Saturday, October 25, 2008

Making progress...and an Amish auction

Hooray, Monaco finished the painting late Thursday and we got the coach back! So, we did a thorough cleaning due to the flooring installation and prepared for Carlisle, the Amish woodworker, to install the new day/night shades and maple valances. The floors are just what we hoped they would be; I am a happy girl!! :)

Getting up early on Friday because the Monaco guys wanted to wash the coach before we left, the Alternator light gave a failure sign, so they checked it, and sure enough, we need one of those lil 'ole things! So, that means another day or two here.....gee, we are thinking about trying to find ACORN around here so maybe we can vote in Indiana!!! :)

At any rate, we felt very lucky to have that happen right here in the service center, as opposed to on the road somewhere!!

So we got a message to Carlisle (many of the Amish have cell phones that they leave in a little booth by their driveway; they go out, check it and return phone calls frequently during the day, taking care of business in this way) and he agreed to come to us and install the valances! Bob drove down to Nappanee (quicker than a horse and buggy), and returned with Carlisle and the maple valances!! They got them all installed in about two hours...whoohooo!! I was so grateful to him for coming up to us...now we are not so far behind in the "to do list" !! And Wow, I like those valances!!! I am a happy girl!!

We have truly enjoyed getting to know Carlisle and learning a little more about the Amish ways here in Indiana. They are more progressive than the Pennsylvania Dutch and seem to be pretty prosperous. Carlisle has a fabulous workshop, with state of the art tools. It is powered by a 40 KW generator! His home is immaculate and he also has a lovely showroom, also powered by generators. He has two power boats...one in the yard and another in his two car garage, parked next to his black covered buggy!! We haven't yet asked him if he launches the boats with the horse!

Today was "donut" day....this called for a daytrip over to Middlebury to the best little bakery we've ever encountered! The "Rise and Roll"....Bob is addicted to the Chocolate covered custard filled donuts. Very light and buttery with the most delicious custard filling...Yum Yum!! We watched the young girls making their goodies, using belt driven mixers, under propane lights. Once again, this was a first rate shop, powered by a generator and using propane for cooking. The Amish are quite ingenious in providing the means to keep their lives and livelihoods prosperous.

Armed with donuts, rolls and fresh bread, we drove through the Middlebury countryside and came upon an Amish auction........there must have been over one hundred buggies parked in the field, along with quite a few cars. We decided to check out the auction...what fun!!! The Amish people were friendly enough, and we browsed through the barns and sale items. They had a bake sale and were cooking chowders and tenderloins!! Of course, we had to buy some of their cherry and apple pies and cookies. The cherry pie is made with dark, bing cherries, and my oh my, it is good!!!

It was most interesting to see their working farm up close. The stalls were full of draft horses, cows and horses to pull their buggies. But no tractors!! They had a working windmill and large propane tanks. Most of them were speaking a form of German, as they usually do to each other. Healthy grape vines grew around the base of their windmill, still laden with large clusters of blue-black grapes. Lots of children, all dressed in homemade, solid colored or denim clothing, were laughing and playing in the yard. What a treat it was to step back in time and walk around this farm.....oh, and they do their auctions just like we do; an English auctioneer rides in the back of his truck with a microphone and performs the sale!

(The camera was left behind in the coach today, so no photos. We wouldn't have taken photos at the farm or auction, even if we had it with us. But we missed lots of glorious fall landscape photo ops today (: ! )

An Amish "manure spreader"!


After talking with my sister, KK, we have decided that I will wait until later this week to come home. It looks like we may be finished here on Wednesday, so that would be great! It is starting to get COLD here and there is a possibility of SN*W on Monday.....brrrrrr...time to head South!

Kristy seems to be doing very well after her BMT....this is great news!!! Many thanks to everyone for your prayers and well wishes...it really means a lot.

Big hugs and safe travels to everyone!


5 comments:

Randy and Terry said...

Good to hear that Kristy is doing well. And we need pictures of the all the renovations to the rig!! :)

Tumbleweed Dee said...

Have you had the shoo-fly pie from the Amish? If you get a chance try it. I'm glad Kristy is doing better! I'm sorry you're still in Elkhart, but a good that the problem wasn't on those lonely roads out in the corn field area.

Leno said...

Wow, seems like you have been there forever! Sounds like a place I would like to visit someday. I know who to go to with the questions when its time..
So glad Kristy is doing well after the procedure. I keep her in my prayers.
Can't wait to see the pictures of the new additions.

Mark and Dortha said...

We are so glad that Kristy is doing well and we will be praying that she continues to do well. I know you are soooo glad to have the coach back. I bet you feel like you have a new home. Enjoy.

I think we should all plan a trip to Indiania and you can be the cruise director.

And, you are right, it is time to head South.

Hugs,
Dortha

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