I get asked all the time how I like St. Charles. I LOVE St Charles. Please don't get me wrong. I love the people here, everyone has been so nice and welcoming. I love the little grocery store and how friendly and helpful everyone is there - seriously, swing by Mike's and you'll see what I mean. I love Good Sport and Del's breakfast buffet and Happy Family for some Chinese and even Jimmy's Pizza (although it is no Village Square). I love the parks and haven't even discovered them all yet. Tim and I took a walk through one I hadn't experienced yet that was so beautiful and fun for the kids too. There are so many cute little houses and gorgeous big houses too. I love walking and checking out all the places to see. I love my workout center and all the little antique shops. And let's not forget St. Charles Bakery. Oh My Goodness. I need to not stop there because....
But no matter how long I live here, St. Charles will never be my hometown. Yes, I feel like I'm coming home when I turn the corner to our little cul de sac. Heck, when I cross under the overpass and see the water tower I feel like I'm home. But there is nothing like the feeling of hitting the edge of Harmony and seeing that red stone sign, good old Heco and Hahn Lumber and knowing that comfortable feeling of being where everybody knows your name. Or almost everyone. And chances are you're related to half of the city in some way shape or form.
I am the fourth or fifth generation of Kiehne's to grow up in Harmony and is is a little sad to have left it behind. While there are many days when I think about leaving my "extra" job at the Village Square behind (anyone who has waitresssed knows the kind of days I'm talking about), I do love having an excuse to make the drive "down south" and feel that sense of belonging like none other.
It seems like every time I happen to be in town I have people who ask me how the girls are, how we like St Charles, how the wedding plans are going, how my dad is doing, you name it. People who aren't just being nosy, but who are genuinely curious and who genuinely care. It is sometimes nice to have the anonymity of living here in St Charles where virtually no one knows your name. But other times it is nice to literally walk down the street and know everyone you meet and get stuck in the grocery store sharing a story and a laugh with half of them. It's all very Mayberry like and hard to explain to anyone who is from a bigger town. Even one as "big" as St. Charles.
In Harmony we know where everyone lives and half the time we don't refer to it as their house because it is remembered as the person who lived there the longest. That seems to be in classrooms too as I'm pretty sure the 3 years I was at the high school my classroom was always "Frank's old room".
We know what the specials are at which restaurants on which days and trust that they will stay the same.
We know that the Moo Mobile comes to the bank every June.
We know when the lutefisk dinner at the Lutheran church is, the meatball dinner at the Methodist church, etc... and we plan accordingly.
We readily accept that our new school colors are black, silver and teal and heartily support each and every one of our Falcons. But we also still have a secret love for maroon and white and know all the words to the old school song, "Harmony High School hats off to thee.... to our colors true we shall ever be... (although there is some debate if it is colors or scholars)".
We love going to the old Elementary school (most of us still can't call it the Community Center) and looking up our parents and/or grandparents in the old Harmony High graduation compilations.
We look forward to the 4th of July as THE weekend of the year in Harmony.
We have walked/biked the trail so many times we know when to turn back before that big hill down becomes the big hill back.
We know that Hershberger, Yoder and Schwartzentruber are the common Amish names and we know where to tell tourists to go to buy baskets, furniture and honey.
We've visited Niagara Cave and know that you need to bring a sweatshirt and a good pair of shoes.
We paid $4 for a movie ticket and a couple dollars for a bucket of popcorn and thought we were in heaven when the movie started.
We remember when the local bar was a mini mall and before that a grocery store.
We remember the last time 52 was redone and think it may be time for the "Pray for me, I drive U.S. 52" bumper stickers to make a comeback.
I could go on, but I'll let others add some of their favorites in the comments.
Like I said, I love my life, my house, my family and my new town. But my heart belongs in Harmony and I will always truly be home on Main Street.
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