Ok.......to continue the "catch-up" series......(makes it sound really gripping, doesn't it?).........
On Saturday, we got out of F'town's massive traffic jams about 10:30AM........and with a lunch stop, we arrived at the home of the 1st Lady's mother about 2:30pm. She knew we were arriving, just not the time. As I have explained in earlier posts, she is not well....and hasn't been for many, many years......a Life-long of series of health issues/problems that have brought her "down" step by step until this wobbly age of 86. She is blind, able to see only out of the sides of her eyes......and oftentimes not even that....the vision comes and goes strangely.
A couple of hours with talking with her.....and then we dashed on up to Quincy, IL to the new Holiday Inn where a surprise birthday dinner party was to take place for our friend who lived in Eldon during the same time that we did. I had his daughter, Rona, in my Flag Corps/Color Guard with the band, as well as in the vocal program there which I taught for two years.
Arriving at the Holiday Inn, we walked into the very nice lobby.....and OMG, sitting there in a wheelchair with a broken leg........was Debbie Langston.....and then her husband walked in....and we were all in hugs and handshakes and more hugs. Friends of ours they "were" all during the time we lived in Eldon......and we had not seen them for 22 years. Losing track of friends in one's Life often occurs as each person's Life goes on and down a different path when you move away from a community. They moved to Jefferson City....and with addresses changing, you seem to just lose people that meant soooo much to you for a time in your Life.
We were still babbling like little children when in walked another couple from our Eldon past who know live in Independence, MO......Wanda and Urban Hlke. Again.....we have not lost track of them, however, we have not remained in touch with them as closely as we should....and it was just sooooo great to see them again.
Sooooo, the six of us went through the bar and into the reserved room for this event.....the 75th birthday party of Roger Bowness......whom once again we have only seen once in the 22 years that we have been away from Eldon. There were probably about 35 or 40 people at this surprise.....and it wasn't long before his daughter, Rona, who graduated from Eldon HS in 1980 walked in.....and soon it was hugs and more hugs just like at the HowserMusicFest a few weeks ago. She and I just never came to a period during the evening each time we found ourselves standing or sitting beside each other. It was SOOOOOOOO wonderful to get to see her again......and, she reminded us that she used to baby sit our children when her parents and we and our other friends would go to the monthly social dance at the Lodge of the Four Seasons at Lake of the Ozarks......a formal affair with a big band providing the music.....a time in our lives we soooo enjoyed!!!!!
Roger was quite taken back by this surprise group/party for him and as I said above....the talking and the memories and the catching up on lives continued until we left there about 10:30pm. The dinner was very good, the wine flowed profusely and the champagne flowed during the toasts. After the meal.....the non-stop visiting, large and frequent laughter, and the stories flowed just as often as the wine flowed in and out of the glasses!!!! Such great, great fun......and it was sooooo incredible to all be together once again.
Another couple came from Eldon whom we did not know but who had worked for Roger when he owned his auto parts business there in Eldon.....Steve and Denise.....and Denise just happened to be a cousin of a former EHS band member whom I saw for the first time in 28 years at the MusicFest.....the former Angie Jones. Sooooo, for some reason, Denise knew of me..........
As I said, it was wonderful to spend time with these friends.....and, it makes me question why we allow these separations and lost addresses to ever happen???!!!! Different periods happen with our lives.......and this was the 1st Lady's and my Eldon Chapter.......for me, Eldon Chapter II since I did grow up and attend school in Eldon. We PLAN to remain in contact with everyone......can we keep that plan?????? I CERTAINLY hope that we can........we had too much together in Eldon and had just as much fun in Quincy on Saturday night.
Soooo, Langston and Hilke and Bowness and Rona ?? families........this is a challenge for us ALL to do a better job of remaining in contact......OK????????????????
We returned to Monroe City late that night.......and on Sunday, we just sat around in the gorgeous weather....enjoying the patio, reading, and relaxing from such a grand evening Saturday.
Yesterday.......we left mid-morning, stopped at Chesterfield Mall on the west side of STL for a bit of quick shopping, and then on to St. John's Hospital to visit with Dave Hanner. Arriving there, we were told he was going to be released and would be going home later in the afternoon......a GREAT surprise for everyone!!! His burns, his grafts...are all healing much quicker than anyone anticipated, so by 5:30pm we had him loaded into their van, all belongings and tons of medical supplies put into their van......and homeward to F'town we came. Sue and Dave stopped to get prescriptions filled and we came on to TheHowserHouse where we unloaded our car and just kicked back with a drink....or, two....and enjoyed the evening.
And sooooo, you now have the "gripping" story of the weekend filled with fun, laughter, good wine, and great friends both in Quincy and at the hospital in STL!!!! And....my next little journey is to Cape G tomorrow for an appt with my optpometrist....hopefully to get my eyes checked and begin the process of getting the reading glass lenses put into the frames of the glasses I was wearing before all of these past weeks' surgeries and recovery periods began.
The weather has moderated, but will return to the 90's later this week.....ugh!!!!! But....for now, we will take advantage of the cool temps to enjoy the patio....this morning it was only 60 degrees with I began writing this!!!
With such a great Saturday evening.......with the news of Dave's recovery moving right along......how it it be but.......
LIFE IS JUST REALLY, REALLY INCREDIBLY GREAT!!!!!!......And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!
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