When I was a child, our family.. dad, mom and Nina Sue would visit Grandma in tiny town, Nichols, Iowa a few times a year. These were special times for me because it was my dad’s hometown and he would always take me with him to socialize with old friends at Chown’s Appliance, the DX Station and Rice’s Cafe. We always stopped in The Cafe to get me a fountain drink and talk to Neva Rice and the woman he called Grandma Rice. Just thinking about Rice’s Cafe, I can still see the ceiling fans and hear the wooden screen door slam shut every time someone came in or out.

A couple years ago I connected with an old classmate of mine. We went through school together and we had all of the same teachers and home rooms except for kindergarten…and….I would not define us really as friends in school…more childhood acquainted. After awhile, I also connected with his wife on FB….mainly reference some comments we shared on FB about some health issues Chuck was enduring. Over the last couple of years, we developed our own friendship and a mutual bond developed. Sue and I finally met in person tonight in a hospital room in Duluth,MN. He and I planned a mini vacation to visit his brother in New Ulm, revisit the North Shore and stop in and see Sue and Chuck who live north of Duluth. As timing would have it, we had to visit them in a hospital room as he had not been released after a recent surgery.

And now the connection! I asked Chuck if he had any relatives in small town, Nichols, Iowa. I’d always been curious because of his last name…he said no…but Sue piped up and said she did. She had relatives…two women…a mother and daughter….Neva Rice and her mother owned a cafe in Nichols when she was young…..Rice’s Cafe.

Things like this cannot be coincidences. This was synchronicity at its best. I am blessed!

Until next time….