You Can Go Home Again....

In the 1940's Thomas Wolfe wrote a novel entitled You Can't Go Home Again.  He suggested that you can't return to your past to relive youthful memories but I beg to differ with him!


This past week-end was my 45th high school reunion in my hometown.  Since my parents are both deceased and I have no relatives living there anymore, I don't go "home" very often.


Our class of 1966 has always been a fairly close-knit class.  We have had reunions every five years or so since we've graduated.


I must admit that reunions are much more relaxed and enjoyable the older you get!  No worries over what job you have ( or had).  You know who you "are" by this point. (Didn't turn out to be a brain surgeon but were successful nonetheless!)


Many classmates (including "moi") have been married 40 + years, others have lost their mates and others are still looking! (I guess you never get too old to look!)


We had a great time visiting, catching up on the lives of those who occupied so much of our time as  youth.  Stories were told, times of joy and sorrow were shared and teachers/classes were discussed.


We were all in agreement that we lived in a wonderful era.


We even discussed our favorite stores that make up our small town's square built around the county courthouse: the drugstore where we read "funny books" and ate a double-dip chocolate ice cream cone for 10 cents; the elementary school we went to with the huge windows, no air-conditioning and old wooden floors.  We even remembered the older lady janitor who cleaned those floors with an oil mop!


We remembered the class members we have lost in recent years and we prayed for God's blessings on those who remain with many trials in their present lives.


We sang a roaring rendition of our class fight song and our school's alma mater. ("To You, De Queen High School, We're always proud to stand....")   We ended with singing "Amazing Grace".


I was so very proud of our class....a bunch of 60+ year-olds bonded together through growing up in a small town in Arkansas in the 50's and 60's and having such a love and appreciation for each other.




So, Mr. Wolfe, you CAN go home again....just don't expect everything to be the same and you'll be just fine!


Here are some pictures of my wonderful classmates......didn't get them all so I apologize if I missed anyone.  I was busy talking MOST of the time!

Ken and Glenda

Leo and Beverly

Vickie, Cathey (my BFF and college roomie for a couple of years), Tacy, who I hadn't seen in 45 years and yours truly!

The Chandlers

Eddie Lou (we went to kindergarten together) and Vicky, our FABULOUS pianist

Curtis Wayne ( we also went to kindergarten together)

The Pikes

Walter and Cheryl (not married to each other)

Randy and Laverne (not married to each other)

Don (married to Laverne above) and Curtis Wayne

Lloyd and his cousin Dana

Charles and Sandy

DeLois

Ron with Leo

Cathey with her two sisters, Karen and Jan, met us for lunch.

Judy "Oots" and Nancy

Cheryl, Kathy, Janet and Sandra

Kay and Jay (not married to each other)

LOTS of hugging went on!!

Me, Tacy, Cathey and Vicky

Vicky playing our anthem by heart after 45 years! Awesome!

The Class of '66

We did have an interesting "visitor" to our dinner Saturday night.  She was very blonde and sang and played with Danny's hair (or lack thereof)!!   We laughed so hard and I am still in shock....if you knew her you would be shocked too!!

I wanted to show you the plaque I bought in a new shop in my hometown.  The owner took the old bank on the corner of the square, remodeled it and made the most beautiful shop!  It just opened so if you live there, you need to go see it and buy something from her!  

I wanted to show those who didn't get a chance to drive-by the new elementary school in our hometown.

The elementary school we attended was a relic, I think,when we were there and was torn down years and years ago.  This is a beautiful new school for the kids! Hope in the future they will have as good memories of school as we all did!