The 30-Year Reunion

Back in the early 80’s my sisters and I attended the local high school.  At the end of Year 10 my older sister won a scholarship to a fairly prestigious private boy’s school that opened its doors to female students for the final two years of school.  My sister’s experience was a positive one so my parents asked me if I would like to follow suit although no one suggested I try out for the scholarship.

One or two prefects

One or two prefects

I was a fairly restless 16-year old and so was only too keen for any new experience.  My parents wrote out the cheques and I’m very glad they did because I had an extremely happy final two years.

I think I see a couple who 'used to be' in this image

In this image I think I see a couple who ‘used to be’

There were two-hundred in our year group and a healthy balance of males and females.  My first lesson on my first day was maths.  I walked in and took a seat and there was a spare desk next to me.  A few minutes went by and then a tall, dark and handsome young man asked me, ‘Is this seat taken?’

Gorgeous girls

Gorgeous girls

I rather liked the look of him but all I managed to mutter was a single word, ‘No’.  He pulled up a chair and long-story-short, I married him.  Those naughty children of mine have asked, ‘Tell me the story of how you met dad’.  And when I tell them they groan and tell us we’re utterly tragic.  They often say, ‘Hey dad!  Is this seat taken?’  And then collapse on the floor and roll around in uncontrollable hysterics.

Hugs, hugs, hugs

Hugs, hugs, hugs

So that’s the back story of how it is that Carl and I were able to go to our school reunion together.  And we weren’t the only couple to marry from our year.  Three other couples did the same thing and one girl even married her maths teacher – yep, it was all going on down at the private school.

Me and the prefect boys

Me and the prefect boys

I thought I was old when I went to my 10-year high school reunion and back then none of us could imagine being 30-years out from school.  But we all know time stands still for no one so on Saturday night with our greying hair, increasing lines and wrinkles plus Carl’s extra padding, Archie drove us in the Mustang to our reunion.

Close friends!

Pace yourselves, boys.

Before I was even out of the car, (sorry, ‘The Mustang’) two girls from my year, Liz and Jenny came running towards me and greeted me with hugs and kisses and kind words of, ‘You look fantastic’.  As did they!  And that truly set the tone for the entire evening.

Boys will be boys

Boys will be boys

Seventy-five turned up for the milestone with some traveling from every point of the globe just to be there.  What a great effort.  Something new for this reunion is that we were given name tags.  That was actually useful because although I did recognise and remember the majority of the 75, there were one or two who had me stumped.

Me and my good friends

Ms Hotly Spiced with her gal pals

We started at 7pm and mingled until midnight.  The room was filled with love and warmth and I’m not sure I’ve ever had so many warm embraces in one evening.  It seems the more time that goes by, the more closely knitted we become.

If earlier reunions had had an edge of competitiveness or people huddled together in exclusive groups, there was none of that on Saturday night.  Their was a genuine air in the room of wanting to know more about the life of the person standing in front of you than sharing about your own journey.

The beast between the beauties

The beast between the beauties

We all know by now that life can be unfair and accordingly, some have experienced more than their share of grief.  We have already lost four from our group through car accidents, plane crashes, sicknesses and diseases and on Saturday night there were a few who couldn’t be there because of their current battles with health.  But there were also those in the room who have survived horrific situations and it was lovely to be there to try and be a source of encouragement and support.

The hot chicky babes

The hot chicky babes

As the clock struck midnight, Pipster (the organiser) had us herded onto a 1980’s bus that took us to Minskys Piano Bar in Cremorne.  Just for old times sake.  Because this is a bar we all used to frequent ‘back in the day’.   The hysterical thing was, the guy playing the piano was the exact same guy who played for us back in the ’80’s.  He hasn’t left his piano stool in 30 years!

The bus from 1983

The bus from 1983

Well it was at Minskys where the night unraveled because people were buying me drinks.  Thanks Pipster and Robyn for those 2am sparkling wines – I certainly felt them the next day.  And someone with the nickname of ‘Tooth’ bought Carl a ‘cocktail’ of Red Bull and Vodka.  He hated it but forced it down anyway.

Oh dear

Oh dear

After eight hours of partying hard, we stumbled through the door at 3am.  Carl was still in bed 15 hours later.  There have been many comments posted on facebook about the sorry state many woke up in but with the comment, ‘It was so worth it’.

Good times

Good times

In summing up the night I would have to say that it was more than a school reunion; it was a family reunion.

So much talent in this group

So much talent in this group

I don’t want to wish away my life but I can’t wait for the next one.

A lovely catch-up

A lovely catch-up

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Comments

  1. G’day and great to hear Charlie, you had the reunion of the year!
    I personally don’t believe in reunions as have seen MANY in catering for MANY years that ended up with a tear!
    Glad you enjoyed and were able to match the past with the present, true!
    Am glad to read you are looking forward to the next reunion too!
    Cheers! Joanne

  2. Great blog Charlie! You captured it beautifully for all of us. What a night! There must be something in the school water, because those friendships that started in maths and then walked down the aisle a few years later, are still rocking along. (Did you know all three marriages started in maths?) Including yours, those relationships are valuable glue for all of us.

    And how cool – you get to take your spouse to your school reunion!!

    • I had no idea all those relationships started with algebra. Who would have thought algebra conjured up romance. And I’ve just found out there were five marriages from our year group, not four. Not bad statistics (maths pun unintentional).

  3. I didn’t know how you met – that’s really cute. I can see those kids laughing at that. It’s only a crappy line if it doesn’t work and obviously it did, you’re still together after all these years. 🙂 What a fun night.

  4. Love the story of how you and hubs met! And how your kids make fun of you both. Glad you had so much fun.

  5. What a fun and fantastic night!!! 🙂 You guys all look so happy to be together, comfy and and at ease even after all these years. That’s wonderful. 🙂

  6. Aww! How fun! You don’t have to wait for the 40 year reunion do you?

  7. GReat read–so nice that people wanted to share rather than compete–so there is something good to this getting older

  8. Looks and sounds like a fantastic reunion. I love when classmates get over those tags that clung to individuals in high school and move on.

    My 40-year reunion is coming up next fall…

  9. Sounds like you had a great high school experience and the 30th reunion was well worth attending.

  10. What a fun night Charlie! It looks like you all had a great time. I love that the piano guy is still the same one from 30 years ago. I can only imagine the stories he can tell!

  11. aw loved hearing how you and Carl met! i do hope my high school reunion will be like yours!

  12. What a wonderful night for you both! And I love Carl’s and yours love story! So cute. It’s really nice that you had a wonderful reunion. You never really forget what you experience at that age and it makes you, you. I loved my time in school.

    Nazneen xx

  13. That sounds like an amazing reunion, such fun. I think it’s a great story the way you met and I bet whatever the circumstances the kids would have found a funny angle. Isn’t that what parents are for – to laugh at!? GG xx

  14. Loved the story how you and Carl met! Sounds like a fun time at the reunion!

  15. That was fun–love the story of how you two met. I have never made it to a reunion, though I would like to. Was lost in China for the first; somewhere in India for the second; and living in Mexico for the third. I think they gave up on me.

  16. My 10 years reunion is happening next month and I’ve decided not to go. But seeing your pictures almost makes me want to change my mind.

  17. Sounds like a fun reunion with great memories, glad y’all had a great time!

  18. Looks like you had a lot of fun this night!
    And it’s fun to read your description too 🙂
    Cute story how you met your husband and the pictures show everybody in high spirits and as happy as can be.
    Lovely post.

  19. Were that all school reunions were that glorious! 🙂

  20. Glad to learn how you met your hubby, how fun, a romance started in algebra class, who would have guessed.
    What a fantastic reunion, and after all these years you all still look fabulous.

  21. Haha, that must have been so awesome to meet up after so long 😀
    And you and your husband’s story is too cute!
    I am excited for my graduation right now, can’t imagine my grade in 30 years!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

  22. And what time did Mrs Hotly Spiced make it out of bed? What a wonderful story about how the two of you met… almost as romantic and mine – we met at the bus stop between our two schools!
    I hope my reunions get better because the 10 year was just as you described with the exclusive little groups.

  23. How fun! I never made it to my reunion, considering FB is crazy enough, lol. I do love to hear/read about other peoples experiences though!

  24. I don’t think I knew the story of how you and Carl met – but unlike your children I think it is great! How lovely to have known each other for so long, and it is very fortunate you got to go to that school (even if you weren’t invited to try for a scholarship – the cheek!). It sounds like a really fun reunion.

  25. The older you get the more you love this kind of thing. It is so much fun when you let go iof all the unimportant stuff and just feel the love. What a lovely night and great memories for you. ( And yes that guy is STILL playing the piano….same songs too! True!)

  26. It looks like a crazy & fun reunion! 🙂 How cool is that?

  27. Sounds like you all had such a great time, Charlie. How wonderful! Your meeting Carl is proof that you don’t go searching for Love. When you’re ready, Love will find you. 🙂

  28. It sounds like a wonderful night indeed Charlie! How lovely to catch up with everyone without any anxieties or hidden agendas from anyone too 🙂
    I went to school with my hubby too, obviously better than internet dating! X

  29. Aww the story of how you and Carl met is so cute!! And it’s so great to hear how much fun you had…my ten year high school reunion is coming up and it’s made me more excited about going!

  30. Happy Tuesday!

  31. Sounds like a wonderful time! I met my husband in church,introduced to each other by my future mother-in-law….isn’t that story lamer than yours?

  32. Aww I didn’t know that that was how you and Carl met! That’s a sweet story! Although we might have to tease him and ask if the seat next to him is free next time we see him 😉

  33. What a fun time it looks like for everyone involved! How wonderful, too, that so many folks showed up. And I love the story of how you and Carl met, so sweet. 🙂

  34. Congrats on these gorgeous pictures!

  35. Fun post 🙂 Fun memoir 🙂
    Lovely photos of friends and happy moments.
    Thanks for sharing.
    (Nice to know how you met your kids father)

  36. Such a nice post Charlie…so this is how you both met…so cute.
    Thanks for such a uplifting post and hope you are having a fantastic week 😀

  37. OMG, looks like a fun time!

  38. Well, you’ve given me hope.. our last reunion was so awkward I’ve thought I’d not bother ever going again. But you never know, you’re so right, time makes us appreciate the gift of being together again each year! What a fun night that must have been!! xx

  39. Looks like a fun time 🙂

  40. Aww that’s a pretty cute way of how you and Carl met, and I never knew that you and Carl met in High School that’s really sweet high school sweet hearts! 😀

    Wow 30 year reunion that’s a very long time and it must’ve been nice to see each other again and catch up 🙂 I wonder when my school will have a reunion again hehe

  41. What a wonderful night, one that is worth a hangover. You all looked very happy with black and white the colours of choice,

  42. Sounds like a fabulous reunion, and that you certainly went to the right school!

  43. What an absolute blast!!
    Great to see you had such a good time. My last reunion was awesome… it seems when enough time passes everyone just kicks up their heels 🙂

  44. Looks like a brilliant night out and your chat up line was much better than the one I got. Funny about all the couples meeting in maths class though what are the chances of that?

  45. What a great post to come back to after the holidays! It almost got me teary. Sounds like a wonderful, wonderful evening.

  46. naww high school sweethearts!! Love that one of the girls married her maths teacher too! Scandalous!!

  47. Great story about how you and Carl met! And what a fun reunion. I’ve never actually made it to one of my reunions – always so far away or so, so busy when they rolled around. Glad you had a great time at yours.

  48. what a fantastic how-we-met story! you didn’t say, but your story makes me think maybe that husband of yours knew at first sight that you were the one and that was that. my husband saw me across the room and told his best friend and his mother that very day he would marry me, 15 years later we’re still at it (:

    great post!! any post that starts with back in the early 80’s, i’m sold already!

  49. School sweethearts eh! How lovely. Makes us count our blessings when you hear the struggles of other friends. Glad you had such a good time your photos captured such a treat night.

  50. How fun! I love hearing how you and Carl met – and fun that the reunion is fun for BOTH of you…usually the spouse is bored stiff! I attended my 25th High School reunion this summer – and yes, I could have used a name tag or two. How smart that someone did that for you!

  51. This is really beautiful. And makes me so happy that I’m still in touch with my best friends from kindy. xo

  52. Heh, I’ve always avoided my high school reunions. I didn’t have a bad time there but I know nothing about the people there anymore and have nothing at all in common. Looks like a fun time though – lots of laughs and happiness… must have brought back quite some memories too!

  53. What a fabulous reunion and such a good looking bunch of people! I think the hangover would have been well worth it. Reunions don’t happen very often.

  54. How delightful to have the opportunity to spend with so many of your friends from school. The photos make it very clear that everyone had a good time! I haven’t been to a reunion for a while, but at the last one I attended it was very hard to learn of all the classmates who had either died or were in very poor health. It’s sobering. So I think it’s a wonderful thing when classmates stay in touch. So much is shared in those school years, it’s shame when we lose those touch points!

  55. What a brilliant night. You have inspired me for next year. Only we never had any boys so I bet it will be a little different.
    Carolyn

  56. I really thought it’s a cute story how you and Carl met! And sounds like everyone kept in touch nicely throughout years and it’s nice you have good friendship (or “family”) to rely on in life. After I moved away from Japan I never attended any reunion. I’m kind of jealous you had such a great union! 🙂

  57. It will be my 20th this year! I can’t believe I’m that old!! Actually, I refuse to be… 😉 All my friends are though, so I’ll go help them celebrate in November…maybe. xo

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