July 19, 2013 Day ten

In the morning we went out to the Rochester Athletic Club where Dad and Perry and the boys work out. This is really a beautiful center, with indoor and outdoor tennis courts, a great workout area, swimming pools…a great set up. Josh had a tennis match, so we got to see him in action.  We have some very athletically talented nieces and nephews who play nearly every sport.  Because we live so far away, we mostly follow their sports from a far, so seeing him play in person was great.  He won the match.  (As well as the matches in the tournament the next day in Minneapolis.) 

We also met Chad, the athletic trainer that Harold (Patti's father) works with on a monthly basis.  He has been such a help to Harold.  Harold at 82 still works out a number of times a week which is great.

In the afternoon, Patti and Perry took the boys up to Quarry Hill Park, the 200-acre woods across form Patti’s parents’ home.  Patti and her sibs grew up roaming in the woods there. We wandered around, happily picking wild black raspberries (a favorite childhood treat.)  Matt and Josh then practiced their rock climbing while we cheered them on.

Josh also demonstrated his scooter skill at the local skate park.  He could whiz up and down and over.  This is a sport better done by the young!

Evening brought a very special gathering of some of Patti’s closest friends from high school.  This year was their 35^th year since their graduation.  Patti decided to skip the big , more general event, but was super happy to see old friends.  Randy Jones was our host, having never left Rochester.  He cooked up a gracious feast!  Then we were joined by Kathie and Van Bredeson, from Hudson WI, and Frank Allen, who had flown up from near Jackson FL.  We enjoyed  catching up on the latest news from each other’s lives, as well as talking about “the good old days” where we sang in the choir, went on Lutheran youth trips to New Orleans and Germany, and as college students put on a Christian musical to raise money for our local Ronald McDonald House.  We were an exceptionally close and clean-cut group of kids.  It was fun for Dick to meet some of Patti’s old group.  The evening went by quickly, and we wished that more of the old gang were able to join us, but it was great.

"To reminisce with my old friends, a chance to share some memories, and play our songs again."
Ricky Nelson