Gratitude I

There are so many of you to thank and I hesitate to begin for fear that I leave someone out or fail to express my thanks adequately or do it in the wrong order so that someone feels slighted.   So, please, please  forgive me...   but I want to start with two men who made huge contributions to the success of our reunion.   

Michael Paul Blank

Most of you have your beautiful T-shirts now, wore your name tags Saturday, and saw the fine-looking banner that graced the door of the Bistro....    Did you know that I never once asked MP for any of these things?   He simply informed me he would be taking care of them.   And he listened to me, and listened to me, and listened to me.   And gave, and gave, and gave.  He could probably could tell you the hours he put into this work, and we would be impressed at whatever his hourly rate might be, but that's something that never came up.  And undoubtedly, it will not.  Not one cent went into his pocket.   

All of this, yet I failed to publicly thank him at the reunion, an omission I'll regret for a long time.  So, THANK-YOU, Michael Paul Blank.   You are one fine, loving man.

Ted Powell

Ted has been my confidant, supporter and good-humor man since day one.   I am not at liberty to tell you all he did to make the reunion the success it was, but he made some stellar contributions.    His generosity is simply unmatched.    

And, of course, he took a back seat while you poured your hearts out thanking me.   Know that all  of us are all in his debt.   I will not forget what he did, or that he did it while recovering from by-pass surgery.   His heart is 24-K gold...  and he cannot resist opening it at the slightest opportunity.

Thank you, Ted, and thank you, Martha....    for sharing him with me and the rest of us.

More to follow....