Hello All!
It's been a week since we began gathering in our beloved little town and I want to take this opportunity to say thanks again to all of you who were there. And to say again to those who couldn't be there how much we missed you.
I appreciate the kind words from all of you, but YOU are all the reason this reunion was a success. I can order the barbecue, arrange for a venue, and throw some pictures together along with a few Jimmy songs, but it takes all of you coming together with your sweet spirits and encouraging, accepting attitudes towards each other to make it a true reunion.
From the minute Joe Weaver showed up on the 6th floor on Friday night to the coaches and Mrs. Smith-Harvey arriving on Saturday night, it was all just so special for me.
And TERRY GERMAN, or Bob Willis as he is apparently now known, what a treat to see this guy after all these years.
Robin, you truly astound me with your all-around zest for life and wonderful story-telling ways. The dumpster dive will go down as one of my all-time fave Robin stories.
And to answer John's question about Louie Gohmert--he was my Sunday School teacher at Green Acres and Cal and I have been friends with him and Kathy for many years now. When Jimmy told me last summer that he was going to DC to lobby against illegal song downloading I knew he and Louie had to meet. And when I found out Louie was going to be in Nac over the weekend during our reunion, I knew I had to invite him to give a special presentation to Odessa. So, I'm really not a miracle worker, we just lucked out on the timing there.
And I did invite Charlie Wilson also, but he sent his regrets. Talk about a cool photo op if he and Louie both had been there! Oh well, Louie was the first to tell me when he left that he would be there in 5 years, so y'all don't let me forget to invite him. And maybe Charlie will come in 2014 too!
Odessa--Dickey, Don, Jimmy, Ronnie--you guys were awesome. I can't remember a performance I've ever witnessed that was so special and meant so much to so many people. I can't even begin to say thanks enough to all of you. And Monte, as some of us have said on Facebook, we missed you! Maybe just one more performance with all five of you in 2014????
To Cathy Sanders, Mike P, Garry and Evelyn, Jimmy, and Terry German, all who traveled -- I hope it was worth it.
Cathy, you and your husband are so cute and I'm glad you got to come home again. You look so awesome and are still just as sweet as ever.
Mike, you are truly 'the right stuff' as they say and I couldn't be more proud that you are in my family tree.
Garry and Evelyn, y'all are just too sweet together and I am so glad you found each other. I hope Evelyn enjoyed our little neck of the woods and that y'all will get to come home for Homecoming each fall. Can't wait to see her pix. She's my girl with that camera!!
Jimmy, what can I say? You are truly a blessing to so many in our class and you get to write songs that in many ways speak of your growing up in a small town. So, vicariously we can all feel special through your music and your appreciation for our upbringing and roots. To those of you who don't know, the song on the video that I took its title from "Was It That Good" was written and sung by Jimmy. The story behind the song: last winter I was working on an article about him for the Daily Sentinel and the NHS Alumni Assoc. He tells it that we were talking so much about the old days, that he wrote that song about those days. So, that's really a song about all of us. Now, Jason Aldean or Kenny Chesney just needs to record it and we could all say, "That song was written about our high school days." And, yes, I remember, and it was that good, Jimmy!
Terry German, how special to see you again after all these years. It took Odessa reuniting to get you there, but gosh, were we all glad to see you again.
Many, many of you traveled from Dallas, places in Texas and Louisiana, and I say thanks for your efforts and hope your hotels treated you well. We loved the 6th floor and plan to always stay there whenever we have our get togethers from now on.
To our locals in Nac, so glad to see all of you. Help us get the word out that we will be getting together often and we'd love to see any and all whenever we do. Homecoming is Oct 2, so let's start planning on it right now. The football game, Shawn's after, perhaps a visit to Sunset Cemetery to take flowers on Sat morning, lunch at Clear Springs, a quick shopping trip to Gail's cute little store, then party at Banita Creek Hall on Sat night. Oct 2 and 3, be there!!!!
And in keeping with the 'let's get together more often sentiment' Bob Peppard called me yesterday, saying they have just finished a lakehouse on Lake Tyler and inviting us all to get together there BEFORE THE SUMMER IS OVER! So let's pick a date and plan on it before he and Lindy change their minds. I'm thinking August........
Shawn, you rock! I love your little corner of the world and enjoy our visits there each time I'm in Nac. Y'all go by there whenever you get a chance--they are open 24-7 so you can get a taco any time the mood strikes. I think they even stayed open last fall as Ike roared through! Your staff, the food, everything was just awesome. I know it was hard work for you and I for one cannot say thank you enough to you for hosting us.
Cindy, the decorations were beautiful. The owner of Banita Creek was heard saying he didn't know the place could look so good. You outdid yourself with the placemats and napkins. To Cris, Rose, Lisa, Karen L, Merry Ann, all who made centerpieces, helped decorate or just admired how awesome it looked--thank you all!
And Judy--my oh my--you outdid yourself with organizing the silent auction. It was so much more than I've ever seen done at a reunion and was so much more successful because of your efforts. Thanks to your team--your sister, your friend, Lisa S, Gae, Carol, Gail, Karen L, Brenda G, all who donated and all who bid. Wow is all I can say. I will be contacting the NHS Alumni Assoc next week to find out how to get them our $1000 scholarship money honoring our deceased classmates. And we now have seed money left for our next reunion! Thanks to you and your team again.
To my favorite classmate, Cal, thanks to you for being so supportive in all this. I couldn't have worked on the slideshow, made plans, set up this website, traveled here and there for meetings, done any of this without your help and understanding. From keeping my computers going, to taking the kids out to dinner, to just sitting and listening to me vent when I encountered some issue, to watching that video over and over too, you are my rock in all things. I love you.
I guess that's about all for now. I'm heading to Dallas to take pix at a friend's wedding today and tomorrow. It's an OUTDOOR wedding, so y'all think about me tomorrow at 4, while you're lounging by the pool or in your nice air-conditioned houses, or on the nice cool lake. It's supposed to be 103 in Dallas!!
Thanks to all of you who took pix at the reunion. If you'll send me discs I can put them on tylerpaper.com and/or walmart.com and we can all share them. I will put mine on walmart.com next week for those of you who are having trouble downloading from the tylerpaper site.
Send me a date for a Tyler weekend at the Peppard's lakehouse and we'll plan it. Bob says I just have to get some folks there--they will do the rest, so I'm all about that!
If I've missed someone know that I love you all and can't wait to see you again soon.
Jan
