It’s been a busy week here at Sonnystone Acres…

On Monday we drove over to New Harmony to say good-bye to a relic of my past, Main Cafe.

Back in the 1990s I worked for Visiting Nurse, providing in-home care to folks in Posey County, which includes New Harmony – also Mount Vernon, Solitude, Blairsville, Wadesville, Fairview, St. Philips, and all the farms in between. Whenever possible, I planned my day to include lunch at The Main. The place has always closed at 1pm, so I had to get there by 12:30, but as I got to know the owners and servers, they’d let me stay and do some of my paperwork while they cleaned up.

The place is a throwback to the olden days, both the building and the menu. Plate lunches and breakfast all day (back then). Real mashed potatoes with real gravy. Liver and onions on Tuesdays. Perfectly griddled grilled cheese sandwiches. Coffee from a Bunn percolator. Fresh pies. The owner was the cook and the servers were her sisters and her nieces. After 39 years, she’s now 80 and has sold the place; it will shut down for renovations on December 18. Her niece, Kim, and I had become good pals back in the 90s and I’ve always enjoyed seeing her when we’ve stopped in during New Harmony Events.

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Sadly, the walls were already bare, the Rotary and Optimists Club banners having been moved to a new meeting place. The place is in dire need of repairs. The owner was not present and Kim said they were training a cook for the new owners who have promised to keep the menu the same, and she made sure he used enough butter, just like her Aunt had. Kim’s mom, now 73, was there to help wait tables.

The rest of the week whizzed by…got all my Christmas shopping done and then some. As is our tradition, Casey and I have agreed to not buy each other presents this year. He usually gets me something anyway, bringing it out at the last minute; I’m ready for him with 2 good surprises, though I’m pretty sure he suspects…

We baked chocolate chip cookies yesterday and Samantha was a Super Assistant in charge of handing me a rounded tablespoon of cookie dough. This was her first real chance to eat raw cookie dough, made from scratch, and I’m proud to have been her guide.

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We’re leaving this Thursday for New York, flying out of Nashville to LaGuardia. After missing our trip last year, we’re Excited to be back at Radio City Music Hall for the Christmas Spectacular. We’ll have a fun-packed visit with the Jose’ Fam and I’ll share it with you as soon as I can.

Peace