Hometown Blues

Just got back from a trip to the midwest. Spent some special time with my sister in northern Indiana, then took my three sons to see my hometown. My mind and heart feels like they're still there. I've made many a trips to my hometown, and I always returned with a pulling on those heart-strings. It's part of who I am. I appreciate my hometown more and more as I grow older; the simplicity of life, the rugged beauty, the everyone-knows-you feel, the lack of traffic and waiting... Familiar places of long ago that stir up a rush of memories, both good and bad. 

It's a simple town filled with childhood food favorites I had to re-taste to see if I still liked them. I did, a lot. It's a good thing I wore leggings that allowed some breathing room! Pizza burgers, breaded tenderloin, local Pizza, favorite desserts... I only wish the local bakery I used to frequent was still open, and the cute Mayberry-type country store that was conveniently located right on my path on my walk home from elementary school where I would stop and for just change- come home with a bag of Jolly Rancher stick candy, six-lets, sweet tarts or maybe a orange dreamsicle. It was fun to relive my taste-bud memories. 

Pizza Burger from Lawrenceville Drive-In

Bobe's Pizza

Lic's Chip from LIC'S (Lloyd's Ice Cream Shop) in Vincennes

My boys enjoyed the food too.

Hoagy House in Lawrenceville

Coco's Wine & Espresso Bar in Lawrenceville

Loved this new place!

 The ride there was a three hour drive, made more fun by the 80-song playlist I made from a myriad of past albums. I was surprised when we drove up to downtown Vincennes to see The Record Cellar still open. We eagerly went in, and were even more surprised to see the original owner, who recognized me. I had spent a small fortune there in my teens and was so impressed to see it be one of the last music stores of it's kind.

We went into the library that has a soft place in my heart for the story time hour and a memory of those wonderful sugar cookies with the pink icing! We walked through the doors of the church I grew up in, visiting the old stale rooms where Sunday School met, walking around the sanctuary and up into the balcony to get a birdseye view of it all. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

Snuck into the Post Office to see the plaque there of my grandfather who was the local Postmaster for a time.

 We went to the cemetery on the first full day in town and the last day. I find this cemetery peaceful and calming. I have much family buried here and as I walk around I remember the residents who resided here. It's important to remember them too, reading their tombstones, looking at the dates, knowing the loss and pain that was left behind, the memories.  The last grave I visited was my mom's. I had warned the boys of the ugly cry that would happen. It did, it needed to. Healing happens a little bit more through the tears. I have never known a more loving person than my mom and the ache for her will never completely go away and it shouldn't. They never got to know her, that's the hardest part.

It was a rollercoaster of a visit, but I'm so glad for all of it. The food, the fun, the fellowship, the nostalgia, being a tourist at George Roger's Clark Memorial which I don't remember ever visiting before.

I'm thankful that I grew up here. Thankful for the memories, good and bad, it's part of who I am.

Old High School