Second 30 year High School Reunion

Last night was our second 30 year high school reunion (at Dixon's again).    About the same number of people showed up for the reunion in May I think.   Well, come to think about it, maybe there were less attending yesterday.    The one nice thing was that there were some different faces there this time and the disappointing thing was that were some people whose presence were missed terribly.     Kurt did a wonderful job of hosting a 1981 Jeopardy Game that was on the big screen TV via his laptop.   What a riot!    Great fun was had by all.    I'm so happy I was able to graduate with such wonderful people.

End of August

It's August 28th and as the end of the month approaches I look back at the summer with disappointment.   It seems most everything was a bust this summer.   Our holiday to Vancouver Island and the cancellation of our trip to Disneyland were both major disappointments.   I find it funny that we wait all year for this little window of time (July and August) hoping it will be warm, sunny and most of all, fun-filled.    When it doesn't happen the way we would have hoped it seems to be all the more disappointing.

I finished reading the book, Born to Run so quickly that I didn't have any time to write about it.   But I must say it was the best book ever!    Right after I finished it I handed it over to Jillian and she finished it in record time too.    Both of us loved this book.    I mentioned on Facebook that I was reading this book and guess who left a comment:  Marcel.   I don't believe he has ever left a comment on my FB page, so this book really makes an impression.     Jillian and I even went to Mountain Equipment Co-Op and bought some 5 Finger Vibram running shoes (for Jilllian).   She's been wearing them and now that they are broken in she seems to like them even better then ever.     The reason I bring up the shoes is that the whole book is based on barefoot running.   It covers biology, history, sports, retail shoe sales and it's all wrapped up in a really good story.   I'm pretty sure I'll be reading it again really, really soon.

Yesterday evening Penny, Judy, Kurt and I met at Dixon's Pub to do some planning for the reunion coming up on September 16 and 17 (3 weeks away).   Judy had nothing planned again.    It looks like we will be heading back to Dixon's Pub on Friday night for lack of better ideas at such short notice.   It was mentioned to do something over at Sundance Lake during the day on Saturday and possibly going out for dinner at a restaurant afterwards the same evening.   Kurt posted a message on FB asking people to confirm their attendance.     But Penny had the best idea yet ... she proposed us all getting together near the end of 2012 and celebrating our combined 50th birthdays that should all be happening sometime in the years 2012 and 2013.     That was the best idea of the evening!    We would use the September reunion to see what the interest would be and if enough people are on-board it would be a go and we would start planning for the big party.   Penny mentioned that since 2012 is suppose to be the end of the world according to the Mayan calendar we could call it the "2012 End of the World ?   No, We're Only Turning 50 Party".     What a complete riot!

So although this summer was a bust I'll have to make the most of the upcoming events and try to start looking forward to all the little things that happen and not put too much focus on things like summer in general.

30 Year High School Reunion

Last night was the 30 Year High School Reunion at Dixon's Pub.    Penny met me here at our house and Jonathan was kind enough to drive us over to the pub.    There were 38 people in attendance from school and there were a couple of spouses, so the number was just over 40.   It was a small bunch but a very nice group of people all the same.   I can't say I knew everyone there because I just didn't.     The room was a little divided into two groups based on who people knew and that is to be expected.   Everyone seemed to have a good time.    There were a couple of people that didn't go that I would have liked to see again.   Those two are Fiona and Murray.    To be honest Fiona was a "maybe" but Murray said he would attend.      Too bad they weren't there, it would have been nice.

But let me tell you what was nice.    Both Candy and Lynda were there.   Candy beat us all there by 5 minutes or so.     They looked genuinely happy to see each other again and I'm so happy I was able to find them both and tell them about this reunion.   We plan on getting together again for coffee or lunch sometime to reconnect in the near future.    I'm already looking forward to that.

After the pub a few of us headed out to Judy's house for drinks.     Not too many people went and of course Penny and I did go.   Carolyn was pretty drunk and was telling story after story entertaining all of us.   I'm wondering if her head is hurting her today.   luckily, I'm okay myself.   I thought I drank too much but I suppose over the course of the evening it wasn't too much after all.

Ernie took photos of everyone and I'm already dreading seeing mine on-line.     Yikes!   Those top of the line high def cameras have to go!      But I'm glad I went.    I'm also glad it's over so I can stop worrying about it too.     There are plans for doing a really nice reunion in September and I've expressed interest in getting together to get some planning done.   Kurt seems to be in charge of that.   I think with everyone pitching in and with some advance notice, more people will be able to come and it will be even more fun.

Life Updated

Okay, I did cancel my membership but it was at the last moment and I emailed Mandi but she hasn't emailed me back.    Did I think she would?    Well maybe part of me did think she might.

My little plants are sprouting although not all of them are up yet.    I've sunburned my tomato plants the day I worked in the garden and they are looking a little worse for ware.    But the back yard is all done now and I won't have too much to do there in the way of a spring clean up anymore.

My painting class at Mount Royal University has been cancelled and I'm disappointed about that.   Now I have all those painting supplies and no skills to use them.     In my head, I think I'm going to paint and experiment but I don't know if I will really do that.

The 30 year high school reunion is coming up on the weekend and I have really mixed feelings about it.   It is at Dixon's Pub in Midnapore which kind of sucks too.   Oh well eh?

I have some good news too.  On Friday I was called for a job interview at Home Care.   I applied for so many jobs here at the Region and I can't even look up what the job posting was because the posting has closed.        I've waited a long, long time to even get an interview with another department here in the region.   So I'll just go with it and see what happens.     At least I have a job already and nothing really depends on me getting this job.

Summer 2010

This summer I thought I wasn't going to work as much.   But other than the vacation days I took, I've been working, working a lot.    I have to finish up my 7 days in a row on Monday and after that I don't think I'll work for a few days.   I'm tired of working.

There are quite a few things I haven't done this summer.    My garden has been flattened by a hail storm and I've sort of lost interest in it ... it looks horrible.    In fact, I haven't even looked at the garden at the front of the house in a couple of weeks.    That's not good, it's not me.  

We went to St. Albert for a family reunion on the August long weekend.  We stayed in James' trailer in Jeff's driveway for 3 nights.   It was generous of them to bring their trailer for us but 3 nights was a little long ... too long for a visit.   The reunion itself was pretty good.    Marge was stressed and of course Dawn was a stress ball too.    There were a lot of people at the reunion ... Marge's extended family, Dawn's extended family, Jared's in-laws and even Betty's mom was there.    It was a little disjointed and there seemed to be little family pods, not a real opportunity to mix or meet everyone.    I thought it was going to be a Van Dyke family reunion, so it was a little unusual to me.   But it was what it was ... what can you do?

I've been less happy, I'm in a funk and can't quite get myself out of it.   After work today I took a really long bath and read a book that Catherine (from work) loaned me.    It's not the best book but it's something to read.   I also had a long nap, or at least attempted to nap, it was really too hot to sleep.

Tomorrow I'm working again at 7:15 and the only good thing about that is the fact that I'm not starting at 6:45.   Uncle Wally is also going to come over for supper.   That will be nice.   We haven't seen Uncle Wally for a while and he's such a great guy.

There is less than one month left this summer and for the life of me, I have to get something going.   I have to get some things done and I have to get a little happier.