A Class Reunion

We have started plans for our 45th Class Reunion, even though it won't be till 2008. Each year it seems, the same few grads have to start this, or it just doesn't get done. Bet it's the same in every class.

A few years back, I joined the Classmates site. And, found some folks who went most of the way through school with us, but had to move away before our senior year. Somehow this little fact has evolved into my being in charge of updating addresses. Even though I'm now almost 50 miles from "home." While meeting with the friend who had the last known addresses, I tried to show her the classmates site on her computer. And discovered that our school has two listings. And, I was registered on the "wrong one." Not really wrong, but when I signed on I listed my school as a Marion, Ohio school. Which it is. Sorta. It's in Marion County and it's a country school that was a consolidation of three small schools just before my freshman year. I always wondered why so few old classmates had signed up with Classmates. Well, DUH. My friend and most of the others knew that our school was actually in Morral, Ohio. A VERY small town that was one of the consolidated schools. So they were signed up there. Now I've had to join the other site. (I took the free membership on it.) So I wrote to Classmates and asked why the two couldn't be combined since it's the same school. Wonder if I'll ever get any response.

All things considered, I guess my "mistake" brought us back in contact with some old friends who may now be able to join us. If they can come to Ohio from other states. With a year's warning, we can hope. But, am I going to have to pay for two schools to get full benefits to e-mail the others on the "right" school site? Doesn't seem fair when it's just one school. The things I find myself caught up in.

I can do most of this new task with the computer and the Marion phone book. And, the help of friends still in Marion. Which is a good thing, because I'm still having those fatigue problems. The e-mails are flying. Six of us got together for lunch to start this planning. Since a couple of the gang spend winters in Florida, we decided to start early. So, I don't need to be rushed. We already have our next lunch planned in August to see what we've accomplished. That last drive back to Marion went well. I did get awful tired, but was able to spend the next couple of days resting. You can bet I'll be resting up for a few days before the next lunch. This has given me a chance to take my mind off how I feel and look forward to something new.

Ours was a class of about 60. Our reunions usually bring about half of those and their spouses back together. I loved school. I guess that is why I don't understand why some of the classmates have not been interested in joining us. Talking to the ones who had lunch together, I find that not all of us have that same memory of being a close class. They said my memory is clouded by the fact that my parents had those hayrides where everyone was invited. I knew I was lucky to have folks who always had a group of kids around. But, I've been reminded just how unusual that was. Thinking back, I realize I never saw the homes of a lot of my classmates. But a lot of those kids knew where our farm was and spent time at my house. Even though it was at the extreme edge of the school district. No wonder I am always so excited to get together again with the old gang.

I'm already excited about a reunion that is still a year away. And, I've already exchanged e-mails with some old friends who I've just discovered again. That should make me feel better. This will be the first reunion where we can bring back some of those who moved away.