On day four another invasion of bright sunlight interrupted our slumber!  Cool temps had also crept in overnight and I was almost wishing I had packed my Granny gown!   Moving around the camper and getting some caffeine took care of the chill!  

After a leisurely breakfast, we headed out to the office of GAIN (Global Aid Network) in a nearby town (Mount Joy) to deliver the package of supplies that Kent Jewel, a member of our church here in Lancaster, SC, had asked us to deliver.  Kent and Jean have been associated with this wonderful organization for several years and have taken many trips to Russia in connection with its mission work.  From its website ( http://www.gainusa.org/):

Global Aid Network is a multi-national network of ministries serving to demonstrate the love of God, through word and deed, to hurting and needy people around the world through relief and development projects.

Our  Mission was now accomplished and we were happy to be the transfer agents for such a worthy cause! 

Proof of Delivery

Later, we enjoyed a bountiful lunch at the Good and Plenty Restaurant in Smoketown, Pa., a nearby village of sorts.  To set the stage, Smoketown is a small farming village in East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, PA, west of Bird-in-Hand, PA.  Population in 2000 was 119!  So now you know what we were up against.  I'm sure the population has swelled (as well as its tourists) by dining at the Good and Plenty Restaurant.  http://www.goodnplenty.com/   Interesting facts from its website state that:  When Good 'N Plenty first opened, it sat only 114 people. As word of Good 'N Plenty's delicious and satisfying PA Dutch food spread, hungry customers would sometimes wait up to two hours on a weekend to enjoy the restaurant's food. It didn't take long for the Lapps to realize that they needed to expand!

In 1971, the Dutch Room was added to the rear of the restaurant, making it possible to seat 570 guests. A larger waiting area was added in 1978, and, in the winter of 1994-1995, the restaurant underwent a major facelift and addition. Today, the restaurant can accommodate over 600 guests at one seating. Christ and Dolly Lapp, along with their children and grandchildren, continue to run the restaurant, serving delicious home-cooked food in the Lancaster County tradition. So, please come and enjoy what others have since 1969...Family Style Dining At Its Finest!

Hungry yet?  The food was very good, akin to our meat and three establishments, but on a much larger scale!  Served family style, the meal accommodated us and another family who joined us – Mom, Dad and 4 children.   The appetizers were delicious and also the multiple entrees were tasty and filling!  Fried chicken topped the list.  Butter noodles seemed to be a local favorite.  Just let your imagine run wild here.  Trust me: All American cuisine was front and center!  Refills on everything were offered throughout the meal. 

And, we thoroughly enjoyed sharing our meal with our new Florida friends.  (Bill has often said that just give me a few minutes and I will make friends with a stump!  Guilty as charged.)  The father was a landscaping engineer and owned a contracting company, but the family had a unique hobby.  Raising miniature donkeys!  Actually, the children were very involved in the care and raising of the donkeys and showing them at various festivals and that type of thing.  I just love learning new information! J Now, when I think of Donkeys they have a whole new meaning!  Just thought you’d be interested in this tidbit of information.

The Good and Plenty Restaurant was highly advertised in the area, and also recommended by some friends from home who had visited that neck-of-the-woods.  So our appetite was duly whetted.  I can attest to the fact that it lived up to its name:  it was both good and plenty.  And I might as well confess right here that we both yielded to great temptation and had dessert on top of all the other questionable carbs!   I’m certain Bill must have given me the first taste of shoo-fly pie … the best we good do for the evil apple.  J  After all, we were celebrating an important event in our lives.  Right?  (I can usually justify most all of my transgressions! J)  The shoo-fly pie was widely touted as an area must try.  Every area restaurant seemed to offer this local delicacy.  My assessment was that it is basically a pecan pie without the pecans!  Or, very similar to an old-fashioned syrup pie that I remember my mother baking.  Just a taste did it, because right away I could feel the sugar coursing through my diabetic veins after just a tiny bit!  What was I thinking to even let a taste get near my lips!  The day after this exhilarating experience may have also been a day that I decided to skip checking my blood sugar!  I’m sure there was no good basis for making this decision; it just seemed like a wise thing to do.  

Very near the restaurant was a Goodwill!  Can you feel the excitement building? Yes!  It seems that no matter where we go there is always a Goodwill (my favorite boutique of choice) in our path of travel and the vehicle automatically swerves across lanes or makes a fast exit to the right!  A U-turn is sometimes necessary, legal or not.  My sweet husband of 50 years was happy to drop me off and later even helped me load the dishes in the truck!  Actually, we did have some time to kill ... any excuse will do when needed.  And love truly does endure all things!  I always gravitate to the dishware section of whatever thrift store I find myself enjoying.  Every woman needs a few more dishes, right?  I knew you would agree.

From there, we went to the American Music Theatre where we enjoyed a delightful evening of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s music.  What a treat!  We were spellbound every moment of the performance.  The cast and orchestra were all outstanding and the talent was truly amazing!  Broadway at its finest.  There were many favorites, but Think of Me from Phantom of the Opera was one of the loveliest, in my opinion.  If you are interested in upcoming events check out AMT’s website: http://www.amtshows.com/category/events/  You will not be disappointed in the quality of these musical performances.

Afterwards, a drive through rural Amish farms back to our camper completed our day of exploring, eating, shopping, and being entertained by superb performers.  So far, we are enjoying every minute of our trip!