Back From Vacation

Vacations are always long awaited for but so is home on the last day of vacation. Isn't that funny the way that works?

After a year of reading Amish related stories, I knew I just had to go to the Lancaster area in Pennsylvania. We had been planning a trip to Carlisle, PA for the All-Chrysler Nationals (a giant car show and swap meet) so we decided to make a vacation out of it. To prep myself on some Amish facts, I read "The Riddle of Amish Culture" by Donald B. Kraybill. This text provided many answers to questions that I had and proved to me that the Amish are not simple at all. While in the Lancaster area, I purchased several more informational books including "The Old Order Amish in Plain Words and Pictures" by T.J. Redcay, "The Puzzles of Amish Life" by Donald B. Kraybill, "Why Some Amish Communities Fail: Extinct Settlements, 1961-2003" by David Luthy, as well as 2 Amish cookbooks, "Cook Books from Amish Kitchens: Cookies," and "...Soups," both by Phyllis Pellman Good and Rachel Thomas Pellman. After breakfast at Lapp's Homestyle Restaurant, I picked up Wanda Brunstetter's newest book "A Sister's Secret." It's the first book of the "Sisters of Holmes County Series."

Aside from purchasing books, we did a lot while in Lancaster County. My favorite day was when Pete and I took a ride all around the county on the back roads not located on the tourist map we were given. It was beautiful! We stopped at two roadside stands, one to buy jam and pickles, the other to buy a handstiched "Quillow" (a quilt that's tucked into a pocket that then becomes a pillow). We took lots of pictures but never any of the Amish. I respect them and their beliefs and quickly told Pete that pictures were a no-no.

After several meals at buffets and family-style restaurants (yes, we went to the Good 'N Plenty!), two shoo-fly pies, two half gallons of Amish homemade root beer, a visit to the Bird-in-Hand bakery (those whoopie pies are HEAVEN), the Bird-in-Hand farmer's market (more jam and a quart of chow chow), and several quilt shops (wanted a queen sized quilt but knew my kitties would get up on it and make picks so I refrained), we finally headed out to Carlisle. I was sad to leave such a tranquil place (off of route 30 that is). I made a vow that I would return in a few years. Pete, surprisingly, really enjoyed his time there and came to hold a great respect for the Amish and their lifestyle.

Carlisle: a hustling, no frills town. We were there for one thing and one thing only: the All-Chrysler Nationals. As Adam couldn't come with us, we didn't have his Dodge Coronet to show. Our Dodge Challenger leaks transmission fluid like there's no tomorrow and it's not ready to be in the big leagues. That left one other option: the Sebring. Yes, my nine year old car with several shopping cart dings and 100,000 miles. My beloved Sebring that I am never getting rid of. The car that has grown old around me. My baby. Well, for being a 1998 with almost 102,000 miles, that car was a star! Pete took her in to work a week prior to us leaving and had it done up by one of his detail guys. When we got to the campground in Carlisle, we washed it (against campground rules -- oh no!) and spritzed her with gloss spray when we reached the show. My glass was clean, my carpets looked 8 years newer, the boot was clean (although I haven't used it in about 6 years), my tires were done up with Black Magic, and I even made a sign for the windshield. I was so happy to have her in the show! The Sebring was part of the "Convertible Reunion" section of the All-Chrysler Nationals so I was parked in a pretty good spot. We (Mom, Pop, Pete, and I) set up our red sun tent right behind the Sebring and enjoyed ourselves for two long, full days at Carlisle. During the time that we weren't eating or scouring the swat meet area (i.e. junk yards on wheels) for parts for the Challenger, we were just sitting back and enjoying ourselves under the tent. It was great!

So, our trip to PA (long awaited and gone in a flash) is over. We're already talking about going back to Carlisle for the 2008 show and Pete's been mentioning that he'd like to go to Lake George in Upstate NY. For now, I'm back home on my summer vacation, trying to stay out of this terrible heat (it's 94 with oppressive humidity) while my cats are slowing turning into furry dishrags out on the porch.