Anniversary Follow-Up

If your an avid reader, you know we held a talent show at our fiftieth anniversary celebration a month ago.  As I hoped, everyone participated.

My sister, Jackie, did test the waters by asking what would happen if anyone “chickened out”.  I simply told her I heard rooms were available in Petoskey, but they were running $350.00 a night during Labor Day Weekend.  That encouraged her to follow-through.

My sister-in-law, Kathy, and Ruth started off the show by singing Julie Andrews’ Do-Re-Mi from the Sound of Music.  Everyone joined in and we were off.  Kathy’s decision to reprise her talent from her high school run at “Miss Plainwell” proved to be a wonderful catalyst for the rest of the group.

I was impressed by our versatility.  My sister, Sharron, told a few jokes and followed that up by telling stories about each of her nieces and nephews.  Turns out she has a better memory than they do.

Jackie dipped into her bag of tricks and put on a very versatile demonstration.  She resurrected her baton twilling skills from fifth grade, played several kazoo hits from her junior high years, and capped it off with a reading of an original story inspired by her audience.  Very clever.

My niece, Nina, played the steel drums.  She bought a set and taught herself for the occasion.  Several took a crack at playing after the show but none were as accomplished as Nina.

Her son, Marco, performed a card trick and astounded his audience.  He was great!

My niece, Lisa, who wasn’t sure she could get off work, did some last minute scrambling and performed a spontaneous rope demonstration. I’m curious where she learned such a trick.

Sutton, Lindsay, and Michael performed as a trio.  Sutton played guitar while Michael and Lindsay sang. Later, Sutton and Elizabeth sang a duet, and  Lindsay played a guitar solo.  Michael also put on a one man variety show. This crew of four is musically talented.

David did a dramatic reading showing a side of himself  we seldom see but welcome.

Eva choreographed a dance routine featuring her personal talent and included her mom and Aunt BZ.  She also organized a fashion show highlighting her mom and dad.  Stunning.

Brady was the show’s surprise.  He read an original poem about his mom, dad, and sister.  It was a thoughtful sharing of his feelings for his family and their time in Hamilton.  I’ve added writing to his growing list of talents.

Jackson James and his mom, Kate,  couldn’t make the trip because young Jackson was feeling puny and his doctor nixed his travel.  Ruth didn’t want him to be left out, so she put together a photo montage taken by Kate showcasing his many talents.

My talented off-spring, David, Elizabeth, and Michael reprised their elementary school roles as their father’s foils.  During my principal days, I put on a couple performances for my staff.   One was a politically incorrect parody of a high school language lesson, and the second was a break-dance to the “Twelve days of Christmas”.  They did a wonderful job and brought a sentimental tear to my eye.

As for me, I acted as the master of ceremonies and did a bit of magic.  My niece, Susan, served as my assistant and performed very well.  We mesmerized the crowd.

Next time your family gets together, consider such a sharing.  Ruth and I didn’t want a fancy party with elaborate gifts to mark our fifty years, but we did want to create a memory.  With the help of our family, we did.   We thought it was a good way to get everyone involved in our special celebration.  While not everyone looked forward to their moment “on stage”, everyone performed admirably.  I didn’t realize we were such a talented group.  It was a moment we appreciated and won’t forget.