SISTERS GET-AWAY - DAY ONE

Yesterday was my sister Elaine's birthday.  In the past we have celebrated with "Sisters Week" in which we spent the entire week together.  Since getting her new job a couple of years ago she has not had that kind of time to take off.  So it has gone down to a "Sisters Get-away".  When she retires in a few years, it will probably go back to being a week.  But in the meantime we make the most of the time we have.

Both of us we have been under a lot of stress in the last few weeks.  So we really needed to get away.  And what better place to do it than Lancaster County.  Going out there renews our spirits.

Elaine came over to my house yesterday and we took off in the new car.  I was a little nervous driving a car I really wasn't familiar with all the way out there, but it turned out just fine.  I always know I'm in Lancaster when I see the farmland.

We left Philly about 11:00 so it was 12:30 when we got out there.  We wanted lunch so I took her to Katie's Kitchen.

I love the huge weeping willow tree they have.

Elaine got a tuna wrap and I got a fish sandwich.  That sandwich was so good I am definitely going to order it again.

I haven't been there in awhile and was surprised by how packed the place was.  That's great.  I'm glad they have such a good business.  It means they won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

When we were finished eating we headed down the road to Hershey Farm.  We weren't staying there this time (no vacancies) but we wanted to shop in the stores.

 

I found a birthday present which I am putting away for my brother.  I also got some of my favorite peppermints, some fresh tomatoes, an LED candle, and a "Heart of God" necklace which you will see me wearing in tomorrow's post.  I  also got some Whoopie pies and homemade honey wheat bread.  The plants were beautiful, but I didn't buy any.

Here's the birthday girl!

And you know I had to get a shot of Famous Amos.  Amos used to have a purple shirt.  Now it's green.  And now he has white fingernails and toenails.  Hmm....

It was still too early to check into the hotel, so we went to Target.  Every Target has different things in their bullseye section and I was looking for items for my "Farmhouse Kitchen".  I am redoing my kitchen (especially the pantry) and when I am finished, you will see it.  Target has a line of "farmer's market" products right now.  Well, let's say it's the end of those products because the school stuff is coming out.  But I was able to find a couple of things that I had never seen in Philly.  I was SO happy.

So now we decided to check into the hotel.  I had made reservations at Red Roof Inn.  I thought it would be on my right hand side, but we saw a Red Roof Inn on the left.  I guess I was wrong.  We found a place where we could cross Route 30 and headed for the place.  When we parked, there were a bunch of seedy looking guys hanging around smoking and I'm not sure what they were smoking.  When we walked into the lobby the smell of mothballs was so strong it almost knocked us out.  The girl behind the desk said she had no reservation for us.  She called the manager who looked us up and found we were at a different Red Roof.  It was about 3 blocks farther up the street and on the side of Route 30 I thought it was.  We were never so relieved to get out of anyplace.  I was going to say I had just gotten a call and there was a family emergency and we couldn't stay.

We headed for the other Red Roof and it was a much nicer place. Whew!

We were the end room on the ground floor.  The room wasn't anything to write home about but like Elaine always says we're just there to sleep and shower.  It could have been cleaner though.

We changed out clothes and headed out to dinner.  It was too early to eat, so we went to Rockvale Mall first.  The first place we went to was the Lenox outlet.

 The plants outside were so beautiful!

We were the only ones in the store, so I was able to get a few pictures for you.

The Kate Spade dishes were tempting.  But I have so many dishes!  I didn't get them much as I would have liked to.

So many beautiful things in this store.  *sigh*  A girl can dream, can't she?
 

These were the cutest salt and pepper shakers ever!
 

I love the Butterfly Meadow collection.  I have some of the bath towels from it.
 

More beautiful dishes.
 

These were Corelle ware and had many different size dishes, bowls, etc. with it.  So pretty, but where would I put them?
 

We each bought a couple of things and because we were on the mailing list, we got a free Christmas ornament.  It was the end of their Christmas in July sale.  Almost everything was 25% off.  Good deal!

Next we went to Christmas Tree Hill.  It's not just Christmas there.  I have gotten the nicest things for fall decorating.  I got the cutest little orange berry wreath for Thanksgiving and a wooden cut out sign that says "Be Thankful."  I also got a candle scented "Hot Apple Pie" and an air freshner for the car scented "Leather."

It was getting toward 6 p.m. so we headed for  the Bird-in-Hand Restaurant where Elaine wanted to have her birthday dinner.

It was a good choice because it was one of the best meals I have ever had in Lancaster County.  Elaine said the same thing.  Oh my, it was good!  We got the smorgasbord.  Just look at this beautiful salad Elaine had.

I skipped the salad and went right for the entree dishes.  This isn't a good picture, but I'll show it anyway.  I had wonderful herb roasted baby potatoes, stewed tomatoes that was freshly made from tomatoes that had been picked the day before, zucchini casserole, a ham ball, broasted chicken and barbecued spare rib.

For dessert I had two slices of watermelon, a slice of cantaloupe, and a molasses cookie that was out of this world.

We finished and went back to the hotel where we had a very noisy night.  The people above us were not just walking but stomping their feet even up to 3 a.m.  And there were lots of car doors and hotel room doors slamming.  We both got enough sleep, but it wasn't all that pleasant.

And so ends day one.  Day two coming up tomorrow.

Kathy