Know Before You Go

The Superbowl Roman numeral sign is up on the backside of Monument Circle and the city is abuzz with activity. If you suddenly come into a large sum of extra cash allowing you to buy  crazy-expensive plane, then game tickets, here's a few tips from your former Hoosier friends.

If you're a smoker (cigarette) you will be happy. If, like us, smoke makes you gag and your asthma feels like returning you won't be happy. Indiana has not passed "the law" and folks can light up in bars. We were enjoying the ambiance of a wine bar in Broadripple with a college buddy when suddenly the room filled with smoke. Solution? Most restaurants don't allow smoke, just the bars so skip the pubs... Also, usually a sign is posted so you know what to expect.

If you drive up to Carmel and Westfield on the near north side, go eat at Charleston's and ask for the cute red-haired waiter named Luke. Expect a wait...it's popular. When you get their house salad they'll bring you warm croissants dripping in honey. You MUST order their famous bread pudding for dessert!

I checked out two area Panera Bread locations; 146th for breakfast and 116th for lunch. Maybe my future career is being a silent shopper-I already own white gloves! For dinner with friends we suggest heading to La Hacinda. Tasty salsa, good margaritas, huge portions and way cheaper than Don Pablo's or Chi Chi's.

If you want to see the little triplex that we lived in as newlyweds with our first Labrador, Duke, it's on 1st Ave  very near the now-swanky Arts District. We lived in the tiny back area of the house and were happy there until the live Raccoon arm stuck through the floor board.

Before we left Indy yesterday we parked and walked around Massachusetts Avenue (known as Mass Ave to the hip locals.) It has trendy shops, restaurants & pubs and a theater district. We ate at Hoaglin To Go (no smoke, yummy club sandwich, carrot cake and cheaper than Panera!) We had to pick a couple treats from The Best Chocolate in Town, and I got a new mug because I AM the Mama Bear in our family! (I always tried to emulate Little Bear's Mother on the cartoon-she was patient ALL the time..wait-it wasn't real! Whew!

Our last tip to "know" before you go. Under no circumstances follow another driver who goes around cones and double lines. Even though you might have Illinois plates and apologize to the officer who chases you as you quickly turn around...He will be cranky and displeased. (Thankfully, no ticket was issued, just a stern lecture and a forceful "GO".)

Despite that one tiny driving "snafu" my time in Indy was all that I hoped it would be; quality family time, catching up with high school, college and church friends, holding newborn baby Hank and enjoying the food and stores of central Indiana. So now we're home and we wait to discover how quickly we can find a buyer, find a Gig Harbor rental, and a new job for Michael. "Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today." Exodus 14:13 In His Grip, Jane

On The Market Means Margarita Time!

As I continue my time here in Indy with my Mom, it's time to begin a new blog series: See Jane Move...again.

My duties at my Mom's are varied; meal prep, ice pack & medicine distributor, laundry lady and errand runner. My patient is delightful company. (Tip-don't wash your mom's fuzzy towels with her black t-shirt.) While I'm here doing this, Mike is there doing that. What's that? Well, our house in Glen Ellyn is now officially "on the market". The signs are up, the brochures are printed, and the carpet was cleaned.

It took less than two years to determine we needed to leave Illinois and get back to Gig Harbor. It took just over two weeks to prepare and "stage" our white colonial cottage. The definition of preparation for us was: purge like crazy/take loads to Goodwill, paint & repair, move tons of boxes to our detached garage and inform our married son & daughter-in-law that they'd need to find a new spot to live. (Update: Mitch & Amy found an apartment they love north of Chicago on their first day of looking!!)

After that, the "stager" (me) tried to depersonalize (remove family photos), clean, rearrange furniture, and put out fresh fruit and flowers so 247 Sawyer Avenue looks just like a family home featured in the latest magazine issue. Ha! Hopefully I accomplished all that before I boarded the Mega Bus last Tuesday, because we have our first showing this afternoon. The nerve! Right in the middle of football playoffs day...

As our for sale sign was pounded in our front yard when we lived in our Whitley Hills yellow house I cried and took Allie out for a big margarita. This time I wasn't even home when the sign went up and I felt relieved. As Mike and I made decisions about moving back and finished long days of projects we enjoyed some of our yummy margaritas.

Big Red (or beer) was my go-to drink in my younger days. It's become a Carver tradition that sad times, hard circumstances and celebrations in the last two years have been dealt with at our table with a frosty, salted goblet in hand. (Mitch made us a pitcher the night we had to put our beloved puppy Sadie "down".) I want to share our "secret" recipe with you for fabulous margaritas but before I do I'd like to share my go-to source that is even better than tequila. Jesus.

Carver Margaritas
In a blender;
1 frozen can of Bacardi lime margarita mix
3/4 can tequila (Patron is SO good)
1/2 can triple sec
quarter of a fresh lime squeezed in
fill blender 3/4 full with ice
Mix
(if you love salt, rub lime around rim, dip in drink salt)
Fill glass and top with a little Grand Marnier
Give thanks, toast and enjoy!

"On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink." John 7:37

In His Grip, Jane
(We'd appreciate prayers that our Glen Ellyn home sells quickly. Thanks in advance.)

Back Home Again...in Indiana

On my second night in Indiana I was at the Marsh grocery store when I saw a can of Big Red soda pop on the shelf. I instantly thought of my college days at Ball State University. Perhaps I shouldn't admit this, but I used to consume quite a bit of beer and Big Red. I think I picked up the "habits" from my southern Indiana guy friends. Today you'll find me sipping water with a lemon slice, Coke Zero, a non-fat latte or hot green mint tea with honey. Boring, but probably a bit healthier than the sugar and red food coloring in Big Red. (Or being the chug team captain of Chi Omega!) Another day I might share our "secret" recipe for the perfect margarita...

I'm in the land of round-abouts. (Carmel holds the record in America...maybe the world!) I haven't had a chance to get out much on this visit, but can't wait to get one of my town's famous fried pork tenderloin sandwiches. Yum!

The local Indy newscasts are focused on preparation for the Superbowl. There's a count-down on the Superbowl XLVI website. There are only 17 days, 4 hours, 51 minutes and 30 seconds until the big game! A Superbowl village is being erected, Lucas Oil Stadium is getting ready and the only thing missing will be my favorite teams who won't be playing. (Packers, Broncos, & Colts.) Reporters and Twitter followers speculate on whether Payton Manning will return, and the Colt's coaching staff continues to shrink as the owner "cleans house."

Carmel has grown quite a bit since my parents moved our family here when I was three and the changes have been remarkable since Mike and I moved away in 1993. I hope that my family and friends can tell I've been changing and growing too because of my faith. God's wisdom, laws and precepts help me navigate on my sometimes bumpy life journey, just like round-abouts keep the busy Carmel suburban traffic moving ahead more efficiently.

"Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart". Psalm 119:111

Lessons Learned:
Change is sometimes for the best and yet some things are worth hanging on to. My heritage. It comes from: my childhood hometown (now blanketed in snow), my Mom (napping to the sound of Rush Limbugh on the radio while she waits for her home-nurse to arrive), and my God (who has been giving me lots of change and growing practice lately.)

I'm hanging on to my Colts garden flag in hopes that next year when it's football season I can be proud of my Hoosier heritage.

Do you ever think about your heritage?

In His Grip, Jane

The Help Rides a Bus

"God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1

I woke up on my Mom's couch this morning; for the next week or so I am here to be "The Help". In the movie (and book) The Help, the women used public transportation. Yesterday I hopped on a bus to me bring from Chicago to Indianapolis to stay with my Mom. Today she'll be released from the hospital from post-knee-replacement surgery rehabilitation.

My two older sisters live in Indy and are always helping my Mom in addition to their full-time jobs. I'm glad I'm currently back in the Mid-west this winter so I can have lots of time to be "the help".

My life has had a bit too much drama in the last year but I doubt it's movie material. Perhaps a commercial? "I don't always use public transportation, but when I do, I take the Mega Bus..."

I haven't been on a big "fancy" bus since I was in high school and our drill team and band performed in Disney World. Here are some lessons learned if you decide to take the Mega Bus:
1. Don't arrive too early! There is no where to wait inside (except two blocks down the street at the Amtrack station.) Chicago in January is COLD and the bus pulls up to the curb exactly 15 minutes before departure. Our $26 good deal got pricey due to expensive parking. Next time I'll have my helpful husband dump me off on the sidewalk...
2. Don't sit too close to the back near the bathroom (no further explanation needed.) BTW, that loud noise you hear is the door opening and closing, not luggage falling.
3. Mega buses have wi-fi but not wireless-so much for using my iPad to check emails.
4. More spacious than a plane, but no where to stash your carry-on.

The ride was a bit bumpy, but I was happy to let Elliott the driver be behind the wheel while I read and napped. I hope to get back to some writing while I'm back in my childhood hometown. Not only do I get to spend quality time with my family (including holding Hank, my niece's newborn) but I hope to visit with some girlfriends too! Right now, I'd better get dressed so I can go see my Mom and find out how I can help today...

In His Grip, Jane

Happy 2012!

Happy New Year to my little group of friends and family who follow my blog! I've had ALL my kids home at the "Cozy Carver Cottage" for over two weeks and we've enjoyed just hanging out, reading, playing cards, mixing fun cocktails and EATING! The picture above shows our yummy late dinner on New Year's Eve.

My favorite things about 2011 were; enjoying our months living in a friend's home on Raft Island, watching Mitch be an awesome Best Man at his best friend's wedding and exploring Oklahoma City, ROME!, Allie's college graduation (I love her roommates), driving down the coast to stay with friends in Napa, seeing T.J. flourish at Whitworth, knowing Allie was loving her student teaching experience in Costa Rica, finally getting to Boston (love that city!), pretending to be "Gilmore Girls" with my daughter while we share a studio apartment, Sarah getting her acceptance letter to Whitworth, and spending time with precious friends and family. Despite some hard things, looking back it was a pretty good year full of adventures!

"The LORD your God cares for [it]; the eyes of the LORD...are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end." Deuteronomy 11:11-12

Lesson learned:
Just like my new kitchen wall art says, "God is GOOD, all the time." I am looking forward to all that will come about in the new year, knowing my God goes before me.

In His Grip, Jane