Yesterday I had the pleasure of grabbing lunch with a high school friend I haven’t seen in over 20 years.  I’ve now seen 2 wonderful friends from high school in the past month (not counting Lydia whom I see all the time, despite her allergy to my cats and our geographical challenges, and who will probably be here in a few hours drinking coffee on my couch, saying things like “Oh No You Just Didn’t!”).  Catching up with these ladies has been my favorite part of “Holiday-Palooza 2011”.  Is there any more joy than seeing your childhood friends doing fabulous things with their lives? 22 years has past, or maybe not a day…we fell back into conversation as if we’d seen each other yesterday.  Life is good.

Anyway, Jane wrote her dissertation on trains and the theater.  OH MY GOD, WHAT?!  Because I LOVE THAT!  Who doesn’t love trains?  I may have blogged about them here.  Posted a picture of Christmas trains over here. And while I know I wrote about this exhibit last winter, for the life of me, I can’t find it.  I chase train exhibits around this city every December like it’s my job.  Then I watch “The Christmas Story” about 100x because it is set in Indiana, and is full of toy trains. In the Midwest, we may be short on tall buildings, but we’re long on trains.  Literally. We spend most of our lives, sitting in our cars, waiting on trains.

This year, the Eiteljorg’s Jingle Rail, The Great Western Adventure Exhibit did not disappoint.  I love entering and exiting to Indianapolis scenes, even though the remainder of the exhibit are great locations in the West.  The settings are so mountainous and engaging, while I’m certain they’ve added more trains running overhead.  Sara’s favorite was Old Faithful, made out of lights.

Avery’s favorite was Mt. Rushmore, even though the girls refused to stand still for a short lecture on each face featured on the mountainside.  Stand still while I teach you about great Americans!!  But Mommy!  TRAINS!!! There are trains EVERYWHERE!!  Point well taken.

Kelly’s favorite was the Totem Pole Village, and this year she didn’t try to pluck them out of the exhibit.  Now that’s progress.  I love that every year they look at me like I’m crazy, running out the door to see trains, and when they get there, they never want to leave.  Except for Kelly, who always wants to leave, no matter where we are.  Where does she want to go?  Hell if I know…just someplace else, preferably in her pajamas, watching a movie.  She’s named for my Grandfather and she IS my Grandfather.  But I digress.

So for Jane, my dear friend from high school…it was simply lovely chatting with you yesterday, sipping a cold beer, and catching up.  More than congratulations on doing what we all dreamed we’d do, Ms. Professor of Theater.  I’m so proud to know you. Let’s not let 22 years pass before our next beer!  And hey Lydia…Jane finished her dissertation like 5 years ago, so that only means one thing: TAG!  You’re IT!