Where have all the bonnets gone?

Even with snow flying sideways on Easter, 1,300 diners still showed up for dinner. With camera in my pocket, I spent the day looking for the gala Easter parade of outfits that I remember growing up. I fondly remember my mother dressing my sister and me for Easter, with new clothes and bonnets for the ladies. My church was a pageant of other families who had done the same. We always anticipated Easter in our house with the excitement of spring. Over the three decades that I have been pouring water and coffee, bussing tables, and greeting guests, I have regretfully seen a gradual and ever increasing disappearance of this ritual rite of spring.

Families are still celebrating this most important of Christian holidays together around the table. They come in every shape and size. Grandparents, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, moms and dads, cousins, nieces and nephews, are mixed in a nearly unending combinations. It certainly remains a festive day and the Easter egg hunt for 500 eggs Janis hid and the carefully colored eggs on paper in the coloring contest attest to the excitement felt among the children. Sadly, my search was reduced to a single bonnet shared by sisters in matching pink dresses and it was bought in our gift shop.

Waiting

I've been waiting to hear from The Tonight Show for permission to use the recylced Headline from Amish Acres. I'm giving up and moving on. Easter seems a good time to start anew. Talk about waiting. President Bill Clinton and Chelsea are coming to northern Indiana tomorrow, Dyngus Day, to celebrate with the Democrats on the west side of South Bend and mention that their wife and mother is running for president.

Their visit reminds me of Governor Orr who came to Amish Acres in 1981 while he was campaigning, sat down in our restaurant with me for a cup of coffee and began asking what sounded like sincere questions about our business. Before I could offer up any wisdom for him to take back to Indianapolis, a aide rushed up and said he was sorry but they were in the wrong place and had to high tail it to the B&B Restaurant downtown. Governor Orr told me he was sorry he had to leave abruptly, but he would be back. He was even a Republican and I'm still waiting.