An Itsy-Bitsy Chota GNID Reunion

Where just two or three are gathered, does that qualify to be called a GNID reunion?

On a cold, crisp, clear Sunday afternoon in January, three of us GNIDers gathered at Sue and Paul Hanifl’s near Chicago to gossip about all the rest of you who weren’t lucky enough to join us.

Just kidding. We really gathered to weep into our whine glasses about the suffering we experienced in our years at Woodstock.

Just kidding. We really gathered just because we could! Because we’re friends, we’re retired and can do what we want!

And, although we gathered at Sue’s because she had ankle replacement surgery in mid-December and is sitting captive in a wheelchair for a few weeks rather than traveling the world in a private plane, what we really talked about is how excited we are about our upcoming 50^th Reunion and our trip to India.

Who’s we? Karen Anderson Holden, who’s now an avid GNIDer and reunion attendee (even though she was at Woodstock in 1956 for less than the blink of an eye); and Sue, whom we all know as our beloved Class Secretary Extraordinaire; and me, Esther, now a happily homeless global nomad (I’m helping with care-taking for Sue for a few weeks; she's been a very good friend to me).

So the big question we have for you, dear classmate, is will you join us in India this fall? So far there are about 25 people seriously interested in attending. These include (in no particular order):

Bill and Marcia Tammeus
David and Gretchen Bonham
Karen (Eskildsen) and David Wilcock
Suzanne (Turner) and Paul Hanifl
Ted and Jackie Chitambar
Will and Gina Manton
Mary (Shannon) and Rich Murray
Joy (Rice) and John Grover
Larry Smith (and Rykken??)
Carol (McDearmid) Houghton (and Graham??)
Betsy Woodman
Esther Jantzen
Mary Pollock
Karen (Anderson) Holden 

Hank Lacy

The tour that’s being planned (you can choose what components of it you want to do) may well include a side trip to Darjeeling/Bhutan or Agra/Jaipur/Dharmsala prior to the trip to Woodstock. Then there would be the gathering in Mussoorie and Woodstock for several days. Finally there is the option to return to USA or go to South India (several places) and then possibly to Sri Lanka or back to other places in India.  

The dates are in the range of the last two weeks in October and first two of November, 2013. (We’re awaiting Woodstock calendar info before confirming dates.)

Larry Smith (our esteemed Class President) and Sue H, and Ted C (our esteemed, well, let’s call him our Supreme Communicator) are the masterminds behind the tour. Larry made a nice flow-chart to capture the ideas so far. If you want to input ideas or to put your name on the “probably-will-go” list or the “keep-me-informed,” please email Sue.

And as for our three-person + one spouse gathering in the cold of January, a good time was had by all. (Didn't our class party reports in the class minutes always end that way? :-))

Oh, almost forgot:  One more picture, this of Sue with her new ankle and in her cast in class colors!