A storm, River Bugs, and more AWESOMENESS

Saturday night at the Class of '81 Reunion continued the theme of the weekend.... which was AWESOME! I didn't talk to a single person who didn't have a good time on Friday night. Friday night was one of those special times that happen very now and then. Could we manage to have another night that was that good? We did, in different ways.

Saturday night was more organized than Friday night. Name tags, Purple K decorations, food, and a band. We met at the Keokuk Yacht club. At 7 p.m. we lined up on picnic tables, by the river that we all grew up near, and had our group picture taken. It was hot. Sticky, icky, incredibly hot. Then, there was a breeze. That turned into a wind. That brought cooler air, and a storm, and a whole herd of river bugs! But that cooler wind hitting us in the face as we gathered for the "official" picture of the weekend was like a release valve. We knew this weather, we'd lived these storms before, all was well. We watched the river turn from calm to white-capped waves as the lightening splayed across the sky and the rain splattered against the windows. The band, which was scheduled to perform outdoors, covered their gear with tarps. We waited.

While it rained, we gathered inside and sang Happy Birthday to a classmate who was having a birthday that very day. Complete with cake, Jay had a heck of a party on his day! We watched a slide show put together by another old classmate... old year book pictures, pictures of Keokuk, random pictures sent in my random people. We started signing a US map, letting us all mark our spot on the map. We laughed and clapped and cheered and, yes, we listened to Ann laugh that laugh that none of us will ever forget! Some things just do not change, and that is so very good!

We recognized some awesome people who helped to give us a very special weekend. Peg, who was sitting at a corner table well into the night, making sure that we all got our Official picture and that all of the bookwork stuff was done before she had fun. There was Kevin, who risk his life, by standing on a chair and trying to talk over us all, to give the Official welcome. There was Phil who made the slide show and then was beyond wonderful enough to make us each our own copy of the side show to go with the Official picture. There were Glenn and Janan who did so very much behind the scenes that we could not have had this event without them. I know that there were many other people who helped with the official-ness of the reunion, but I also know that I don't know names. I mention who I know about and I apologize if I have forgotten anyone.

Then it did stop raining. The river calmed. And we boogied and bopped on the river front when the band started up. The only truly uninvited, unwelcome guests at our bash were the river bugs, who were intent upon making sure that the band members were getting a regular supply of extra protein during their performance. They played on, we danced and laughed and talked. The bugs did what bugs do and the river rolled by.

Inside the building the scene was one of a very busy bar with very overworked bartenders. There was a constant flow of people moving from group to group to talk and catch up and laugh. And laugh and laugh and laugh. I think that perhaps the only things that happened more this weekend than laughter were hugs and the over use of the word AWESOME!

When I went home Saturday night I'd seen people that I hadn't seen since the 2oth class reunion. I'd laughed and remembered and reminisced. I'd danced and probably swallowed a few bugs. I'd hugged and been hugged. I'd signed the map and watched the slide show. I'd talked and listened and watched.

What I saw was something special indeed. The class of '81 from Keokuk Iowa is Awesome, for sure. I don't know if we will have another reunion in 5 years or in 10, but I can safely say that whenever it is, the Specialness of us all will give us another incredible, awesome, wonderful weekend. I look forward to seeing everyone there!