October 21 - Feeling at Home in Northern Indiana

Travels to northern Indiana today provided some great enlightenment. I stopped at the Bremen home of State Senator Ryan Mishler, who chairs the Senate Natural Resources committee. Like his father before him, he represents far north-central Indiana. It's hard to think of Bremen without thinking about former Governor Otis Bowen, the first governor I really remember as a pre-teen in the early 70's. I'm not sure I had been in a state legislator's home before, but it was great because it is so important to see our elected leaders for who they really are - Indiana citizens.

Like us, they have children, businesses, hardwood floors and cabinets. He was enjoying lunch and pre-nap Wii tennis with his four year old son, Grant, who oozes cuteness. It's a luxury of living right next door to the family funeral home business. (When Ryan grew up, it was customary to live in quarters within the funeral home). I'm sure the district knows what a sincere and dedicated Senator they have, but I hope they also know the sacrifices made by those who live so far from the capitol, especially when they have small children.

From Bremen, I headed due east on Highway 6 to Brimfield to visit Ford Frick, Sr at his sawmill. I had to think it would be so cool to have his name as I passed through a tiny burg called Mawaka, where a highway sign marks the birthplace of hhis grandfather's second cousin, another Ford Frick who just happened to be a legendary former commissioner of Major League Baseball.

Ford is facing the same challenges as everyone else, with huge inventories of lumber, low log supplies, and a prolonged housing slump. (He does have some beautiful new walnut logs on hand). However, like Dan Wooley, Chris Moore, and so many others I have visited recently, the tough times can't dampen Ford's attitude, or compromise his friendliness. He hurried in from the mill tour to needle a customer, whose dad had gone to school with him.

Next time through town, we're checking out Ford Jr.'s legendary baseball card and memorabilia collection, if I give him enough advance notice to get them out of the bank's lock boxes.