SharivilleLife stories from Shari

Hello again,  I seem to be running behind on my blogs.  I am getting back into it.  Believe it or not I have had requests to continue these meandering  pros.   Sunday last…… Jerry and I went over to Orland to join our “west side family,” for the Portuguese Festa.  There were several hundred people there, even buses from Tulare bringing folks to the festa.  We got over to Orland in time to see the parade.  That was very nice.

The food was especially good.   They had the traditional Sopas, made with beef broth, wonderful french bread, and cooked cabbage.  Then there was the meat platter with the beef, only boiled here, not cooked in the ovens. Along with sausages and cooked fresh pork, most delicious.  On  the meat platter  there was cooked potatoes and carrots, and they had wonderful red wine and sodas.  Mary Hubbard,  my  good friend , and her daughters Renee and  husband Brad and  Denise and the kids met us there. It was really different from the Chico Festa.  First much bigger and I liked the food better.

The auction was fantastic.  There was everything in the world on auction.  Even the cutest little puppy.  Lots of cows were auctioned and of course lots of food.  Wonderful sweet bread, baskets of apples, even baskets of quinces.  The auction took up several hours so we didn’t stay for the music which I really love.  Emily was singing for this occasion, and she’s the real deal.  Straight from the Azores. She sings in Portuguese and shes so great to listen to.

Well it was a wonderful day with some of my very most favorite people in the world and both Jerry and I enjoyed it very much.  The more I get into the Portuguese culture the better I like it………………..Hugs……….Shari and Jerry

The weekend of Sept. 25th, 2010 will forever be precious to me. It was my 50th high school class reunion. It started with a pool party at Judy Lou’s hotel, Judy hosted a fun get together, where she and other out of towners were staying . This was early afternoon. Marlene Valine, My Angel and Hearts buddy and my soul friend was there, we finally met after 50 yrs of not being around each other, and two yrs. of being fb buddies. Judy Lou, Ron Whitehead, Doug Hall and wife, Sharon Howe and hubby and several others were there. We brought snacks and drinks and really had a good visit. Lots of memories, but mostly we talked about the present and what all of us were doing now and where we are presently living. It was a great beginning to a most wonderful weekend.

In the early evening over 100 of us met out at the Elks picnic area for another get together. They had a taco wagon on hand. There were beef, chicken and shrimp taco’s, shrimp was wonderful, with rice and beans. Pretty good grub for 7.00$. Some of our wonderful reunion planners had gotten together and made homemade salsa, by the buckets full, soooo delicious. I know Steve Hegdlen and Gary and Rosemarie Imhoffwere involved with the chopping and mixing, it was perfect. So chips and salsa were available and it was a BYO drinks. This event was very informal,  and we really got a chance to visit and renew acquaintances. We had dinner with Charlie and Connie Augustine and I met up with some of our group that I haven’t seen in 50 yrs. What a joy it was to see so many familiar faces. Jerry also knew quite a few of my classmates from the 45th reunion and also from the local monthly luncheons. The weather was perfect, a slight breeze to temper the occasion. The dress was casual, so we were all in our summer clothes. It was a comfortable and relaxing get together. Visiting with every one and getting reacquainted was the prelude to the big Sat night.

Then the “Piece De Resistance” was of course the Sat. night dinner party and silent auction. It was an affair to remember, and for those of us who attended I’m sure this event will be in our memories for the rest of our lives. The decor was all Red and Gold. I got such a kick out of Judy Lou, she was fluttering around every where, visiting with everyone, taking pictures of all, and to top it all off she was wearing a lovely butterfly fluttering blouse that was gorgeous. She always reminds me of a beautiful butterfly. Got to see Jerry Rassmussen and Gordon Knight, Dennis Aaron, Jeanie Richardson, sooo many happy classmates were there. For a brief moment, while surrounded by the chaos of the evening,  I was back in1960,  in Mr. Scott Lawler’s journalism class.  I was in the halls of that beautiful old brick school, Chico High School, with  my official Red and Gold press card that got me everywhere  because I was the official Red and gold newspaper photographer. Yes, I can brag, after all this is my blog.  For a moment I was on the goal line at our last football game, remember, with our arch rival Oroville High School? Yes, we did lose.  Sob, sob.  It was heartbreaking, and yes, I remember.

 We had NY steaks cooked to perfection at  med rare, fluffy baked potatoes with butter and sour cream, sauteed vegies and buttery dinner rolls. The other entree was chicken breasts with rice pilaf, and vegies. There was a cake bar and coffee bar as well as a wet bar. Jerry and I sat at a table with some of my face book buddies. Marlene Valine, Elaine Wright, also with Joy Norris and Rena Wampler and husband, all the way from Montana. We had a wonderful time, many precious memories, many great pictures. My wonderful precious friend Joyce ( Joy) Shaw Jones was here from Texas. She was there for me in Texas when Jerry was in surgery and remained a staunch supporter all the while we were there. I love her dearly. Plus she makes the most beautiful jewelry, several sets she donated to the silent auction. Her sets consist of ear rings, a bracelet and a necklace. Jerry bid and got me a fabulous pearl set. My very special friend Judy Lou Anderson got the two of us together during the crisis time in Dallas , when Jerry ‘s life was at stake. She was there to pray withus for his successful surgery, and it was successful. There was a memorial board and we have lost 85 now from our class, two in the last month. This was a sad thing, but we all do know now why they did not attend. Gives us all some closure. I’m sure they were there in spirit. There were, last I heard, 212 classmates for the Sat nite extravaganza. Our very own class president and just retired Butte Co. Judge Mike Kelly was there with his lovely wife Kathy.

The silent auction was a great success, lots of lovely donations, afghans, paintings, prints, jewelry,coffee, there was a companion for the cowboy I picked up at the 45th reunion. This one was holding a shotgun, where mine had the six shooters. I like mine best. Jeanie Richardson generously donated wonderful pictures from her great collection, shes become quit the photographer, and she also had photos of the historic Richardson Springs. Lots of money made for the class, it will help with the 55th reunion Im told. Well I will be ready for the next one, will you?? See you all then…………..Hugs Shari

Hello after over 3 mos. Needless to say the surgery went very well. It was inconvenient to have to go to Sacto. for the procedure, but as it turned out it was probably the best thing I could have done. The surgeon Dr. Bluemfeld was a genius.  The knee is perfect.  I really don’t remember much pain, heavy drugs, you know.  Jerry was comfy in the RV with Teddy. I was there 4 days and then home to recover.

Poor Jerry, he quickly became chief cook and bottle washer and did a fab job with it for about 6 weeks.  Then I was up and around doing fairly well.  My husband is one of a kind. I was off the heavy duty drugs by then and making pretty good sense. I seemed to be OK but my family found me to me a bit spacey, so is that something new?

So all in all not a lot to say about this procedure, just want to document some of it for posterity. It’s the best thing I have done, and like I said no more knees.  I spent 67 yrs suffering various degrees of distress, I was never able to do all the things other kids did, no PE in school, never could run on really exercise in any way. Had some people make fun of me for not being able to keep up. Karma is a bitch.  Oh my, did I really say that. I did climb Mt Lassen in my younger days, up was usually OK, down was always awful, my boyfriend had to practically carry me back down.  But I did it.  Now I can walk anywhere and pretty much keep up, too bad it’s so late in my life.

So I have spent the last 6 weeks catching up.  Wandering around my beautiful property and keeping Jerry company during all the various  chores out there. Right now its wood stacking time to get ready for the winter.  It’s still hot here in Chico, we are having an “ Indian Summer,” and it’s wonderful. Problem is we still have to water. Well more soon, meanwhile it’s so nice to not have any pain.