Missed Me?

I just got back from Shipshewana, Indiana! (That's a mouthful!) Shipshewana is a unique town...it is inhabited by quite a few Amish families and they work in the shops and restaurants in town. We went to a steak house and our waitress was a delightful Amish woman who kidded with us and gave us the best service! (And there were 11 of us, so it wasn't exactly an easy bunch...we were sharing meals, asking for special orders and splitting desserts...WOMEN!) 
It was strange to see cars driving alongside horse and buggies, and in the midst of a terrible rainstorm, I felt sorry for the Amish man we saw peddling his bicycle down the road...but, no sense offering him a ride!

The town of Shipshewana was fairly small, and the outlying area was made up of country roads. Man, was it hot there! (Especially compared to Wisconsin!) In the 90's...

 The Amish buggies parked everywhere, alongside the cars was such a novelty! This wasn't the first time I've ever experienced this...my Mother-In-Law and Sisters-In-Law and I do this trip every other year. We have been doing this for a LONG TIME! My SIL Steff's mom, sister and cousins have joined us since Steff's dad died about 8 or 10 years ago. No kids are allowed. We only go for a few days.

 Of course, I forgot my camera...with all of these great photo ops everywhere! Aaarrggghh!(The ones here on my blog of the horses and the flea market I took off the Shipshewana Tourism internet site.) I did take one of a horse and buggy with my cell phone camera - and when Aaron teaches me how to get it onto my computer, I may show you. (I don't have internet service on my phone, which would make things a whole lot easier...)

The main reason we go is to SHOP! The big attraction is the Shipshewana flea market. It is the 10th largest flea market in the nation. Booths are set up - many of them by the Amish. (My MIL is obsessed with Amish stuff. She grew up in Indiana, so I think it reminds her of "home.")

I got quite a few great finds. Hubby told me "NO FURNITURE!" And so, when I found something really cute, I got it for my MIL for her Christmas present. My SIL's snuck it past her and got it home without her suspecting a thing - she never even saw it!

The only problem is...I set it up in my bedroom...you know - just until December???? Mike hasn't come home from work yet. I haven't seen him since I've returned from my trip. He hasn't seen this piece of cuteness:

It's REALLY CUTE!!! It's raw oak. That bottom part swings out from the main stool. Adorable. I paid $12 for it!!! Twelve bucks! It goes so well with the rag rug runner I got for the top of the dresser right next to it... Maybe Mike won't mind if I keep it...you know...get my MIL something else for Christmas!!!

I probably should have just put it in the storage room and never have set it up in my bedroom...

But, it's so cute!!!

Well, I better get going. I just got home, and I've laundry to do...because I am planning a movie night with some girlfriends. We're meeting at Perkins at 6 to have pie and discuss whether or not we'll go see a chick flick (there's not much in the theaters right now...) or come back to my place and see one. I hope they agree to do the latter, because I rented You Again. Betty White's in that one and I just bought and read:

It was really good (I LOVE Betty White!) and I would do a drawing and give that away, then. :) That would be a fun girl night. I know of at least 7 friends who are coming tonight, and I may have as many as 18 (but probably not that many...after all - it is summer!) Either way - it will be fun...even if we just sit around Perkins and talk all night!

Well...I missed you! Let me know what you've been up to!