Prime Time November 2014

PRIME TIME November 2014

Lynn Lucas: welcoming visitors

Woodworker Dutch Mitchell | Gray coverup | Seed saver Jim Kelly | Social Security decisions

Great technology and top-flight cancer care helped Cathy return to the husband and Christmas Tree Farm she loves.

A quick-thinking, skilled emergency department helped Ed return to the wife and Christmas Tree Farm he loves.

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Editor’s note Like everyone else of a certain age, I’m discovering that the passing years bring changes to the mind and body. While some, such as dementia, can certainly be devastating, fortunately most can more accurately be described as interesting.

The way aging affects our hair can certainly be interesting.

I know men who lost most of their hair in their 30s, and I also know a 90-year-old man who still has a full head of hair.

When I was much younger, back when I still had a full head of nearly black curls, and the topic of hair and aging would come up, I would say, “I don’t care what color my hair is, as long as it doesn’t fall out.”

Well, my hair definitely is falling out, so I’m losing that battle. I’m not crazy about it, but neither am I prepared to do anything about it. And the hair I still have left has all turned gray. I find I no longer completely agree with my younger self. I do care what color my hair is.

We all know there’s a double standard that says gray hair makes a man look distinguished, but it makes a woman look old. Looking in the mirror, I certainly don’t feel distinguished.

I probably should have considered coloring my hair when it started to turn gray. But at this point the cat is out of the bag.

Many women, no matter their age, make no secret of the fact they color their hair. I don’t know much, but I do know that hot pink is not one of the creator’s choices for hair color.

Plenty of men also color their hair, but most prefer to keep that fact on the down low.

In this issue of Prime Time, we take a look at gray hair and the various ways we deal with it. The way I see it, it’s your hair and you can do whatever you want with it … even dye it hot pink.

This is our last issue of Prime Time for 2014. I swear every year goes by a bit faster. If you have story ideas or know of someone we should profile, feel free to pass your ideas along to me.

I’m not busy. I’m just sitting here watching my gray hair fall out.

PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2014 • 1

contents 04

This & That

10

Visitors Center’s Lynn Lucas

16

Social Security basics

18

Woodworker Dutch Mitchell

24

Seed collector Jim Kelly

28

Decisions about gray hair

32

Retired educator Jacque Douglas

36

Joe Kinderman column

37

Calendar of events

40

Sharon Mangas column

2 • NOVEMBER 2014 • PRIME TIME

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32 Comments should be sent to Doug Showalter, The Republic, 333 Second St., Columbus, IN 47201 or call 812-379-5625 or dshowalter@therepublic.com. Advertising information: Call 812-379-5652. ©2014 by Home News Enterprises. All rights reserved. Reproduction of stories, photographs and advertisements without permission is prohibited. Stock images provided by © Thinkstock.

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This & That ‘Wonder Years’ box a TV marvel Here’s an impossible mission: Find something, anything, not included in the new complete series DVD box of the beloved coming-of-age series “The Wonder Years.” (Now shipping from TimeLife.com at $250; Season 1 in stores at $20.)

The box set’s 26 discs are slid into the pages of two vintage-design “binders,” each with its own fact-packed “composition book” detailing the Vietnam-era episodes, thencurrent events and musical selections. There’s also a hardcover replica yearbook with behind-the-scenes photos, call sheets, even (printed) cast signatures. It’s all packed inside a foot-tall metal school locker (with magnets to affix as you see fit).

Of course, the main attraction is all 115 episodes of ABC’s 1988-1994 half-hour hit, depicting a group of baby-boom kids, with the parents and teachers who guided them.

The entire cast talks, from one-time child star Fred Savage to guests Ben Stein, Seth Green and David Schwimmer.

Find yourself here!

Bereavement support group Understanding Your Grief, a monthly bereavement support group, is coming to Mill Race Center.

The group, facilitated by Walter Glover and Jennifer Lowry, will meet from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month beginning Nov. 20.

This group is free and open to anyone grieving the loss of a spouse/partner, child, parent, sibling, loved one or friend. Mill Race Center membership is not required.

To register, call Mill Race Center at 376-9241.

For more information: Cindy Chodan, program coordinator, 376-9241, ext. 209.

Ruditoonz

Ideas for grandparents Looking for things to do with your grandchildren? Why not check out Old National Bank’s First Fridays for Families series. Not only are these programs fun for children and grandparents alike, they’re also free. Programs are at 6 p.m. at The Commons.

On Dec. 5, ArtReach Theatre brings “The Night Before Christmas.” On Jan. 2 it’s Ruditoonz.

Indiana musician Scott “Rudi” Rudicel combines songs and storytelling with audience participation.

Information: 376-2539.

And don’t forget the annual Festival of Lights Parade, scheduled for Dec. 6 in downtown Columbus. Fireworks follow. Information: 812-3906912 or columbuslights@gmail.com.

4 • NOVEMBER 2014 • PRIME TIME

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[this & that] Exhibit highlights country rock NASHVILLE — While country music has long been synonymous with Nashville, rock and folk musicians in the late ’60s and early ’70s made the Southern city the new hip spot to record.

The city’s talented session musicians helped create some of the seminal country-influenced rock albums of the period, including Bob Dylan’s “Blonde on Blonde” and “Nashville Skyline,” The Byrds’ “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” and Neil Young’s “Harvest.”

Nashville’s rock period is the subject of the next exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, called “Dylan, Cash, and the Nashville Cats: A New Music City,” which opens in March and runs through Dec. 31, 2016.

Michael Gray, museum editor and co-curator of the exhibit, said it is not only about the music made in Nashville during this period, but also the cultural changes the city experienced.

But Dylan’s decision to record multiple albums in Nashville opened the floodgates for folk and rock musicians, he said.

The exhibit will allow fans to compare Nashville session musicians performing on both country and folk albums, see the instruments used in the recordings and look at original pressings and lyrics.

Online: http://countrymusichalloffame.org.

Let the dishwasher do the work Almost everyone prewashes dishes before they put them in the dishwasher. This could be a waste of both time and water. According to a survey by the makers of Cascade detergent and Marie Claire magazine, 96 percent of those surveyed spent an hour or more a week prewashing dishes before loading. They used an estimated 12.5 gallons each time they prewashed — an unnecessary step, according to dishwasher manufacturers. That extra step can add up to more than 87 gallons a week.

If every American household with an automatic dishwasher stopped prewashing before loading, the potential water savings could exceed 130 billion gallons a year, according to Cascade research.

Modern dishwashers are a lot more efficient than doing dishes by hand. Energy Star-rated dishwashers use on average 4.25 gallons per load, compared to 27 gallons for hand dishwashing that same load.

6 • NOVEMBER 2014 • PRIME TIME

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[this & that] Book review “Being Mortal” by Atul Gawande; Metropolitan (283 pages, $26) In “Being Mortal,” Atul Gawande turns his attention to his most important subject yet: how our hypermedicalized culture is failing those who are at the ends of their lives and their families.

Gawande invites readers to join him as he considers “the modern experience of mortality,” setting the stage with a brief explanation of aging and a quick history of how earlier generations died — usually abruptly and at home. From there, he heads into nursing homes and explores the paradox of assisted living.

The notion of “a worthwhile life” is the central question of this book: How does each of us define what that means for ourselves? How do we communicate our wishes to those around us so that they can help us maintain a sense of purpose once we are unable to do so on our own?

These matters make us flinch. It’s already clear that this is an uncomfortable read, one that arouses a sense of indignation and perhaps shame that we’ve allowed the nursing home industry to define solutions for elder care.

But when Gawande dives into his true area of expertise, the medical options offered to the terminally ill, it becomes devastatingly clear how delusional our culture has become about death and dying.

As masterful as Gawande’s writing is, though, “Being Mortal” is not an easy read. But it is essential.

— Jennifer Day, Chicago Tribune

Books take foodies and sippers on tour Each year, the publishing industry adds hundreds of new cookbooks to national and regional bibliographies. This trio takes a different tack, though, keeping you out of the kitchen and amused in other ways.

“Death & Co.: Modern Classic Cocktails”

by David Kaplan, Nick Fauchald and Alex Day (Ten Speed Press, $40, 320 pages) The first thing to know is that the innovative Death & Co. is a bar in New York City that has been at the forefront of the craft cocktail movement since opening in 2006.

In hip and informative text, world-class photos and cool illustrations, its book tells home mixologists everything they need to know about making great cocktails, along with lore and the fundamentals of basic spirits. Plus: The inside info on garnish and bitters, bar tools and techniques and much more is all there, along with 500 cocktail recipes, all at a bargain price. Are you sure you know the proper way to stir a cocktail?

“A Century of Restaurants” by Rick Browne (Andrews McMeel, $40, 408 pages) Browne, who was one of the judges at the Best In the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off in Sparks, Nevada, over Labor Day weekend, hit the road to com8 • NOVEMBER 2014 • PRIME TIME

pile “stories and recipes from 100 of America’s most historic and successful restaurants.”

Yes, the Acme Oyster House (1910) and Antoine’s (1840), both of New Orleans, are included, along with Jake’s Famous Crawfish (1892) in Portland and the Southside Market & Barbeque (1882) in Elgin, Texas. Closer to home, we have Fior d’Italia (1886) in San Francisco, Fenton’s Creamery (1894) in Oakland and Philippe the Original (1908) in Los Angeles.

“A Curious History of Food and Drink”

by Ian Crofton (Quercus, $20, 256 pages) This oddball offering of centuries-old encyclopedic lore is funny and informative. How did turkey get its name? What was the first fish ’n’ chips shop in London? Who invented Shredded Wheat? Need a recipe for fried locusts? Was there really a debate over goose versus turkey for Christmas Eve dinner? And, once and for all, here’s a cure for the common hangover, circa 1660.

— Staff and Wire Reports

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PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2014 • 9

Cover Story

Committed to Columbus Lynn Lucas welcomes visitors to the city she has promoted with her enthusiastic leadership

S

By Sharon Mangas n photos by April Knox

ince 1999, Lynn Lucas has passionately marketed her adopted hometown of Columbus. When the director of the Columbus Area Visitors Center retires in 2015, her successor will have big shoes to fill. Under Lucas’ tenure, the Visitors Center has extended its reach, developing new tourism initiatives that have enhanced the community’s appeal and bolstered the local economy.

Lucas is proud of the sports tourism initiative, a partnership with Columbus Parks and Recreation Department and other area partners, now in its 11th year. “Chuck Wilt (former director of Columbus Parks and Recreation) and I started talking about sports tourism in 2003,” she says, “and we hosted our first softball World Series in 2004. By 2007, we were having discussions about how we could sustain the initiative and keep it growing.”

Following the advice of national consultants, a Sports Advisory Council was developed, the role of the Visitors Center’s sports tourism director was expanded, and a reserve fund was started to help pay for sports tourism. This year, over 96 sports tournaments and events have been held in the Columbus area, bringing millions of dollars of revenue to the community.

Wilt has great admiration for Lucas. “Lynn is a very positive and persuasive person with great visionary leadership skills,” he says. “She can bring people together to form collaborative partnerships and create successful initiatives. Lynn always puts the best interests of Columbus first.”

Susan Williams, retired president of the Indiana Sports Corp., who frequently worked with Lucas on sports tourism, echoes his sentiments. “The thing that

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PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2014 • 11

[Cover Story]

Lucas, in Madrid in September, hopes to travel more in retirement. | Submitted photo strikes me about Lynn,” says Williams, “is that no challenge is too great for her. Even when facing frustrating moments — and we had a few when we were working together — there was always a smile and a positive ‘Let’s get this figured out.’”

Collaboration, partnerships and connections have always been important to Lucas. She and her husband, Larry, who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this summer, moved to Columbus in 1974, when he accepted a job with Cummins. From the time the Terre Haute natives moved to town, Lynn started getting connected.

“I was active in a number of organizations during our early years in Columbus,” Lucas says. “Three of 12 • NOVEMBER 2014 • PRIME TIME

them — Tri Kappa philanthropic sorority, Columbus Service League and Leadership Bartholomew County — created important networks for me. They not only helped me learn about Columbus but also allowed me to contribute to the community through volunteer opportunities.

“Almost every job I’ve had in Columbus has just come along,” she says, but the networking she did during her early years in the community raised her profile and made her a “go-to” person.

Her background in education (her first job postcollege was teaching high school English) led to her first full-time job in Columbus in 1984, a marketing position at IUPUC. In 1988, she accepted a job as

Lucas discusses upcoming events with her staff at the Visitors Center.

PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2014 • 13

[Cover Story]

Lynn Lucas and her family. From left: Camille Lucas, granddaughter; Jessica Lucas, daughter-in-law; Mark Lucas, son; Olivia Lucas, granddaughter; Larry Lucas, husband; Lynn Lucas; Alex Haney, grandson; Beth Haney, daughter; Tyler Haney, son-in-law; and Luke Haney, grandson. | Submitted photo

director of marketing for SIECO, a civil and environmental engineering firm.

“I really learned a lot at SIECO. They were looking for a woman to create the position. SIECO’s clients were mostly city, county and state agencies, and the company realized more women were holding elected offices.”

While at SIECO, she got a call from former state Sen. Bob Garton, who asked for her help running his 1994 re-election campaign. SIECO granted her a leave of absence to work on the campaign and again when Garton made a bid for governor in 1996. Lucas counts him as both friend and mentor. “I really value the time I spent on those two campaigns. He’s a wonderful role model.”

Garton met Lucas through Leadership Bartholomew County and was impressed with her business acumen. “Lynn has the ability to anticipate 14 • NOVEMBER 2014 • PRIME TIME

trends before they occur and inspire others to implement them,” says Garton. “She creates a climate of trust and loyalty among people working for and with her. Her smile, her laugh and sense of humor make it fun to work with her. She knows how to let other people do what she wants done.”

In 1996, Lucas took on a new career challenge after friends urged her to apply for the newly created position of executive vice president of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce. “During the three years I worked at the chamber, I served on the board of the Visitors Center,” she says. “The Visitors Center talked me into walking across the street and becoming their associate director. I thought I’d be here a short time.

It’s going on 16 years, and I’m still here.

“I took opportunities as they came along and really learned from them,” says Lucas. “The statewide contacts I made at SIECO helped me when I worked on

the Garton gubernatorial campaign and at the chamber … and they’re extremely helpful with my work at the Visitors Center. I may not know you, but I probably know someone you know in your county or your city. That knowledge has been great for partnerships and networking.”

The organization’s architecture program has grown during Lucas’ tenure at the Visitors Center. The Miller house was opened for public tours in partnership with the Indianapolis Museum of Art in 2011. During 2013 the Visitors Center provided 913 tours for visitors, with 561 scheduled tours of the Miller residence.

Columbus has also hosted a number of national architecture conferences.

In 2006, Columbus won a national America in Bloom award as a result of the partnership with the Columbus in Bloom organization, the Visitors Center, the city of Columbus and the Parks and Recreation Department.

Lucas is busy with upcoming projects, even as she edges closer to retirement. The Visitors Center is poised to open a satellite location in Hope, and she also enjoys keeping a hand in implementing new computer technologies to help market Columbus.

“It’s part of keeping fresh,” she says, “and keeping in the market.”

As for retirement plans, the 72-year-old Lucas will stay busy. She’s already on board to chair the Bartholomew County 2016 Bicentennial Committee.

But she plans to spend more time with her family — adult children Beth and Mark, their spouses and her four grandchildren — as well as find more time to read, travel with Larry and work in her garden.

“Gardening is a big stress reliever for me,” she says.

Tony Costello, retired professor of architecture at Ball State University and current director of Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives, has collaborated with Lucas and sums up her career with this tribute: “Lynn possesses a rare combination of people, communication and management skills seamlessly integrated with her knowledge of the political landscape and the social and civic culture that continues to shape the great city of Columbus. Her style is one that combines leadership in developing and commitment to maintaining local partnerships that serve the entire community. Her level of commitment and dedication to her community is a 12 on a 10 scale.” PT

Susan Whittaker, left, first floor manager, and staff member Pat Bridgetts consult with Lucas in the gift shop of the Columbus Area Visitors Center.

PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2014 • 15

MONEY

Retirement planning begins with Social Security benefits

By Greg Seiter

M

any Americans undoubtedly look to their retirement years as a period during which they’ll be able to relax, spend time with friends and family members, and possibly even travel a little more than they were able to as a member of the nation’s workforce.

However, with the likely potential of a significant drop off in household income associated with retirement, financial planning is imperative for those approaching the golden years.

For decades, Americans have depended upon Social Security benefits as a primary means by which to, at least in part, fund retirement. However, Social Security payout amounts are dependent upon a number of variables, and many baby boomers are discovering they must determine whether an early or late retirement will best suit their individual financial needs in the future.

Americans are eligible to begin receiving Social Security payments at age 62, though full retirement amounts cannot be realized until a few years later. In fact, individuals born between 1943 and 1954 aren’t eligible to collect unreduced Social Security benefits

16 • NOVEMBER 2014 • PRIME TIME

until age 66. For those born in 1955, full retirement age is 66 and two months, and from that point on, the non-penalized retirement year goes up in two-month increments until reaching 66 years and 10 months for those born in 1959. Normal retirement age for those born in 1960 and later is 67.

Ultimately, to determine a given individual’s monthly benefit amount, the Social Security Administration totals the inflation adjusted income subject to Social Security tax that was earned during the 35 highest-earning years of employment and divides that total by 420 — the number of months in 35 years. A higher indexed monthly earnings total will result in higher payout benefits.

Unfortunately, for individuals who don’t work for at least 35 years, zeros are averaged into the calculating equation, which can ultimately result in lower monthly payments.

“When talking with my clients, the first question we consider is our debt load within the household,” said Doug Stewart, a senior vice president at Stewart Lewis & Evans Group of Raymond James in Greenwood. “How much a person or family still owes

really determines when they can retire. Liabilities such as a mortgage, cars and credit card debt are usually the drivers that help determine when a person can afford to retire. Cash flow makes all the difference.

“The sooner you start taking benefits, the lower the benefit payment amount will be, and that will only increase with cost-of-living adjustments,” he continued.

“The longer you wait, the higher the benefit payment, but over a shorter period.

“In general, if you live past 79 years, you will collect a higher amount of money by delaying when you take Social Security.”

A life expectancy calculator, such as the one found on the Social Security Administration website (www. socialsecurity.gov) can be a useful tool in helping individuals determine when to first apply for Social Security. In fact, data on that site indicates that a man reaching 65 today can expect to live, on average, until age 84.3. A 65-year-old woman today can expect to live, on average, until age 86.6.

Spousal coordination is another way to reap maximum Social Security benefits.

“It’s extremely important to talk with Social Security and understand all the variables when turning on your benefit or your spouse’s benefit,” Stewart said. “One spouse could be working while the other starts their benefit, but depending on total income, you could lose a big portion of your benefit to taxes on your Social Security.

“Divorcees who haven’t remarried really need to understand what their benefits would be regarding filing on an ex-spouse’s Social Security record.”

Survivor’s payments should also be considered.

When one member of a married couple dies, industry experts say the surviving spouse will receive Social Security benefit payments equal to the higher earner’s benefit, so married individuals can boost the amount their spouse will receive by delaying the start of Social Security payments as long as possible until age 70.

Stewart also recommends that boomers periodically check their benefit statements through the Social Security Administration website in order to ensure that earnings and taxes paid into Social Security are being recorded accurately.

According to Carmen M. Moreno, regional communications director of the Social Security Administration Chicago, the SSA website provides a variety of online services and information that can be accessed to assist with retirement preparation. An actual retirement planner, as well as a variety of documents and publications, available in audio, PDF format and in various languages, can be found there. PT

Just the basics l About one of every four 65-year-olds today will live past 90, and one of 10 will live past the age of 95. l Social Security benefits are paid the month after they are due. l When you reach your full retirement age, you can work and earn as much as you want and still receive your full Social Security benefit payment. If you’re younger than full retirement age and if your earnings exceed certain dollar amounts, some of your benefit payments during the year will be withheld. l In 2014, over 59 million Americans will receive almost $863 billion in Social Security benefits. l Nine of 10 individuals age 65 and older receive Social Security benefits. l Social Security benefits represent about 38 percent of the income of the elderly. l Among elderly Social Security beneficiaries, 52 percent of married couples and 74 percent of unmarried people receive 50 percent or more of their income from Social Security. l In 1940, the life expectancy of a 65-year-old was almost 14 years; today it is about 20 years. l By 2033, the number of older Americans will increase from 46.6 million today to over 77 million. l There are currently 2.8 workers for each Social Security beneficiary. By 2033, there will be 2.1 workers for each beneficiary.

— Social Security Administration

PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2014 • 17

profile

handy man to know

A

Woodworker Dutch Mitchell can craft most anything his customers envision

By Barney Quick n photos by Greg Jones

A

transition to a new phase of life can take all kinds of forms. It’s often a case of unexpected circumstances leading to a conscious decision to embark on a new direction.

This was the form it took for Holland “Dutch” Mitchell. He’s a woodworker, much in demand for his swings, picnic tables, bird houses, trellises and such.

That’s a fairly recent role, though. For several decades, the Seymour native worked at Cummins Inc., mainly as a fire equipment technician.

He and his wife, Peggy, raised three sons while living in various homes around the Columbus area.

A health crisis 11 years ago changed nearly everything for Mitchell.

A bulging disk in his spine required surgery. When he awakened in recovery, he was paralyzed from the waist down.

Cummins brought him back to a help-desk job for a while, but he eventually retired. Mitchell’s naturally lively mind needed something else to which to apply itself.

In 2005, he and Peggy were in Tennessee, where they saw a particularly interesting trellis. Peggy, thinking about the home-remodeling hobby Dutch had enjoyed in his younger days (he’d built a home for the family in Bluff Acres at one point), remarked that he would be able to make something of that quality.

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[profile]

Above: Mitchell built this table for his patio without a seat so he could roll up in his powered chair. Right: He often makes small projects, such as this birdhouse, from scraps of larger ones. Opposite page left: Remote controls operate dust collectors and fans.

Opposite page right: He pushes a piece of plywood through his table saw. The rollers offer support for longer and heavier stock.

He had some tools and equipment and added to his collection, obtaining most of what he needed from Sears and Craig’s List. A neighbor’s request led to his first significant project.

“She had me make a couple of chairs,” he recalls.

“Then I made a cabinet, bookshelves and children’s tables for her.”

The next undertaking was a glider-style bench.

“The fellow who approached me sent me a picture of what he was looking for. I thought it looked somewhat crude, so I came up with my own design.”

20 • NOVEMBER 2014 • PRIME TIME

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[profile] He branched out into other types of pieces, including octagonal picnic tables, squirrel feeders and swings. He relishes a challenge.

“About a month ago, a guy wanted to know if I could make a bed out of a split-rail fence,” he says.

“It took me a week to hand-carve, but I got it done, and he loved it. His wife saw the trellis I have in my yard and asked me if I could make one twice as big, so that it would be 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide, for their daughter’s wedding. Actually, she decided to keep it for herself.”

He gets his wood, principally southern yellow pine, from Menards. The sales staff there has come to know him.

“They send me customers,” he says. “One time, a sales clerk tracked me down in the store to introduce me to a couple that wanted a wooden swing.”

One of his sons lives in Brown County and has created the opportunity for Mitchell to make several specialty items for the Creekside Retreat resort. He started with a prototype trash can enclosure and has gone on to make some benches for the property.

He’s particularly proud of a recent multipurpose design he calls a tri-chair. Depending on how it’s set on the floor, it functions as a desk, rocking horse or high chair. “We give those to young mothers.”

Once again, circumstances led to the outfitting of his workshop. In 2008, he and Peggy were in California, enjoying the scenery in the central part of the state and anticipating a visit to the Bay Area, when they got a call from one of their sons. “He told us about the flood and said we ought to get back home.” Their house on The Lagoons was squarely in the line of the rising water.

They took the opportunity to gut the entire lower level of their house, outfitting it to be wheelchair accessible. They had a chain hoist installed, so that Dutch, who begins his pieces upside down, can flip them over for the later phases.

His longtime friend Mike Weddle says, “Dutch is very particular about each piece, and each piece of wood he selects. He has a unique ability to envision what the result is going to be.”

Weddle, Mitchell and their wives have been close for 33 years. Weddle has three daughters, and the kids all grew up together.

“He’s a handy guy, and one of the most giving people I know,” says Weddle. “Years ago, I was working on a friend’s plumbing and ran into a situation that was beyond me. Dutch was working at a church nearby. I 22 • NOVEMBER 2014 • PRIME TIME

Opposite page top: Mitchell built this arbor in front of his home last summer. Opposite page bottom: Using a combination of hoists and winches, he is able to build and move projects around his shop without assistance. Below: He keeps photos of his work, such as these gliders. One of the most interesting projects he has completed was a swing that held a full-size mattress.

called him for some guidance, and he dropped what he was doing to come help me.”

Weddle speaks of Mitchell’s dry humor. “When people at Menards see him dragging wood or supplies behind his wheelchair and offer to help, he says, ‘Are you going to follow me home and help me unload it, too?’”

Dutch and Peggy have a van specially fitted with hand controls that allows them to continue indulging their fondness for travel. In 2009, they made “a big loop out West,” although they didn’t make it back to central California.

Weddle also reveals that Mitchell is a “great singer.

He had lead roles in school presentations. The last time I heard him was at Easter a couple of years ago, and he was as good as I’ve ever heard him.”

It’s typical that one would glean this fact from someone other than Mitchell himself, who tends toward understatement. Regarding his body of work as a sought-after woodworker, he says, “I just call it making sawdust.” PT

PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2014 • 23

profile

of renewal Jim Kelly gives new life to what’s old

By Barney Quick n photos by Greg Jones

B

y his own admission, Jim Kelly doesn’t have much of an attention span. What he lacks in the amount of time he devotes to an object of focus is made up for with the intensity of that focus, however. That’s what’s made him an expert in such disparate areas as heritage-seed collection, appliance repair and home remodeling.

Along the path by which he amassed his knowledge, he had such experiences as being interrogated face-to-face by former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega and obtaining credentials as a paralegal.

The heritage seeds are his current main passion. A heritage seed is one that contains the same genetic information as seeds in its lineage from centuries ago. Kelly can offer you a tomato that will taste exactly like the tomatoes Russians ate in the 1700s, for instance.

He maintains a heritage seed bank in — where else? — a former bank vault in Hope. When the former Irwin Union Bank vacated the building on the town’s square, he inquired with the next occupant, the Hope Star-Journal, about use of the space.

It’s ideal, according to Kelly. “If you put your collection in your basement or garage and there’s a flood or tornado, where are you?”

He’s especially into tomatoes these days. He points out the fleeting nature of his produce versus the thicker-skinned commercial varieties, such as the Rutgers tomatoes that canned-soup companies

Jim Kelly stands at the vault door of the former Irwin Union Bank in Hope.

Stored in the drawers inside are thousands of varieties of seeds.

24 • NOVEMBER 2014 • PRIME TIME

PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2014 • 25

[profile] use. “Some of my varieties, such as Yellow Northern Lights, will last maybe three days once they’re ripe and picked,” he says.

Kelly enjoys what the etymology of his seeds tells him about history. He shows a packet of Mortgage Lifter seeds, explaining that “a guy during the Depression who ran a muffler shop that was suffering got into tomatoes, developed this variety and paid off his mortgage.”

He also has seeds for exotic varieties of pumpkins, such as small, blue ones (“I like weird colors”), beans and gourds. “I have an artist friend who takes speckled swan gourds and makes swan figurines out of them.”

He sees metaphysical and sociological aspects to his seed activity. “It’s a basic fact of physics that everything vibrates,” he says. “When I start seedlings in plug trays, I physically touch them with my hand, so they’ll have really stout stalks.

“You learn all kinds of life lessons from gardening and watching birds’ flight patterns and rodents’ burrowing patterns. They live in families, like we used to. I feel that two basic issues in society today are nutritional concerns and lack of direct contact with the soil.”

The youngest of eight, Kelly was raised on Indianapolis’s east side. His father, an avid gardener, put the kids to work.

“By my junior year in high school, I was the only one home, so it was up to me to tend the garden. I learned shortcuts and how to avoid using chemicals.”

Kelly earned a degree in industrial maintenance technology at Ivy Tech and began working on the heating and air-conditioning systems at Butler University.

He spent some time in the Army as a combat engineer in the Panama Canal Zone, specializing in demolitions. That’s where he ran afoul of the Noriega regime and also where his love of plants was confirmed. “We were in the jungles all the time.”

He then obtained a paralegal degree.

“I thought I wanted to be a lawyer, since I love to talk, but a professor said, ‘Well, Jim, you also have to prepare briefs.’ I didn’t much care for writing, so that was that.”

Fulfilling a request to repair someone’s refrigerator led to his starting an appliance repair business. That in turn led to expansion into renovation and landscaping. “It played into my deficit of attention,” he says.

By age 32, he was living with his mother in a retirement apartment complex in Broad Ripple and spend26 • NOVEMBER 2014 • PRIME TIME

ing a great deal of time in bars. “I told the complex manager that I’d maintain the pool if he’d let me throw parties at night.”

Soon, though, he met Cindi, the woman who became his wife. A cardiopulmonary specialist by profession, she is, according to Jim, “real into nature and holistic health.”

They bought a home on the Flat Rock River in Shelby County. Soon afterward, he met the person who became his seed mentor, Marianne Fox. She started him with four Russian tomato plants, the fruits of which tasted unlike anything he’d ever experienced.

He kept obtaining seeds and learning about them from Fox. When she passed away, he came into possession of her vast collection.

“There were literally truckloads of seeds,” he says.

“I called the Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa, and told them about what I had. I literally filled my van with seeds and drove them out there.”

He’s currently setting up a seed library. “I give you seeds, and in turn, you give seeds back from plants you grow.”

Hope resident Michael Dean, with whom Kelly served on a town square bandstand beautification committee, speaks of how Kelly’s love of history dovetails with his skills as a craftsman. “There was a house in town that was over a hundred years old and probably going to come down. Jim has conserved the beautiful winding staircase out of it as an intact unit. He’s trying to save anything from it that can be saved.”

Kelly himself sums it up thusly: “As you get older, you start to see that old is good.” PT Opposite page top: Kelly stands inside the vault that is now used for seed safekeeping.

Opposite page bottom: Some seeds are commercially packaged, while many are saved and dried from plants he or others have collected.

Left: This box of seeds was part of a large collection left to him by his seed mentor after her death.

Below: Heritage seeds are now stored in the safe deposit drawers.

PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2014 • 27

28 • NOVEMBER 2014 • PRIME TIME

lifestyle

A gray matter

Personal preference dictates hair color choices as we age

W

By Jennifer Willhite n photos by April Knox

hen it comes to gray hair, everyone faces the inevitable question, “To dye or not to dye?”

Yes, graying is a natural process. But should you embrace it, accentuate it or cover it? Complicating the conundrum is the adage that gray hair makes men look distinguished, but women look old.

What say you?

When Susie Claire was 36 years old, she awoke one day to the realization of just how white her hair had become. Claire, who was once a brunette, saw that the white wispy hairs that hadn’t amounted to much in the beginning were quickly taking over.

The bright white made her feel old and washed out, she says. It was time to make a change. For nearly 20 years she has dyed her hair the brunette shade of her youth. Now 54, Claire, who works as an express enrollment center assistant at Ivy Tech, has fun with it.

Depending on the season, her color preference ranges from light to dark brunette with high- and low-lights, including blonde. She has even been known to add a kick of outrageous permanent color on a dare.

“A hairstylist at the beauty shop I go to always has funky colors in her hair,” Claire says. “One day she had pink and purple. I told her pink is my favorite color. So she dared me to add some pink, and I added just a couple strips by my ears. I went home, and my husband about had a fit.”

Dyeing her hair every few weeks gives Claire a boost and makes her feel confident and good about herself, she says. Working with the public, she sees Elizabeth Szarvas, owner of Innovations, colors Stephanie Thornburg’s hair.

PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2014 • 29

[lifestyle] firsthand that there is a difference between men and women when it comes to gray and how they wear it.

“It doesn’t matter if a man is turning gray in his 20s, he looks distinguished,” Claire says. “I don’t know if it’s because men wear it better or if they’re just more OK with it than women are. To us, we look old and haggard.”

Desiree Watson, hairstylist with Handzz & Strandzz, says there is definitely a double standard when it comes to the gender gap and gray hair. “You want to say there isn’t, but deep down we know there is,” Watson says. “We just don’t talk about it.”

Dyeing one’s hair is a personal decision that has everything to do with personality, she says. “It’s great if you have gray and you’re willing to wear it,” Watson says. “But if your personality can’t handle that shock, and it’s creating a bit of conflict, then do something about it.”

But when is it time to start dyeing your hair, because there is an eventual point of no return to consider. When you’re more than 50 percent gray and you color it, people are going to notice, Watson says.

If you’re considering a gradual approach, the best time to begin dyeing your hair is when you are seeing

“

A hairstylist at the beauty shop I go to always has funky colors in her hair. One day she had pink and purple. I told her pink is my favorite color. So she dared me to add some pink, and I added just a couple strips by my ears. I went home, and

”

my husband about had a fit.

— Susie Claire 30 • NOVEMBER 2014 • PRIME TIME

10 percent to 20 percent gray, says Elizabeth Szarvas, owner of Innovations hair salon.

“When it’s just a few strands we aren’t bothered,” she says. “Beyond that, the hair takes on a different texture making it fussier.”

Adding high- and low-lights to take some of the shock off the gray can work for a while, Watson says.

But keep in mind that as the gray increases, it’ll become a vicious cycle that requires frequent touch-ups.

“As the gray comes through, the blonde becomes more noticeable, making a line of demarcation,” Watson says.

If the grays are more dominant than you’d like, semi-permanent color is a good place to start, Szarvas says. Semi-permanent colors don’t grab hold of the hair like permanent color does. They rest on the outside of the hair and fade each time you shampoo, allowing you to find the right shade.

It’s important to remember that coloring bright gray and white hair is like painting on a fresh canvas, Szarvas says.

“When you are starting, you have no color,” she says. “Just like on a canvas when you paint a picture, you have to use a mix of colors, which is going to repigment the white hair.”

Graying gracefully l Go blue – If your gray is looking a bit brassy, use a bluing shampoo to neutralize the yellow. No, it won’t turn your hair Marge Simpson blue if you use it according to the directions on the bottle. l Moisturize, don’t clarify – Clarifying shampoos can strip gray hair. Use a moisturizing shampoo to tame gray and keep frizz under control. l Keep it manageable – Gray hair best behaves when given little leeway to frizz and stray. Short and stylish cuts are best. But if you are attached to longer hair, keep it shoulder-length.

Thinkstock

Should you decide to pick up some do-it-yourself box color at the store, know that the color you see on the box is going to be one to two shades darker on your hair, Watson says.

And guys, there’s a reason they may make Just for Men semi- and permanent hair color.

“Men need a different formulation of color,” Szarvas says. “Their hair is more resistant to color application than women’s is.”

Getting a good mix of warm and cool colors to accomplish natural-looking depth and dimension should generally be reserved for the professionals, Watson says. It’s easy to color your hair yourself, but the results you get may not be what you expect.

Store-bought color generally comes with a single tube of color and activator. Once that color hits gray hair, it’s going to adhere differently than it will on darker hair, Watson says. So when the color sets, the covered gray will tend to pop with brighter color than the surrounding darker hair.

Peter Jurrema, owner of Sirloin Stockade in Columbus, says he started noticing gray sprouting around his temples a few years ago. Paying little attention to it, the idea of dyeing his hair never occurred to him until a friend pointed out just how prominent his gray hair was getting.

Naturally a dark blonde, 57-year-old Jurrema says after looking at photos of himself, he realized just how old the gray was making him look.

“We are all looking for the fountain of youth,” he says. “I feel young, so I want my hair to match my appearance and physical health.”

Jurrema makes it no secret that he colors his hair.

It’s a personal choice, he says. Admittedly, he believes there is a double standard when it comes to men, women and gray hair. However, not all men can wear the gray look, he says.

“George Clooney can pull off the gray with no problem,” Jurrema says. “Some of the rest of us who don’t have the handsome look naturally can’t. We need all the help we can get.” PT PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2014 • 31

profile

Lessons still to be learned Even in retirement, Jacque Douglas focuses on education

Y

By Jennifer Willhite n photos by Joe Harpring ou don’t have to slow down when you retire. You just need to redefine your purpose, says Columbus resident Jacque Douglas.

Since retiring in May from her position as director of special programs for Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp., Douglas has found more time and opportunities to continue her lifelong work of helping others.

“It’s very satisfying,” she says. “There is a peacefulness that comes with it.”

She readily admits retirement comes with a few perks that take some getting used to. It’s the little things you quickly come to appreciate, she says.

For instance, you can stay up into the wee hours of the morning to finish a good book, finally make those lunch dates you’d always wanted to and have more time with family.

After more than four decades in education, the 65-year-old mother of two welcomes the freedom retirement offers but has quickly realized she’s still just as busy.

“I thought, I’m going to have all this time to do things,” she says. “And I’ve chosen to stay involved with some things, so there isn’t as much time as I thought. It’s a different pace, and it is very much appreciated.”

Trading the hustle and bustle of full-time work for a more relaxed day-today has also proven bittersweet in that it has made Douglas realize just how much she misses the daily interactions to which she’d become accustomed.

“I really, really miss the staff that I worked with,” she says. “I still see them, and we do lunch, but I miss them tremendously. I didn’t think it would be such a strong feeling, but it shows the strength of the bond and working relationship we had.”

Her worth ethic and tireless dedication to her community and charity work continue to be an inspiration to many of her friends and former colleagues.

Paula Betros, grant monitor with BCSC, worked with Douglas for 15 years and says her former co-worker’s presence is still with her. One of the most valuable lessons Douglas taught her is that no matter what you are responsible for or do, it should be done with integrity.

32 • NOVEMBER 2014 • PRIME TIME

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[profile] As a nod to Douglas, Betros has named a 2-foot-tall teddy bear, which sits on a small, metal parlor chair beside her desk, Integrity.

“I told Jacque when she retired that every time I look over at Integrity, he’s my reminder that the decisions I make and the work I do is sort of a reflection of her,” she says.

Heather Downin was Douglas’ assistant for more than six years and describes her former boss as a very strong woman who taught her confidence. One thing that has always impressed Downin about Douglas is her dedication to and consideration for others.

“She always thought about us,” Downin says. “If anyone ever gave her anything, it was always followed up with a handwritten thank-you note.”

Reflecting on her work with BCSC, Douglas says it’s always possible to wish you could have done more.

“Fundraising is always a big one,” she says. “You always wish you could have raised more funds to leave different programs in a better financial situation.”

She continues to sit on several community boards, including kidscommons, Foundation for Youth and

Lincoln-Central Neighborhood Family Center.

Since most hold their meetings during the first week of the month, it’s easy to make plans around that time, she says.

“I think I will continue serving on the boards and volunteering until either I am not being effective or I’m not having that feeling of satisfaction that I’m giving and making a difference, if that time comes,” she says.

Diane Doup, community outreach coordinator for LCNFC, first met her when Douglas became principal at Lincoln Elementary in 1998.

“She captivated the children,” Doup said. “The students there thought the sun rose and set in her.”

She says Douglas embraced the concept of a neighborhood resource center and actively directed to LCNFC individuals and families who could benefit from its services. Douglas’ greatest gifts to the community are her concern for others and her wealth of knowledge about education, especially early childhood education, Doup says.

Above: Wilma Doup, left, Jacque Douglas and Lisa Pein serve tacos at the Lincoln-Central Neighborhood Family Center’s Mexican food booth at Ethnic Expo. Opposite page: Douglas walks along the People Trail. Opposite page inset: Douglas with her family. From left are granddaughter, Charlotte, 11; daughter, Allison Conrad; son-inlaw, Greg Conrad; granddaughter, Ella, 6; and grandson, Jackson, 9.

34 • NOVEMBER 2014 • PRIME TIME

“I think a lot of times people are in awe of how much she does,” Doup says. “Likewise, a lot of people don’t realize how much she has done behind the scenes in this community. I believe we are going to benefit for so many years from things we don’t even realize yet that Jacque has put into place.”

Douglas is still formulating her plans for retirement but says she will continue to be very active in the community. Writing children’s picture books with the help of her grandchildren is one of several projects on her radar.

“I have lots of ideas rattling around,” she said. “I’ve had so many wonderful experiences with my children and grandchildren, and some children don’t have those experiences to build background knowledge. So I’m looking at how I can take those experiences and reactions of my grandkids and use them as characters in the books.”

Outside of volunteering and writing children’s books, her retirement plans aren’t entirely tame. The grandmother of five said she and her granddaughter, Abby, 13, have tentative plans to go skydiving when she is old enough.

The former elementary schoolteacher, who regularly walks an average of 3 miles per day, says she and her grandchildren have even discussed the possibility of running in a 5K. Eventually, she also hopes to travel internationally, including stopping by Wimbledon for a tennis match or two.

After dedicating her life and passion to children’s education, Douglas says the most valuable lesson she’s learned is that she, too, is still learning.

“There is something that can be learned every day from everyone you come into contact with,” she said.

“Sometimes it is little things, other times there are ‘Aha!’ moments. That is what I take with me. I realize how much there is to learn.” PT PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2014 • 35

Joe Kinderman

Forget over vs. under – location, location, location I’m sure everyone has expressed their preference in the debate of which way the toilet paper should be placed in the holder.

Although many are adamant about the roll being under, I am equally so for the opposite position. In fact, I feel so strongly about this that I’ve even changed toilet paper when I’ve been a guest at someone else’s home.

However, a recent visit to some old friends’ home elevated another irritant far above the over-under debate, and it involved the same item – the toilet paper. In this case it was the location of the toilet paper, and in this instance it brought the issue to a head.

Our friends just moved into a new house they had built in Florida. My wife and I occupied the guest room and had our own bathroom. When I first had occasion to use the facility, the holder was in front of the toilet on the opposite wall. It was so far away one had to literally lift himself off the seat to reach the paper – that is, unless you had arms like an orangutan.

This isn’t the first time this type of problem has occurred. It’s been an irritant to me for many years but has become more of an irritant with increased age – and weight. It’s been an area that I have even paid attention to when looking at homes to buy or rent. I like my holder located just to the side and above my left leg when sitting down, about mid-thigh to knee area.

The location of the holder in some homes I’ve been in leaves me confused and frustrat-

ed. It makes me wonder what home designers and builders are thinking when accomplishing their jobs. Frequently the holder is on the wall behind, next to the toilet tank. One has to be a contortionist to get to the paper. I’ve often thought when the holder was in this location, I would be better off straddling the toilet and sitting down facing the wall.

I know I’m not alone in this area. During the last Winter Olympics there were lots of problems in the housing that had been hastily built for the athletes. One picture showed a toilet in a tight area next to the bathtub with the toilet paper holder inside the shower.

I’ve thought that I might build a portable holder when faced with such a situation somewhere we had to live. My idea was a holder on an arm that one could pull down from the ceiling. A floor toilet paper holder stand also crossed my mind — one that could be taken with us wherever we traveled.

On a recent trip and party at my nephew’s house in Buffalo, New York, I saw one of these in use. They are available.

Well, you get the picture. For our week-long visit to our friends in Florida, I solved the problem another way. I removed the toilet paper roll from the holder and placed in on the sink counter top next to the toilet. This allowed me to enjoy the best of two worlds — the paper was right next to me, and it unrolled sideways. Now this was heaven.

Joe Kinderman is a Columbus resident. He can be reached at joekinderman@sbcglobal.net.

36 • NOVEMBER 2014 • PRIME TIME

calendar of events

Quilters Holiday Extravaganza

November November

15

— Deja Vu Art & Fine Craft Show. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., The Commons. In conjunction with America Recycles Day, this free show features nearly 70 artists who reuse and recycle materials in their creations. Information: 376-2539.

15

— Saturday Sampler: Warrior Ways.

11 a.m. to noon, Yellow Trail Museum, 644 Main St., Hope. Information: 372-3541, arediker@ bartholomewhistory.org.

15

— Columbus Indiana Philharmonic: The Beautiful Music of Dan Forrest. 7:30 p.m., First Christian Church, 531 Fifth St. This concert features the Philharmonic Chorus singing Forrest’s “In Paradisum” and his recently released “Requiem for the Living.” Ticket prices vary. Information: 376-2638, ext. 111, chrisg@thecip.org.

22

-23 — Quilters Holiday Extravaganza.

Bartholomew County Fairgrounds. About 30 quilt shops, antique vendors and others offering Christmas gift ideas, projects, patterns and other offerings will be on hand. Entry is $5 for one or both days. 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sunday.

December December

5

— Old National Bank’s First Fridays for Families presents “The Night Before Christmas.” ArtReach Theatre brings this holiday tale to First Fridays. Free. 6 p.m., The Commons, 300 Washington St. Information: www.artsincolumbus. org.

6

— 26th annual Festival of Lights Parade, Washington Street, downtown Columbus. The PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2014 • 37

[calendar] parade features floats, animal units and walking groups created by local corporations, businesses and community groups. Fireworks follow when Santa passes City Hall. Free. Information: 812-390-6912 or columbuslights@gmail.com.

7

— Mom & Me for Tea. 1 p.m., Donner Center. $22/pair (registration deadline Dec. 3 or until maximum enrollment has been met). This holiday party for mothers with daughters ages 3 to 8 will include tea, punch, sandwiches, sweets, crafts, games and surprises. All children should wear their holiday best for the fashion show. Moms, please bring a written description of your daughter’s outfit for our master of ceremonies to read.

9

— Little Chefs Sweet Christmas Treats. 4:30 to 5:45 p.m., Donner Center. For ages 6 to 10, class sizes are limited. Learn to make a variety of fun Christmas goodies. You’ll get to sample some and have some to share with family and friends. $14, registration deadline Dec. 5, minimum of 8.

12

— Santa’s Workshop. 6:30 to 8 p.m., Donner Center. $1 per person. Hands-on Christmas

crafts, games, prizes and snacks. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

12

— Dance Indiana’s The Holiday Dance. 7 to 10 p.m., The Commons, 300 Washington St. Ballroom dance music will be provided by The Sound of Dreams. Light appetizers will be included and a cash bar available. Information: 812-350-5545, tewsjudy@gmail.com.

13

— Saturday Sampler: Holidays Around the World. 11 a.m. to noon, Haw Creek Heritage Arts Center, 111 Aiken St., Hope. We will learn how different cultures celebrate a variety of winter holidays and will make a special craft or two. Saturday Samplers are free monthly family friendly workshops catered toward small children. Information: 812-372-3541, arediker@ bartholomewhistory.org.

14

— Columbus Indiana Philharmonic: A Community Christmas Gathering. The Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, directed by David Bowden, presents a Christmas concert featuring the Columbus Indiana Children’s Choir. 3 and 7 p.m.,

Festival of Lights Parade 38 • NOVEMBER 2014 • PRIME TIME

Columbus North High School auditorium, 1400 25th St. Information: 812-376-2638, ext. 111, chrisg@ thecip.org.

20

— “The Nutcracker,” presented by Dancers Studio Inc. 1 and 6 p.m., Erne Auditorium, Columbus North High School.

Information: 376-8080.

31

— Yes Comedy Showcase with Mike Armstrong. 7 and 9:30 p.m., Yes Cinema, 328 Jackson St. Admission: $20 advance/$25 door.

Information: 812-378-0377.

January January

2

— First Fridays for Families: Ruditoonz.

Free, 6 p.m., The Commons. Indiana musician Scott “Rudi” Rudicel’s motto is simply, “Be Nice and Have Fun!” Combining unique and imaginative songs and storytelling with highly active audience participation, Rudi ensures everyone has a good time listening, singing and participating at his concerts.

Information: 376-2539.

Yes Comedy Showcase with Mike Armstrong

31

— Yes Comedy Showcase: Ron Feingold.

8 p.m., Yes Cinema and Conference Center.

Rated R for some bad language. Tickets $20 (advance) and $25 (door), available at Yes Cinema and the Lincoln-Central Neighborhood Family Center during operating hours, and by phone at 3791630.

February February

6

— First Fridays for Families: Pirate School.

Free, 6 p.m., The Commons. Information: 3762539.

7

— The Columbus Indiana Philharmonic featuring the IU Singing Hoosiers. 7:30 p.m., Columbus North High School auditorium. Familiar tunes will include Carmichael’s “Georgia on my Mind” and “Stardust” and Porter’s “Too Darn Hot,” “Night and Day” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.” Tickets/ information: 376-2638.

15 Columbus Indiana Philharmonic

— Columbus Symphony Orchestra From Russia, With Love. 3:30 p.m., Columbus North High School auditorium. Tickets $10 at the door. Information: 376-4431.

PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2014 • 39

M y Back Pages Sharon Mangas

Giving thanks for family chaos With Thanksgiving around the corner, I’ve been reminiscing about some long-ago family holidays, filled with — for lack of a better term — loving chaos.

In the early 1960s, my young widowed mother would load up our ‘58 Chevy Impala and drive me and my two sisters to Cincinnati to spend lively Thanksgivings with my aunt, uncle and five cousins.

Back then, the route from Bloomington to Cincinnati was an “over the river and through the woods” journey on two-lane highways. The trip seemed to take all day.

The anticipation of Thanksgiving fun with my cousins began as soon as the last piece of Halloween candy disappeared. As the days got shorter in November, school seemed to drag on forever. I learned songs about harvests and blessings, and read about pilgrims and Indians. Leaves fell. Temperatures dropped. I cut out construction paper turkeys and counted the days.

There were no Martha Stewart holidays at my aunt and uncle’s, but we had a lot of fun and (mis)adventures. They lived in a rambling, three-story home, a stately fixer-upper in an old Cincinnati neighborhood.

The house had a big staircase in the front hall and a second hidden flight of stairs that led from the kitchen. It was the perfect place for a rowdy group of kids to play hide-and-seek.

There were eight of us cousins, ranging in age from teens to babies. My sisters, the oldest, were unofficially put in charge of the herd. That freed up my aunt and mother to drink coffee and talk about life. My sisters tried to create order out of the chaos. If weather permitted, they demanded we play outdoors to expend our energy. We played cops and robbers and kick the can. Scuffed knees, petty arguments and runny noses were constants.

There was only one full bathroom in my aunt’s house, and it experienced plenty of plumbing emer-

gencies when eight kids were in residence. We managed to get (mostly) clean every night, although the first kids in the tub got the better deal. If you dallied around and were at the end of the line, you had to suffer through a quick dunk in gray water. Fresh tub water for every child was an unheard of luxury.

With beds in short supply, some of us slept on the floor. One infamous Thanksgiving, my cousin Rob’s pet rat made a nocturnal escape from its aquarium in the basement. Poor thing was starved … forgotten in the holiday hubbub. The famished rodent found his way upstairs to a bedroom where my mother was sleeping on a pallet on the floor.

Let’s just say the little feller surprised her. That adventure concluded like an Edgar Allen Poe tale, with much screaming and my aunt brandishing a board.

The poor innocent got smashed behind a door. It was a bloody demise.

I don’t know how my aunt and mother managed to cook Thanksgiving dinner for 11 in a small “unmodern” kitchen. Looking back, it seems nothing short of a miracle. But somehow, it always came together, and we bowed our heads and gave thanks for the bounty.

The only time I remember that reverie shattered was the year my angelic-looking cousin Nancy — then about 5 — piped up and asked her daddy to “pass the damn ham.” After the initial shock, we all had a good laugh over her poetic misconduct.

My aunt, uncle and mother are gone now, and I haven’t seen my cousins in years. We’re all spread out and living busy lives. But I savor the memories of our chaotic capers from days gone by, and I hope to create some loving chaos with my granddaughters this Thanksgiving.

May love and blessings — and at least a pinch of chaos — come your way this Thanksgiving, too … but please, whatever you do, don’t forget to feed the rat.

Sharon Mangas can be reached at sharon.d.mangas@gmail.com.

40 • NOVEMBER 2014 • PRIME TIME

THIS IS THE YEAR TO

So you’re celebrating your 29th birthday (again).

PREVENT

Like getting older, there’s so much in life we

CANCER

leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the

COLORECTAL

can’t control. But here’s something we can: colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is the third United States – in both men and women. And 90 percent is preventable with a colonoscopy.

A single polyp can become cancer. So give yourself the gift that can help ensure many more years to come.

If you’re over 50 and haven’t had a colonoscopy, visit FranciscanStFrancis.org/cancer to schedule an appointment. Saturday colonoscopy appointments are available.

FranciscanStFrancis.org/cancer

Escape the hardships of winter!

Make the move today to Keepsake Village at Columbus Become part of our family. You’ll know right away that Keepsake Village at Columbus looks and feels like home. Our staff members are very caring, and our residents will love to welcome you home!

Call 812-372-0950 for a complimentary lunch and tour!

KEEPSAKE VILLAGE AT COLUMBUS

2564 Foxpointe Drive Columbus, IN 47203 tel 812-372-0950 | fax 812-372-8688 Visit us online at keepsakeofcolumbus.com FAC#10680 KVADEscape the winter 20140903 7.33" wide x 9.6" tall FC-mm.indd 1

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