Hello all: Don I am so glad that your eye are doing well. It is really wonderful the progress and the miracles that can be done these days. I worked at our local hospital for 36 years. I remember when you had a baby you were in the hospital for 5 days and a gall bladder surgery was two weeks in the hospital and lots of pain. Now people are usually discharged the next day. Since Pa Dutch list is so quiet I thought I would send something out. I was in Lancaster County last weekend totally enjoying a wonderful weekend. I went to Goods store(finally found where it was and felt so silly because we have been to the Shady Maple lots of times) and found some great bargains. Two soft nightgowns for 75% off!! I love bargains. My girlfriend and I had a girlfriends weekend. We give this to each other instead of exchanging Christmas presents. We leave our husbands home and go. The Good and Plenty is a must for Dinner. A trip among the Amish would not be complete with out their finger licking chicken, pepper and cabbage slaw and brown buttered noodles and MASHED POTATOES!!! I was so bad!! But it was so good. My girlfriend who has been dieting and has lost 100 pounds totally went off her diet and she said it was worth every mouth full. She said I won't have dessert and then they came out with cracker pudding. I can still hear her saying I love that pudding I will go back on my diet tomorrow as she had a nice bowl full. She deserves it because she has really been sooo good. I love the craft and flower warehouse to get some paper for my scrapbooking hobby. Visiting lots of shops and getting some very tasty goodies to bring home. All I have to say is I am going to the land of my ancestors and all you hear is bring me molasses cookies!! As a child visiting my grandparents in Pa there was always Molasses cookies for dessert. We love to ride over the country road and see the countryside, covered bridges and hopefully and buggy or two. We were happily rewarded with many and had a beautiful sunny day. Well next time I will go to Berks Co. and say hello to my long deceased ancestors. Don't laugh but as I ride through looking as the beautiful old stone homes I talk to them and say please give me some clues as how to find you. I have been searching so long! One of these times they are going to hear me and Yahoo you will all hear me. Well my pot of chili is done and hubby wants dinner. Have a good weekend and keep Pa Dutch going we all love stories of Berks co. Hugs, Sally Scott

I wish we lived closer to Lancaster County. It has been a few years since I visited there with my sister and brother-in-law. My sister made Civil War re-enactment costumes until she died, and bought a lot of her material in Lancaster County. While I was back east on a month-long visit, we spent a week there. I thoroughly enjoyed the food and the scenery. Of course I had to have a fresh Amish pretzel more than once while we were there. My wife was not able to be with me on that trip and she has never been to Lancaster County, but I hope to take her there some time. Don in AZ