Dancing – Valerie's Voice

50th Class Reunions

We’ve been busy traveling the last few weeks…to the north shore and then to Pennsylvania. My husband grew up in Pennsylvania and it’s always fun to go to visit. Our last visit was in 2018 to attend a nephew’s wedding.

This year the big draw was his 50^th high school class reunion…actually his 50+1 since it was scheduled for last year (class of 1970) but was canceled due to the pandemic. It was rescheduled for October 2, near Ephrata, PA. He graduated from Ephrata High School – EHS.

My 1971 high school class reunion was scheduled for October 9, 2021 so we made sure we were back to Minnesota in time to attend my reunion. I graduated from Edison High School – EHS.

We were both reluctant to sign up for our reunions. It was the first time attending a high school reunion for both of us. As we looked at our year books we both had trouble remembering the many folks we knew so well fifty years ago. We both wondered why we were going. But we both followed through, and were glad we went.

Ephrata High School 1970 classmates at the 50th reunion.

Gary’s class was about 220 and 46 had died. He had about 60 classmates come to the reunion.

Someone from Gary’s class put together a nice display of all those who had passed away from the class of 1970.

Ephrata’s event went well…a good social hour and dinner, and then a two-piece band that played oldies from those high school years. People were dancing …including us (for a couple of songs). Unfortunately, there were no nametags at his reunion…I did not understand that decision!

My nametag. Nametags helped a lot when greeting people.

My class was about 480 and 60 had died. There were about 120 classmates that came to my reunion. The nametags for our event featured our senior class picture.

This was a display with the names and photos of the classmates who have passed away from Edison’s High School class of 1971.

The Edison class reunion also had a nice social hour and a good dinner. The alumni marching band marched in and played a few tunes. There was a short program, and there was a roll call; we stood up when our name was called. I appreciated that – it was a good way to know who was in attendance.

The Edison High School Alumni Marching Band.

The funniest thing for me was we were reminded of “Weiner Winks” a food we had in the lunch line back in the day. It was a hotdog wrapped in bread and cheese and baked in the oven.

I reconnected with several people and was surprised how many I knew (after looking at their nametag!)

There was a DJ (a classmate) playing oldies and taking requests, and some people danced.

There was a raffle…I bought one ticket, and won a beautiful hand-made travel bag.

Both of us commented on how the folks at the reunions looked old…as do we. HA!

I had decided if ever I was going to attend a reunion the 50th would be the one…I’m glad I did. I learned this will be the last organized reunion of my class.

I am reminded of a quote by Walt Whitman that seems applicable to our reunion stories….“We were together. I forget the rest.”

A small group of some classmates together, all through Kindergarten to 12th grade.

We were both glad we showed up at our reunions, and we were together again with folks who were once a big part of our lives. We’ll forget the rest.

The Hokey Pokey

A photo of me and my grandkids in NC, taken on a recent visit.

As I’ve mentioned, one of the highlights of my week is zooming with our grandchildren in North Carolina. These visits will come to an end soon, because school will be starting.

I love visiting with them and reading stories to them. At the end of our time this week, I asked Alexa to turn the volume up and play “The Hokey Pokey”. And we all danced to the music. I was waving my hands in the air, abandoned and totally consumed by this amazing time together, although distant it felt close.

I am grateful.

Thanksgiving Revisited

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It all began Wednesday night at our annual Thanksgiving service at Emmaus Church. We gather for praise and worship along with our traditional “circling around the sanctuary, holding hands and speaking our thanks in prayer together.” Then we head downstairs to the fellowship hall for a pie social! Folks bring pies to share, and everyone eats one or two pieces as they visit.

The next morning Gary and I helped at Northfield’s community meal. Laura Baker Services Association (housing, educational and support services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities) provides a traditional Thanksgiving meal to anyone in the community. No need to sign up, just show up for a delicious meal. This was their 19^th year of arranging this wonderful event. They baked 22 turkeys, and made potatoes, stuffing, gravy, corn, salad, cranberries and pie! Last year we ate dinner at LBSA – this year we volunteered to serve. It was fun.

After we left LBSA we joined a family from church, who had invited us to come for dinner when they found out…at the pie social Wednesday eve…that we would not be with our family Thanksgiving Day. It was a beautiful thing, sitting around the table with old friends and new, sharing a meal together. We were blessed by their kindness, and by being at their family celebration.

The blessings continued as we joined our son and his wife and 1 ½ year old daughter at their home the next day, for another feast. My brother and his wife, their daughter and son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren came also. One grandchild is a baby boy…nine days old. The other is a three year old boy. The two “older” toddlers had fun playing together and exuded a lot of energy.

After our tradition of reading children’s stories, and eating dessert, the others said good-bye, so only our immediate family was left. In the living room, soon before we were going to depart, there was one more blessing. My daughter-in-love explained our granddaughter, Aria, “sets the stage often.” Aria points to the sound bar to have the music start (mom turns it on), then points to the gas fireplace to have it turned on (mom flips the switch), and then Aria starts dancing. What a joy to watch.

It was a special time…this blessed thanksgiving…and our hearts are full.

Now we’re moving into the Christmas season as I start to decorate the house, in anticipation of our other two grandchildren (along with mom and dad) coming over from Africa and living with us for a while. I hope their eyes light up when they see our Christmas tree full of colored lights. We’re so excited.

Memories of Dancing

This piece, Memories of Dancing, was an exercise assigned by a group I participate in. I had fun writing it. The criteria for the piece are written into the last line.

Memories of dancing…a black and white photograph helps me to remember. Running my finger over the photo, over the X that my mom marked above a little girl in her tutu. Unfortunately I do not remember the dance lessons but I do remember the tutu and dancing with my childhood friend, Diane. Etched in my mind is the recital depicted in the photograph. How I remember the song we danced to at that recital so many years ago is amazing. Glow Little Glowworm, Glow. Wondering if Diane remembers?

The photo where “X” marks my position in this dance line. The date on the photo says 1960.

So the picture sparks memories of the beginning of my dancing gig. Glow Little Glowworm, Glow. Wow, it’s so fun to think about, especially since my little granddaughter has a Glow Worm toy. You press a button and the glowworm lights up. Perhaps I should order one because I really like it, and when I saw it for the first time it brought back such fun memories.

Several thoughts of dancing come to mind. Dancing was a part of my childhood, dancing is fun, dancing is good exercise, and dancing is a social event. To think about all the good times makes me smile. Every time I hear a polka I think back to my dad especially, and then both my mom and dad’s friends dancing the night away up north, or at weddings. Several times I think of Mr. Ken asking me as a young woman where I learned to dance so well, as he was dancing with me. Even though that happened such a long time ago I remember. Reminds me to be to be careful of the words I use.

Early in life I took dance lessons as a little girl, a few anyhow, since I remember the song we danced to and I have my recital picture to prove it.

Then it was off to junior high and senior high school where I danced modern dance, whatever that was at the time. Enjoying the dances in junior and senior high school was a part of my schooling. Girls stood on one side of the gym and guys on the other. Rooms were dark and bands were playing – we actually had live bands back then. Now a days I think it’s all DJ’s playing records, or I mean cd’s.

Sub Club was another a hot spot for dancing during high school for me. Every Saturday night when we were up at Farm Island Lake, in northern Minnesota, all the folks in my parents friend group went to the Sub Club to dance. Eventually us high school kids would all end up there too, and join our parents in the festivities and dance with our elders. Sub Club music was mainly polkas and waltzes, my favorites.

Sub Club was not the only dance hall I danced at. The Bel Rae Ballroom was another hot spot in the peak of my dancing days. Several nights in high school, and beyond, were spent at the Bel Rae Ballroom, dancing the night away.

Years have gone by and I don’t dance much anymore but I have good memories of dancing, and a recent good memory of dancing is with my son at his wedding.

Gosh, to think back on dancing is fun and maybe I could write more about it another time when I don’t have to start each new sentence with the letter the previous sentence ended in.