I Went to Amish Country and All I Got Was this Shopping Cart

This is my Kyd. We head to Illinois Amish Country full of simple goodness and cultural heritage and what does SHE chose as a bit of remembrance. A shopping cart of course. Who wouldn't?

We started with a lunch in germanish restaurant. We won't have to do that again. So much for friendly, small town customer service. When the Kyd ordered pancakes at 10:45 with a breakfast menu available until 11, the waitress had to run and ask if it was still "OK" to order pancakes. Her return answer, "She (the cook) says she guesses it's OK to still do them if you really want them." At that point I resisted the urge to encourage everyone in the place (all 6 of us) to order pancakes upon pancakes upon pancakes.

We toured the gift/antique stores and had more than a few head shakes at the imports mixed with what we're told are the real antiques. While I can appreciate the need for a business to STAY in business, it's still disappointing to see the Amish dolls with a "Made in China" sticker on their butts. Times like this I really need a phone with a camera so I'm not so conspicuous with my big camera. Although, I managed to fight my embarrassment AND fear to whip out the camera and get a few shots of a an entire cubicle book case full of brightly colored sock monkeys. WHY, I ask, WHY?

My favorite little antique store in the town didn't disappoint this time either. There were a few things I would have liked to have left with, including an old bathroom door with frosted glass and a "Ladies" stencil, we resisted the urge (eeesh) and gave in to the call of the shopping cart. Not a great big cart and not a small preschool-run-over-your-ankles- cart, but a medium sized, old cart.

After loading it into the truck, the goal was to get it home and up the stairs before Dad came home and noticed there was a shopping cart in the house. Almost succeeded. That Dad has the eyes of an eagle. First trip up the stairs to the "office" brought about a "What's with the SHOPPING CART?" inquiry down the steps.

We pretended we didn't hear.