Left to right, front row: Peggy Backes, Ilene Schlesinger, Bert Zeitlin, Valerie Tarren, Judy Loomis and Bernadette Fideli; back row: Nanci Zipes, Rosemary Weinstein, Peggy Crandell, Barbara Runner, Jan Utzman, Jennifer Rahn, Betty Gardner, Mala Bowdouris and Carol Solow
Bernadette Fideli
The campfires of our youth were magical, mystical moments. Our imaginations ran wild with ghost stories as we stared into the flames, visualizing bone-chilling scenes. As the embers slowly died, the stories reverted to songs of friendship and tales of special family times. A recent gathering resurrected those long-ago memories. A group of ladies had met for lunch, and as the meal wound down the conversation drifted to recent outings they had. Around the long extended table, lady after lady described in vivid detail their encounter with family and friends. Jan Utzman went to Houston for her godson’s wedding. She was greeted at the hotel by a butler who unpacked her suitcase. The reception was beautifully decorated with crystal chandeliers and hanging rose balls. Peggy Crandell had just returned from Ohio where she attended three high school graduations in one weekend. To no one’s surprise, Peggy helped cook for all three. Jennifer Rahn was back from an exotic Baltic cruise that she took with old friends from Pennsylvania. Bert Zeitlin attended her grandson’s wedding in New York City. While there her granddaughter received her master’s degree and another grandson graduated high school. Mala Bowdouris accompanied her grandson and granddaughter to the University of Tennessee where they competed in the Destination Imagination Program, the world’s largest program that promotes creativity among students. To relax they traveled to Ohio to meet relatives.
Bernadette Fideli’s children and grandchildren gathered in Southlake to celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary and take a massive family picture.
Since Barbara Runner and Bernadette have been friends for 38 years, Barbara and her daughter, Terri, naturally joined the family festivities. Barbara also was anxiously awaiting the arrival of her grandson from his first year of college at the University of Maryland. As the stories progressed and the afternoon wore on, the lyrics of Glen Campbell came to mind: “I find that you’re waving from the backroads, by the rivers of my mem’ry, ever smilin’ ever gentle on my mind.” Glen Campbell is Rosemary Weinstein’s cousin. Friendship, families and a group of Robson ladies; campfire memories, senior style.