La Vida Loca Reunion

Well, it has been some time since last I wrote anything for the blog!!!! and I have been remiss {how is that for a word???} anyway I decided to use that word right in the beginning so that I don't have to worry about any more fancy words???. There may be a few more show up but since I am just getting back into the groove things may be just a little off until I hit my come back speed.........


So this is the last of the reunion stories. This could actually be an ongoing reunion story or a story about a reunion within a reunion or just one of those "you wouldn't believe it any way stories" but I am actually involved in this one!!!! I am involved in all the stories in some way or another, but this one is probably the most fun story I have ever written??? Maybe not for you, but it is for me.........

When I started the reunion stories I wrote about going to my first reunion committee meeting and how little did I know that my life would be altered in a way that I could not have even considered before leaving Florida!!!!!! The fact is that I had plans not to come back here next year as I was planning on going other places and also had the possibility of a job that would take me out of country.

So now that I have rambled on making absolutely no sense at all I will finally begin the story!!!!!!

Friday night the 20th of July was the first night of the reunion after the 2 previous meetings I had gone to. I had as I wrote previously been assigned the task of getting the music together by someone who will remain nameless..... Well, after the cleanup this nameless person who I had a screaming crush on in high school (and I told her so friday night) which was a LONG TIME AGO!!!!! asked me if I wanted to go for coffee after we had finished cleaning up.

Now I have to add that the time at this point was about 11 P M which meant it was WAY past my bedtime!!!! But I wanted to talk to her and find out what she had been doing for the last 50 plus years????? So it was off to Denny's for what I thought would just be some talk and a cup of coffee????? About 1 am we both figured it was time to go home after a few cups of coffee and a lot of laughing and even some talking!!!!!

Saturday night the 21st of July and this is the dinner night and I am doing things to avoid being near this nameless person and she is doing everything possible to get close to me because even though it was only coffee the night before strange forces were at work and the planets were starting to line up in ways not seen by mankind before!!!!!! The party ended at 10:30 and we were all cleaned up by 11:00 and I had asked her if she was not to tired did she want to go for coffee???? I might add that I had asked her that evening sometime that when the reunion was over would she like to go out for dinner??? I just figured she had worked really hard on the reunion and deserved a dinner.... LITTLE DID I KNOW!!!!! So off to Denny's once more for late night talk and coffee or coffee and talk..... These can be switched so that you are satisfied with how the sentence comes out!!!!! So here we are at Denny's until around 1 in the morning not really wanting to go home, but knowing that we both had to be at a park for the Sunday breakfast at about 8 A M!!!!!!

Sunday morning, July 23rd, 8 A M.  The next morning and we are both down at the park not really knowing what is going on between us but knowing that it is something more than just a friendly coffee and laughs thing??? So finally after I had been told to make some announcements and not having a microphone I had to stand on a table and yell and I might add that I was told that I did not "PROJECT" myself very well??? with that being said the nameless person asked me if I wanted to walk down to the river to which I replied "OH YEAH!!!!!!" and so down to the river we went.......

As we were standing by the river I just had this urge to kiss her, so I did!!! and that folks is when we both realized that this was going to be more than just coffee and talk.....

Any way we have been almost inseparable since that Sunday morning and so Dan and Jan McIntire might have won the door prize, but I got the grand prize!!!!!!!!!!! and I am planning on spending the rest of my life or as much as possible with this women or as long as she will put up with me!!!!! I am not going to try to describe her. I will just tell you that the nameless person has a name and it is CARLA (ELDRED) ROBERTSON. I have included pictures from a road trip we took so that you can know who she is!!!!!!!

There will be more stories coming now that the last of the reunion stories have been told.

Now you know why the title to this story is what it is...... If you are not sure what the title means then just google it and you can figure it out...... But I will end this story with the line.......

I LOVE YOU CARLA!!!!!!!
{;-)

                                                                                     BIGFOOT

And the winner is!!!!!!!!

Every now and then I get to write a story that is just kind of fun to write and this is one of those stories, it will not be long, but I feel it deserves it's own part since it is a story within itself..... or at least I think it is???


When I went to the first reunion committee meeting every one was talking about the locations, the food, drink, and the I D pictures and the little caveman pin since it is Grants Pass High School, home of the Caveman!!!!!!! How is that for a plug for the city??

We will be right back after a short intermission!!!!!!!

INTERMISSION!!!!!!!

How was that for a short intermission????? so now back to the story.......... Feel free to press ahead at anytime......... Where was I before I was interrupted?? Oh yes at the reunion committee meeting.

The person who said she was not in charge, but seemed to be running things and I have to say at this point, well I don't really have to say, but I will that I came in on the tail end of this whole thing and it is quite a job to get this whole thing organized and pull it off so if you get a chance you might send a thank you email to those who made it work.

But yet again I wander or stray from the story at hand!!!!!!

and then I asked if there was going to be any music and as I said before the person who said she was not in charge who will remain nameless but will be named at a later time but seemed to be giving all the orders looked at me and said with a voice of authority!!!! "YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF THE MUSIC'!!!!!

I have learned over the years that there are 2 ways to respond to an order like that. The first way is to agree and go do it.... The second way is to disagree, say no, lose the argument and then JUST GO DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!! So I just said "OK" and started thinking about how I was going to do this?????

I have several C D's of the "OLD MUSIC" which is what my children and grand children all call it so the only obstacle was to find something to play it?????? So off to WALLY WORLD where I found a 5 C D player. The nameless person in charge said get it and I would be reimbursed..... I told her and I quote "I ain't toten this thing back to Florida"!!!!!! and so it was agreed upon that on Saturday night at the Bear Hotel all who wanted a shot would put their name tag in a basket and the president of the class would do the drawing to give away the C D player.

And if you do not know by now the winners were Dan & Jan McIntire........

And so ends the stories of the reunion which in my own personal opinion was by far the best of them all!!!!! The turnout was great, the food was great, the alcohol was great!!!!!  BUT THERE SURE WERE A LOT OF OLD PEOPLE  THERE?????

Actually there is one more story to write. I know what it will be about but I am working on the story line right now and I think it will be a good finish for this series???????
{;-)

What If--The Second Night

And so good morning, evening, or in between as I guess it depends on which zone you are in?? That could be a different time  or the twilight zone??  For my choice I always preferred the twilight zone as it allows me to go wandering/wondering whilst I am thinking.  Yes everybody, I know it is hard to believe but I can do 2 things at once!!!!!!!

So if you are here reading this story then either you are easily entertained or have NO LIFE just like me because if I am writing this stuff then that means I have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ELSE TO DO!!!!!!! {;-/ I can only assume that this is part of life's therapy????


But let us press ahead and for any of you who are new comers?? This is the part where you take your left or right hand, that choice is optional and put it to your forehead and begin reading.   I would recommend that you remove your hand at some point in time as it gets really tiring holding your hand up to your head like that!!!!!!!!!

So the second night was at the Bear Hotel (see TWEEN story) which if you have been reading as we go then you already know about and if you have not been reading then you must know that my feelings are hurt as I have put my heart and soul into these stories!!!!!! and I am very sensitive about my writing.  I do not handle criticism of any sort very well at all!!!!!!!!! and I have said that before!!!!!

The second night was at the Bear Hotel (I think I just said that???) and the party again started at 6, but this time I was told to be there at 4 which I was, as I always do what I am told.   Again I had to do the music, but this time I was able to tie into the available system so the music was much better and the ACOUSTICS (HOW ABOUT THAT FOR A BIG WORD??????) were much better.

I knew that one of the class who retired as a principal was going to do a small speech about a scholarship which would be funded by the left over funds from the reunion.   What I did not know was that the person in charge had decided that I would be the designated speaker of the night!!!!  Which to me ranks just one step above a public flogging with me as the FLOGEE!!!!!!

And so with the music playing, the microphone on top of the refrigerator and the food being prepared I went to the bar.   (See pictures)

Some of the same people showed up from the night before and I got to meet them all over again!!!!! and even more people showed up that I did not know.   I finally resigned myself to the fact I could not have graduated with these people since they were all much older!!!!!!!!?????????

After much food and drink was consumed it was time to start taking memory pictures.   These pictures are the ones that everybody gets so they can try and guess who all these people were at the reunion????  I prefer to think of it as a crossword puzzle with faces........... and this is when the microphone came off the refrigerator and I had to start talking, and just when I thought I was done and had told everybody that I would "TALK NO MORE" one of the committee members would come up and say we are taking this picture or that picture and all I wanted to do was get another adult beverage!!!!!

10:20 PM rolled around much to quickly for some of the partiers and then began the 10 minute count down without the 9 minute hold. The 9 minute hold is a space center term that happens when they shoot a hole in the sky!!!! But that is a story for another time...............

At 10:30 the lights were turned off in the warehouse (I think the bears were tired????) and the last of the seniors were escorted to the door, which I might add all said they had a great time!! and after all the clean up it was time to try and remember how to get home??? I always carry a G P S for emergencies. It would be embarrassing to have to ask somebody how to get to my CHATEAU TO GO at SANFORD & SON CAMP GROUND.... Refer to previous stories for any information about the above mentioned......... and so on to the next part??????? BREAKFAST ANYONE?????

I have pictures to post and will post some, but only those who I know and if they read this and wish to have their picture removed feel free to contact me at my email address and I will certainly remove the picture.
{;-)

As you view the pictures below your 
assignment is to figure out:

WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE??? 

These two ladies were not graduates as if yopu could not figure that out, bujt they handled all the adult beverages!!!!!!!

Pictures--234,236,238,239,240,241

And then the Bears Came!!!!!

This will just be a TWEEN story.   What that means is that it comes "tween" the last story and the next story. Now wasn't that easy to understand?????


There is a place in Grants Pass, Ore. called the BEAR HOTEL where they actually make bear sculptures that are really something to see.   These are life size sculptures of bears in various poses.   I will let the pictures do the talking!!!!!!!!  This will be in 2 parts because I can only post 6 pictures at a time.........

And now on to the Saturday Night Festivities!!!!!!!
{;-)

BIGFOOT

And then the Bears Came!!!!! Part 2

What If????--The First Night

Easy there, all you perverts.   This is about a class reunion so take a cold shower or what ever you do to calm down!!!!!!!


I am going to put this story into a few parts for ease of reading plus the fact that at this age you might fall asleep reading something to long!!!!! and that way I can write one story and fill up a lot of space, well maybe not a lot of space, but it sure makes these easier to post if you have back up!!!!!!!

So here I am which is where I should be since there is no other place that I can be and still be at the reunion????? Did I mention that this was the 50th?? That would make everybody a lot older than they were when we graduated from high school!!!

I remember having to walk three miles through the snow with all my rock tablets, hammer and chisels!!!!!!! I was sure glad when pencils and paper were invented and then along came the wheel and soon we had SCHOOL BUSES!!!!!!  Then I was dancing in the parking lot, most of the time by myself!!!!!!

Now that I have written about what happened a HALF CENTURY AGO!!!!!!!

So now I can proceed with the telling of the REST OF THE STORY. I left Florida heading in a westerly direction since where I live it impossible to go to much further east....... not really being sure what this reunion was going to be like.   I have been to all the class reunions, but the 50 seems like a mile stone.   One to look forward to???? or not???

Upon arrival in Grants Pass I contacted the contact person who was to be contacted when I arrived in Grants Pass since she was the contact person and that would be Patsy J.   I called and told her that I was in town and could get my paperwork whenever. Later that week or the next week she called and asked if I wanted to go to a reunion committee meeting to which I said yes.  

Little did I know how much going to that one meeting would alter my life in ways I could not have imagined!!!!!! But that is a story for another time........

Friday night at the fairgrounds and the party started at 6 and ended at 10:30 in the evening.   I suppose it was done that way so that we could all get the early bird special dinner and not be out so late that we would all forget how to get to where ever we were staying??????  Just imagine about 140 or so seniors and their significant others/or just themselves like me wandering around town trying to figure out where they are supposed to be at that hour of the night.   I guess we could all meet at Walmart???  Where are the tour buses and flag guys when you need them???

I arrived at the Arts and Crafts building about an hour early for 2 reasons and what were those reasons you ask and even if you don't ask I am going to tell you anyway!!!!

First reason was because I was not sure exactly where this place was and the second reason was because I was responsible for the music (which happened when I went to the reunion meeting and got VOLUNTEERED to do the music) and it is always good if the music is going at the start or just before the party starts.  

The party started promptly at 6 I think.   There were people there and there was food there and the bar was open.  

At this point I started taking pictures which is what I usually do.

Usually I know the people so I can identify them for the story, but since I HAD NO CLUE WHO THESE PEOPLE WERE!!  I have to assume they all belonged here since they were talking to each other, eating the food and drinking.   Actually at first I thought they were from another galaxy and had just taken over these bodies since no one matched the picture on their name tag (EXCEPT ME).  {;-)

The night ended and all said that the party was a great success and all had had (can I use the same word twice)? a good time.  

I have pictures to post and will post some, but only those who I know and if they read this and wish to have their picture removed feel free to contact me at my email address and I will certainly remove the picture.

And now on to the BEAR HOTEL for a sound check before Saturday nights festivities!! 

and goodnight CER-143!!!!!!!!
{;-) 

Here We Go Again!!!!!!!!

Here it is the 4th of July again!!! I wrote about this day last year and actually it was the same trip over the same mountain, but this year there were more people!!!!!


The 4th of July comes every year at the same time. I know, I know, you are thinking that this guy must be a ROCKET SCIENTIST?????? He is so smart he can figure out that the 4th of July happens at the same time every year, AHHHH, but wait it does not!!!!!! The 4th is always the 4th, but last year it was a Monday!!!!!! and next year it is a Thursday!!!!! I feel so much better now that I have gotten that cleared up!!!!!

Well, now that I have blathered on for a few paragraphs it is time for the telling of the tale.... Let me do the set up... Wednesday morning, 9 am, the 4th of July, bustling downtown Merlin, Ore. (if you want to know more about Merlin, just GOOGLE it) at the LITTLE PANTRY store which is sort of like a 7-11 on steroids!!!!!! anyway, there are gathered in the parking lot a bunch of OLD PEOPLE and OLD VOLKSWAGENS and other Volkswagens.

The whole gathering looks like a mass escape from a Volkswagen assisted living facility!!!!!!! We are gathered here waiting for the one who will lead us on this trek across the mountain to the far reaches of Gold Beach!!!!!! where at a time to be announced we will fill the sky with much fire and noise!!!!! (Now ain't that some fancy writing???)

So at the appointed hour plus 30 minutes our leader arrives. At this point in time I must mention that even though it is the 4th of July I am wearing a SWEATSHIRT, a HOODED SWEATSHIRT AND A PAIR OF GLOVES to ward off the last remnants of winter!!!!! Of course every one else is in t shirts or at the very most a light jacket since going over Bear Mountain and going high up in the woods where the temperature drops to what I consider BELOW FREEZING is no big deal for the locals!!!!

Leader Larry spins his finger which means to start em up and get ready. Again there is something at this point that requires your attention. Leader Larry denotes exactly that. He is first out. I am the TAILGATOR!!!!! which means I bring up the drag or tail end. We both have C B radios so that if anybody breaks down, I mean their car, not them personally then I contact the leader and tell him so we all stop and wait as the rule is NO ONE GETS LEFT BEHIND!!!! Did you see the play on words with TAILGATOR. A little home town humor!!!!

So it is old people driving old Volkswagens in a line as we all leave Merlin, well not all were old as I was there too!!!!!!! heading down the Merlin-Galice Rd. we go and then make a sudden left turn and begin the climb up the mountain. When I wrote about this last year or at least I think I did??? as we got higher up the mountain we hit snow!!!!!! This year it was a better drive with no snow, but still cold, but not uncomfortable as you will see in the pictures.

Upon arriving at the rest area somewhere out in the woods we all took a break (I am trying to be polite here) and just sort of CHILLED OUT. I took some pictures (see attached). After a suitable time Leader Larry spun his finger a with a double blow of my OOGA HORN and the C B radio screaming it's usual static noise we went screaming down the other side of the mountain!!!!!!!

and with that I will conclude this chapter and start up again with the continuing story of the 4th of July!!!!!! But I leave you with this thought.

Just imagine if you will 8 cars full of old people driving down a tight 2 lane mountain road!!!!

{:-)