Looking Back with the Balladiers

With our large family, there is constantly something happening with our kids and our grandkids 

and lots to look forward to. 

But, I notice, more and more, my mind drifts to memories from the past. 

I know that it is a sign of old age when one looks backward more than forward, 

so I'm not going there yet! 

But when the opportunity comes to get together with happy memory makers from the past, 

I'm in!

Mark and Carolyn Zaugg celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary last Saturday night 

in their backyard in North Salt Lake. 

Mark was a member of the USU Balladiers, 

the performing group that I was so happily a part of in my college years.

Several of us were able to make it to the party and the reminiscing and laughter were non-stop!

It was fifty years ago (?!), as the date shows on our USO Benefit Concert poster, 

when we toured seven countries in southeast Asia 

to entertain our Vietnam War troops with our show.

 This upper photo was taken in Wakainai, Japan. Mark Zaugg is 2nd front left. Dr. Val Christensen, our escort "front man" from USU, is next to Mark and he and his wife, Ruth Ann, also came to Mark and Carolyn's 50th Anniversary Celebration, as did Don Gardner and Kent Smith, back row 1 and 2.

In 2012, Dr. Craig Jessop (upper pic, 1st on left on front row) Dean of USU's Caine College of the Arts 

and former Mormon Tabernacle Choir Director,

arranged for the Balladiers to give a full concert at USU.

What a blast we had!

Craig Jessop was late for the pics!

In 2013, we reunioned again in Kent and Linda's cabin on Stanley Lake and performed at the Stanley Lake Lodge.

Nate Day, 2nd on back row and John Bouwhis, 5th on back row, didn't go on the USO Tour 
but previously sang with us. 

Pam Baird couldn't stay for our performance, but came up the day before to be with us.

Which brings us to last Saturday night.

This is Mark, who is a fine guitarist (and he remembers our old songs!) and has a great voice!

Count your age by friends, not years. 

Count your life by smiles, not tears. - John Lennon

You don't stop laughing when you grow old. 

You grow old when you stop laughing. - George Bernard Shaw

Isn't this brother/sister duo cute?

Kent Smith and Pam Smith Baird

That is Val and Ruth Ann Christensen by Marilyn Miller.

We sang some of our favorites, trying to remember the words!

John Bouwhis (2nd from left) is sitting with his wife, Lenore, Denny Baird, 
then spouses Kathy Gardner and Linda Smith are in the foreground. Roger was taking pics. Wish I had taken his pic because he is great friends with these guys 
and traveled on some of our tours.

The Balladier Girls then . . . 

. . . and now!

You can't help getting older, but you don't have to get old. - George Burns

Looking backward every once in a while is awesome!