Day 9 (June 27th) – Columbus, Ohio and Amish Country

Our first full day in Columbus was a full one. We wanted to go see the Amish country and view a couple of covered bridges, but what has become a common theme, we once again got a late start. This late start can be contributed to sleeping beauty, Samantha. She didn’t want to get up and then when we did get her up. She moved at a snail’s pace. It also doesn’t help that when she takes her shower that she takes upwards of 45 minutes. We were all waiting on her. This really isn’t anything new. She has always taken a long time to bath or shower, but it has gotten worse in the last year. It makes Lisa really mad. I’m not sure why she gets so made at this. She herself can sit in a bath tub for hours and read a book. She hasn’t done that in a long while, so I guess she doesn’t like that Samantha takes her time every day.

Before we made our way over to view the Amish, my dad wanted to show the kids his boyhood homes and schools. The kids didn’t seem to be very interested in this little tour. Although they thought it was funny that grandpa would wash a car in a creek near one of the houses that he had lived in. They would just drive the car into the creek and wash it. You don’t see that anymore, or at least I haven't seen it.

Amish country is close to the Pennsylvania border and half way between Columbus and Cleveland. Holmes County, which is Amish country, is as far east as we will be getting on this trip. My dad took the scenic route, so Lisa could see the houses. She likes to look at house. Remember, she likes HGTV. She kept saying, “Oooohhh, look at that house”, especially to the ones with a wrap around porch. During the drive, we passed a cemetery, and my dad pointed it out. Miles looked up and exclaimed, “Cool dead people, awesome!” We all laughed. After sometime we passed yet another cemetery, and Miles once again exclaimed, “Cool dead people, awesome!” Sam then informed him that the first time it was funny the second time it wasn’t. He them exclaimed, “Ahh, shucks!” You had to laugh at that.

When we arrived in Amish Country we saw the horse and buggies and the Amish hocking the wears. It is just like what you see in the movies or TV. My dad who wanted to eat lunch at this place in Charm, Ohio didn’t want to stop at an Amish market or cheese factory as we passed them by, because the kids and my mom were hungry. He simply stated that we would stop on our way back to Columbus, so no big deal. Well, as you can probably guess, this did not happen. Remember, I told you about the New York trip and as we crossed the bridge my dad points out the Statue of Liberty. This is one of those days. Lunch was very good. We had some Amish style eats that were very tasty. The place was called Grandma’s Homestyle Cookin. They gave you some bread, and on a lazy-susan they had some preserves, butter and something that looked like mustard. After tasting it, we could quite make out what it was. It poured out like mustard and had a sweet taste. Lisa said it tasted like Bit-O-Honey candy bar. I thought it tasted like a sweet butter. The waitress walks by as we are discussing this and said it was peanut-butter. All I can tell you is that it is the best tasting peanut-butter that I have eaten. I could have had a sandwich and would have been happy. On the way out, I bought some for the trip. Such a delicacy as this should be savored over and over again. What makes it so good? It could be the sugar that they add or the marshmallow. Either way, it is simply sinful. I was completely stuffed after eating the bread and peanut-butter, a pulled pork sandwich and home-made blackberry pie with home-made ice cream. It was all very tasty.

Now that we have satisfied everyone’s stomachs, it was time to go back to the Amish market and cheese factory, but my mom made a comment about going another way. I stated lets go back to the market and factory before heading out another way, but I am told there is another one on the not so scenic route back to Columbus. I should have stuck to my guns, but my dad is driving so I just agree to go along for the ride. I really should know better by now. We head toward the highway and see some Amish parties taking place in the yards and more in their buggies. I see a sign that says winery and cheese factory. My dad states that isn’t the place that he wants to go to. We totally miss it and end up on the highway. At this my mom and Lisa ask what happened to stopping a market or cheese factory. So my dad has to turn around to try to find the place. It so happens the place that he was looking for is next to the winery that I spotted. Overall, I am not impressed with the winery and the cheese market. I should have really stuck to my guns. I can’t completely blame my dad on this one, since my mom wanted to go the quicker way back to Columbus.

Lisa is disappointed in our little trip to the Amish country. She was expecting a town where they have lots of shops that you could go in and view there wears. Many of them would set up shop on a corner or next to a restaurant to sell their goods. Lisa was expecting an Amish Wal-Mart.

When we got back to Columbus, we went and saw my dad’s cousins Ralph and Peach at their home. We drank some wine and talked, while the kids drank soda and played in the nearby park. At one point, they played hide-and-go-seek. Miles doesn’t play this game very well. Almost immediately after someone finishes counting, he stands up and says “Hello” or “Here I am.” He has done this for as long as I can remember. He also doesn’t seek very well. He seems to expect people to return the favor by standing up and saying “Here I am.” Peach had showed me some photos of my Great Great Grandmother, who had 15 kids, and my Great Grandmother who got married at 16 to my 36 year old Great Grandfather. Overall, we had a nice visit with Ralph and Peach. The pictures were ones that my dad hadn't seen before.

We drove a total of 233 miles to day. We have driven a total of 3101 miles for the entire trip. We didn’t purchase any gas today.