I'm back, with more of the restaurants that I once frequented, but have sadly gone away and remain only in my memories. Now, however, we're straying out of Winchester, Indiana.
Miller's Cafeteria, Richmond, Ind. -- Similar to MCL Cafeteria, this restaurant also had a store in Connersville, Indiana, and were famous for their distinctive milk stores that were all over Muncie and Richmond.
For the main course, you had a choice of roast beef au jus, fried chicken, or meatloaf. You also had a decent amount of sides and desserts to choose from, and you paid by the item you got.
I'd always get the roast beef au jus, dressing, green beans, and sometimes mashed potatoes and gravy, because sometimes gravy is just a blessing. I'd also get a roll, a slice of cherry or peach pie, and a soft drink.
The seating was comparable to that of the Courtesy Café in Winchester, but sturdier and nowhere near as cramped.
What strikes me about this place was how clean it was. Cleanliness should always be a hallmark of a restaurant, but Miller's took it to heights that other restaurants didn't reach. The workers not only made good food, but they kept the place spotless. It didn't even look worn, and the Courtesy, sad to say, looked worn (the quality of the food overrode that deficiency, easily, though.)
It was one of Dad's favorite restaurants, and thinking about it makes me realize how much I miss him, still.
Dandy's, Richmond, Ind. -- A drive-in restaurant located on what was U.S. 35 when it went through Richmond's west side, this place was a seasonal restaurant that closed through the winter months. They had unbelievable jumbo tenderloin sandwiches, or so it seemed to a thirteen-year-old boy.
Speaking of my Dad, we went to Richmond one day to get our van worked on at the dealership. While they worked on it, one of the workers dropped us off at Miller's, where we had a very good breakfast. Since that was more than forty years ago, I cannot remember what I had, but it almost certainly involved bacon and toast, because back then, I didn't care for breakfast sausage. I know that I also had orange juice, because I believed at the time that eating breakfast out meant that you also drank orange juice.
Then we walked through downtown Richmond and spent a long while in a bookstore, before finally walking back towards the dealership. When we finally reached Dandy's, it was lunchtime.
I had the tenderloin, French fries and a Coke. I could eat them any way, but my usual way was with mustard, pickles and onions. So it was this day. Of course, if there was any ketchup leftover from the fries, the sandwich would be dipped in it as well.
It has been said that hunger is the best seasoning, and it must be true, because that meal was delicious. That long walk from Richmond's downtown had to contribute to that, however.
After lunch, we walked on to the dealership, picked up our van, and went home. Another thing that stands out about all of this is that, as a thirteen-year-old, I never really thought about the money Dad spent that day.
Of course, being in my fifties, I know all about that, but it doesn't diminish my memories.
More to come later.
Peace be unto you.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Who Owns The Church?
Lately, I've seen some rather disturbing occurrences as far as churches go. In one Dunkirk, Indiana church, the wife of a deceased pastor pretty much ran everything and did everything, as if nobody else knew even what to do. You could really see this in action at any of the church's public activities.
It was like watching a real-life version of The Big Bang Theory, whereas instead of Sheldon Cooper answering every question because he thought that he knew best, this woman tried to do everything. In her view, she knew everything and everyone else had to be told what to do, because they were as useless as children.
She has been rather successful at running off any member or potential member who presented anything resembling a challenge.
It's a real pity that the pastor couldn't stand up to her, because I believe that the church will eventually die because those who want to worship Jesus Christ there will not want to do it her way. And she will push them out if she cannot dominate them.
In another church, located in Farmland, Indiana, one woman takes charge and gives orders and demands right and left, even though she no longer attends the church, nor does she tithe anymore. It is even believed that she paid a locksmith out of her own pocket and changed the locks to control who gets inside the fellowship hall. Though I've also heard that she's a very cheap person, so I don't see her actually paying for it.
This woman has accused others outside the church of using an ancient Windows XP computer and erasing the birthdays and anniversaries of the church congregation. A group I'm a part of uses the church for our meetings (and we pay an annual fee to the church) and she accused us pretty much of using the computer and being very messy, to boot.
She even told us we weren't paying enough to use the church. When she was told the pastor said that our payment was proper and sufficient, she said that the trustees didn't agree.
The only problem was that we talked to one of the trustees, who said, "How would she know? She doesn't attend any of the business meetings, and we haven't complained about what you pay."
When I suggested that maybe one of the church kids was using the computer to play a game, she snapped, "The computer doesn't have any games!"
She also said that the computer was new, and not old. I replaced my Windows XP a few years ago, because Microsoft no longer supported it nor updated it.
It obviously showed that this woman doesn't know computers. No crime in that. I have relatives who don't use computers, so they don't know even the basics of using one. The Windows XP is not only very old, it has pre-installed games. In my opinion, the spider solitaire game was the best one I ever played. And I learned to play Minesweeper on an XP.
When it comes to accusations, she was an epic fail. However, when it came to being a hateful example of a control freak, she was an epic win. For that particular church, it is a glaring weakness, but so far, they seem to be in control instead of her.
But she apparently is a master of passive-aggressive moves to take power when she can, and they have to watch her very carefully.
Another church has two older men who pretty much rule it with iron fists. They're friendly enough, and have been the main workforce to keep the church well-maintained and running. The only problem is that anytime they get a pastor who tries to do things his or her way, they run them off.
It's gotten to the point that the district superintendent has warned them that if they run off one more pastor, he'll close the church. They have a hard time believing that he'll do it, but they are in a conference that owns the church. It wouldn't be the first time a superintendent has closed a church.
When I was a child, I believed that you went to church to worship Jesus Christ, and congregated with fellow believers to strengthen yourself in your beliefs. Apparently, to some, that is secondary to their power trips.
To them, church is Serious Business.
Peace be unto you.
It was like watching a real-life version of The Big Bang Theory, whereas instead of Sheldon Cooper answering every question because he thought that he knew best, this woman tried to do everything. In her view, she knew everything and everyone else had to be told what to do, because they were as useless as children.
She has been rather successful at running off any member or potential member who presented anything resembling a challenge.
It's a real pity that the pastor couldn't stand up to her, because I believe that the church will eventually die because those who want to worship Jesus Christ there will not want to do it her way. And she will push them out if she cannot dominate them.
In another church, located in Farmland, Indiana, one woman takes charge and gives orders and demands right and left, even though she no longer attends the church, nor does she tithe anymore. It is even believed that she paid a locksmith out of her own pocket and changed the locks to control who gets inside the fellowship hall. Though I've also heard that she's a very cheap person, so I don't see her actually paying for it.
This woman has accused others outside the church of using an ancient Windows XP computer and erasing the birthdays and anniversaries of the church congregation. A group I'm a part of uses the church for our meetings (and we pay an annual fee to the church) and she accused us pretty much of using the computer and being very messy, to boot.
She even told us we weren't paying enough to use the church. When she was told the pastor said that our payment was proper and sufficient, she said that the trustees didn't agree.
The only problem was that we talked to one of the trustees, who said, "How would she know? She doesn't attend any of the business meetings, and we haven't complained about what you pay."
When I suggested that maybe one of the church kids was using the computer to play a game, she snapped, "The computer doesn't have any games!"
She also said that the computer was new, and not old. I replaced my Windows XP a few years ago, because Microsoft no longer supported it nor updated it.
It obviously showed that this woman doesn't know computers. No crime in that. I have relatives who don't use computers, so they don't know even the basics of using one. The Windows XP is not only very old, it has pre-installed games. In my opinion, the spider solitaire game was the best one I ever played. And I learned to play Minesweeper on an XP.
When it comes to accusations, she was an epic fail. However, when it came to being a hateful example of a control freak, she was an epic win. For that particular church, it is a glaring weakness, but so far, they seem to be in control instead of her.
But she apparently is a master of passive-aggressive moves to take power when she can, and they have to watch her very carefully.
Another church has two older men who pretty much rule it with iron fists. They're friendly enough, and have been the main workforce to keep the church well-maintained and running. The only problem is that anytime they get a pastor who tries to do things his or her way, they run them off.
It's gotten to the point that the district superintendent has warned them that if they run off one more pastor, he'll close the church. They have a hard time believing that he'll do it, but they are in a conference that owns the church. It wouldn't be the first time a superintendent has closed a church.
When I was a child, I believed that you went to church to worship Jesus Christ, and congregated with fellow believers to strengthen yourself in your beliefs. Apparently, to some, that is secondary to their power trips.
To them, church is Serious Business.
Peace be unto you.
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