"How do you know this gal?"
My wife, oddly, is afraid of people. Getting her to meet others is like pulling molars. And just as oddly, she's outgoing and fits in so easily once the ice is broken, she always admits her fears were a waste of time when we say our goodbyes and get on the road. Such was the case on Sunday as we drove away from Cissy and Leroy's house.
No, I'm not ashamed to admit I invited myself. Cissy mentioned something about making a great cheesecake and I couldn't avoid saying "Prove it!" We took advantage of the fact that Loogootee is not far off the route we normally take home from Echo's and pulled into Cissy's drive about 3 P.M.
Cissy's smiling face was the first we saw, followed by Rudy the Miniature Pinscher. Leroy wasn't far behind.
There's a normal period meeting anyone where it's a little uncomfortable finding out if you really like them. With Cissy and Leroy that period lasted about 15.5 seconds...
Big smiles, lovely home, and typical VK hospitality. Cissy DOES in fact make a mean cheesecake. On top of that, Leroy is a winemaker, proud of his fine product, and willing to share it. Let me emphasize that... Leroy likes to give out samples of wines he's made! I tasted none I didn't like and a couple so good I was ready to grab the bottle. (Leroy offered and I gladly accepted one we particularly liked.)
Cissy knocked us out with some of the beautiful Rosaries she is making and Sara Jean was impressed with several, finally selecting one as a gift for her Catholic niece. Cissy initially refused payment for it. We forced her to at least take money to cover her costs. (I looked at it again today Cissy... gorgeous!)
Greybeard and wife needed to be home before dark, so we cut our visit shorter than I would have liked. In the car, Sara Jean said "That was TWO HOURS?"
I responded "Yeah, and as usual your fears were unfounded!"
"I know. Just shut up, okay?!"
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Are you SURE you met the REAL Cissy Apple? You know, the one that kicked me when I was little? The one who egged on CnC to hit me so she could pound him according to mom's instructions?
And yes, Leroy loves to push his wine. His ice wine is good, but I can't do any dry wines.
Glad you had a good time, too bad it was so late or you could have met the whole clan at once.
The lady I met looked a lot like the picture I've seen depicting her Rita, so I have no reason to believe it was an impostor. And she didn't try to kick either of us.
Maybe she took a blow to the head recently and has undergone a complete character change?
Sorry we couldn't have hung around a bit and met you and the wife GB. We did have a great time camping and fishing all weekend at Boggs lake, I notice Cissy didn't bring any cheesecake out to the campsite, she saved it all for you. oh well, none of us went hungry that's for sure. Glad you guys had a good visit, maybe we can meet you all some other time.
We thought of you guys when the rain began, CnC. It poured and was uncomfortably chilly in Edinburgh.
We'll get together sometime in the future... there's lots of brands in the fire.
Do you fish? We're planning another mini that will please anyone that likes fishing or just looking at a beautiful lake.
Early April...
Keep the date in mind.
Sounds good GB I love to fish, but my wife loves to fish even more.
This one will be right up your alley CnC. I'm looking forward to meeting you, but I gotta tell ya...
I'll take my Crown straight up, on the rocks!
GB: Ahh, but see you were taken in by the great Rosary Pyramid Scheme.
Did she talk Sara Jean into making 100 rosaries and forwarding them to the top 100 names on the list so she would end up with 10,000 rosaries in a month?
In all begins with just one rosary transactions, doncha know?
OK OK OK...I've finally gotten online to defend my good name against my sibs. Folks, I must admit to being a little "adamant" when caring for my little brothers and sister, but it's just that I wanted them to be good persons when they grew up. And I must've succeeded. All three of them turned out fine. The number-two child, Mike, was born "good". I never once had to raise a hand (or a foot) against him. We got along famously.
But Mark and Rita needed a little "persuasion"...and I was just the person to give it to them.
GB, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you and your wife. And I really don't have a rosary pyramid scheme going on--Leroy has a wine pyramid scheme. And boy, do we get returns on his small investment of some berries and sugar. We are paid back handsomely in empty wine bottles to be sterilized and refilled.
On Monday I loaded up all the leftover hot dogs, hamburgers, buns, baked beans, ham salad, cookies, cheescake, and chili...and took it all into work. I figured I had enough to feed about ten, so I asked my ten best buddies to join me in leftovers. Some of them asked their buddies, and they came. Then, like ants swarming a dab of jelly on the counter, others seemed to sense there was free food and it was homemade. I think when it was all said and done, about 30 people ate lunch that day. I had a couple servings of baked beans and one hot dog left over.
So what did I do? I invited my buddy Leslie, Mom, and our friend Rose over for homemade pizza to celebrate the fact that I didn't have to eat camp leftovers all week!
GB, you have an open invitation anytime. We've got a guest room--nothing fancy, but a comfortable bed. Lucy is welcome to join you and your wife in bed (don't get excited folks...Lucy is his sweet little dog).
We shouldn't wait until April to meet up again. Here's a list of possible places for a mini-reunion:
Huber Winery
French Lick
Marengo
Patoka
Brown County
Boggs
Candlelight Tour at Springs Mill
or just plain ol' Spring Mill
Oliver Winery
Evansville's Nut Festival (at least we'd fit in)
Later...
"Cissy"
French Lick? We're in on that one. We need to "introduce" French Lick to those VK'ers that haven't experienced it yet. Gorgeous hotels, a casino, PGA worthy golf courses (if you're into that), great history.
It just so happens I was born in French Lick. Moved to Indy when I was two. Dad got a job at Allisons.French Lick is really booming now. Would love to play the new golf course but a little rich for my blood about $350.00 to play. The Hill course is nice they put in new fairways and bunkers. As usual had a great time at the mini. Echo and Shifty thanks again for everything you did.
We spent a lot of time in French Lick growing up. My mom's twin Rita married Kenny Shipman. My dear Uncle Kenny Riley taught at SVHS. So if your family knows any Shipmans, Rileys, Apples from Orange County, you know my family.
From the time I learned what a French Kiss was, I have been fascinated with "French Lick"...
More so when Larry Bird burst on the scene...
Yet I've never been there. Gambling holds no attraction for me, but watching folks mechanically drop coins into slot machines is mildly entertaining for about half a nanosecond.
"FRANKLIN!"
(Old "Twilight Zone" reference).
Still, I'd be interested in seeing if a French Kiss felt any different in French Lick.
Speaking of licking, do they serve special ice cream there?
... It's an irritating habit everywhere else, but furkid Lucy would fit right in at French Lick.
My mom's twin, Aunt Rita, lived just up the block from the Birds. She was friends with Larry's mom Georgia for many, many years. When we'd visit Aunt Rita during her tenure on Washington Street in French Lick, we'd go down the street to play with the Bird kids--including Larry. I don't recall ever playing basketball with him. Guess I didn't inspire him like I inspired Steve W.
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