We arrived Southern Indiana Friday, June 25. I had made reservations on the “web” for space at the Crazy Horse Ranch which turned out to be a combination dude ranch, horse farm amid basic beauty amid rolling green hills lined by a forest of trees. The road into the ranch was true off road and I threatened Ken with a major calamity if he did not stop immediately but that wasn’t possible cause there was no where to go. However, when we climbed the last gravel paved hill and looked upon the beautiful ranch house with horses grazing in the pasture and deer rushing across the meadow, my spirits improved. The owners of the ranch are wonderful, helpful and gracious people who seem interested in our comfort and committed to helping us enjoy our stay. We wish our children and grand children could be here to share in this experience and the wonder of life as it is here on this beautiful Southern Indiana ranch in the trees and valleys of my childhood memories.
On Saturday (June 26) we attended a luncheon celebrating the 60th anniversary of my graduating Class of 1950. It was a wonderful day of memory recall that varied from truth to embellished “wish we had”. Our class of 49 persons has 30 still living and approximately 13 were at the luncheon. Our evening culminated in the annual alumni banquet for the graduates of French Lick High School which was replaced by a new school in 1955. I was surprised at the small group of celebrants as compared to our last attendance but as time goes on, the annual get together will continue to dwindle until graduates of the old school will no longer exist in their current “state”. Ah – the beat just goes on. It was a good place and time to catch up with the good citizens who helped form the person we ultimately became. I never cease to be amazed at the goodness of the people from my “old home town”. I have, indeed, been blessed and I treasure the memories of my formative years and the good friends that practiced what I believe to be the basic philosophy of what America should be and was all about until the great hand of government became the micro manager of our life.
On Sunday, June 27, Ken, Mackie and I arose early and made our way to the Church of my youth where Ken and I were married 59 years ago come October 7, 2010. There you have it for another week of travel. I am looking forward to seeing my nieces and nephews who still live in the area as well as visiting my old haunts, seeing old friends and enjoying the memories of a former life in the days of few modern conveniences when entertainment was that which one could create from togetherness.
Life is good.
