11:23 and home safely. Just got to say this was in incredible day! The drive up this morning was just stunningly beautiful. Its a lovely time of year and driving up the Silverado Trail is always special as one passes by winery after winery and through miles of vineyards. You'd think you were in the south of France. Upon arrival I found the first worship hour was over, there were special awards being given to the alumnus of the year and I had my first glimpse of the president. She is an amazing woman, has a huge head of hair and just beams. She is providing really good leadership for the college and everything went smoothly. Lunch was OK but I walked up to the table for the class of 1971 and could not remember many names. Yet in a few minutes there was busy chatter, kind comments regarding Nan's brave fight for life and warmth all around. Eventually we were herded into a room for a class photo. Sort of sad, out of a class of about 302 students there were probably 30 to 35 people there today.
During the afternoon we wandered through an art gallery where a PUC alum had his photographs on display, incredible color and totally enjoyable. Then it was a concert in Paulin Hall by current choirs and orchestra. The music was great and the arrangements were new and interesting. Dorothy was there, she was the director of the Adoration Singers that we sang in for years. She is looking great but has stopped teaching and is enjoying retirement now. I ran into several friends from the past, exchanged cards, email addresses etc.
Then it was time to find the spot where our class was having dinner. My GPS took me right there to a very special development where about 9 owners own the use of one of the villas for the year. Turns out Bryan and Monica are one of the owners of a villa. They just returned from a trip to Italy yesterday yet were up to preparing an outstanding dinner for the entire class this evening. Bryan, the attorney and Grant Mitchell another attorney presided over the little fry pans where they mixed the ingredients we had selected, tomato's, mushrooms, peas, artichoke hearts into the pan over a flame with the sauce we selected and then added one of three different kinds of pasta that had been prepared. The resulting meal was incredibly good and of course there was genuine french bread and a salad with real raspberries, dry cheese etc. We had a feast and as the evening cooled they turned on overhead heaters in the gathering place which had no walls, just a roof and a fireplace with comfortable seating. The group discussed the many who wanted to come but could not, the ones we have already lost in death, who was now married to whom. Finally knowing I had a two hour drive I was picked up along with others in a golf cart and driven to where my car was parked. It was a class act evening with wonderful people.
So now I'm home to get a bit of rest. Early in the morning I have to determine a value for a property in Pleasanton, there are three offers waiting and the owner asked me to do a driveby to arrive at a current value so he knows how to respond to the offers. Then at 10 am I inspect a local 5 acre ranch and at 11 I need to see a place for a rush appraisal in Antioch.
It was interesting to be out of cell phone range all day long today. Seems Verizon has a tower on the PUC land but AT&T has none so there was no service. I felt like I had been cut off, my how things change as we assume technology into our lives.
These kind of days are clearing to the senses. I'm reminded of a life I used to live, in the middle of church activities and happenings, also in the middle of being very social and active. I've let much of it slip away and I'm determined to reach out to people who might enjoy an afternoon on my back deck or a ride in the boat.
One sad note, this morning the girls searched for Easter eggs in the park near my place and I was away. I hated to miss this event in their lives.
Today had some sad moments, I reflected on the knoll where the receiving line was after I was ordained a minister, Nan and I stood there and shook hands for a very long time that day, I was also reminded constantly of life on the mountain during my senior year and her freshman year when we started our life together. But rather than sad it felt very good, I reflected on just how good it was and how blessed I had been to be there, to start our lives together there and then to remember what a blessing that life had been. Its really good, this 36 year chapter and I know God is still awake at the wheel as we all look to the future.
So now its really time to go to sleep, love to all.
Tim
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