Friday is kind of a “get used to it” day for the reunion. Most attendees do not arrive until late in the day, or even Saturday, and there are not many activities.

After registering and talking with our class alumni contact, Kelly, we found an accessible restroom in the main Academy building, and learned the location of several more. Then we wandered campus for a while. I always love the relatively new Koch science center. I was constantly reminding Spencer that all this was for a school of about 650 students, smaller than his graduating high school class.

We had pasta lunch in the temporary dining hall. Deerfield is doing major construction to update the old dining hall, so they built a temporary one to be used during construction until January, 2026. We chatted with Rich Alber, our first classmate sighting.

After another bathroom break and brief tour of the Academy building, we headed to the school store, Hitchcock House. I succumbed to a new shirt and a small Deerfield pennant. Spencer got a Deerfield dog ball for Riley. Then we headed to check out the athletic facility, with me once again repeating this was all for 650 students.

Then we headed to the Hess building, that was the Memorial building before a significant upgrade that added seats to the large auditorium (the school used to be smaller), a new concert hall, art space and turned the backstage dungeon-like space into something nice. Hard rain invaded for a while so we just sat. We will catch the Boyden library tomorrow.

Next was truck food for dinner and socializing with classmates. Shout out to Phil, Paul, Rich, Rob, Andy, Alan, Tom, Barry, Dan, Steve, and Matt — I’m sure I’m missing names of some folks I talked to. We have 47 men registered, shattering the previous 45-year reunion record of 39.

The day was good. I survived all day in the manual wheelchair. My back hurts a little more than it did Wednesday, but still better than two weeks ago. A hearty “thank you” to my chiropractor, Dr. Reass, for treatments that are working. I managed to use a several different restrooms and Spencer has been a champ as he grows accustomed to my needs.

I am digging my sleep debt hole, and that will get worse tonight and probably tomorrow when we head to Burlington, VT, to see California Guitar Trio. My body feels great. I am moving much more in bed. I slept on my side for a while both Thursday night and last night. I am lying flatter and moving more. With the new urinal Rachel got me, I get through the whole night without help, which is good because Spencer is essentially unrousable.

I might give the new version of my Embrace Joy talk at my class meeting this afternoon. Hope so since it would make Barclay, my speech therapist happier.

Off to the reunion.