This is My World

Took a road trip today.  It was pretty short.  I just went from here to Corydon, Indiana and back. 

On the way there the sky was bright and the sun was shining.  Then, I noticed that the leaves on the trees were turned upside down on the north side of Interstate 64.  My first thought of course was, “It’s about to rain.”  Then, I thought some more.  The sun was out and there weren’t very many clouds.

Confused, I went ahead to Corydon to take care of my business.  There was construction between exit 92 and the Corydon exit, but it wasn’t too bad if you don’t mind going 40 mph on the Interstate.

When I was on my way back, I noticed the dark clouds north of the Interstate.  Then, the sky opened up and down came the rain.  So, that proves the theory that if the leaves on the trees are upside down, it will rain.

When I was younger, age 11-18, I would sit with my great-grandma on Sundays. She was getting on in years and really just wanted someone to hear her stories. She lived in a tiny trailer, where her oldest daughter, Rosa, moved in to care for her. With the aid of a walker, Granny could walk to the back of her trailer, and she did once. She saw that it was still in order and was pleased. After that, she was happy to sit in her rocking chair and watch the birds in the front yard.Granny told me a lot of stories about her childhood and young adult years. Later, I will share some of them with you. However, in this article I’m going to talk about Granny’s hometown, Bristow. Through her many stories, I developed a clear image of what the town used to be.Bristow is now a tiny town in Perry County, Indiana. It has a few houses, a church, a feed mill, and a post office. It is nestled between two sharp curves in Highway 145. No matter which direction you go from Bristow you have to go up hill. You can get to it in the winter time, but you are not getting out without a four wheel drive or a good horse.

Granny grew up not too far outside of Bristow in an area called Oak Ridge. Any goods or services her family couldn’t get from home, they would have to get from Bristow. To get there was too long of a walk, so they used a team of mules to pull a wagon.

In this time, Bristow was a decently advanced little town. There was a doctor’s office and a hospital about two blocks apart. The mill by the creek would grind your corn and wheat. There was even a hotel for out of town folks. The grocery store and separate general store were tiny by today’s standards, but had everything the town’s people wanted. If you couldn’t find it there, you could order it through the catalog. Whatever it was, would then be delivered to the Bristow Post Office.

Of course, even during the Prohibition Era, a lot of alcohol was consumed in Bristow and the surrounding areas. If there was an alcohol related quarrel, a VanHoosier or an Aders was probably involved. Maybe even both. Most of them lived on Oak Ridge. Granny was an Aders on one side and a VanHoosier on the other, but she turned into a fine Christian lady.

Have you ever found yourself wishing you were somewhere else?  It’s almost like you’re homesick while you’re sitting at home.  Well, that’s how I feel right now. 

I lived in Monterey, California for just over a year while I was in the Navy.  It was gorgeous.  I never wanted to go anywhere else.  So, why didn’t I move back after leaving the Navy?  Well, it’s like this.  The cost of living in Monterey, California is so high that you would have to be a successful business owner to be able to pay your own rent.  However, in an attempt to alleviate my homesickness, I will share with you some of the things I found amazing in Monterey.

Let’s start with the Fisherman’s Wharf.  If you find yourself in Monetery and you are hungry, go there!  The Fisherman’s Wharf lined with restaurants.  You could start at one end of the Wharf sampling clam chowder, and by the time you got to the other end you’ve had a full meal.  It was mos delicious too.  My favorite place was a little stand next to Gilbert’s Restaurant.  They served clam chowder in a cup or bread bowl.  You could sit in a covered patio to eat and watch people walk by.  Across from this stand was a pink candy store called Carousel Fine Candies.  I enjoyed eating clam chowder and watching the salt water taffy machine in the window.  When I was finished, I would usually buy some salt water taffy.  It is still the best salt water taffy I’ve ever had.

A short walk from the Fisherman’s Wharf was Cannery Row with all sorts of restaurants, bars, and gift shops.  The All-American Restaurant had the best milk shakes.   Of course, I wasn’t old enough for the bars then, so I spent my time in the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the gift shops on Cannery Row.  There was also huge arcade with a mechanical bull and behind that was an old rail car that was turned into a gift shop. 

Just beyond Cannery Row and past the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary was Lover’s point.  This is where I saw dolphins for the first time.  You can climb out on these rocks that stick out in the bay and you can see the whole ocean.  Next to it was a place the rent surf boards and wet suits.  It also had an excellent view of the marine sanctuary.  I enjoyed sitting out on the rocks on a quiet day listening to seagulls and watching the seals and otters in the sanctuary.