When you live in a small town there’s not much to do on a Friday night. Unless you have a car and a few friends. Then you can ‘cruise Maine’. And yes I’m spelling it like the state of Maine not Main, that little fact confused the heck out of my city-boy husband.

So, let’s hit the bricks! Let’s cruise!

Goodland, Ks has a beautiful red brick Maine Street and some pretty nifty buildings. Check out the art deco. This is the telephone building…I think.
This is the old First National Bank building. When I was in high school it was The Family Bookstore. I worked at the bookstore and loved every minute of it. I got to do all the window displays which were primarily made up of Precious Moments figurines and these strange little gnome creatures that people loved to collect. The owner’s of the store were two older women that I adored. Now the building has succumbed to the fate of the times and it stands empty with a for sale sign on the door.
This is the GAC, the Goodland Activities Center. It opened when I was in 8th grade. My parents refused to let me get a membership. I could only go play racquetball when I was invited by my boyfriend and then I was too embarrassed to really show my skilz because I might mess up my hair or start to sweat. Needless to say he didn’t invite me more than a couple of times. So I broke up with him, hmph!

Workin‘ at the car wash, at the car wash, yeah!

Remember that little car cartoon? He would turn into a hot rod and save the day. What was it called? I know someone reading should know. This is no longer a car wash, but that painting has been up there for as long as I can remember.

Okay, this is the Administration Office for USD 352. Tell me that’s not the cutest thing you ever did see? It sits on Maine Street across from Central School. Rechelle and I both felt that Central School was the coolest elementary school in town…..we didn’t go to Central.

Good Lord. Daylight Donut. I only have two things to say about this place and only Goodlanders will understand what I’m talking about.

The movie theatre. This little place is so cool. We used to go to the movies on Tuesday nights because they only charged 2 bucks. Two Buck Tuesdays. Cruisin‘ Maine and going to the movies was about the only thing to do….well….except….parking. Not that I would know anything about going parking, as far as my parents know, I am still a vestal virgin. My children are immaculate conceptions. That’s my story and I’m stickin‘ to it.

This used to be Collage Limited. The creme de la creme of dress shops. My sister and I would press our faces against the windows and beg our mom to go in and try on every outfit in the store. One side was for women and one side was for kids. Collage Ltd. was the only place in town you could buy Estee Lauder make up. But the most fascinating thing in the store was the large bins of potpourri. They had potpourri made out of dried rosebuds that I considered the most beautiful concoction on earth.

That’s it, that’s all I’ve got from Maine St.

I’m off to church to repent of my parking violations…ha hahahahaha. Oh, I’m crackin‘ myself up, parking violations. Get it? Never mind.

Whenever I say, “The Puppet Factory” I sing it to the tune of The Adams Family. Try it.. The Puppet Factory…duh-duh-duh-duh..snap snap…duh-duh-duh-duh..snap snap..
On Tuesday I had to wait at The Puppet Factory for the Fed Ex man to arrive through that big metal door.
You would think that waiting for over two hours in a place surrounded by puppets would be amusing.
But, the longer I was there, the creepier the place seemed. I mean there are heads in plastic bags. It’s like CSI Puppet Edition.
Look at the sign my mom has sitting close to her desk. She must light the candle and say a little prayer to Jim Henson when things start to get a little to wacko for her.
I waited and waited and waited. And the puppets they stared at me and I think some of them moved when I wasn’t looking.
Check this guy out. Trying to look all innocent like he’s not trying to come out of that box and strangle me.
Hey hombre, I see you trying to look all I didn’t do it. Why are you looking at me? And shut your mouth!
The blond bodies. It was too late for these girlies. They’d been bagged and boxed. Sorry girls.
What the? Who wouldn’t be creeped out by this? A purple body thrown on top of a heep of animals, that ain’t right. This needs serious investigation.

And then this happened.

I gotta get outta here.

This is Gulick Park in Goodland, KS. Nearly all of the big trees that covered the park when I was young died and were cut down. If you want to play on the new equipment in the blazing heat of summer remember to warn the kids to check the temperature of the slide before they scorch their legs sliding down it. Uh, do this before you’re son screams his way down the slide in agony.

I remember riding this turtle and duck many a day. There used to be a hippopotamus that was my favorite, but I think the sproing was gone from his sproinger. Uh, don’t let the kids ride these in the heat either or they will be permanently welded to the balding turtle.
I think I know why we were the only people at the park. It’s um, well, uh, not very fun.

Stay tuned to find out why I’m showing you a picture of a blue guy’s head in a bag.