My Other Family

Susan’s last name began with “I” and my last name began with “J” (and still does...) I met Susan when I started the 7th grade at Alderwood Junior High…in 1967 (I think.) Lockers were assigned alphabetically and due to our last names we found ourselves “next door neighbors.”


As a coincidence, we had all of our classes together, except study hall and for that we had different assignments. Back then teachers made students sit alphabetically and…you guessed it, Susan sat directly in front of me in all of our classes. Before we knew it, we were fast friends. Plus, Susan was pretty smart so it was good for me to hang out with her!

Fast forward to high school and in my sophomore year my mom moved to Ketchikan, Alaska to fish for salmon with my step-dad. I refused to move and moved in with my dad. The following year my dad and step-mom moved to Minnesota. I again refused to move – I was so set in school, I loved it, I got good grades, I played sports, I was in different clubs and I didn’t want to move!

So guess who came to my rescue? Susan. And her dad, whom we affectionately call Albie (short for Al), allowed me to move into their house and finish high school while living with them.

Upon graduation Susan and I both attended Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington and we later lived one year on the beach in Florida. And that’s another story with Susan’s mom and step-dad, Maryjane and Andy, who were already on the beach in Florida...


Anyway, yesterday Mike and I were invited to a family reunion in Clackamas, Oregon. Not really my family, but Susan’s family that I had grown up with and spent time with over the years.

There was Susan, Albie, Maryjane, Andy, brothers, a sister-in-law, aunts, uncles, cousins…the whole gang! We yakked and yakked and ate and drank and watched the University of Washington Huskies lose an overtime game against Notre Dame.


It was one of the most enjoyable Saturdays we’ve had in a long time. It brought back lots of memories and I was truly happy to see and hug everyone that was there yesterday. THANK YOU SUSAN FOR INVITING US!