Summer, a time for reunions

Summer is a wonderful time for reunions. The high school where my husband and I graduated in the late 1950s celebrated just last week. We could not attend this year but hope to next year. The registration numbers were way up, reported my very good friend, Verna, who serves as secretary and receives all the notifications. We think the numbers are up because the little town of Douds, Iowa, is celebrating 150 years. I told Verna recently to "take notes" to report to old classmates, as to who attended.

Then, there are the family reunions, church reunions, factory reunions and job reunions. It was the latter that brought me and several friends together to eat, remember and laugh together for a couple of hours.

We had all worked at the Herald-Leader newspaper office in the 1990s. Cathy was the office manager, Darlene and I were in the front office and Phyllis, now named Jewel, was in the newsroom for a time. Sometimes, we can arrange for Jackie or Sherry to attend, too. We hope to get Shelly to occasionally come along now that she lives a bit closer to us.

Darlene is the appointed organizer so it is left up to her to try to round us up for an occasional reunion. We used to manage it about every month, but in recent months, it has not happened because I was in the hospital, then in the rehab home and then in Galveston, Texas, recuperating. So, finally, when my husband and I at last returned to our home and were able to sustain living in our home and things are settled, Darlene and I found a time we could try again.

We like to do our reunion on a Saturday, and we have always met for breakfast, usually, and often at the Back Forty in West Siloam Springs because they serve a good meal and offer a back table where we can meet and laugh without unduly disturbing others. So, on a recent Saturday morning we gathered, caught up, laughed, ate, then dismissed. I went on to my dialysis treatment which happens three times a week, and they went on with their lives. We all hope to stay well and do it again.

I hope your reunions have been, or will be, pleasant this summer and every summer!

-- Jan Mullikin is a Siloam Springs resident and former employee of the Herald-Leader. She can be reached at [email protected]. The opinions expressed are those of the author.