1. After our lively and mirthful reunion party on Friday night, our reunion Saturday started out in a relaxed and mellow fashion and gained momentum and joyousness as we moved through the day.
At 10:00 this morning, the local school superintendent opened Kellogg High School for about a dozen or so of us to stroll through the building, remember how things in there used to me, and, for me at least, marvel at the building's expansion and improvements. It's a much more colorful learning environment than I remember the high school being back in 1969-72. Now there are walls with colorful murals and inspirational and encouraging words and sayings have been posted up and down the halls and as one climbs up certain stairs. Andrews Gymnasium looks awesome. The old bleachers have been replaced with new purple ones. The gym floor is beautifully polished and shiny. Banners celebrating the success of teams in several sports have been hung.
I thought about what a welcoming and handsome learning environment has been created at KHS as I strolled up to the second and third floors, checked out the band and choir room, and as I admired the greened up landscapes of Jacobs Gulch and the view of Wardner Peak and other hill tops to the south. I was very happy I took part in this reunion activity.
2. Not long after I returned home, I grabbed six Heidelbergs out of the fridge and drove up the North Fork of the CdA River to the relaxing Waldo property that sits a bit above the river and has plenty of shaded areas to sit and relax. I enjoyed on Heidelberg in memory of my dad and his love of the North Fork. I had a several quiet and relaxing conversations and enjoyed some cold pizza and Caesar salad.
Around 2:00, knowing that our dinner party tonight was staring at 5 and running until at least 10, I returned home and assumed the prone position on my bed for over two hours. I rested, slept, enjoyed being with Copper and Luna, and simply charged my batteries so I would be fresh and ready to have a great time at the Kingston HillTop.
3. Debbie and I arrived at the HillTop about 20 minutes or so after the Happy Hour time scheduled for 5:00 had begun and we walked into a joyous mob scene. Scores of classmates and their spouses/guests had already arrived. Seated around tables throughout the back deck and patio area at the HillTop people were getting caught up, telling stories, laughing, smiling, enjoying one another, and some were drifting around, mingling, talking to a variety of people.
I was delighted to see everyone, but I felt especially happy that four of our teachers from 1969-72 accepted our invitation to come: Clarence Moore, accompanied by his son Butch; Larry Curry, with his wife Ann; Mike Dunn, with his wife Donna; and Ron Wood accompanied by his wife Sheila. It looked to me like they visited with many of their former students and they all were smiling broadly and were noticeably animated by being a part of our HillTop party.
Around 6:00, the HillTop servers brought out the food. Buffet lines formed. We dug into our dinners. As we completed our meal and as Dirty Betty, tonight's tight and rockin' band got ready to start playing, Diane's son, Matt, and daughter-in-law, Leah, managed to round up all the Class of 72ers in attendance for a group picture.
Then the music started, and, for me at least, this party went from second to third to fourth gear and on into fun and joyful overdrive.
Dirty Betty is a superb cover band, playing songs ranging from artists like Deep Purple, The Cars, Pat Benatar, Journey, The Pretenders, Prince, and many others all the way up to 2022 and Billie Eilish.
Maybe the band played one or two slow songs, but the vast majority of their tunes were infectious dance tunes and we so-called Senior Citizens flooded the gravel surface in front of the bandstand and danced and danced and danced -- you might say we partied like it was 1999. Ha!
I got to dance with several awesome partners, including Donna Dunn and Ann Curry, and it was a total blast. It's hard to pinpoint a peak moment during Dirty Betty's playing, but I admit to having been out of my head fired up when the band played Deep Purple's mighty "Highway Star", one of my favorite songs of all time. Off of their album, Machine Head, "Highway Star" features soaring vocals by Ian Gillan, covered masterfully by the awesome woman vocalist fronting Dirty Betty and an intoxicating keyboard part played by Jon Lord (Praise the Lord) and covered beautifully by Dirty Betty's keyboard man. But, with song after song, whether "Sultans of Swing", "The Final Countdown", "867-5309/Jenny", or "Separate Ways", Dirty Betty pumped us up with contagious energy and decades of memories, helping transport us back to our days of abandon on the dance floor at the Northwest Metal Workers hall or the cafeteria at the high school.
You'd think the night would be over with the band's last song and a couple of last dances.
But, no.
A handful of us decided to extend the night at the Inland Lounge.
Whew! I was really happy when I agreed to drop into The Lounge that over the course of five hours at the HillTop party, I'd only drunk three beers, all light Placer Pilsners.
In fact, by the time we left the HillTop, it had been a couple of hours since I'd had a beer.
So, I was in good shape to drive up to The Lounge. Once we arrived, I sipped for about 15 minutes on a shot of tequila, drank one Miller High Life, and then, until we left The Lounge about an hour and a half later, I drank water only so I could be a reliable driver for friends who needed a lift to where they were staying. I continued to have a ton of fun yakkin' with my friends, watching them enjoy their nightcaps, and having some time to talk with Cas. As we cleared out some time after 1:30 or so, I gladly fulfilled my designated driver duties, gave two friends a lift, and returned home, wound up, in need of some time to slow down my excitement, but eventually ready to go to sleep.
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