Good Morning everyone! Thank you for coming today, it will be good to be together. Happy Birthday to Rick Johnson! (wish with everything I have, that you were here for this, Rick).
Remember that the schedule is loose enough for people to come and go without disrupting anything. It is going to be a very full house! That is a testament! A couple of reminders and notes:

The marquis at the Eastside Club is not listing Rick's celebration, it is listing the bands for the week. But do not fear, you are at the right place!

And speaking of bands, parking may be overloaded at times. The weather looks delightful this afternoon, so the band that is booked by the Eastside Club for the Tiki Bar and outside lawn will be playing. And those people are probably driving and parking as well. Luckily there is also parking available in the neighborhoods on the residential streets nearby. I hope it will just be a pleasant short walk for anyone who can't get into the lot.

The schedule is still holding in that we will have the bar open at 4pm, and some things to eat, and an open reception from 4 until 5:15 or so. Then, a 40-60? minute program of people trying to talk without crying. Then a break for more visiting, and more food, and then cake and open mic sometime after 7pm. Any and all minutes you have to spend with us, will be wonderful.

Some of us may need to leave to take a minute, get some air, hang with a smaller group. Please feel free to head out to the lawn, to see the water, to see the band.

There will be a photographer and a videographer there, too. Today is a day to remember. I hope that if you snap some phone photos and are willing to share, you might even add them to this site.

I am open for hugs. I speak only for myself. It will be very very good to see you all, and I wish I could spend more one on one time. That is my wish but far from reality. Thank you for all of this. See you at 4 or whenever you get there.