January is as dull as..January.The most exciting thing in my life right now is trying to figure out what the heck is going on in "Lost".We never watched it on regular TV, but started the series on thanksgiving day and today we are in the middle of season 4..don't do the math. Yes, we are addicted..it better have a fabulous ending!! No, I better not write about that. Good a day as any to go back to 1973 ( RED FLAGS.. if you have no desire to hear me ramble on about high school exit now.) My ideal childhood had just got the wind kicked out of it. To make matters worse, we moved away from Woodside. My best friends weren't going to be at the new high school.Basically, I was starting fresh-a new beginning. I came to realize that I like that. Sharon Heights was nice but snooty, they viewed us "woodsiders" as hayseeds,cowboys..oh, whatever!!On that first day of high school (not to worry that I am doing a day-by-day account!) a funny memory comes to mind. I walked down to my bus stop and there was a group of tight friends who had obviously gone through jr. high together. Every girl was in a dress, I was in jeans (but no horse-chaps!) We get on the bus, "they" all sit in the back laughing and carrying on. The bus gets going but suddenly stopped stops again for another passenger. But no, on steps my father and says,"Debbie, you forgot your lunch." Chris Smith finds this hysterical and repeats this line in the same voice. I was mortified..but I think it is pretty funny now. And given a chance, I would do it to one of my kids in a second! And I like to have a memory of my dad that is enjoyable. That group of kids in the bus became my dear friends. "Good luck-bad luck, who can tell" is the way I see leaving Woodside now..there were some great people in my new school ( this can be confusing because Woodside is the town I grew up in..but Woodside High is school made up of kids from menlo park/sharon heights,redwood city,portola valley and some from woodside-but most went to private schools.) Freshman year was cool. Everything and everyone was new, and so very,very different from my life up until then. I thrived on the freedom, the independence. I had my first part-time job, I worked through all my highschhol years. I was a good student but Woodside wasn't exactly a hard school. German was my favorite subject, and I took it all four years. Social life was Everything. Side note to my children.."streaking" was all the rage, at a slumber party I was the only one to NOT do it( they wont believe that!) A shout-out to Lisa Leonard who took this "country mouse" under her wing. I loved to observe her family ( probably with my jaw dropped open in awe-oh, that is where Devin gets it!)Lisa's mother was dying of cancer and they were so candid about the whole thing.Heaven knows they had their hands full,but Lisa took me in and included me in their life. They were so opposite of my family. They dealt with the cancer so honestly;cried and laughed their way through it.Lisa's father was this big ruggedly handsome man who was so in love with his wife,struggling heroically and devoted to his daughter. Wow. That is what I wanted ( #1.) Sophomore year was the best though. I loved the graduating class. It was what High School was Suppose to be like. And this is where I really need a sound track!! Kim Cole and I couldn't function without music. Al Green, K.C and the Sunshine Band, ELO, Chicago, Doobie Brohthers, Cat Stevens, Elton John-oh man, I could go on and on and on. The silver lining was having a great boyfriend that year. I would describe him as "ruggedley handsome" too, and athletic , and just darn FUN. I adored his family too. That is what I wanted ( #2.) The Woodwards were hip,natural and intelligent. Their Eichler-style home in Portola Valley was ubercool. I couldn't get enough of them. Decades later when Kevin bought me a suburban for just having our 5th child I felt like I had truly "arrived". The Woodwards had had one. They had an all boy family- and that is just what I wanted too ( note to Devin, Kelly and Kerriann..I am very happy the all-boy family didn't come to pass.) I hope this doesn't sound "stalker- ish" because honestly it was quite healthy,healing and let me breathe ( my "wind" still wasn't back.) O.k, added to this ideal situation was the fact that Chris had Great friends and they were good to me.( oh cute, I just heard Cathy Dobbins darling giggle in my memories!) It is a big boredom no-no to mention names-but dang it this is my recollections after all and I loved these people..Fritz Pankler, Chris Gatley, Janet Stentholm, Butch, Lloyd Bayliss, Bones, Mike and Mark, Sharon O'Leary,Joni,Kim, Cherie. I couldn't have asked for more. That is what I wanted(#3) simple happiness. thank-you ,That was a wonderful year.