Ruminations About the Class Reunion

Well, here it is a week later already and my 50th class reunion is now history. This time last week, my neighbors and friends Jack and Judy (Judy being a former classmate) and I were barreling our way up Rt. 1 and I-95 to Pennsylvania in Jack's Lexus. Last weekend a Nor'easter hit the east coast and I was reluctant to drive in that wind and rain. I posted a Facebook comment to that effect. Judy saw it and offered me a ride up with them. Of course I accepted immediately. I am so thankful to have such wonderful and gracious friends as Jack and Judy. This is just another reason why I love living in Delaware.

Arriving in Pennsylvania, we decided it was best that I stay where Jack and Judy were staying, with another one of our former classmates whose name is also Judy. I'm telling you, I'm blessed to have such friends.

I'll jump right to the reunion. I'm one of these people who have absolutely no reluctance about going to my class reunions. I think all of my friends (other than some of my former classmates) have never gone to any of their reunions. They all give the same reason. Each one of them has had some bad experience while they were in high school and they don't want top revisit that time. This is something I don't understand. Who hasn't had a bad experience in high school? I certainly had my share of experiences that I wish had not happened. But that is all in the past. I guess we're all different. I try not to let the past dictate how I act in the present. But that's just me. There is a lot I "don't get." I don't lose much sleep over it though. In fact, I don't lose ANY sleep over past wrongs.



Our class had 114 graduating members. We also invited to our reunion former classmates who spent most of their school years with us but didn't graduate from our high school because they had moved to another school district.

Of the 114 graduating members of our class there are 20 that we know have died. There are 12 that are missing. 40 class members and 3 non graduating class members attended the reunion, most with their spouses or Significant Others. My Significant Other (aka Bill Kelly) chose not to attend.....again.



All of the class members had a wonderful time! This was the best class reunion I've ever attended.

The class reunions in the past that I've attended were:



20th Class Reunion held at St. Anthony’s Lodge in Downingtown, Pennsylvania



This reunion was a blur to me because it was so crowded and noisy (with the guest DJ), that I only had a chance to talk to the classmates who sat next to me at the dining table.



25th Class reunion held at the Waynebrook Inn in Honey Brook, Pennsylvania



Again, this was another very noisy class reunion that I had to shout to talk to anyone. The DJ was painfully loud. What was with that anyway?



35th Class Reunion held at the Italian Social Club in West Chester, Pennsylvania



This was a fun class reunion. The room was big and we had time to walk around and become acquainted with our former classmates. We also had a DJ but he didn't dominate the proceedings like the previous two class reunions.



40th Class Reunion held at the Downingtown Country Club in Downingtown, Pennsylvania



This was an "Okay" class reunion. I personally felt too much time was spent by the organizers thanking one another and giving out prizes. I wasn't sure whether I was at the one of those self aggrandizing awards ceremonies that the Hollywood stars give each other or a class reunion. We had some time to mingle with our former classmates but way too much time was spent giving out those prizes (like "best buns." Again, what was that all about?)



45th Class Reunion held at the Sheraton Hotel in Frazer, Pennsylvania



Up until the class reunion last week, this is the reunion I liked the most. The accommodations were great (I stayed overnight at the hotel in very comfortable room and bed) and we had plenty of time to wander around the room and reacquaint ourselves with our former classmates. In fact, I don't remember any "prizes" being handed out at all (thank goodness.)



50th Class Reunion held at the Whitford Country Club in Exton, Pennsylvania.



This reunion was the best! We had classmates come from great distances to be reunited with former classmates that they had not seen in fifty years. There was Jane and Marlene from Florida. Fred came in from Illinois. Ted came in from Oregon. Kathy came in from Las Vegas, Nevada. Don and Jeanne came in from upper New York State. Duer and Nanci came in from Tennessee. John came up from Virginia. And Bonnie, my first date (Soph Hop 1956) came in from Detroit, Michigan. The rest of the classmates came from the Downingtown area or nearby states (like Jack, Judy and me, 2 1/2 hours away in lower Delaware.)



We had music at this reunion but it was a juke box that didn't dominate the premises. We had some classmates speak from the podium. Duer gave the invocation. Denny said a few words about the growth of the Downingtown School District since we graduated (not surprisingly it has grown greatly.)



Frank, our former class president same something but I don't remember what he said. Not much has changed since our high school days because I never remember what he said then either. Sorry Frank, no disrespect but you would have made a great politician. The lips move, sound comes out but after you're done talking, I don't know what you said. That's all right Frank, we all love you anyway.


Then it came time for Patty. If you're not of our class, it's hard to explain Patty. Let me try to explain. Patty is our "entertainer." No one cannot help but be amused when Patty "does her thing." Patty is the one who in the past has passed out the "awards." When I saw Patty tippy toe to the podium I thought, "Oh no, here come the awards." All I could think of was "Please Patty, not more 'Best Buns' awards. Al got it the last time, he doesn't need to get it again. We get it. " Thank goodness she wasn't giving out those joke awards. However, she was giving out gold stars. Her goal was to give everyone a gold star. The gold star was sort of like an award. Old habits are hard to break but this seemed harmless.

Then Carole, the organizer of the reunion, came to the microphone. She had a wonderful idea. Pass the microphone around and let everyone has their say. Oh joy. Exactly what I did not want to do. That damn microphone. Even though the reunion committee rented it, doesn't mean it has to be used. But Carole was not to be deterred. She handed the microphone off to John up from Virginia Beach. John spoke awhile about what he's been doing the past fifty years until Carole said "That's enough!" and took the mike back (in the kindest way possible of course.) I think even Carole realized that if everyone was going to get up and speak about what they did the past fifty years, we were going to be at the country club way past our closing time of 11 PM.



Carole then passed the mike around the floor to those class members who don't usually attend the reunion. It was interesting hearing them but I think a lot of us really didn't want the mike thrust into our face. I know I didn't. I know my friend Bill didn't. Hey, I came to the reunion to reacquaint myself with my former class members, not to do the Academy Award thing of thanking every one from my kindergarten teacher to my agent. But then, that's just me. What can I tell you?



After the Passing Around of the Microphone, came time to mingle with the classmates again. We did that until about 11:30 at which time some of the class members started to head to the coat roams to get their weather gear to venture out into the Nor'easter rains whipping around outside the country club. All too soon another class renion was coming to an end.

This is probably our last formal class reunion. We're at an age now that more of us won't be around for the 55th class reunion. And also, the "55th Class Reunion" doesn't have quite the ring of a 25th, 35th, 40th, 45th or 50th does it? No, I think what we're going to do as far as class reunions in the future is to have informal annual class reunions. We have done this in the past. Usually it is a picnic at a classmate's backyard in the summertime. One year we even went on a night time dinner cruise out of Philadelphia. Those picnics and the cruise were very popular. I will suggest this course to the reunion committee.



I think that is the way to go in the future. One good thing about those the informal, picnic reunions is there are no awards handed out.

By the way Patty, I didn't get a gold star.

Class Reunion a Success!

The Nor'easter rains that blanketed the eastern coast yesterday did not dampen the success of my 50th high school class reunion. The reunion was a resounding success!

My neighbor and fellow classmate Judy and her husband Jack stopped by my house yesterday morning to give me a ride with them to attend the 50th Class Reunion of the Downingtown High School class of 1959. Judy offered me the ride after she read my Facebook comment of how I hate to drive in the rain. Am I lucky or what to have such dear and generous friends? Believe me, there is not a day that goes by that I don't appreciate my friends.




Judy's husband Jack is an excellent driver as he demonstrated again and again as he traveled north on Rt. 1 to the dreaded I-95 Interstate (which thankfully was light on traffic yesterday) and then Rt. 202. Jack was steady and cool all the way.  On the way up we made a pit stop at Trader Joes in one of the many shopping malls that line Rt. 202 just across the Pennsylvania state line.



My brother John from South Carolina was up at my Mom's in Downingtown (where I was originally going to stay), to pick her up and take her south with him and his wife to Greenville to spend the winter (don't I wish it was me.) Since I didn't have a car it was suggested that I stay with Jack and Judy who were staying with another classmate (who was also named Judy) rather than stay at my Mom's.  That sounded like an excellent idea to me so we were off to Judy's.

I have a feeling I'm starting to confuse things here so I'll fast forward a bit here.

At Judy's, fortified with a very robust martini (compliments of Jack), we dashed out of Judy's house into the darkness of the night and the relentlessly driving rain and into Jack's waiting SUV. We were on our way to the Whitford Country Club for an evening of spiritueux de fête and camaraderie with our former classmates and old friends.

Now I'll say one thing right here, the key to having a smashing good night is to have one of Jack's martinis before entering an event like this. My previous nervousness was gone replace by an ear to ear smile which was starting to hurt my face.



Once inside the country club, I headed to the cash bar and refortified myself with another martini (this time an Appletini martini) then I plunged into the 80 or so former classmates and their spouses (mine didn't attend, he's still shy after 45 years of domesticity with me.)

Carole at the reception desk gives me my reunion booklet (and that's another story, we almost had a disaster with the printer getting the completed booklet printed but I won't go into that in this posting), name tag (like no one would no who I was, big chance) and a big "Hi Ronnie!" We're off to the races!



The room was loud with the many conversations going at once of former classmates and friends catching up on the last 50 years of so of life. A professional photographer roamed around the perimeter of the crowd taking candid shots. No shy folks in this crowd.

As is usual at these events we look for the classmates who have never attended a reunion, anxious to see if we can still recognize them and, even more important, can they recognize us!



Ah, I heard Marlene was up from Florida. Marlene and I posed together in several yearbook photos as students playing the drums. Of course neither one of us has ever played either instrument then or since. But I digress.

I found Marlene and she was as lovely as ever! A classic beauty of who time has changed little.

And there was Bonnie. Bonnie drove down from Detroit, Michigan. My first date in high school (Soph Hop - I didn't have a car, my dad drove us, I was mortified that I didn't drive.)

Then there was Anne. Anne was one of the moral compasses in our class along with Jeanie, the other moral compass of our class who was also there last night.

There was Freddie from Illinois, now an evangelist preacher. I had a long and interesting conversation with Freddie. I talked more to Fred last night than I did all the years we played together in the high school band under Mr. Ifert. Fred is still the same as he was back in The Day, just less hair (which seemed to be a common theme among most of the guys, me included.)

Rose made it! Rosie was always one of my favorite gals in class (although she never seemed to notice me.) Her brother John (who was also in our class) convinced her to come. I was so glad to see her.

So may classmates, so little time. I'm running around like a hyper caffeinated photographer, getting as many pictures of my classmates and photos of myself with them as I could. Who knows, this may be the last time I see many of them. Some came from great distance and some came from Downingtown and nearby towns and countryside, the same area they have lived the past fifty years since graduating from high school.



At this reunion we're not talking about children, or even grandchildren as much. This one we're talking about great-grandchildren! How could this be? It just seems like a few short years ago that we were fresh faced, thin and clean shaven youngsters with full heads of hair (the guys) ready to take on life after graduating from high school as the Last Class of the Fifties.



Now the hairlines of most of the guys have receded (or disappeared altogether) and the waists have thickened. But what hasn't changed is the special uniqueness that we all felt as the last class of the Fifties to graduate from the old Downingtown Joint Junior-Senior High school building. Most of us have always felt that our class, whatever the social-economic backgrounds of the different students, was special in our camaraderie and caring for each other.

Last night was one of the best nights in my life.  I will never forget it.

"Bons amis longtemps de phase et bon temps!"

Anticipating the Class Reunion

This Saturday my 50th class reunion takes place at the Whitford County Club in Downingtown, Pennsylvania.

I've attended the 20th, 25th, 35th, 40th and 45th reunion. But it is the 50th reunion is the reunion that I'm looking most forward to attending.



I am glad I'm still alive. Out of 114 graduating members of our class, 18 have died. I have survived even though the classmates listed alphabetically before and after me have died.



I am glad to say that I weigh the same now (160-165 lbs) the same now as I did when I graduated high school in June of 1959. However, my hairline is a few more inches above my eyebrows than it was 50 years ago.



A Nor'easter is scheduled for this weekend. I was dreading driving up to Pennsylvania in all that rain but there was no way I was going to miss my 50th class reunion. However, I was fortunate in that a classmate who lives nearby saw my posting on Facebook about me hating to drive in the rain. She called yesterday and asked if I would like to ride up to Pennsylvania with her and her husband. Would I ever! Absolutely! Now I can have a martini or two at the reunion and not have to worry about getting a DUI driving home.



I hear the rain beating against the windows of my home office as I type this blog posting. This is the beginning of the Nor'easter that was forecast for the weekend. I am so glad we had wonderful, sunny weather for last weekend's Equality March in Washington D.C. Things are going well. Life is good.



Note: the picture on this blog is me (really) and my date for my Senior Prom (1959) Jeanette Pritchard.
Cute couple huh?

Class Reunion Update

Well I finally finished inputting all the information on the class reunion questionnaire that I received from my former classmates.

50th REUNION

OF THE

CLASS OF 1959

WHITFORD COUNTRY CLUB

DOWNINGTOWN, PA

I updated the template I had of my 45th class reunion in Word on my computer. That sounds easy but there was a lot of cutting, pasting and just plain old keyboarding (aka as "typing.") Boy is I glad my Mom made me take typing class in high school. Back in the Fifties when I went to high school, boys did not take Typing class. They took Shop class. Actually, I wanted to take Home Ec (for "Home Economics" or how to cook) class but boys didn't take that class either. Oh yes, the Fifties was very misogynic. But Mom insisted that I take Typing. She said "You can always use typing skills, what good is taking study hall?" My teenage mind actually thought Study Hall was pretty cool because I could goof off that fifty minutes every day grab assing with my friends. But as usual, Mom was right. Thank you Mom.



So, I got all the typing done for the reunion questionnaires. I sat at this computer for at least ten hours or more both Friday and Saturday. That pile of questionnaires didn't seem to go down but finally I got to the last one. Was my aching back ever glad to turn over that last sheet?



Then I had to face the challenge of the cover sheet. My former classmate Patisue (I never could pronounce her name, I just call her "Pat") called me on my cell phone Saturday after I was returning from my weekly Saturday morning breakfast with Bill at Zorba's Greek restaurant of buttermilk pancakes. No surprise, Pat (or Patisue) hadn't done anything with the cover yet. She said "Nothing is hitting me." Hmmmm. This is where Clark Kent rips open his shirt to display the big "S" of the Superman logo.



I had some thoughts in my mind to do something really original for the cover page. The main idea being taking the names of all of the 114 graduating students of the Downingtown High School Class of 1959 and fitting their names in the big 50 logo. You know the outline of 50 with all their names squeezed in. That my friend is easier said than done.



I Googled the question "insert text into 50 number." What do I find? Links to web sites with terribly convoluted instructions on creating the "box" (in this case the number 50) and inserting a "string" (in this case being the names of my classmates) into the "box." I'm here to tell you that my poor, feeble, 67 year old brain just cannot process the complex formula I was presented with. It just was not possible.



I put a HELP call out on FB. My cousin Tim Tipton acknowledged my HELP call but did nothing. Now I can't even get Facebook up. I fear that I crashed the whole FB system with my request.



And that's another thing. I'm in withdrawal because I haven't been able to access my FB account all day. What in the world is going on with that? I Google the question "Why is Facebook down?" and all I get are links to previous down times. Nothing current. Oh well, maybe this is Tough Love. FB to me was always a guilty pleasure. I don't think any of my Friends were really interested in what I had to say but I sure did have fun typing in several times a day "What's on your mind?" Occasionally I would post a You Tube video (I hear they're having connection problems too today) that I was sure would irritate some of my Friends. I think the best think I like about FB is that I saw where my nephew (I only have one); nieces, and grandnieces are although they rarely communicated with Uncle Ronnie (my name in my Previous Life.)



But I digress. Back to the cover sheet for my reunion booklet. I decided to go generic. Viola! It looked great. Then I decided to add the picture of our old high school on Manor Avenue in Downingtown, PA. We were the last graduating class out of that high school. I have many fond memories of that old stone building (that is still standing by the way.) The old photo of our high school, with some of the Class of '59 classmates lounging around outside is perfect. Now we have something special.



I sent it to Carole, our reunion Drill Sergeant (otherwise known as the Organizer, which she is very good at.) Carole likes it. She says "I like the white background. The page jumps out at you!"



So there you go. I have The Boss's approval. Now all that needs to be done is get it printed and mailed off to Carole with the CD-ROM of the 75 pages of the reunion booklet. Our former classmate Jack S. will take care of the bulk printing and binding. Jack does this every five years. He's good at it. We each have our talents. Carole is very good at coordinating this group of Golden Oldies from the last graduating class of the Fifties.



Carole told me there were a few more reunion questionnaires that I have to input that she will send to me this week. After I update them I'll send her the CD-ROM. Then that ends my responsibilities of the reunion committee. Now all I have to think about is do I wear the same suit to the reunion that I wore to the last two reunions.



Those reunions were the 40th and the 45th. I have a suit that is that old? I surely do. When I left banking I gave all my old suits to my brother John, who is a pastor at southern fundamentalist church in Greenville, South Carolina. He says a lot of young students go to his church (he used to be the Youth Pastor) and many of them didn't even have suits to wear to Sunday Go to Meeting. I was only too happy to donate most of my suits. I kept two blue suits for funerals. One a solid Navy blue and the other a pin stripe blue suit. And there they sit in my closet awaiting the next funeral or class reunion, whichever comes first.



By the way, the sharp looking young man standing in the doorway of the high school. Recognize him? Yipper. That's yours truly. My Claim to Fame.   Haven't change a bit.

Class Reunion Questionnaire

My 50th high school class reunion is taking place Saturday, October 17th at the Whitford Country Club in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. 

I am the guy who is preparing and updating the reunion booklet.  I just received a passel of completed reunion questionnaires.  You know what that means?  No blog postings for at least a few days until I get update my reunion booklet template in Word and get it copied to a CD-ROM.  I'll send the CD-ROM to my former classmate Carole who will get it off to the printer. 

Time is a wasting.  I'll miss posting to my blog but I get to get this burden off of my shoulders. 

Oh, and yes, I did volunteer for this job.  That's just the way I roll.

P.S.
The above photo is a classic Fifties cheesecake. I found the photo in my processed photos that I picked up from Sam Charles’s newsstand in the summer of 1955. I knew who most of the girls were but I never told them I had this photo. They're probably wondering to this day what happened to their photo. I'm coming clean now. Check out the guy in the back doing the hula.  That's what caught my eye. :)

Senator Kennedy

I've been busier than a flea on a pack of hound dogs today! Phew. I've not nothing but run around all day.

First up I had to get out the invitations of my 50th high school class reunion. This was the second time I've prepared the invites and I think this will be my swan song. It is a LOT OF WORK and I wonder just how much of it is appreciated. We have a class of just over 100 students, of whom about 90 are left. There is a hard core of former classmates who almost always go to the reunion. The rest of the classmates ignore the invitations which leads me to wonder, is it even worth sending the invitations to them. I think all of my friends tell me they always ignore their class reunions. They treat the invitations with disdain and derision which is probably what some on of my classmates do also. Oh well, I'm not going to get myself worked up over that now. We do have forty or so classmates who do appreciate the time and effort (and expense) that those of us on the reunion committee put forth. I know I appreciate their effort that's why I'm always wanted to help. However, it does puzzle me why some people don't want to have anything to do with their former classmates. I didn't have all that great of a time in high school either but I consider that time of my life all a part of my Life's Journey. I always look forward to reconnecting with my former classmates. But then, that's just me. I can't speak for my fellow former classmates.

I think this is all I'm going to write at this time. It is late afternoon and I do want to get my daily walk in before dinner tonight and then to bed. I work the day shift at the hotel tomorrow and I have to be in by 7 am to set up breakfast. I can see another Busy Bee day tomorrow.

One note on Senator Ted Kennedy's passing today......he will be sorely missed. He was a tireless advocate for those of us who are not plugged into the power base of this country. I realize there are those out there, many self professed "Good Christians" who harbor a deep seated hatred towards Senator Kennnedy because of the events of Chappaquiddick forty years ago. Yes, Senator Kennedy probably made a mistake and was instrumental in causing an innocent person's death. He had an accident. He didn't report it right away. We all make mistakes. What surprises me is the unrelenting hatred of those who profess themselves "Good Christians" who are unwilling or unable to forgive. I'll tell you what I can't forgive. I can't forgive a president who lead us into a war of choice who caused almost 5,000 unnecessary American deaths and countless thousands of Iraqi deaths. I cannot forgive a president who lead an administration who squandered our precious moral authority in the world by permitting the most heinous forms of torture on our supposed enemies. I cannot forgive those in the Republican party who aid and abet the lies that is making health care so difficult to pass. That's who I cannot forgive.

When I first started this blog I made a conscious effort not to make it a platform for my political views. At times it has been very hard for me to suppress posting my views on this blog. But today I am making an exception. I say to my "Good Christian" friends who harbor hate in their heart towards their bogeymen (Kennedy, Pelosi, Reid, Clinton) and say "don't be hating." We're all in this together. Two of Senator Kennedy's brothers were murdered. If our current hate climate continues, I don't even want to think of what could happen in this country. Here is my suggestion, lay down your hate mongering and let's work together to make this a better country. Is that so hard? Leave the hate behind. That's what Jesus would do.

DHS 50th Class Reunion

Fifty years ago this year I graduated from high school in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. One thing I want to say right up front, "That was a fast fifty years!"

I am on the reunion committee and I've been asked by our organizer, Carole Davis Turner, to put all the reunion information on a blog. So here it is for all of our fellow classmates for whom we have an e-mail address. I will also be sending out invitations by snail mail with a questionnaire to be returned to Cookie Seibert Pannebaker.

The 50th class reunion will be held at the Whitford Country Club on October 17, 2009. The price per person (which includes the reunion booklet) is $55.00. There are also other activities scheduled for that weekend which Carole want me to make known to everyone. Please read the information below and if you have any questions please send me an e-mail to: ronstales@aol.com.

Hope to see you all at the reunion!

Please answer all the questions below and return all sheets with your deposit (and your e-mail address) to Cookie (Seibert) Pannebaker by October 1st, 2009.

120 Webster Avenue, Downingtown, PA 19335
Phone: 610-269-0464
e-mail: cook610@verizon.net



Please choose one of the following menu options by circling your choice:







Chicken Dijonnaise
Sautéed Breast of Chicken with White Wine and Dijon Mustard Sauce, Baked Potato, Seasonal Vegetables

Or

Prime Rib of Beef
12 oz. Roasted Angus Rib with Natural Jus and Creamy Horseradish Cream Sauce, Baked Potato, Seasonal Vegetables




Inquiring minds want to know



Would you like to participate in the Homecoming Parade on Thursday night, October 15th? If so, you get to ride in the Homecoming Float (dress in Fifties style clothes.)

On Friday night, October 16th you get to sit on the 50 yard line at the Homecoming Football Game. You will receive complimentary tickets (we’re senior citizens now.)

Circle YES or NO


Carole Davis Turner has also wants you to know that these two activities are also available the reunion weekend. Please indicate by circling which activities you are interested in attending. Details will be supplied later.

a.) Golfing at the Whitford Country Club
b.) Breakfast at the Happy Days Diner in Thorndale, PA


(Mrs. Yost’s Sixth Grade Operetta – back row left to right - Ron Tipton, Bud Bruton, Denny Meyers, Larry Meredith front row left to right: Bud Bruton, Duer Smedley, Bill Brookover, Stuart Meisel – 1953)

If you prefer, please answer the following questions to be included in our 50th Class Reunion Booklet (available for $12.00 if not attending the reunion)

1. If you have children and/or grandchildren, please list their names and ages.

2. What was your main occupation (excluding raising your family) for the past 50 years?

3. What is your favorite hobby (excluding spending time with your grandchildren)?

4. What are the places you have lived (not visited) since you graduated from DHS?

5. If you could change one decision you made since graduation, what would it be?

6. If you still work, what kind of job do you do and how long to you plan to do it?

7. Name three items still on your Bucket List.

a.
b.
c.

You Can't Go Home Again

What a day! I'm at my Mom's in Pennsylvania now. I just returned from my 50th Class Reunion Committee meeting. That went well. It was good to see old classmates and finalize the preparations for our 50th class reunion this October 17th. I will be preparing the invitation and booklet for the class reunion.

The trip to Pennsylvania was agonizing. I experienced several traffic delays, the main ones being in Newark, Delaware, as I rounded the University of Delaware. No explanation other than a sign saying "Road Work" and a long line of cars and trucks at an absolute stop for about half an hour. Then, finally when that broke up I was caught in a Slow Boat to China Parade behind a contraption that sprayed the yellow dividing lines on the road. We were behind that spraying behemoth until the Pennsylvania border. Oh joy.

When I arrived near my Mom's, I noticed that the time was only 11:30 am. That meant "The Price is Right" was still on and my Mother does not like to be interrupted when she is watching this staple show of old folk. Then I made a big mistake. I went over to my previous property and took a ride up the lane. Sure, I took a chance of seeing the new owners, or of them seeing me but I was curious as to what the property looked like now. As I said, Big Mistake. As I drove up the long 500 yard winding lane (which he had custom constructed - Bill led the bulldozer up the road over 25 years ago clearing out the tree and underbrush.) I noted that all my carefully planted ground cover on the side of the lane was overgrown. I don't think it's been touched since we moved out November 17th, 2006. Then I got to the house. Both garage doors were wide open. Several vehicles were in the driveway and parking lot. Everything was overgrown. None of the hedges had ever been trimmed. Broken branches were all over the lane. When we lived there, that lane was always clear. All the plantings were weed free. All the hedges were trimmed. I didn't dare venture to see the status of my three ponds. I felt guilty when I left three years ago about leaving my pet gold fish in those ponds. Somehow I knew they would be neglected and die. I have no doubt those ponds are stinking, mosquito breeding swamps now. I don't even want to know or think about it.

I left quickly before one of the owners of the cars came out and discovered me. As I was going down Crawford Road I noticed one of my old neighbors trimming his hedge. I took a chance and drove up his driveway. We had a joyous reunion. He brought me up on all the news. It seems that the couple who bought our property split up over a year ago. The husband left and only his wife and two daughters lived on the property. That would explain the decrepit nature of the landscaping. I knew he wasn't a gardener or outdoors man but this property looked like the Grey Gardens. It was overrun with weeds and new tree saplings. My former neighbor told me the husband just returned last week because he heard his Porsche drive up the driveway. I think that was one of the cars parked out side my previous house. It's funny, but even though I sold that house almost three years ago, I will always consider it mine. I have plans to buy it back when I win the lottery, which I am way overdue.

After visiting with my former neighbors, I left for my Mom's which was just one road over. My brother met me. I was hungry and I asked him for a good place to eat. He suggested "Happy Days" which was a chrome plated diner in Thorndale reminiscent of the Fifties. Great choice! Wonderful Fifties ambiance, good food, good service and reasonable prices. Why aren't there restaurants like this where I live in Delaware? I love where I live but it is definitely lacking in unique themed restaurants like "Happy Days." My brother and I had a wonderful meal. I had a Chicken Caesar Wrap and he had a Philly Cheesesteak. Great artery cloggers.

We discussed the situation about our Mom. We both agreed it isn't getting any better. I am so thankful to have him for a brother. He is so patient with our Mom who is becoming more and more difficult. In fact, when I visited her I had to have sharp words with her (which I hate doing) to tell her to stop with the Obama/Pelosi/Democrat bashing. Unfortunately my Mom is one of those wing nuts who think Bush could do no wrong and the Democrats are out to send this country to hell in a hand basket. Nothing I say can convince her otherwise. She was getting herself all worked up (as she and most of the other wingnuts do after listening to the drivel on Fox News and the likes of Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh) until I had to remind her that I came up to visit HER and not discuss politics. After a few tries I finally got through to her and she agreed that it wasn't fair to throw all that right wing propaganda at me. She is like those so called protesters at the town hall meetings. They're not interested in discussions, only shouting down anyone who opposes their rigid set view of the world. They want "their country back" whatever that means. I suspect it means they're upset that a black family is living in the White House and gays like me are treated as equal citizens. They cannot accept that the extreme right wing of the Republican Party lost the election and that this is a democracy ruled by majority rule. The Bush crazies had their eight years, now it's our turn. We certainly can't do worse than the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld triumvirate. But then there is no discussing this fact with these kind of people so I had to close the discussion down.

I took the time to visit my old garden in the back of my Mother's property. That acre of land used to be my father's garden but when he died in August of 2000, she said I could use it to plant my flowers and other plantings. Since I've moved in 2006, the area has become very overgrown. That's not all bad because the butterfly plants are about fifteen feet high covered in butterflies. It was so peaceful visiting that area. If I wasn't at my Mother's computer as I am now, I would upload a photo of the garden and the giant butterfly plants. Instead I will have to substitute a generic picture that I find on the Internet until I return home and can upload my pictures.

Later this evening I met my friends Carole and Sheila for a delightful dinner at the Brickside Grill. Again, one of my very favorite restaurants in Pennsylvania. Only they know how to make a perfect Chicken Quesadillo. I've tried them other places, including a very expensive one in Rehoboth Beach at the Purple Parrot (a cheesy mess) and none compare with the delicate, just right flavor of the Brickside Grill's pumpkin seed filled quesadillo served with fresh salsa (another commodity that I cannot find in the Rehoboth/Lewes/Milton area of Delaware where I live.)

After dinner I sat on a bench outside the Brickside Grill and Sheila and I caught up on old times. There was a concert in progress outside with many people milling about. This is another example of where Pennsylvania has it all over Lower Slower (the southern area of Delaware where I live.) There were a lot of people and cars at this event but there was no traffic gridlock, no frustrated drivers who could not find parking places, and no parking meters. It was all free. Now if Pennsylvania could only do something about their confiscatory taxes. That is where Delaware has it all over Pennsylvania and the main reason I moved from Pennsylvania.

Our reunion committee meeting was schedule for 7:30 at a classmate's house not far from where I'm staying at my Mom's. I arrived a few minutes past the meeting time and told them they could all begin the meeting. Some some the humor, some did not. No matter. At my age I take little or no offense. We had a good meeting and refreshments were served after the meeting. I asked the hostess (the wife of one of our classmates) to take a group picture of us oldsters who will be celebrating our 50th class reunion. God are we old. We look it too. Well, some of do anyway.

Now I'm home, preparing to try to go to sleep with Fox News blaring on my brother's TV downstairs in the basement. He uses this drivel as wallpaper to put him to sleep. It sure doesn't put me to sleep. How can Sean Hannity spewing his nonsense put anyone to sleep? I put a fan in my room. It won't drown out his Obama/Pelosi bashing but hopefully I will be able to drop off from sheer exhaustion from this long, long day in Pennsylvania.

With everything that went on today (I didn't get my nap either), what has me the most upset is seeing the condition of my former home. I've been told by more than one person that you should never go back to your former home because it will only disappoint and sadden you. Well, they were right. I found out that you truly cannot go home again. I may be here, but it isn't home anymore. My home is in southern Delaware and I love living there even though most of the restaurants suck.

Fifty Years

Fifty years sounds like a long time and it is. This year the Downingtown High School Class of 2009 invited me along with my classmates of the DHS Class of 1959 to attend their graduation ceremonies as special guests celebrating our fiftieth anniversary. I thought "Why not?" I took them up on the invitation and had a wonderful time. I didn't want to miss this event because there is only one fiftieth anniversary. As we were getting ready to enter the same field where I graduated fifty years ago, I noticed that I was standing in just about the same spot as I was fifty years ago this June when I graduated. I asked my friend Pat to take my picture. The two pictures you see on this blog are first of me when I graduated June 2nd, 1959. The second picture is of me as I was preparing to enter the football field on June 16th, 2009. Not much change eh? Well, perhaps a little bit. All I can say, that was a fast fifty years. The old boy did some serious living and he isn't done yet.

Golden Anniversary Class of 1959

The DHS Class of 1959 50th Anniversary Portrait



Last night at this time I was sitting on a folding chair in the middle of Walter E. Kottmeyer Stadium in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. The occasion was the Commencement Program for the Downingtown High School West Campus class of 2009. I, along with seven of my classmates from the Downingtown High School Class of 1959 were the Golden Anniversary Class and guests of the current DHS Class of 2009.

Tonight as I type this blog, another ceremony is being conducted for the Downingtown High School East Campus class of 2009. Although I was invited (and I said I would attend), I opted out. While I enjoyed last night's ceremonies, I didn't want to repeat sitting out in the cold breezy evening with only my yellow shirt for warmth. If I was smart I would have worn a suit or a sport jacket (which I don't possess) but I thought the evening would be warm. I actually debated wearing a short sleeve shirt of a jersey. Boy I'm glad I didn't make that decision.

Instead, I journeyed back to my lovely home in the wide open spaces of southern Delaware. Am I ever glad to be home! I like Pennsylvania but it's just too crowded for me at this time of my life. Too much traffic on the roads (including a lot of school buses) and too many winding roads. I'm very tired right now so I'll make this a brief blog entry. I have many more pictures to post and a few videos.

The trip was well worth it for the once in a lifetime experience. I'm glad I went.

The Class of 2009

Well, here I am at my Mom’s in Pennsylvania. I arrived this afternoon to attend tonight’s Downingtown High School’s class of 2009. Each year the graduating class invites the class celebrating their 50th anniversary as guests to their graduation. I am a member of the DHS Class of 1959 of fifty long years ago. It is a cliche but it hardly seems like fifty years. I know that all of the members of tonight’s graduating class don’t realize how fast the next fifty years will fly by. They will find out, oh will they ever.

I wasn’t sure how to dress for tonight’s occasion. So I wore tan Docker pants and a yellow Eddie Bauer shirt. I considered a suit but thought that would be too much clothing on a summer night. Oh was I ever wrong. First of all, tonight was overcast (thank goodness it didn’t rain because we were sitting outside in a football stadium) and chilly. The temperature hovered around 58 degrees. Five members of my class also attended tonight’s ceremonies and were dressed in suits. I told them I was retired and I don’t wear suits or ties anymore. Still, I felt underdressed. Which is a shame because people do judge and react to you on appearance and I do look so good in a suit and a tie.

I took many pictures and a few videos of the occasion which I will post on future blogs, Facebook and You Tube. I can’t post one of my original pictures on this blob posting because I’m at my Mom’s computer and she doesn’t have my camera’s software for downloading my pictures.

As members of the 50th anniversary class we wore ribboned sashes. Yes, I have a picture of two of me in a sash. That is one thing I never had draped over me before, a beauty queen type sash. There is always time for a first, even at this late stage of my life.

I must say that we were treated very kindly and with respect for the organizers of the event, especially the superintendent of schools. She corrected the program that had my name as "Walter Tipton" (where did they get that?) instead of my name "Ronald Walter Tipton." She wanted to correct my name because she would be announcing it at the ceremony which she did. I was very proud to stand up when she called my name (along with the other members of our small contingent of the DHS Class of 1959.) I thought we might be shunted aside like some old relic but they actually did treat us with some deference. They even supplied us with a bus from the cafeteria where the reception was to the football field, the site of the graduation ceremonies. We really didn’t need a bus. It was only a little over a block away. But, it was a nice gesture.

Tonight’s graduation ceremony was for Downingtown West Campus. I was also invited to the graduation ceremony for the Downingtown East Campus (held tomorrow night at the same location) but I think I’ll pass on that one. While tonight’s ceremony was fun and interesting, once is enough. I have no desire to sit through another two hours valedictorian speeches and of award and diploma presentations.

After the graduation diplomas were all handed out and the mortar board caps were tossed in the air with a mighty cheer, we 50th anniversary Old Folk exited the field first through an honor guard of students of this year’s graduating class. Passing all those young faces that bore nary a wrinkle I couldn’t help myself when I said to one astonished redheaded young man "See you in fifty years!" Upon hearing that his face broke into the broadest smile I’ve ever seen. Oh young man if you only knew what you’re in for. He doesn’t know that the next fifty years will go by so much faster than the last twelve. But he will find out then he will be standing in the spot I stood in tonight. Perhaps he will remember me and then understand what I meant when I said "See you in fifty years!"

Thoughts on a Late Spring Night

Ronald Walter Tipton, Downingtown High School Class of 1959



After a good day at work, things fell apart at home this evening. Bill came in from mowing the lawn (which has to do every three days with the weather we're having down here on the Delmarva peninsula) and I told him he was "stinking." I guess I could of been more diplomatic (you think?) but I apparently wasn't thinking. Why Bill got mad was that he had just taken a shower but apparently was wearing the same shirt that we was wearing when he mowed the lawn. He wasn't really "stinking" but did smell of sweat. As I age I am losing some of my faculties but one that I have not lost is my sense of smell, much to Bill's displeasure. I apologized to Bill but he's mad and probably won't speak to me for a while. That's how he deals with his anger. I sometimes lose my temper but I quickly get over it. Bill is different. I hurt his feelings and it will take him a while to get over it.

This episode tonight just shows you how fast things can go awry after a good day. I was working today filling in for a co-worker who had other plans. I am not scheduled to go back to work until the Fourth of July weekend at which time I'll be working three days in a row. Normally I work every Monday night but another co-worker wants the Fourth of July weekend off so she can be at her son's graduation from infantry school and see him one more time before he ships out to Iraq. This means I have the next three weeks off.

Next week I was planning on going to Pennsylvania to see my Mom and attend the Downingtown High School Class of 2009 as a special guest. Each year the Downingtown High School invites members of the 50th anniversary class of Downingtown High School as guests to their graduation ceremonies. It doesn't seem like that long ago that I graduated but it has been half a century. Hard to believe. I'm not sure that if the kids of today's graduating class is even interested in seeing old fogies like us but I'll go anyway. It will be interesting for me. The picture on this blog is of yours truly 50 years ago when I graduated from Downingtown High School. My Mom took the picture. I was the first person in my family to graduate from high school (also the first to graduate from college.) This is the only picture of me at my graduation. So young and innocent. So much ahead of me. So fast the time has went by. And now I'm here, checking the weather forecast for next week because I don't want to make the 2 1/2 drive to Downingtown, Pennsylvania in the rain.

A few years ago I decided I don't like to drive in the dark. Now I avoid driving in the rain. I doubt if any of the members of the Downingtown High School graduating class has even given one moment's thought to those self-imposed driving restrictions. If anyone asks me to speak, I'll tell them this is just one of the "benefits" they can look forward too when they are guests at the DHS graduation of 2059. One thing is for sure, I won't be there.