Ol' Iraan High, We Sing Your Praise Today!

HHHMMMM, what shall i blog today. It is already "hump day" and I don't think I've blogged in a few days. Todays main thoughts 1.) Should I or should I not go to Iraan for homecoming? 2.) What should I set out to cook for dinner? 3.)When did I get "old" - I think I have an "age" spot on my face, I should call the dermatologist. Not earth changing thoughts, I know. Let me tell you a little about thought #1. Homecoming in Iraan, Texas. It is a big deal in Iraan. We only have it every other year. There is an Ex-Student's Association that works on homecoming for a whole year before. My grandmother heads up the group and has for years. She was in IHS class of 1948 to be exact and a cheerleader. (She once was in an ex-student pep rally!) They actually have a book that has every student's address (if they could find them) from each class back to like the 30's. You have to know also that Iraan is a small town of about 2000 folks. So it's not like the classes had 500 people in them, but a book of that magnitude is still impressive to say the least. The festivities begin with the Friday night football game. During halftime of the game, they do the typical homecoming queen in high school, but we also have an "ex-homecoming queen". Every fifth class from back to the thirties has a nominee and walks out on the field. If you pay your due ($5), you can vote for the Queen. Little confused-let me explain. For instance, this homecoming there is a nominee from the classes of 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, etc. It moves in five year increments, so next homecoming it will be 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, etc. You see, it takes planning people. I personally voted for Marge Stuard, class of 1945. She is a friend's grandmother and bakes the best cookies and sweets ever. She would also let us all come over and read her Danielle Steele books and eat sour cream cookies when I was in high school. She was also the mom to, Ronald, who was in my mom's class of '68 and she now cooks at the new hospital in Iraan. When I was home this summer, I went to eat there and she made us really good chicken fried steak and yummy cobbler. (Am I voting for her because she cooks good? Perhaps.) She also lives across the street from Nana.

Some of you reading this can relate to small town living. You know everyone and probably their grandparents. You know who lived in that house three families before, and don't know actual street addresses. You know who's house is next the theirs and that's how you give directions. If you are reading this and you grew up in a big town, you'll never really get it. You will never know how to cruise the "drag". You will never understand that the one time you rode a pump jack, your mother knew before you got back into town. Right, Brandi? Or maybe it was the black crude oil left on your white pants. Anyhow, small town living is a story in itself. It ain't for sissies, either. There are no Wal-Marts, McDonalds, or Sonics (not in Iraan anyways). I'm sitting here wondering how I made it all those years without a Sonic Happy Hour diet vanilla Dr. Pepper.

Back to Homecoming. After the game, there is coffee at the cafeteria and some serious visiting. Saturday is a catered lunch, more serious visiting, a parade, complete with the Ex-Queen nominee float. Crape paper and poster board signs, people. Then everyone congregates at the Auditorium (which has been there since my Nana was in high school). They actually tried to tear it down and build something more modern. I hope they don't! I love that building-afterall, I was in the Miss Pebbles Pageant (1st runner-up) and the 6th grade Valentine Pageant there. They have a speaker at the gathering after the parade. They give awards to the oldest ex, the ex that came the farthest, class with the most present members, etc. And if you dare, if you were a member of the IHS band (1930-present), you are welcome to come play the fight song and school song with the instrument you played in high school. The afternoon consists of people having their own "class parties" and a dance at the new Civic Center till 1am.

Beat that homecoming all you small town peeps! Big town folks are out of the running, no comparison.