Back to School

What is it about a meet-up with old school friends that makes one feel like you're stepping into a time machine, and takes one right back to sitting behind the school desk, and all the mischief we got up to?

When we had our very first Class of 1900...wink...wink...wink... (not giving any secrets away) school reunion a couple of years ago, a fairly large group showed up.

It was kind of surreal meeting up for the first time in over thirty years! Some of my classmates had hardly changed, except for the signs of wear and tear that accompany aging, no escaping that, while others were totally unrecognizable!
I clearly remember one girl who was a quiet unassuming little mouse at school who had transformed into a graceful swan, obviously a late bloomer, but I do believe that true happiness has a way to coax people out of their protective shells.

These changes show how life chisels us in shape, not only physically, but also mentally.

Of course, some of us girls quietly whispered and giggled about the guy we had a crush on at school, and how thankful we were that nothing came of that! Others still got a twinkle in their eyes when they saw their high school crush;)

We had a couple of other meetups after that with fewer classmates turning up, the only thing many of us had in common was attending the same school after all!

Our meetups eventually whittled down to only three diehards who still get together when our one schoolmate who emigrated, visits family here in SA.

As I drove to fetch my friend for our last meetup, I was treated to the breathtaking sight of this tree-lined street with the hues of the sunlight forming a kind of dappled carpet on the road.
This was the perfect start to a very special day with two old friends.

Our friend from across the waters has the most amazing memory, which always rekindles memories of some of the mischief we got up to, so there always is much chit-chattering.

I still wear a scar from the time a couple of us shaved our legs for the first time, and I ended up with a large gash on my calf. I was too afraid to tell my Mom, so by the time she discovered it the next morning, it was too late for stitches as it had pulled open and looked like a crater on the back of my calf!

The three of us will never forget the day, a couple of years ago, when I took my Mom Lily with for our meetup. We were going into detail about how sick we had been, one landed in hospital, nearly died, and so forth.
Mom had no health issues at that stage, and started smiling. She had a sharp wit, my Mom, and asked us why us 'young' ones were so full of aches and pains, when she should be the one to complain! We still have a good laugh when we remember her face that day!

We enjoyed a delicious brunch, and many very good capuccinos that day at Cafe Mayfair in the Upper Highway area, close to the Valley of a Thousand Hills.
This was my meal, and the prettiest capuccino of the day. I am saving the others to share with the Cinnamon Cup Coffee Community sometime soon.

I was super excited to learn that my favourite English language teacher frequents a coffee shop where my friend works on a part-time basis, so hope to meet her over a cup of coffee soon. She was a very young teacher at the time, but must be getting on in years.

The die-hard threesome plan to meet up again, which may, or may not, happen, as the sands of time will one day run out. When that day happens, no one knows, but while we can, we will grab special moments with both hands!