Flashback Friday

This week, 9 years ago me and four other Mary David Home administrators took early retirement offered by the County.  I came upon this picture of the party we had at Cherry Street Brewing Co saloon right after the last day. 

The other three were Randy Storm, Superintendent on far left, Rebecca Simmons, Assistant Superintendent right behind him, and Pat Johnson, front row in front of me.  With us in this picture are a couple of former MDH counselors who stopped by to party with us: Lynn Johnson and Nadine Nice, both on the right.   

I have other pictures of the event and more than likely will post them next year for the 10th anniversary.  I was struck by the absolute joy of the three of us and some of it is because of the circumstances, but apparently the photographer or someone else must have been really funny.  Wish I could have remembered what was said, but as you can see, I am the only one who wasn't afraid to display my adult beverage.

Randy went on to work in a family restaurant for a while in Rio, Rebecca has just recently begun a part-time job with Pat working at Bridgeway, while I spent the summer on my motorcycle going to Arkansas, Wisconsin, Moab, Utah and Deadwood, South Dakota.  I would later find work at Blick Art Supplies.

Twenty seven years is a long time at one place these days, and then factor in that these guys were there all along the way is pretty remarkable.  Randy was a pretty good boss and supplied a million laughs for us along the way.  Pat was our safe port if we had things on our mind and needed someone to bounce them off of.  Rebecca was the brains of the group and I what I brought to the table you'll have to ask them.   All I know is these were the guys I spent more time with than my own family through decades: through weddings and divorces, through stalkings, births, management meetings, trainings and countless Friday after-work-get-togethers and Christmas parties.  

The picture speaks volumes for the four of us who worked with each other our entire careers.  Through the ups and downs, and there were downs, we emerged together happy, satisfied and content.  It was a career.  We saw each other daily and survived to the end as friends.  Cut!  That's a wrap.