I didn't think I would attend the reunion, but recent messages on Facebook have convinced me that I will regret it if I don't go. So classmates, here I come!

There are some classmates whom I haven't seen since high school, such as Christine Palmer and Esther Wright, and I would love it if they would join us so we can get caught up.

I still live in Southern California (as I did at our 30-year reunion in 2004), in Claremont, which is a college town of about 35,000 residents. Reminds me in many ways of Ames - without the snow. My house is at the base of the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains. Our classmates Tim Moody (M.D.) and Mary Stevens (R.N.) also live in Claremont, so the Class of '74 is well represented here.

I work as VP of Marketing & Community Relations at a large, upscale retirement community where I plan to live when I grow up. It's an amazing place - www.msagardens.org I do a lot of public speaking in my job, which I love, and also enjoy greeting each guest as they arrive for our events/presentations. I love people and know no strangers. I love to cook, garden, read WWII history, watch documentaries and movies about WWII (as well as other movies), like to hike in the foothills, take walks, ride my bike and make beaded jewelry. I have two cats and wish I had a big dog. I love this climate, esp. the sunshine, and dislike the occasional days when it gets humid here (as it was today). Still have many ties to Iowa and "middle" states, and go back to the homeland every summer. I also love working on political campaigns and recently managed the successful School Board campaign of a friend here.

The insanity of my signing up on June 30th for the reunion is that (1) I am paying out the wazoo to come to the reunion for three days, and (2) I return to s. Cal. on Sunday afternoon July 27th, then 4-3/4 days later, early Friday August 1st, I get on a plane to fly right back to Des Moines for the first week of my summer vacation! Sadly, I have to be at work for the four days in between, for board meetings with our brand new CEO (who, by the way, ROCKS! She is our age, too. Sweet.)

This is a snapshot of my current life. Look forward to seeing old friends and hanging out in person with my fab Facebook friends from our class. And if you check in here and you aren't planning to attend - shame on you! Please write or call me. Should be fun! See you at the reunion. Woo-hoo!!