On July 19th I received this invitation in the email to my high school's 55th class reunion. Since we are all in our 70s, and my graduating class only consisted of a little over 40 students, someone decided to combine our reunion with that of St. Augustine High School. It did make sense, as a number of students went to one of St. Augustine's two high schools, then switched.

My dear friend and former classmate, Nancy Dupont née Alexander, sent the invitation with a personal note really hoping I could come.

The thing is, I was scheduled to have my hip replacement done just two months before the event. So I said I'd try, but at that point I had no idea how quickly I would be able to move about, much less travel 2000 some-odd miles solo.

But go I did; and the below pages describe each day of what turned out to be an unexpectedly lovely trip.

From Phoenix to Lakeland

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 10/18/2024		Page Views: 73
Hashtags: #Autobiography
Over the clouds and through the woods to Chris' house I go.
Estimated reading time: 5 minute(s) (1122 words)

So, as I healed—slowly, to my mind—I kept trying to decide whether I should try to make this reunion. Our 55th—let's face it; how many more can we hold? I was trying to balance my fear of being miserable with my hip for the whole trip, with my desire to be with at least some of my old friends, not to mention seeing my sisters, again.

Reunion at the Car Museum

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 10/19/2024		Page Views: 63
Hashtags: #Autobiography #StJosephAcademy #ClassicCarMuseum
A gathering of antiques.
Estimated reading time: 4 minute(s) (790 words)

I woke in Chris' camper sometime around 9 or 10. Chris wasn't feeling well enough to go to the reunion, so reluctantly I left him and headed for St. Augustine.

Reunion Brunch

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 10/20/2024		Page Views: 73
Hashtags: #Autobiography
No distance of place or lapse of time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each other's worth
Estimated reading time: 3 minute(s) (533 words)

My sister was still asleep from the night shift she worked when I snuck out of her house to attend the class reunion brunch. This event, much smaller and cheaper than the night before's, was just to be St Joe graduates (and spouses).

Back to Tampa

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 10/21/2024		Page Views: 75
Hashtags: #Autobiography #CentralFlorida
A post-hurricane drive through Central Florida.
Estimated reading time: 2 minute(s) (343 words)

Today's post-reunion mission was simple: I had to drive back across the state to catch tomorrow's flight from Tampa. But I didn't want to go back the same way I'd come (I-4, mostly). First of all, I never like to go back the same way I came, anywhere. Secondly, I didn't want to repeat the plus-two-hours-standstill on the highway if I could help it. So I decided to cross over to Palatka, and through Central Florida to I-75, then to my reserved motel in Tampa.—As long as the non-highway roads were passable. After all, there've been two hurricanes here in the past month.

Flight Home

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 10/22/2024		Page Views: 76
Hashtags: #Autobiography
No matter how far we travel, the memories we make along the way are always sweeter when we finally arrive home.
Estimated reading time: 2 minute(s) (460 words)

I have to admit I was pretty groggy by the time my Lyft driver got me to Tampa airport. I had wheelchair service which was good since I had to be wheeled from one end of the airport to the other. I wound up with a window seat but I just kind of slept. At least, this plane's seats were a little padded. And then, when I woke, it was daytime and there were views outside the window!