Small Towns USA

You'll notice I mentioned "small towns" .. I've seen a few of those in the past week! It reminded me of visiting my grandmother in a relatively small town -- nothing like how small these were I just visited. Spiceland, Indiana. Actually, I thought their only claim to fame was a four way stop in the middle of town -- and the small post office I had difficulty finding. However, I was sadly mistaken -- it's much bigger than that. It 'officially' boasts a population of around 750 -- my brother thinks it's closer to 800 but I have no idea where he came up with that idea.

Rachel and I took a leisurely stroll (by car, of course) through Spiceland as we needed to pick up a crock pot (no, I didn't say 'crackpot') from a friend. (Have I already posted this before? If so, please attribute it to my age!) I was soon to find out that Spiceland is also home to a fairly large company - Draper. Rachel tried to explain what they make and I'm not sure exactly what it is but they ship whatever product they make to all ends of the earth. Now don't you feel sufficiently educated about absolutely nothing! I did find out that they employ about 500 at that plant although Rachel thought it might be more than that. The 500 number came from one of the employees. We were told though that kids who grow up in Spiceland find a reason to leave as soon as they can manage it .. not sure why. Seems like a nice little town .. quiet, the neighbors stand out in their yards talking (in a small town, talking might be more akin to gossip), little kids are riding their bicycles down the street ... seems to be pretty safe! (The 'white' area in the photo below is Draper.)

Then there is Lewisville -- when I thought towns wouldn't get much smaller than Spiceland, I went with Rachel to a graduating senior's reception in Lewisville. I knew it had to be a small town when the only stoplight in town held a small sign pointing to the right ... "Lee's Open House". It has to be a small town when there is either only one Lee or everyone knows which Lee they are talking about. I think most of the town must have shown up at Lee's house for the hog roast -- or else many were driving from some distance -- I think the latter was the case since we saw friends we hadn't seen in a year or so since they moved away. Which meant they moved maybe an hour from here. In Florida, if you move away, we assume you have changed states.

All kidding aside, it was nice to drive on the highways of Indiana as it brought back memories of Illinois and heading to my uncle and aunt's farm. I'm not a 'farmer gal' at all -- probably more citified than I want to admit, but I sure loved the time we spent there at the farm. I still am amazed how farmers can plant such straight lines (corn, etc.) I've flown over corn fields and am so awed by this. I'm sure there has to be some simple equation .. then again, maybe it's a special art -- one that is way beyond me!!!

So ... I think I have rambled enough for an evening. I am winding down after a very full week finished by a video game with two nieces and two nephews -- there were only 'four' controllers so figure that one out! (Actually, Juliana and Jimmy traded off -- I told them ONLY ten turns and then I was off and running.) Of course, I didn't win -- although I won the first mini-game completely by default. Couldn't tell you what I did to win but got a 'high five' from Shaley who announced, "You won!!"

I haven't figured out why I only play video games at Rachel's -- I think I need to go home and play some of these with grandkids -- maybe I've learned enough that I can beat someone at some game -- some time -- then again, probably not! They are just tooooo good at it!

Goodnight ....

Graduation Day, etc.

Since Shara's graduation was to be held at 91st Street Christian Church on the north side of Indy, I decided to visit my mother's grave which wasn't too far out of the way. I'm glad I did -- Jene', Seth Mark and Shaley were with me. Then we headed on to Shara's graduation. Here are a few photos of that day, too. I will be heading to Indy today and then home to Florida tomorrow. I enjoy being here but will be glad to get back home, too.

We did do one unusual thing which used to be very 'usual'. We had dinner together at the MCL Cafeteria near the church. That was my parents' favorite place to eat and even though most of the siblings are from the Indy area, no one had eaten there since my mother had passed away. I think it was a fortunate thing that the room where we usually ate together as a family was reserved so we ate in a different section. So, it was a bitter / sweet time together.

"While the storm clouds gather" ... DRIVE FAST!!

Okay, so the title seems a little off ... but that's how we ended what was actually a very nice day. Great start -- scary end!! The day was very busy in preparation for Shara's reception. However, here are a few photos from the reception. Sandi designed this for Rachel -- we simply followed the instructions. Literally!! Rachel laid the 'map' of the table on each table -- and we followed the lead. It worked as these photos will show!

The 'stations' included -- Chocolate (white/dark) fountain table, Picnic table, Chips/Salsa table, Veggie table, Candy table, Cheese ball / Spinach dip table.

Here are a couple photos from the reception ... will try to post more later ...

Now, for the fun part of the evening (which will help to explain the photos below!)

The real excitement didn’t start until 11pm! Since the reception officially ended at 10pm, this seems a little contradictory. However, we were all in clean-up / take down mode and all was going well. Then, Allen makes an announcement – “There is a tornado in the ground in Greenfield – we have to leave NOW and go to the church. We have 20 minutes to get there before it arrives here! So, grab whatever you can and head there.” So, it was sort of crazy – all of us grabbing bags of this or a box of that and heading for the car. “Who’s going with me?” I yelled (after about 10 minutes) to whoever wanted to listen. Jimmy said, “I’m coming!” So, we headed down the road – watching the lightning which was illuminating the approaching storm. We only had about 2-3 miles to go but we were heading south and the storm was coming from the west. I was keeping the car within range of the speed limit – however, those behind us obviously had a little less time than we did. Allen told Rachel they needed to leave NOW, so she jumped in Jene’s car (with glass items in the back seat falling around) .. Allen was in the Suburban (packed to the gills), my niece, Jacinta, had Juliana with her. Jacinta asked what the speed limit was … “Probably around 50mph” Juliana answered. However, getting out of the storm was the primary thing on Allen’s mind so Allen was prodding Jacinta along with honking his horn and urging her to get moving .. and he also told Jene’, “Drive FAST!!!”

By the time Jimmy and I arrived at the church, Shara was there with the door open, urging everyone down the stairs and into the basement. Several of her friends were already there … ‘hunkered’ down in the hallway. Finally, all the cars arrived. However, my brother, Joel, and Allen decided to stay upstairs and watch the storm … Allen actually headed to their house to check the weather and see where the tornado was (or where 'they' were) .. he called the neighbors (got them out of bed) and they headed to the church, too. As the lightning illuminated the sky, Joel and Allen could see the form of the tornado headed straight towards us. By this time, the rain was pouring -- almost sideways!! And the wind was ferocious!

We did not leave the church until after 1am! Talk about tired – all the time thinking about what still needed to be cleaned up! Wondering when we would do it since Rachel, Allen and Shara needed to leave at 7:45am for the church to practice for graduation (in Indy!)

Every time we thought we could leave, we would hear another tornado siren or listen to an update on the radio in the basement of the church. The tornado did come pretty close and we’ve seen quite a bit of damage. Just a few miles east on I-70, a semi (driving) was blown over. That also happened closer to Indy on I-70. Billboard signs along the interstate were twisted and we saw barns demolished. Evidently there was quite a bit of damage just west of here in Knightstown and major damage on the northeast side of Indy. We were fortunate here – although there was a lot of rain in the front yard. We waded through a creek to bring things in from the vehicles.

Power stayed on until about 1:30am!! Then it went off … with several extra people staying overnight, it became interesting trying to find your way around the house without running into someone. Of course, it became very humorous also when the lights came on – and lots of lights came on!! So, it was turn off the lights and try to get some sleep before we started a new day – which actually had already begun in the basement of the church!

While it was a wild and crazy night, we had a nice graduation day for Shara -- Rachel and I went back and cleaned up within a couple hours! So, another one is over -- and Rachel will actually probably have two college graduations before the next high school graduation. I'll have my first graduation for a grandchild next year (Kasi) ... I'm surely not that old yet!!

Thanks to Sandi for walking us through what we needed to do at the reception by phone!!

Are we ready yet? Nooooo ... not quite!

Rachel has a list -- rather, she has LISTS!! How many? I'm not sure but she has to have one of those biggy type of paper clips to hold it together. It's funny - we drive down the road and she's asking herself (and sometimes answers), "Let's see -- where is the church list?" Last night, it was chasing down chocolate fountains ... two of them. I'm not sure I have ever checked out the big metropolis of Spiceland but I did last night. Population - 750. My brother, Joel, claims it may have climbed to 800 by now! Actually, it's small enough that little kids are walking up and down sidewalks without fear .. neighbors are standing outside talking.

While I am writing, Rachel is telling me what we need to do. Pull everything out ... what does that mean? Well, she's been up in the attic (I didn't go as I probably couldn't have gotten up there much less gotten back down!), she's dug up enough frames and photos of Shara to go on all the tables ... (she's talking to herself again), card tables, more food stuff than you can imagine!

She has six themed tables planned for today -- Cake table, Candy table, Picnic table, Dip table (with spinach dip and cheeseballs); Vegetable table, Chocolate fountain(s) table. Sandi helped her put it all together so we have another list to follow for that. I'm not a list person by nature -- but I'm sure glad she knows what we are doing.

I think I better quit while I am ahead -- she's circling the table trying to make sure she has everything in order. (I don't ever worry -- she's a great person of 'order' .. I just follow her 'orders' and it works well!)

Have a great Friday -- I keep thinking it's Saturday so probably by tomorrow, I will be thinking it's Sunday. Especially since Shara's graduation is at a church!!

The Saga Continues ... oh, where, oh where ....

(If you haven't read the post below, you may want to read it before this one ... backwards, I know!)

It seems like whatever we are looking for has disappeared somewhere!! Rachel, Shara and I ran today to finish up some of the shopping we needed to get done for Shara's reception tomorrow night. Remember the skewers? Well, now it's a store ...

We stopped by JoAnn Fabrics and Rachel asked Shara if she would run down to the Dollar Tree which has been located in the strip mall -- long strip mall!! Shara headed out and walked quite a ways and when she realized she hadn't passed it, she walked out into the park still couldn't find it. So she sent Rachel a text, "Am I dumb or is there really not a Dollar Tree here?" Ooops ... Rachel had forgotten that the store had moved! Oh, well ... we are definitely making memories!!

"Looking for skewers in all the wrong places ..."

Okay, I'm not a very good song writer .... but yesterday was quite comical as I tried to find bamboo skewers in the local Kroger's. Sandi had bought them at the Kroger's here in the Beech Grove area (maybe I should say 'there' since I am now in the New Castle, IN area!) Anyway, she told me where she had found them before and was fairly certain that they would be there this time.

So, with her instructions buzzing around in my head -- "go into the store, behind the cash registers, to the left" -- I tried to find those silly things as I looked up and down the aisles and then called Sandi again. "Now where are they?" Where she said, they weren't .. and I couldn't seem to locate them anywhere!! So, I decided to do the easy thing and ask a manager type lady. (At least, it seemed she was.) She said, "Well, I just saw them. I think they are over here." So, I followed her to the picnic area. Nope, we couldn't find them anywhere. She said, "Well, we are doing a remodel, let me call 'Richard'." I assumed he was a main manager. After a little while, she came back. "He says they are here somewhere -- do you see them anywhere?" Nope, looked everywhere -- can't find them.

About that time, Richard appears. The lady manager told him, "We can't find them." He came to where we were and pointed to a space where no merchandise was hanging but very nicely carried a sign, "Bamboo skewers". Well, guess they don't have any.

She said, "No, we're not done yet. I know there are some here somewhere. I've seen them. I just can't remember where." We went to the next aisle and asked a stocking employee if she had seen them. Well, she thought she had and maybe they were on aisle 4. So, off we went again. No skewers -- now there are three of us! Me, manager lady and stocking person. (That sounds like she is wearing hose on her head or something!) But, then the stocking person thought they might be one other place -- but all she found was a bamboo tray. Don't think that will work for dipping stuff in a chocolate fountain!!

We were about ready to give up when we found yet another stocking person. "Have you seen bamboo skewers?" "Welllll ... no, but here are some metal ones." Nope, not what I need. I started to say that I would check another Kroger's when the first stocking person say, "I found some." At the end of the next row, she had found one package of 50. Well, that was a start.

Second stocking person was working up on a small ladder and said, "Hey, I found these -- there are 100 in this package .. is this what you want?" A big sigh of relief as she handed me three packages and I was able to walk out of the store with the proclamation, "Mission Accomplished"!!!

Green Thumb? Definitely not me!!!

I arrived in Indianapolis safe and sound and stopped by my mother-in-law's on my way to Rachel's with a stop at my dad's. (How's that for rambling???!) I'm always amazed that an 88 year old lady has as green a thumb now as she did years ago! Every year, her garden flourishes and we reap the benefits! No, I'm afraid I don't pick the vegetables -- but I do enjoy them!! So, I thought I would share a few photos of her handiwork (with some help from her two daughters, Betty and Linda, and their husbands.) Needless to say, she spends much time in her garden! I've tried to do the 'garden' thing and all I got were a whole lot of weeds!

Can I go see God for a little while?

That was 5 year old RJ's question to Shonna. It seems that he had some questions for God and thought maybe he could make a short visit to him. He said that after all, "he lives right up there" and pointed to the sky. Shonna explained that when he goes to visit God he might have to stay there. He accepted that. Then he told her she hadn't let him do something when she was in school ... she was a little confused by what he was saying so he added, "You know, when I was still up there with God." You just never know what these kids will say next!!

"Stolen Innocence"

I am about halfway through the book written by Elissa Wall -- "Stolen Innocence". This is her 'story of growing up in a polygamous sect, becoming a teenage bride and breaking free of Warren Jeffs.' It is one of those books you find hard to put down -- but it takes you a while to comprehend everything you are reading!

Two + Two + Two = Six??

Holidays seem to bring about family reunions -- at least, mini-reunion when families live a distance away. For some reason, this year is a little different for the Boynton family. We seem to be celebrating in two's ... in Indianapolis, Atlanta and Florida. This seemed of particular interest to our dad -- he really likes us to be together as much as we can.

So ... Indianapolis -- Mark and Joel (and his daughter, Jacinta) were together yesterday to celebrate Memorial Day (a day early) with a cookout with Mark's family in Greenwood, IN.

Atlanta ... Tim, Susan and their boys welcome Rachel, Allen and their kids. The Southerland clan arrived on Friday evening and will head back towards home tomorrow morning. I understand they are 'grilling out' today there at Tim and Susan's home. A special treat for Rachel and family was attending the church where Tim's family goes -- the worship is led by Casting Crowns and Mark Hall is Michael's youth pastor.

And here in Florida -- Thad arrived in Florida last Wednesday and will leave for home (Indiana) tomorrow. So, today he will join us at Tim and Sandi's for our Memorial Day celebration -- a low key get-together with just family and some close friends. He visited our church yesterday morning and then Thad and I did something we don't remember doing in many years -- we went out to dinner -- just the two of us! Usually there are others with us -- this was a very special time with my 'little' brother who stands about 6'3" at least!!

Hope it doesn't rain since we seem to be in 'two's' ... would hate to have to board an ark! Oh, well -- pretty sad humor, huh??

We did head out to the beach this morning and were pleasantly surprised at the small amount of people at the beach ... until we got ready to leave -- and almost all the parking places had been taken! I'm glad we went when we did! It's a gorgeous day -- a little windy but the kids love to run through the waves!!

Since I don't have any photos of our celebrations yet (Allen, please send me some of Atlanta) .. I'll just add a couple that Mark sent me.