I JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF LANCASTER COUNTY

 

Hello, friends.   Hope you had a great day.  This morning Joe had a doctor's appointment at the VA Hospital.  I drove him down and waited for him in the car instead of going into the hospital.  I made some phone calls and read part of my book while I waited.

When Joe came out, we were both hungry and decided to go to lunch.  We had to get on I-76 to go home but I didn't get off.  We kept right on going and went out to Lancaster County to have lunch.  Are we nuts to drive almost 2 hours to have lunch?  Uh... yes, a little.  But we had such a good time.

Joe took some pictures of the countryside as we drove through it.  It's so pretty.

We had a list of five possible places for lunch.  The first was Dienner's where Elaine and I had lunch/dinner last week.  Joe said he wanted a buffet and I wanted a sit down meal.  This would give us either one.  I pulled into Dienner's and saw there were about 20 people outside with the beepers they use to call people waiting.  So I turned around and we left.

We passed our next choice, Miller's, had a full parking lot so we drove on.  We decided to go to Katie's Kitchen.  But there were people waiting outside there also.  So we ended up at Hershey Farm.

We hadn't been to Hershey in a long time.  The last time we were there we had a very bad experience.  But we decided to give them another chance.  We walked in and were seated right away.  They had only the smorgasbord so that's what we got.

Joe went up first.  Here's his plate.  Beef, green beans, corn and mashed potatoes.

He had the same thing for his second plate but had stuffing instead of potatoes.

For my first plate I had chicken pot pie, corn, green beans and stuffing with gravy.

My second plate was fried chicken and mashed potatoes with gravy.  I shouldn't have had that second piece of chicken.  I saw the wing and picked it up but then saw the leg which I really wanted.  I couldn't put the wing back, so I ended up with both.  And I didn't want to waste food, so I ate it.

I didn't want any dessert, but Joe got two pieces of sugar-free pie.  He couldn't decide between cherry or apple so he got both!  Does he look happy?

We went through the gift shops after we ate.  I bought just a few things.

I got another Wanda Brunstatter book.  Oh my I had better get reading.  I also got some burlap dahlias to decorate in the fall and a bag of peppermints.  I always get peppermints there and forgot last week.

When we went out to leave, I looked for the animals they always have.  Usually there are goats, chickens, a rooster or two, ducks, geese, sheep and sometimes other small animals.  Today all I saw were these two little goats.  They were cute, but I wonder where all the other animals were.

We headed back to Philly because it was getting late.  We made good time until we got into Montgomery County.  Then rush hour traffic got to us.  But we plugged along and finally reached Philadelphia.   Joe took a picture of the Art Museum and the Philadelphia skyline as we drove along.

It took us 30 minutes longer to get home than it did to go out there.  We had such a nice time.  It's fun to do things on the spur of the moment.  And we both felt so much better and calmer when we got home.  We are still looking for a home to move to out there.  We have been looking for years.  Maybe someday.

Until next time...

Kathy

BLOGMAS DAY 18 -- A TRIP TO LANCASTER COUNTY

Hello, friends!  Hope you are having a wonderful day as Christmas quickly flies our way.

Joe had a very early doctor's appointment today.  8:00 a.m. comes very early when you need to leave by 7:00 a.m. to get there.  When he got out we talked about going somewhere to have breakfast.  I teasingly said, "We're on the right highway.  Why not go out to Lancaster."  He said OK.  I was surprised, but why not?  So away we went.  We hit a lot of rush hour traffic but really made good time.

As we were going along we were listening to Christmas music on the radio and just talking.  It was great -- so relaxing.  We both found ourselves smiling a lot.

Joe took some pictures for me.  It would have been hard for me when I was driving.

We got out there and couldn't decide where to eat.  But my friend Marianne had just been out there yesterday and ate at Dienner's so when we saw it, we decided to go there.  We both got the breakfast buffet.  It was good.

I loved this sign above our table.

After we ate we went to Rockvale Mall.  My sister had asked me to pick something up for her so we went to Reading China and Glass and got it.  We also picked up a couple of things for us -- some jar openers (we are always looking for ours and these looked so good), some candied ginger for me (my favorite candy) and a stocking stuffer.

Then we headed for the book store.  Joe was looking for a Bible commentary, but they didn't have any.  We did buy a $1 book to donate to Toys for Tots and I got three new books.  Sorry these pictures are so dark.

"The Essential Amish Cookbook" -- can't wait to try some of these recipes.

"The Amish Christmas Kitchen" -- three short stories.  It looks like a quick read.  Just the kind of book you need during the busy Christmas season.

And "The Greatest Gift" -- the book that the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" was based on.  It's only 53 pages and I can't wait to read it!

I will try to get better pictures of them to show you.  There isn't much light here right now.

It started to rain out there and I didn't want to drive in a storm so we started home around 11:30 a.m.  We hit a bit of traffic but the rain stopped and we got home just before 2:00 p.m.  I'm glad we went and I'm glad we got home early.  It's Bible Study tonight and we still have the afternoon to get dinner and get ready to go.

Hope you had a good day too.  Remember when I said the other day I was finished decorating?  Never say never.  I found another box of decorations.  I'll be showing you more tomorrow.

Kathy

MINI VACATION DAY THREE -- AND HOME AGAIN

This is how I feel about fall and I am sorry to see it end.  It seemed much too short for me.  But here it is with December and winter on our doorstep.

At least it ended on a high for me.  We had one last day in Lancaster County.  After the day before we were tired and we slept in.  I always get up before Joe does and today was no exception.  I was able to read my email, etc. before he woke up.  So by the time we got ourselves ready, it was later than we would have liked to get ourselves to breakfast.  We still had time though and breakfast was good again.  Most of the tables were full so we got a table with four seats.

Joe went up first and he got scrambled eggs, Danish, chocolate swirl pound cake and a banana.  Really healthy.  When he got back, I went up for my meal.  I got scrambled eggs, sausage and peaches.

When I got back to the table a lady was sitting with Joe.  Joe introduced us and told me she and her sister needed a place to sit and asked if they could sit with us.  Of course it was fine.  When we joined hands to say grace, she said she knew she had picked the right table.  Her name was Malina and her sister was Carolyn.  What wonderful ladies they were.  We so enjoyed our meal together.  In fact breakfast was over, the staff was cleaning up, and we were still there talking.  They were going to see the show at Sight and Sound today and then head home -- one to Washington, DC and the other to Durham, NC.

We asked our friend Jessie to take our picture and she did.  A couple for each of us.  Malina is on the left and Carolyn on the right.

I took one of just the three of them.

We went back to the room, packed up, settled the bill and it was time to go.

But before I did I got pictures of the last few gingerbread decorations.  They were all in the dining area.

I think we have to come back next year just to see the decorations.

After we left we headed for Lenox.  I had a 30% off coupon that I wanted to use.  I got some very nice Kate Spade travel mugs for my friends Carol and Donna.  They were originally $36.00 and I got them for $6.00.  So I got one for myself too!  I also got some cute kitchen towels and a couple of Christmas gifts.

We left there and went to Kirklands.  I didn't know they had a 40% off sale on all Christmas items today only.  Boy, I'd like to have about $500.00 to spend in that store.  I could do some real damage.  It was wonderful!  But I spent only $20.00.  I originally went in for a couple of Christmas scented (orange and clove) sachets.  Bathrooms tend to smell funky and I thought it would be good there.  Well, I walk into the store and a great gift for Joe is sitting right there and it's on sale.  Sold!  As I'm waiting in line I see a set of ceramic measuring cups.  My Pioneer Woman set had broken when they fell and this set matched my pans perfectly so they decided they wanted to come home with me.

After shopping we headed for home.  We made really good time and got home by 1:45 p.m.  When we got here there was a box on the front step full of food for the pantry at church.  Instead of bringing it inside, we put it in the car and headed over to church.  We got to see Pastor Ralph and talk to him a little bit and then it was off to get something to eat.

Where to go?  We ended up at McDonald's drive through.  We didn't want to leave the car in a parking lot when it was still full of suitcases and merchandise.

After eating, the rest of the night has consisted of trying to empty the car and put things away.  Now I am so tired I am going to bed.  Tomorrow begins Blogmas where I will be posting every day until Christmas.  Be sure to peek into my Christmas world.  There is so much to show you!  I'm excited.

Have a wonderful night.  I'll be getting my sleep.  I need it.

Kathy

MINI VACATION DAY TWO

Joe and I are still away and having a wonderful time.  I have tons of pictures to share with you today, so be prepared.

First of all, I want to highly recommend the LaQuinta in Ronks.  If you are ever in Lancaster County, it is the place to stay.  It is clean, convenient, and the people who work here are the friendliest, nicest people around. 

We began by having breakfast at the hotel.  They have a very good free breakfast.  Joe had oatmeal with raisins, a fried egg and fried potatoes.  He also had a large glass of orange juice and a banana.

I had scrambled eggs, fried potatoes and peaches.  I also had citrus water from the container they keep in the lobby.  It has lemons and limes sliced in it.

Our friend Jessie works in the breakfast room and it was fun seeing her again and getting to talk to her.

Every year the hotel has a different theme for its Christmas decorations.  This year the theme is Gingerbread.  It is fun going around the hotel and trying to find all the gingerbread decorations.  Here are some of the decorations and gingerbread I found.

This was on the wall in the dining room.  I don't know why the pictures turned out with this yellowish shade.  I think it was the lights.

This was on the front desk.

So was this.

One of the tables in the lobby.

The table in the center of the lobby had this cool train.

See the little gingerbread boy peeking out from the caboose?

The balcony has a little gingerbread village on it.

So many beautiful trees.

Another section of the front desk.

Another table in the lobby.

Everywhere I looked there was more and more gingerbread.

This wreath was behind the front desk.

There is more gingerbread decorations around and hopefully I will get pictures of them before we leave tomorrow.

After we ate Joe said he wanted to get a haircut.  We asked Brittany behind the front desk where to go.  Yes, we've been going there often enough that we know Brittany too!  She told us of a place just a block away.  We went there and it was a 45 minute wait so Joe put his name in and we left and went to Target.

What a nice Target they have.  We got so many Christmas gifts and a few things for ourselves.  Again, I will show you everything when I get home.

We left there and headed back to the hair cutting place.  The last customer was just leaving, so Joe was able to sit right down.  The cutter did a fantastic job on him.  I told him he should go there whenever we are out here.

Then we still had time so we took a quick trip into Reading China and Glass.  We went in to get a can/bottle opener since we can't find ours and came out with $25 worth of items.  How do we do this?  But more Christmas gifts and some cute decorating items to use for Christmas and January cookies that I will make for Fellowship Time at church.

We came back to the hotel, changed our clothes and headed to Sight and Sound for the show.  Even though we were early, we saw the parking lot was filling up fast.  I was concerned about having to walk a long distance in the parking lot.  Joe had the idea for me to put my handicapped tag in the window as I drove in, so I did.  When the guy showing us where to park saw the tag, he opened up a row for us with other handicapped cars and we were able to park fairly close.  The actual handicapped spots were taken and those people were actually in wheelchairs so of course they should have the closest spots.  But we were only five or six cars back so it helped a LOT.  I was going to take my cane, but didn't feel like having to deal with it, so Joe became my cane.  I just held on to him!

Here are a couple of pictures of Sight and Sound.  It was decorated so beautifully for Christmas.  And that wreath was HUGE!!

We saw the show "Jesus."  I wasn't sure what to expect because I had heard mixed reviews from my friends who had seen it already.  Let me tell you, the show was fantastic!  I have been to many shows at Sight and Sound and this was by far the best I have ever seen. The actors, the scenery, the stage production...  excellent!  Now, of course, there was some poetic license taken to make the story flow, but the main story spoke to me so much.  I found myself so involved in it and I felt God talking to me and teaching me so many lessons.  I told Joe that when the DVD comes out that we have to get a copy of it.

It was dark when we came out.  I asked Joe to get a picture of me in front of one of the lighted Christmas trees, but his hands were shaking too much.  They all turned out blurry.  So I had him stand next to me and I took a selfie.  Rarely do my selfies of the two of us turn out on first try, but this did.

The place was even more beautiful all lit up for night.

By this time it was around 5:30 p.m. and we decided to go get dinner.  My stomach was still acting up through the entire show so I wasn't sure how much I could eat.  We decided to go to Cracker Barrel for dinner.  We are out here and didn't eat Amish food once.  Oh well.  So we headed down the road to Rockvale Mall and drove around until we found the Cracker Barrel store.  It's tucked away and I always have a hard time finding it.  But Joe had an idea of where it was and we didn't get too lost.

It was very crowded but we got seated right away.  Joe got the turkey dinner and I got my favorite pork chop with mashed potatoes, broccoli and two biscuits.  Let me tell you, my diet has gone out the window during this trip.  I will get back on it when I go home.  I have lost 9 pounds so far and I want to keep going.  But a vacation is only a few days and I will be fine.  I like Cracker Barrel and wish there was one near me.  There isn't a single one in Philadelphia.  I have to go to New Jersey or into the suburbs to get to one.

Joe bought me the scarf I'm wearing when we were at Target this morning. I certainly did not bring warm enough clothing for the outdoors.  Indoors is fine.  I layer things.

After we ate we headed back to the hotel which is where we are now.  And tomorrow morning we are heading home.  Just a couple of more things I want to do here before we leave.  But I want to get on the road early to miss rush hour on the expressway.  I have done that before.  Not fun.  A two hour trip turned into almost four.  Nope, I'm heading out early.

This has been so much fun and exactly what I needed.  I have been blessed beyond measure in the past two days and thank God for giving me this chance to rest and recover.

Kathy

The view from our hotel parking lot.