Back at good old Mandan High School with many old friends.  Of the 213 class members, 37 had died and all but about 30 came to the 50 year reunion!  These guys are known as the “Mandan Mafia.”   We have left to right, Al, George, Mark, and Butch. This is the decked out bus the Class of ’65 rode in the Fourth of July parade.  As an outsider I can tell you we had a great time.  Mark’s classmates were very accepting and inclusive.  Mark reconnected with so many old pals and I finally was able to connect names and faces to stories I’d heard over the years.  We found out that quite a few fellow classmates have also migrated to Arizona.  No one can stand those ND winters!

And the next event was Amber’s annual Fourth of July Bash.  Our niece surely knows how to put on one fine party!  She and her friend, Tara prepared the games, prizes, and food for about 50 people.  The kids were entertained with a movie on the lawn at night, the adults with adult beverages, and all with a scrumptious buffet presided over by Amber’s mom, Karen.  She made Indian fry bread for tacos and made salads, beans, deserts, and so much more.  The residents of Marina Bay had a fireworks display thar went on long after midnight.  Best of all, our girls, Kallie and Ariel were there to share it with us!

We took Lilly to the zoo.  She took us on the tour, because, as she said, she’d been there about 500 times with her school.

Mark and his mom, Ann visiting Mark’s Uncle Johnny, brother to Mark’s dad, Don.  It was a great visit with Uncle Johnny conversant and happy to see some of his extended family.

On the same day, June 30th, both Doug and Susie retired!  Here is their whole family at a party given by the Bis-Man Chamber of Commerce for Susie.  Left to right are Bryan, Jennifer, Susie, Doug, and Matt.  Congrats to both Doug and Susie and we’ll see you in AZ soon!!

One afternoon the skies clouded up and a torrential rain fell accompanied by 80 mph winds.  After it was over we were treated to this wonderful double rainbow that made a perfect arch across the sky.  We were also treated to all the shingles of a motel behind which we were camped being blown off causing dents and scrapes to the motorhome.  Mark was quite calm over the whole thing, just glad it wasn’t really that bad.  Amazing!

Overall, our ND adventure was stellar.  It really is a beautiful state in the summer.  We’ll be back!