Austin was the HAPPENIN' place to be! I literally rolled in with the Caddy, a few hours ago and I'm still trying to wind down from the fantastic Austin Reunion! 

First of all, a special thank you for Karen '71 for all the hard work!

My memories of this reunion start from the time I got off the plane in Austin...until I got into the Caddy in Oakland. Stepping out from the Austin terminal in the 110 degrees debating whether or not I could manage to cross the street a red set of wheels rolls up and hollers, "Is that a Santa Maria?" Oh, my God, could it be VJ? I looked again and he was holding this placard which read: PARKING FOR FILIPINOS ONLY... Leave it to VJ to give me the royal treatment. 

Next stop, the hospitality suite set up with memorabilia, yearbooks, and the likes, then it started....'71 Falcons out of the woodwork, Candy Lackey, Sheila Ferguson, Sandy Thomas, Eva Underwood, Chuck Griswold, Jan Farrell...and more Falcons and more Falcons! I was greeted with very many, "SO, your the KIT KAT!" I wonder what they could've meant? hmmmmmmmmmmm!

A few of us decided to locate the Sport's Bar for a pre-cocktail toast. I guess I made a lasting impression with both the afternoon and night bartenders, right Roggy '80? I NEVER had to order for the rest of the Reunion, I'd walk in and presto, Jack Black Coke Rocks, before I could climb on to the bar stool. 

Had the greatest pleasure meeting Gary '75 and the RAD MAN '81, and Roberta Tucker! What can I say about the BULL '71, even with MY heels and on tip toes, I still seem to stand about waist high! Lookin' mighty fine!

Another special thank you to Jeff and Letty Worth for sharing their home and serving up mucho food at the barbecue...Ros, Linda '68 is an angel....with potato salad! You heard of that "CALGON BATH"....well, you could've taken a bath with....THE POTATO SALAD and still had some to serve! 

Cocktail hour, Dary dawned in an Aloha shirt allowed me to "lei" one on him, Hawaiian style! (A Kodak moment!) It was good to see Nanette '72 my across the street neighbor on the hill, Larissa '72, Kathy 'Moose' Adams '72, my team mate on the sports scene, of course John P. and Andrew Shigg '72 lookin' all tanked out!!!!, Quig '74, Quinn '72, Jenny, Susan and Gaye!....and I can't remember right now who else... 

Going on 6th street checking the night life was cool, too! Imagine walking pass about 6 night clubs, deciding to go in this one, standin' at the bar and someone from behind yells, KIT KAT!!!! (Oh! They found me again!). Roggy...did you ever remember any of the names of the clubs???, me neither, girl!!! And the grapevine said Saturday, you had to rip your zipper to get out of your dress??? It's okay Roggy, you should have seen me trying to get out of my lava-lava threads!!! 

VJ....don't EVER fall asleep when Roggy and I are around (another Kodak moment!). Dary...my hair was not red until that Austin sun hit it at the airport! For the next reunion, I must finesse my KATWOMAN prowl to escape incognito....even John, Dary, Jim, VJ noticed on both nights....at that!!! And you all know who you are...need to try a different approach to get ALL the room numbers!!! 
And finally the shuttle driver from the Oakland Airport to the Caddy was a Filipino guy that had gone to school at Subic Bay, in the Philippines in the 70's... I'm ready to go for the next 70's reuninon...are you game? ~~~Kit Kat'71

Donna, Rosalinda, et. al,

Just dragged in from Austin. Kinda numb. Very little sleep. Watched the sun come up both mornings. 

Gaye is a wild woman, but very sweet. Saw her running around the hotel corridors with her cohorts in crime (Linda Vargus and Susan DiBartilo 73) like it was a big college dorm. Danced her head off. Pam Gross 73, also cut some kind of rug -- along with her dancing machine kids and little Barishnakoff son. Very cool. 

These reunions are really something special. This internet family has linked everyone together to such an extent it really makes up for the expanse of years that are covered. When you go, you have your class, the people you remember from classes above and below you, and all the WHOA page internet folks. Makes it really heartwarming and very, very close. Heck, I even danced a Macarena with Hot Tub Jenny!!!!!!!! 

Mucho cudos and thanks to Snazzy Jazzy Jeff and his beautiful lava lava, lime green wearing wife Letti for the super BBQ Saturday. Food like you wouldn't believe. Mountains of it. And the infamous Linda J potato salad was delicious! I took a two-pound container full back to the hotel and wolfed it down at 4 a.m. 

Great meeting a lot of the crew, Gary, John again, RAD, Bull, whose's a huge, handsome WWF kind of dude, VJ, Kit Kat (thanks for the beautiful lai -- to tired to make my usual crass joke). The SpanMex looked absolutely radiant despite not wearing a cantina dress (when she finally arrived), Roggy 80 was a delight as always, Susan M was neat when she wasn't setting me up with some meanie!, some new lava lava girls like Abby Padilla who winged in from Japan just to meet me:-) reams of people moods and memories. Great stuff. Great time. More later. -- Dary `73

Oh, if anybody knew Cindy Schiffin, 72 (or 71?), wait til you see the pictures.

I personally witnessed the activities at the Austin reunion and unfortunately if I revealed what happened I would have to track each and everyone down on the the mailing list and kill you :) But, I can tell you that on Saturday morning around 3 a.m. that the hotel security didn't look too kindly to silly string on walls and seeing shocking pink and radiant blue trails of the stuff covering the floors of the hotel's halls (not to mention a couple of super soakers). And please don't even ask about the bikini contest or Ms. Gilette.

Jim '75

P.S. there were 11 of us from the class of the mighty '75 that attended.

<< Or what happened to cause a steamroller to run through your room and flatten Gaye and Linda. >>

Y'all would NEVER in a million, billion, trillion years believe what fun was had!!!!! There they were . . . All except the flesh of course. hmmmmmmmmmmmm

Susan DiBartolo '73

Okay...this story needs told!! While Gaye and Lina were out of their room Quiqs and Jim Quinn made flattened renditions of the two. Gaye calls me and in this giggling voice says "you've GOT to come see this." Since we were attacked with pillows earlier it took her some time to convince us to get over there. Upon arrival we see on the bed two complete replicas of Gaye and Linda on the bed. Curlers for the hair, leftover silly string for the eyes nose and mouth, clothes, jewelry and shoes! Nice ankle braclet, by the way!

Jenny Cranfill, 80

My goodness Jenny I am really, really hurt. Can't believe you at all!!!!:( I know that Mr. Quinn was at the reunion, I was even mistaken for him a couple of times, you know Jim Cook & Jim Quinn. We both are such nice sweet, shy & innocent types that I understand the confusion, heck I've even been confused with Senor Ardis (I noticed that you didn't correct the mistake.) But, now from my new good friend (that's you Jenny) you have Mr. Quinn partnered with my partner in crime, Don Quigley. Oh the stab in the back, I'm completely, 100% shattered.

For everyones info, it was the Quigmeister and myself that flattened the two mesmerizing goddesses (would have flattened the other three goddess in our group, Whipped Cream Jenny, Temptress Susan, and our newly adopted youngster, the Rapturous Roggy)

Jim '75

aka zman

I want to thank the classes of 70-75 for hosting a great reunion. It was really cool to see all of those who I read from every day. It was great seeing Linda 68 again and of course Roberta. I tried to meet as many as I could on friday night. Roggy you are a great photographer. Quick too! Had a neat visit with Melissa Riggs and of course VJ from class of 70. I hadn't seen the 70 yearbook ,had fun looking at the pom pon pictures and hearing that they had continued since Marcia Bonica70 and I started them in 1968. Dianne York 69 and I left saturday morning for a trip to San Antontio to plan the 1999 reunion there at the St Anthony Hotel. It is going to be fabulous. I would really like to see all the Senior teen club and the 70's classes come. So put on your calendar July 23,24,25 1999.

Have fun in Charleston, wish I could be there
Diane69

Believe it or not DARY managed to get on the same flight as mine! BUT we didn't get to sit next to each other :( HEE HEE

Okay I'll be nice now. When I got to the Holiday Inn, John Prunier was sitting outside with one of the several Lindas that was there - wait I'm trying to remember - I can't remember, but how nice it was to see my reunion buddy JOHN P. and to meet Linda , Linda from '69. Hmmm let me think, Linda E. (now what does that E. stand for?) Well I check in and managed to get a room far away from my other reunion buddy Dary. HEE HEE and got stuck right in the middle of all those practical jokers Jim, Quig, Gaye, Ardis, Jenny well ya'll you know who you are and I am proud to say I have joined that gang of folks. I can't wait for the next time this group gets together. Oh and DARY that stuff on my wall in my room - well JIM COOK '75 did that! Thanks Jim! Those short, spanish speaking only, cleaning ladies couldn't clean up all the silly string off the wall, so I helped. 

I finally got to meet so many people that I have chatted with over the past year. Oh what a great bunch of folks you are! Just like JEN'80 said, I miss you all already, and I too am on such a high from the weekend. Oh I wish I was going to Charleston! 

This posting is gonna get real long so I will do this is in pieces parts. I am not done telling everyone what a blast I had. Crazy about you all!

ROGGY '80

To my wonderful Wagner family,

Thank you so very much for the wonderful time you have all allowed me to share on Saturday (my first Wagner reunion). You all (or as we say in Tejas - y'all) made me feel really special and loved - Bull was wonderfully concerned for my safety and well-being (he knew I was having car troubles) and wanted me to have a really great time and forget my "troubles" - YOU SUCCEED, BABE!!! Not only that, but HUBBA, HUBBA, darlin'!!!! Thanks for honoring me with your class ring - I wore it proudly. I would have loved to have been able to go "steady" with you in school, but I was only (12!!) when you graduated...... Roggy - what a wonderfully charming person you are!! You're everything I thought you would be. I can't wait until you come and visit me!! Jenny - This almost compares to your wonderful lumpia and pansit noodles (and talking to RAD for almost 3 hours!!!). Sometimes, when I remember it all, my face still hurts from laughing sooooo hard! My poor little Dary - you know I love ya, babe!! (Yes, even in that tux of yours!!! :-) John P and Gary - You've made this connection to my new family possible - I thank you from the very bottom of my heart. Karen - you busted your butt on this reunion and it was WONDERFUL!!!!!! You did yourself and your class(es) proud!! Everyone else - thank you as well - you made Saturday an evening that I will remember for a VERY, VERY long time.......

They say you can't pick your family but you can sure pick your friends and all of y'all are better than that for me because you have all become friends that I consider family. I LOVE YOU!

Diana '78 (aka Dary's SpanMex, John Ruff's '77 (he IS a babe, huh?) wife, and Bull's "date" for the fantastic evening - Ann's a VERY lucky woman......)
P.S. Am trying to convince John (my John) to attend the one in San Antonio 1999 with me...... Maybe I can work on next year's "registered the earliest" certificate.... :-)

Hey gang! That was one cool reunion! Thanks for showing up at my place for the party - I had an excellent time listening to the stories and looking over the photos. Wish I could have made it to the Dinner saturday night though. 

Radical Rich and his buddy Dave left around 1:30 AM, which was cool with me because I didn't want to have to drink all that beer by myself! Oh ya, who left the large bottles of Cuervo and Capn Morgan's Peurto Rican Rum? That was nice of you! 

Oh Ya, Thanks to VJ for doing the combat duty by cooking all them pork sticks in that heat! Thanks for the Cuervo Gold RAD. And Linda, that was some excellent PotatoE Salad! 

I can't remember everyones name so please excuse me if I leave you out... lemme see there was Dary telling his war stories about sneaking into Cuba and dodging the Manson Family and finding dead drug dealers washing up on his beach (dude you had all my friends busting up!) and there was Jeepney Jen and Jim Cook planning their wedding <G>, Gary and John P. Planning a deal that will allow us to retire in the PI (totally legal of course and no doubt something to do with computers), Roggy and Kit Kat Kadilac recovering from the night before (next time ladies save those wild nights for when I am around!, Chuck and Birgit, Linda and her Art teacher (sorry I can't remember all these names), Linda's husband with his 50 foot van, and several others who I will mention when I see some pictures posted.

I do regret that I didn't get to spend more time with ya'll.... Let's do this again...soon....

Jeff Worth '83

Jeepney Jen. And, we're sorry they were 1/3 full when we got to your place. I coulda sworn they were full when we left the hotel!

Thanks Jeff!

Gary McClellan '75

<SWAT> Jeff...remember the look I gave ya? Consider yourself *looked* at again <grin>. I had a great time at your party! Please thank Lette for me again! It was super of her to do all that cooking for us..not to mention yummy. I didnt even bother to eat that night at the dinner I was so full of lumpia and pork sticks and yes, potatoE salad <grin>. Your weclome for the alcohol...bet you n RADman drank it all without me huh! Jeff...we only live 3.5 hrs from each other. Lets make it a point of doing this again very soon! Um...can Lette cook again? <grin>
JeepneyJen, 80