Happy Holidays from Pennsylvania

We are having a great time here with Carmen, Doug and the grandkids. They have never had the opportunity to spend this much time with us so it's fun spoiling them just a little.
The kids are very busy. Lily (11) has swim practice 4 to 5 nights a week. That kid can swim like a dolphin. I honestly believe she is Olympic material if she continues to be as passionate and competitive. Elijah (13) has wrestling practice every school night and juggles that with the same swim practice schedule as Lily. They both eat like horses and burn it off just as fast as they eat it. Andrew (17) is busy getting ready for college. He has sent his portfolio to several colleges since we've been here and has already received responses from two. He is holding out to hear from his first pick. He wants to be a graphic designer and he will be very good at it.
Carmen is so busy we can't keep up with her. She works for "Two's Company/Tosai Homes. This company sells upscale home decor to private businesses. Carmen has a bit territory that covers a large part of Lancaster county. She is on the move every day contacting her customers and generating sales. As if this isn't enough, she finds time in between to model and work on her Africa foundation. This kind of non-stop activity is right up her alley. She is a go-getter.
Doug is at the end of his season in the landscape design business. He has been working on Christmas cards for all of his customers. He works hard and is very talented. Doug has won several awards for his expertise as a landscape architect.
We think next week will be less busy for everyone and we can focus on Christmas.
You would find this area quaint and fascinating. Imagine a Norman Rockwell setting of old east coast style housing with a mixture of automobile and horse and buggy traffic lining the streets day and night. Now imagine taking a short walk in your winter coat and scarf down to the village square. The Amish are very present in their buggies. There is something so humble and heartwarming the way the little Amish kids peek their heads out the back window of the buggies to get a good look at you while you are getting a good look at them in their black pants, black coats, black hats and little black boots. I think the fascination works both ways.
You may choose to wander into the creamery to enjoy homemade soup, sandwiches and ice cream sundaes on one side, or you can enter the other side to find bins of fresh penny candies, homemade chocolates, home canned jellies as well as traditional trinkets and house wares of Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch flare. You can also walk across the street to Mirenda Zuggs coffee shop for a warm bagel with cream cheese and egg with a fresh cup of gourmet coffee. While enjoying your tasty treats you can imagine the wonderful diversity of the local residents running in and out and up and down the square. You enjoy blacks, whites, Amish, Asians, people who have lived here all their lives and transplants from everywhere. There is not one of these people who will not say hello and engage in conversation with you.
If this seems to small town for you, there is the Mall of Prussia in Philadelphia. This is the second largest mall in the world. There is also old town Lancaster where you can enjoy the eclectic, the artistic, the traditional and the new wave while strolling down the cobblestone streets and alleys that will eventually take you to the Farmers Market full of fresh produce, fresh meats, homemade candies and just about anything you can imagine in fabulous fresh goods.
There is always the short drive to Intercourse, where you don't necessarily have to have intercourse to enter this quaint village full of very old hardware stores and markets. You can find seasonings, fresh pastas, snacks and canies that you will probably never see anywhere else. Just like when grandma took you to the store and your eyes were as big as silver dollars staring at the nad pulled taffy, freshly made fudge, fresh licorice, cookies right of the oven.....I'm starving just writing about it.
In the village of Intercourse, where once again, I will remind you it isn't neccessary to have intercourse to visit there, there is a cannery. We were so amazed by this palce we must have spent and hour just looking at their goods. Every row of goods is lined with sample dishes to entice your taste buds. We sampled hot pepper jellies, fresh salsas, fresh horseradish, every kind of pickle and beet you can imagine and my favorite, sweet and sour southern chow chow. This a cabbage salsa that I would have loved to fill my suit case with. I did get the website so we will be having some great horsd'euvres for any of you who come to visit.
All of this and we haven't even begun to celebrate the Christmas season yet. But, I will guarantee you while you are preparing for old St. Nick we will be huddled in the living room, next to our fresh cut noble fir decorated by the kids with their vintage bulbs and lights opening presents by the fireplace.
Are you jealous yet? Well, it is bitter sweet for us because we still can't wait to get back home.
Happy Holidays from Jim, Carol, Carmen, Doug, Andrew, Elijah and Lily.