Photos
 |
| Photo props by Lise Lefebvre Campbell |
I arrived back at the motel shortly after 2:00 p.m., a little tired from sitting in the wind for several hours at the top of the double decker bus. I quickly changed my clothes and headed to the motel's front desk, where I met up with Gary Pickering, who was registering for the night. The afternoon was sunny and warm by this time, so I had a chance to have a quick beer outside with Gary, his wife Jane, Maureen and Myles Prince, a fellow 1967 De La Salle graduate.
The "rencontre" was masterminded by the incomparable Lady Di, Diane Gingras, and her efficient and creative second-in-command, Lise Lefebvre Campbell. The event venue was
La Loge, located in a sports complex, overlooking a large sheet of ice -- a suitable venue for a Temiscaming crowd raised in and around "the arena". The sound of laughter and animated conversation greeted us as we approached the registration area, ably manned by "le Bob à Diane Gingras", Robert Neveu.
 |
| Lorraine Theberge and Nicole Heroux |
Last year I felt a little nervous, wondering if anyone would remember me. After all, I left for McGill in 1967, and was gone except for brief visits home after the fall of 1969. This year was different, particularly since many of us keep track of one another on Facebook or by email. Less catch-up; more comfortable.
 |
| Lorraine Violette Cusson, Lise Laframboise Raymone, Lise Presseault |
The class of 1967 was well represented: Marcia Belisle, Nicole Heroux, Hillary Hogan Guindon, Lise Laframboise Raymond, Charles Mallette, Linda O'Rourke, John Presseault, Lise Presseault, Myles Prince, Doreen Raymond Meunier, Lorraine Violette Cusson. I may be wrong by a year on some of these, and it's possible that I left out a few '67 attendees.. Some notable by their absence and very much missed: Maureen Brophy, Joan Fink, Suzanne Collins Simpson, Josette McCann, Louise Nadon, the Rathwells, the Pharands ... many others. I would have liked to be joined by my siblings, Steve Ryan, Marilyn Ryan Marshall, Allan Ryan.
Some of my favorite visits were with people I hadn't seen since high school, including Hillary Hogan, Denyse Théberge-Rousselet
, Denise Proulx Almquist, Adele Landriault Guindon. This is a little like speed-dating so there's not really enough time to have rally good conversations -- we had just long enough to know that I wanted "more". I was amazed, not for the first time, at the many paths our lives have taken since we left our little town. We seem to be successful, well-rounded people, faithful spouses, good parents. I felt honored to spend this joyful evening among friends.
I felt the quirky pleasure of
not being the "smartest kid in the class" anymore, though some did bring up past academic success. It felt good to be somewhat ordinary in very extraordinary company.
