Well, folks. What a reunion! One note before I begin. If anyone wants one of these photos for printing purposes email me for a higher definition photo. Although I crop these into 8x10 or 5x7 images they are also resolution-reduced for web viewing. Now, to the story (images in no special order).
When I first arrived at OLPH I saw all the cars exiting the back area and my first thought was that the lot was full and these cars were heading back out. I circled around twice before I realized it was the church service letting out. I parked my car and walked to the front of the school where the line was forming, and just as I queued up I heard my name in a sweet familiar voice. There was Twila standing in front of me. Then Nisa popped over, and the fun was just beginning. We had classmates, spouses, significant others, a teacher, and even a sibling. Yes, my sister Theresa joined us to help balance the fun.
I was also very happy to see Danny Cross there with his wife. His dad was a leading figure in OLPH sports all the years I was there. So while everyone else in the place is sitting and chatting and looking at the auction pieces, our guys and gals are hugging, laughing, taking lots of pictures, and just having a great time. No one laughed, giggled, or showed more teeth than Valerie, although Nisa was a close second. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. I don't think any one of us seriously listened to any of the auction items. It was an extra special treat when Patti showed up. She was on her way to another function and just stopped by to say hi. This is why you won't see her on the group pictures posted earlier. It was great seeing her and she almost got stuck with us when her car was boxed in for some time. She finally escaped to her other engagement.
We were one of the first tables to go up and get our dinner, which was a buffet of catered Italian food. The food was great, but I found that I had so much fun talking and sharing that I didn't go back for seconds or dessert. I wasn't the only one. Everyone continually moved from person to person sharing thoughts. One thing that kept amazing each of us was what we individually remembered. Some of us remembered sports details while others recalled parties and social events. When the big auction started not many in the class of 69 was paying attention. We were in our own little world.
At one point we looked at ways to get upstairs but the stairway now has iron gates which block access. Later in my blog part 2 we will look at the portion of our evening where the upstairs was opened up to us. In the picture with Ramona you will see quite a few people at her table. She had quite the family get together with parents and a sibling. Altogether our folks were spread across three tables. Speaking of the tables, they came with green beaded necklaces. Some of us put these on, and some others (Nisa) put a lot on!
I had the pleasure of meeting Susan Votaw at this event. In her teaching career we were the first class she ever taught, making us so special to each other. She told me that she lived in Palo Alto at the time. Susan would work on her lesson plans while on the commute. What a card! For example, group pictures were planned for both the class of 1959 and our 1969 class. We queued up and waited for the 1959 class to finish. Just as they finished Susan got the line moving when she "pinched" a certain blogger on the rear. Ahem.
The group pictures blogged earlier were from my camera. We will have professional group photos available in the near future as well. After the pictures and auction, Nisa and Rick as well as a member from the 1959 class were selected to draw the tickets for the money prizes. No classmates were monetary winners, but we were winners nonetheless. After the last prize was paid out the event was formally closed and transitioned to the music and dancing phase. I will discuss the tour of the upper classrooms and the dance phase in part 2 of the blog. The 1969ers: Rick, Peter J., Wayne, Dennis, (Patti), Twila, Valerie, Ramona, Sue, Danny, Nisa, Chris, and Susan Votaw. Enjoy the rest of the pictures!
My last great adventure this time around was a Wednesday trip to Sattui Castle in Napa Valley (Castello di Amorosa). My sister Theresa (whom we affectionately call Tweater) picked out the destination and we thought we'd check it out. As you can see it has an authentic look. Upon entering we went to the cashier and purchased our wine tasting tickets. We got both a regular set and a set for tasting their reserve. The three of us shared those tastes since I was only taking a few tastes. There are also tours you can get for $25 each, but you can wander yourselves in areas that are not roped off. 
If anyone knows the Bascoms you know we made a beeline for the cellar area where the wine tasting takes place. The people there were very helpful and pulled out a table and chair for my mother to use while my sister and I bellied up to the bar. Although I only tasted a few wines I did taste one white reserve that I loved, so I bought a bottle for Thursday consumption. (Please be advised if you call me on this day there are no guarantees I will be able to maintain a linear conversation as I have no other plans). This winery does not sell their wines in any retail outlet. All wines are sold locally or shipped from online or mail sales. 
We were also able to visit the chapel, the ball room, and some wine storage areas. The dungeon, tunnels, and some upper areas were off limits except for tours. Supposedly, 2/3rds of the castle spaces are below ground. We completed the entire visit in just a few hours and then had dinner outside Napa. I'd recommend a visit if you are near Calistoga (It is just short of Calistoga on Highway 29 after St. Helena). 
