Dining Event

Friday, February 21, 2025

Yesterday was my friend Susie’s birthday. She, her husband Dale, and I joined their son Ian and his new bride Christie at Bend Brewery. We celebrated both the birthday and the wedding over beers and burgers.

Ian and Christie are physically fit, very passionate rock climbers. Ian explained that he turned to rock climbing after realizing he felt somewhat distant from the team sports he had participated in. After enrolling in a rock climbing course, he found that activity better suited him.

Rock climbing led Ian to a social event in Mexico, where he met Christie. She began rock climbing at 9 years old, soon transferring her gymnastics skills to rock climbing. She developed high skills and climbed competitively. At the Mexican social event Ian attended, he and Christie “found” one another. Neither ever looked back.

They’re now active in HeliLadder–Dale and Susie’s thriving central Oregon business. When the two aren’t working at Heliladder, they rock climb at the local (huge!) Smith Rock. Over our burgers, they explained that Smith Rock is a world-class, famous climbing destination.

Speaking of HeliLadder, as we were en route to the Brewery, Dale and Susie described issues facing their business after the Trump Administration suddenly laid off government personnel. Current personnel shortages, without backup planning, are making it difficult for HeliLadder personnel to locate individuals who can answer business questions and follow up within business processes.

Susie’s birthday was a unique event. Earlier, I had presented her with a bright coral sweater. It matches one of mine, which I love. We quickly decided to go out for dinner one evening wearing our colorful sweaters and finest bling. Loving that idea, Dale said he’d buy the dinner!

In the interim, “their kids” got married. Our burger-sweater dinner idea quickly evolved into a multi-celebratory event–lovely and fun.

Dear Friends, An event with discussions, creativity, and camaraderie is the best. Diana