in my balance, strength and memory. I just have to keep reassuring myself that I have had a very wonderful and fun and full life and if it lasts but one more day, I have so very much to be thankful for.

The reunion was a very special event wasn't it? To be able to walk into a room crowded with people you had not seen for lo these many years and just to be able to pick up where you left off. That is the miracle of high school relationships. Never a beat missed. I can call someone and pick up right in the middle of a conversation, I do not have to explain anything about myself or my place on the earth, or why in the world the receiver would know me or care to talk to me. Just " Hi, I am Paseo of '59 "and it was as if it were 50 years ago.

And.I still love the mid-west best of all. When I was in KC for Sally's son's funeral, the CVS near my Mom's old house was having wine tastings on a Friday afternoon. Wine tastings at your local drugstore? Only in the mid-west. Eat you hearts out you snooty Easterners.

And I love the people there. When I go to the grocery they ask me what recipes I might be trying with my purchased ingredients, to say nothing of wanting to help me or just see if there is anything they can do. I was at the Hen House a couple of weeks ago and the clerk came to find me in the ladies room to give me my forgotten receipt. What can I say? Those of us who have been in the East way too long just shake our heads and thank the good Lord that folks like this still exist. And never mind the calls I make to catalogues answered in the mid west wanting to know if I am digging out OK from the 22 inches of snow we had last Saturday. Who cares but someone answering the phone in Wisconsin?

And so, thanks to all of you who contributed to making the reunion a great one.

Thanks to all of you who keep in touch--stay with it, it is important.

I hope we have a reunion event soon, it would be nice to see everyone again.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season. If it cannot be happy keep all the warm and good memories close to your hearts.

I think of you all often with fondness.

The beach is my destination for Christmas Day.

Claudine

A note from Bob Pflanz to all the youngsters

I was reading one of my blog entries from bobpflanz.blogspot.com and thought of all of you guys and girls from the reunion. You brought back to life some moments from my youth and it was great. If you don't mind I'll share my thought with you:

...Age creeps in

Okay, so I am a bit more cautious than when I was a kid!
And I don't take as many reckless chances as I did when I was a teenager. And I'm a bit slower than I was when I was a young man. But, I still feel and think in my mind that I have never really grown up. I still have moments when I want to whoop and holler, maybe just not so loud.

The years flew by, many without my even noticing them. All the dear friends from my youth have gone their own ways for many years, but I still remember each and every one of them as they were long ago. The world has kept on turning and the old problems have disappeared or changed into new problems. Life goes on and friends and relations pass away or move away and my world becomes just a bit sadder and just a bit lonlier. I still enjoy the sunsets and the mountains and the fresh spring air. I still enjoy the smells and the sounds.

Life can be so sweet at moments, and yet there are times like this when I feel age beginning to creep in on me and I cringe because I really don't want to grow up yet.

…...

Thanks to all of you kids, I didn't have to grow completely up – at least for one weekend. Stay happy and healthy and young.

Merry Christmas from Bob Pflanz

Okay, all you swashbuckling old pirates out there!

I was sitting down to write out my Christmas cards and, of course, I thought of all of you. No way I can send each and every one of you a card this year, even though I am thinking of you and wish I could.

Just know that I am so glad that we got together again this last year and that so many of you became such wonderful people after all these years. I truly wish you all a very Merry Christmas and hope that this next year is good for you. I look forward to the next time I see you or hear from you. You all remind me of those special years that we all shared.

A note from Sharon (Reeves) Robertson

Hi Bob,
Thanks for your last blog entry - we definitely are a generation that has lots for which to be thankful. One of the discouraging aspects is that we are losing so many of our contemporaries - which brings me to this question. Within the last couple of weeks there was an obituary in the paper for a Norman Mason, age 68 - no other info as far as survivors, etc. Have you heard from anyone as to whether this could be our classmate?? We have info about him on our spreadsheet but I hesitate just to call or email - it very well might not be him. If you want to put this on the blog it is ok with me - maybe someone out there knows for sure. Hope you are having a great holiday season - ours is hectic but also lots of fun. Thanks, Sharon (Reeves) Robertson