HIGH SCHOOL PROM!

When Cheryl sent me pictures of her daughter, Jackie, and her daughter's BFF, Kaelea, before going to their Boonsboro High School prom last weekend (and begging me to have the rain hold off -- IT DID!) my mind went reeling back to my high school prom. Are you ready to time travel with me? First you need to get your BIGGEST can of Aqua Net, make sure your SWATCH WATCH guard is firmly locked into place (in what ever fluorescent color you desire) and ask mom to tape the Cosby Show because it will be a little while....

Where's my De Lorean?

Never mind, just have a look at some of my year book pictures and that is all the fuel you need to head back to 1989!

First stop: where it all began. You know, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for my folks. Yup, two young Baby boomers from Jersey -- all decked out in their proper 60s prom attire. I love mom's blue accents. Check out the doo! I love VOLUME IN THE HAIR! Way to rock the prom gown mama!

Now fast forward to Gen X. By now I am so over my Madonna rubber bangle bracelets and "boy toy" belt. I'm on the fringe of going grunge (not that you can tell in the picture), I had purchased my first pair of combat boots and was wearing them with skirts. By the way, those leggings everyone was wearing this winter? They made their first trip around when I was in High School. Okay, now I officially feel old.

The funny thing is that my best friend in high school was, without a doubt, Alison J. Miller. Yes, you said the "J". It was her thing. A cool thing. Back then, I was Kimmy. Alison lived up the hill from me and, in a scene borrowed right from the Flintstones, Alison and I could see our bedroom windows and blink the lights at night, as if forming a code (didn't Betty and Wilma do that?) Here is a picture of us following the prom (sorry, I didn't scan any prom pics yet...not sure I will as my senior year number was very Laura Ashley ...not my fondest fashion highlight)

In New Jersey, it is typical for a group of your closest friends to go "down the shore". Not to the beach, or to the coast, or to the ocean. NO. It was and forever will be DOWN THE SHORE. In my clique, our friend, Amy D'Eletto, had a WONDERFUL family shore home on LBI (Long Beach Island), where we all headed following the prom. The caption to the right says "Friends Forever". . . We'll come back to that . . .

Strangely enough, the one person I was destined to have my locker next to for all of 7th - 12th grades because of the alphabetical nature of the system, Dave Meluso, I COULDN'T STAND! We ran in the same circles, though, so we mutually tormented each other. One would think that my friend forever, Ali J. would surely trump any friendship with Dave, no? WRONG. Today Dave and I are good friends; just last July 4th, he and his wife Connie came out to the Poconos for a the big fireworks show seen best from my front (non skunk) porch. In fact, it was Dave whom I traveled some 4000 miles to visit one hot summer when I was melting in Alabama, doing the weather for WAFF. Off I went to Anchorage for some summer solstice and glacier good times. Below is a picture taken after a hike up Flattop Mountain, the most hiked mountain in Alaska. So, what am I getting at here? Times change people. I don't regret my friendships. But they do take work. While I am sad to not be in touch with my FF, Alison. I am glad that Dave and I came around to tolerating and liking each other. It's funny how life works itself out.