We arrived at Emily & Adam’s about 5:30-ish I think on Friday; not the best time to mess with traffic on I-5! Had fun visiting and playing with Eli and welcomed our time to go to bed! (Not that we had started the day early at all - just that driving left us tired. You would think by making it a 3-day trip we wouldn’t have been tired at all:)
Saturday (yesterday) we got up fairly early, Dad ready to head our for his helicopter training. They plan an hour long ground school, then an hour in the link trainer, and then an hour of flying time... so Emily & Eli and I planned to arrive near the end of the link-training time... and we did. He was finished with it; but they let us go inside and experience it a little. Quite different from 40 years ago, but it works.
Then it was take-off time for Dad. We got to watch fairly close up; it has to be the smallest helicopter I have ever seen - which was not especially comforting as I watched it lift off. I think Eli was impressed with the take-off; I was too. Em & I walked down to a restaurant close by to get a snack and wait for the helicopter’s return; our goal was to be back at the landing pad before it landed, but we were just a few minutes late (I walk too slowly now). We found Dad quite happy with it all. Later he told me the pilot let him take the controls once they were up and he basically did the flying all around the city over landmarks that were actually very familiar to him - tho not from the air before. The pilot suggested he could get a “great paying job” in a minute if he wanted it; they are putting in some kind of a pipeline and using the flying cranes to help with it. But pilots for flying cranes are hard to find - especially ones with any hours of flight time - hence the suggestion to dad. Doesn’t sound like he plans to jump on it - but you never know:) Feels good to know you would be wanted tho I’m sure.
We were home mid-afternoon and just hung out until time to go to the reunion dinner (actually I took a nap). Drove back down to hotel circle (where Dad played in the wild in his childhood) to the Crown Plaza I think it was called. There were a LOT of people there! We found a parking spot and worked our way into the event area; got our ID tags and were told to go get our picture taken. There was a line of others waiting to do the same and as we got closer to the photographer there was an announcement that they needed everyone in the dining room and please do the pictures later. So... to the dining room, where I chose to stand in the doorway while Dad scouted out 2 seats for us. Lots of big round tables and lots of seats - mostly taken already at that point. He came back for me and led me to a table where we met about 5 other couples. Conversations with any but those closest to us were difficult because of the loudness of the music playing - but it was very much 1961 music:). We did eventually get to converse with all of them to a degree and it was very interesting. The couple to our right were married in Sicily and spoke fluent Italian; it was fun listening to how they met & married, etc. The couple to our left were equally interesting; I ended up talking to her quite a bit during a time with both of our husbands were off visiting with others. I was amazed to hear that she was from the area (different high school, so she was a “guest” as was I and 50% of the rest of us), had grown up her entire life there and still meets with a group of friends that she has known since the 2nd grade; that is almost beyond my comprehension with all the moves in my life!
Dad found a table where several friends from his old neighborhood in Mission Hills were sitting, so after the dinner (which was lovely altho quite expensive by my standards) he migrated over there and had a great time catching up. So fun to meet with people you haven’t seen in 50 years! A number of people came up and recognized him; he had a harder time recognizing many of them - but I think enjoyed the comments from some about how “young” he looked:)! All in all it was a wonderful evening for him and fun for me; he came away with phone numbers of some people who know where a couple of his other old buddies are and hopes to maybe connect with them some time this coming week. That sounds like a good thing to do on a vacation:).
Today we went to church with Adam and Emily (actually made up on time after getting in so late last night); sacrament meeting was lovely, filled with the Spirit, and as I attended Gospel Doctrine and Relief Society was once again reminded of what a blessing it is to be a member of the Lord’s church in these latter days. Oh yes, I should mention that the couple sitting directly across from us last night turned out to be from here but had moved to Lehi a couple of years ago and were just called so serve a mission:)!
No concrete plans for the week as yet - will update this as I can. Love you all!!
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