December in New Harmony

Owen and I before the ball
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December in New Harmony. I was born in Evansville, Indiana but have spent most of my life in New Harmony, Indiana. New Harmony and all of the people associated with it are the epitome of the word "home" for me. A place that you know so well that you can close your eyes and smell, feel, and see every detail of it with the people you love being the integral part of the landscape. After all, home is not a place. It is a set of memories with the people you love that create and environment for your soul to remember.

Meg and Eli in the carriage.
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After spending 1.5 of the last 3 years of my life overseas, and away from my family, I have become acutely aware of all of the things make up "home" for me. Christmas, is one of those things. Along side all of the daily things that make up our lives are the special events that we think of when we are trying to remember that life in a concise way. Christmas is, for me, an entire month of the year. It is the smell of cinnamon, entire days of baking cookies while listening to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin singing Christmas songs, sitting by a wood fire with my family at night, the glow of a Christmas tree contrasting the intense darkness of winter nights, amazing family meals and time together, the Christmas Ball at Thrall’s Opera house with Owen in a tux and meg and I finally getting to dress up once in the year, it is so many things.

Me in front of the little carriage (the fur is fake, no worries animal lovers.)
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I came home from India on December 4^th to spend a few weeks with my family. I had debated heavily whether this was the right thing to do since I would only be in India for on year.  I felt I should take advantage of that time and see a new place.  However I found out in November that one of my grandmothers had passed out at Thanksgiving and was not doing very well health wise.  That sealed the deal for me.  The thought of anything happening to one of my grandma's when I couldn't be there became far more important to me than any month I would spend traveling while on school vacation.  I found out later many other students had made the same choice for various reasons.

The stage with band and the crowd enjoying the big band sound.
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Also, India is not an easy place in which to live.  My roommate, Abby, who has lived here for years, and obviously loves this land agreed with me.  She said that everything here is a struggle.  Bad traffic and arguing with auto wala's makes it hard to get around. The pollution, especially on the roads can be choking.  For people who are used to having cars, being dependent on ride's from friends can be hard to get used to.  I like to walk and ride my bike, but just slowing down to that pace is something that takes time to fee normal.  I think that is the best way to describe living here.  Everything slows down.  Taking a shower involves heating a bucket of water (assuming the power is on at the time).  Cooking with no microwave or oven on one gas burner is not something I'm used to (but I am just glad to have a kitchen at this point).  As foreigners, we students, generally have a very good standard of living compared to locals here.  It is not any great hardship to live in India; it is just all the daily small things that grind on you.  It may sound petty, but it effects you in the same way that the right sunlight or a great breakfast can make all the difference in the way your entire day goes.  A lot of little things make a place home, as much as a lot of little things can make a place very foreign.

Eli and I in Owen's kitchen
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So, December 3rd came, I flew for almost 24hrs. from Delhi to Amsterdam, then to Detroit, and finally on to Evansville.  It is always amazing to me how easily I adjust to being back at home.  You always hear about "reverse culture shock" when going back to your home after living abroad.  The main shock for me was the prices!  I couldn't believe how expensive everything was!  Other than that though, my whole life in India seemed, after only a few days, to be some strange dream.  I knew I would be going back in a few weeks, and eventually looked forward to it to take up the challenges and work I had awaiting me here.  But I enjoyed every day at home.

Ah, my best friend Meg and I pre-ball
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The whole month of December led up to Christmas Day with time with family, slow days cooking and cleaning the house, and visits with friends.  I spent a week with my sister in Nashville TN.  It's a great town and we had a blast together.  My mother, Aunt Susan, and Marilyn came down for two days, and then Owen came for a few days later.  We went to "Provance", the great French bakery and cafe down the street.  We went to a jazz concert at the Belcourt theater, a renovated art theater in Hillsboro that shows films and featured musical acts.  Of course, we had to go to the Pancake Pantry for breakfast too.

Owen and I took the smaller carriage for two. The other four rode in the bigger carriage.
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On Dec. 8th, the annual New Harmony Christmas Ball was held at Thrall's Opera House.  It seems like an event out of a fairtale with pretty dresses, a decorated hall, and everyone enjoying the sounds of a live large band.  It is something that is so much fun, and always reminds me to someday take those ballroom dance lessons.  This year, my best friend Megan Kite, and my friend from Cincinnati, Eli Haddox, also joined us in the event.  We hired carriages to drive us from Owen's home to the ball.  Such a royal treat.

My parents at the opera house.
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We did some new things too.  Katie and I jointly hosted her first party at the apartment complete with amazing appetizers of beef wrapped asparagus, a chocolate fountain, Christmas cookies, and cheeses.  Owen, Katie, and I found a new restaurant in a German area of town for a fantastic brunch of Beef Wellington with a Cajun flare.  I was able to visit my old friend, Walter, and Owen and he finally got to meet.  Katie and I also picked out our future kitty.  Winston is now home with Katie awaiting my arrival to complete our little apartment family.  He is a little Himalayan with a beautiful white moustache against his chocolate brown face.  I saw him at the Humane Society and knew he had to be ours.  His fur was in such bad shape when he came in that he had to be shaved.  But his beautiful furry head and paws are a promise of the coat to come.

Our Christmas table decorated for a festive meal together.
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There were some changes in New Harmony as well.  Mama Keeps me pretty well posted of new developments via e-mail, but it was fun to finally see it all in person.  The new coffee shop on the corner is open and seems to be doing a good business. Laura and her husband ran some coffee shops in Nashville, and decided to open one here.  One day I went to get Grandma in the gold cart (it was unusually warm for December) and took her for a ride by the river then to the coffee shop.  She really enjoyed it.  She hadn't been in there before and saw some familiar faces.  Jim Kohlmeyer sat and talked with us for awhile.

The new plaid version of the tradional 'brown bag' gifts.
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On the big day, Grandmutter, Dick Hampsten, Grandmas, Aunt susan, Uncle Steve, cousin Rachel, Julius Land, boyfriend Owen, Mama, Papa, Katie & I were all together.  Mama, Papa & I were up by 7 to get the finishing touches on the meal ready.  Katie did the turkey this year, but didn't get out of bed until 8:30.  It was done on time though and was very good.  The family started showing up around 10AM and trickled in slowly until we ate at noon.  Owen, of course, was the last to arrive.  We all sat down to white and green bouquets, party poppers,and Papa read the Christmas story.  The meal consisted of a ham sent by Aunt Eileen as a gift, roasted sweet potatoes, butternut squash, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, Mutter's noodles, walnut orange and cranberry salad, Katie's turkey, green beans, a baby spinach salad, & I can't even remember what else.

Papa read the Christmas story from the bible book of St Luke.
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We ate a slow meal around the table then opened the brown bags that Mama and Papa made this year.  This was in honor of the stapled brown paper bags in which Granddaddy used to wrap the last minute girts he would buy us at the hardware store.  We opted to save dessert for after opening gifts.  As usual there was a flood of presents covering the floor of the living room.  It's corny, but honestly, nothing anyone could have given me would top being there that day.

I headed back to India of Jan. 4th.  Owen left for Nepal the same day.  Katie is back in Nashville.  Tom & Paulette White are moving to Arizona for good.  Tim Wallace is back at Interlochen, Michigan.  Sandy & PomPom are back in their little house in Kentucky.  Rachel is back in Indianapolis. Grandma is in the Ford Home. Grandmutter & Dick continue to live out their courtship in Grayville. Susan & Steve returned to Newburgh, and Marilyn & Jim remain in Evansville.  My core group of Mama, Papa, & Casper are, of course, at home in New Harmony.  So, another year apart until next Christmas.