Perdido Key and Sailing in Fort Walton Beach - 2007
Reunion at Perdido 2007: FACES
Gladys sent us an art link of women’s faces morphing into each other, and it seemed a fitting theme for this year’s gathering. For most of us scattered from Texas to NY to Palm Beach, from cities to small towns, there is a disconnect that cries out for a renewal with our LSU roots. The Thongs provide that.
Like Gladys said quoting her mother, “You all look the same to me.” When we look at each other, we see the same faces we saw when “our hearts were young and gay” at twenty. We’ve been through births, deaths, illnesses, jobs, men, children, divorces, moves.
And changes. We’ve watched as those beloved faces we’ve known so long have “morphed” into the wholeness of women who have come into their own. It was a joy to see Linda’s eyes “obeying” after her surgery. It was also good to notice hers and Charlotte’s weight loss, proving it CAN be done! One of the most rewarding changes to see was in Gladys. Last year’s sadness at the loss of her mother had reincarnated itself this year into a happier Gladys, who moved from person to person like a bee gathering honey. Her face even looked more like her mother’s!
Other faces we will remember:
- Beverly’s as she went about so generously serving as the perfect hostess. We lacked for nothing. And the newly redecorated condo was a luxurious retreat.
- Charlotte and Suzanne, karaoke queens, entertaining us with song . . .and dance. Charlotte, with the sensual moves worthy of a chanteuse singing torch songs. Suzanne with prancing feet singing out, “Remember the pony?”
- Our photo-laureate, Dixie’s, smiling face behind the lens as she recorded our laughter and adventures
- Louise’s face as she happily went about preparing “Red Snapper ala Louise” for 11 people: a little lemon, a little wine, and lots of crab and butter. Nothing at The Point can compare! The food as always was divine: Betty’s cookies and brownies, Louise’s “crawfish elegant” (on its way to becoming an annual event, don’t you think?), Gladys’ dessert with Chambord, so light and perfect, and Faye’s mango margaritas. Speaking of annual events, Faye’s shrimp is to die for!
More faces: Faye’s face has never looked more beautiful than when she stood wind blown and steady at the helm, so vibrant and natural in her element. The highlight of the trip was the sailing adventure she and Jerry and the wind provided. Twenty-five knots on a 33-foot Frers sailboat is a memorable experience! We noticed as we set out that we were the only sailboat in the bay, except for one that was being rescued. But the Thongs were undaunted.
We passed beer up from the hold at rapid speed and hung on. Except that we didn’t exactly know what to hang on to. Gladys nearly fell overboard. But in the best LSU tradition, she never spilled her beer in the process. Beverly (unfortunately) was hanging on to the open hatch when Suzanne sat on it. Howling in pain, Beverly screamed, “Faye, where’s the plank? Suzanne should have to walk the plank!” Beer, ice, and giving Suzanne hell were Beverly’s choice of cures for her swelling thumb. They seemed to work until Suzanne told her she would never make it in the nursing home. “What do you mean?” Beverly asked. “Because somebody will take a baseball bat to you.” But such exchanges are part of the fun. What’s a little repartee among friends? After all, most of us have known each other longer than we’ve known our husbands and lovers.
Dixie, Charlotte, and Barbara took the brunt of the spray, but their faces were alight with laughter as their wet hair whipped around them like a dog after a bath. We even decided Barbara’s punk hairdo was becoming; maybe she should try to take it back to New York?
Earlier hearing about Tina’s paragliding adventure in the Alps, Suzanne had replied, “If you gave me a choice between paragliding or surgery, I’d take surgery!” But given a choice between sailing in a “gale” or being left out, she and the rest of us, made the right choice. Finally, we all clamored off the Pelirrojas and headed for the three pitchers of margaritas and Mongolian barbecue. Looking at our drenched but delighted faces, Jerry grinned and said, “We cheated death one more time.”
~ Tina
