I woke up early so I could take a short jog on the treadmill.  Thunder was booming outside, we were in for a rainy day apparently!

I got back to the room and Heather got up and it was time for us to head out.  But first…

 

They have free breakfast at our hotel! SCORE!! They also have a waffle iron so you can make your own waffles. Or if you're a super duper guy, you can make your wife's waffles.

They have free breakfast at our hotel! SCORE!! They also have a waffle iron so you can make your own waffles. Or if you're a super duper guy, you can make your wife's waffles.

 

Heather admiring her waffle

Heather admiring her waffle

 

After breakfast, we stopped by the house to see what was going on. We had to do some laundry so went into the basement and then suddenly Heather got a weird look on her face and immediately went to the freezer.

Everyone has a special super-power, Heather's super power is finding desserts. These cookies were hidden in the basement freezer. They don't even know that we took a whole bag yet, hah suckers!

Everyone has a special super-power, Heather's super power is finding desserts. These cookies were hidden in the basement freezer. They don't even know that we took a whole bag yet, hah suckers!

 

Another great thing about the basement is the ping pong table!!! Heather and I are planning a fierce match later.

Another great thing about the basement is the ping pong table!!! Heather and I are planning a fierce match later.

 

Our job today was pretty simple, we needed to buy some food for the upcoming reunion.  We bought what we needed and then decided to get a healthy snack at the salad bar.

It was a Health Food Extravaganza, Elkhart style. Fried Chicken and Cole Slaw, yeeeehaw! Wait yeehaw is more texas isn't it? What do they yell in Elkhart? In any case, the cole slaw was "meh". The fried chicken was great though!!

It was a Health Food Extravaganza, Elkhart style. Fried Chicken and Cole Slaw, yeeeehaw! Wait yeehaw is more texas isn't it? What do they yell in Elkhart? In any case, the cole slaw was "meh". The fried chicken was great though!!

 

 

By the poised forks and vulturistic expressions, you can tell they take their fried chicken pretty seriously here in Elkhart.

By the poised forks and vulturistic expressions, you can tell they take their fried chicken pretty seriously here in Elkhart.

 

I promised you a picture of a gangster hearse mobile, here it is. The effect would be cooler if I didn't have my mother-in-law and grandma-in-law in the back seat. But just so you know, Heather's mom had a shiv in her purse and her grandma was packing a glock.

I promised you a picture of our gangster hearse mobile, here it is. The effect would be cooler if I didn't have my mother-in-law and grandma-in-law in the back seat. But just so you know, Heather's mom had a shiv in her purse and her grandma was packing a glock.

 

We dropped them off and then headed out to go exploring on our own.   We had bought some blueberries from the store so had them for snacks.

 

This was not photoshopped and no, Heather does not have unnaturally small hands or anything, these blueberries were massive! If they had measurements, these bloobs would be size DD.

This was not photoshopped and no, Heather does not have unnaturally small hands or anything, these blueberries were massive! If they had measurements, these bloobs would be size DD.

 

A drive down Main Street Elkhart

A drive down Main Street Elkhart

 

We decided to stop by this nice coffee shop for second lunch (it was actually first lunch, you can't count cole slaw and fried chicken as a full meal, it is just snack food).

We decided to stop by this nice coffee shop for second lunch (it was actually first lunch, you can't count cole slaw and fried chicken as a full meal, that was just a snack Elkhart style).

 

Heather got a tomato soup and half a club sandwich and I got a split pea soup with half a sandwich. They were both very good! If you're ever in Elkhart, stop at the Daily Grind, it is great cofee and good eating!

Heather got a zesty tomato soup and half a club sandwich and I got a split pea soup with half a sandwich. They were both very good! If you're ever in Elkhart, stop at the Daily Grind, it is great cofee and good eating!

 

Okay single guys out there. Here's some advice. If you're trying to impress a girl and it is one of your early dates, don't take her to some fancy restaurant that is trendy with awesome food. No sirree, you should be different and laugh at convention, you should take her to a musical like HATS!

Okay single guys out there. Here's some advice. If you're trying to impress a girl and it is one of your early dates, don't take her to some fancy restaurant that is trendy with snuffy food. No sirree, you should be different and laugh at convention, you should take her to a musical... like HATS!

 

"Based on the women of the Red Hats Society, this fun-filled, fast-paced, high steppin', musical will make you realize that reaching 50 is just a state of mind." I don't know about you, but this seems MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARVELOUS!! Can you imagine how impressed your date would be??

"Based on the women of the Red Hats Society, this fun-filled, fast-paced, high steppin', musical will make you realize that reaching 50 is just a state of mind." I don't know about you, but this seems MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARVELOUS!! Can you imagine how impressed your date would be??

 

Back in the car we went off to do some explorin’ and high steppin’ of our own. 

 

As we drove past some houses, we spied this nice fountain outside. Ohh it looks like a girl looking into a bird dish

As we drove past some houses, we spied this nice fountain outside. Ohh it looks like a girl dazing into a bird bath, how precious!!!

 

Oh hey! Uhh..Hmm...Look at that. I guess he must be helping her up to look at the fountain. Hmm.. They're just having a fun ol' time aren't they, probably on summer vacation. I know! I'm going to call this photo Funication at the Fountain!

WHHHHHHHAT?! Uhhhhh.. Hmm...Will you uhh..Look at that. I guess he must be helping her up to look in the fountain. Hmm.. They're just having a fun ol' time aren't they, probably on summer vacation. I know! I'm going to call this photo Funication at the Fountain!

 

After the drive through the suburbs the sun broke through the clouds and it started to become a really nice day.  We decided to do something outdoorsy.

Every time I've been to Elkhart (this is the third time), we take photos at Bonneyville Mill. It is a nice little place to stop by and when Heather and I were first dating, we have a photo of us in front where there seems to be a ghost. This story would be a lot better if I actually had that photo to post. haha

Every time I've been to Elkhart (this is the third time), we visit Bonneyville Mill. It is a nice little place to stop by and when Heather and I were first dating, we have a photo of us in front where there seems to be a ghost in the picture as well. This story would be a lot better if I actually had that photo to post. haha

 

They have nice flowers and a small herb garden at the Mill

They have nice flowers and a small herb garden at the Mill

 

We take a photo similar to this every time we're here

We take a photo similar to this every time we're here hoping for more ghost appearances. None were seen today, too bad.

 

Just Heather posing near the commemorative Big Crop Fertilizer sign.

Just Heather posing near the commemorative Big Crop Fertilizer sign.

 

This is me trying out some Russian Sage from the herb garden. I realized I suck at recognizing herbs, I used to think I was pretty good at it. It is a lot easier when the herbs are actually labelled and you can pretend you know everything. Incidentally, I do that at zoos to Heather's utmost delight. We walk up to a cage and I ask Heather while secretly looking at the sign, "Whoa is that some sort of White Footed Magaradang Monkey?" And how the heck did I end up talking about zoo monkeys from this photo? I have no idea.

This is me trying out some Russian Sage from the herb garden. I realized I suck at recognizing herbs, I used to think I was pretty good at it. It is a lot easier when the herbs are actually labelled and you can pretend you know everything. Incidentally, I do that at zoos to Heather's utmost delight. We walk up to a cage and I ask Heather (while secretly already have read the sign,) "Is that some sort of White Footed Magaradang Marmaset? What the hey... IT IS!" And how the heck did I end up talking about zoo monkeys from this photo? I have no idea.

 

Just a nice photo of us in front of the water at Bonneyville Mills. This is a really great place to go for photos, just mind where you step because there is duck doodoo everywhere! Maybe that's why the flowers are so nice.

Just a nice photo of us in front of a creek at Bonneyville Mill. This is a really great place to go for photos, just mind where you step because there is duck doodoo everywhere! But I think they were ghost ducks because we didn't see a single one there.

 

I have no idea how Heather can allow disgusting gross moving catepillars on her hands

I have no idea how Heather can allow disgusting gross moving catepillars on her hands

 

Bleahhh these guys give me the willies. I just hate the way they move, they move so unnatural.

Bleahhh these guys give me the willies. I just hate the way they move, they move so unnatural. Look at that gross hair all over its body, this is an abomination of nature.

 

After a bit more driving through the nice countryside and farmlands we ended up in the city of Goshen and we saw a place that we always try and visit when we’re here.

As we only had two hours before dinner, we decided to just PRETEND we're going to Ritters Frozen Custard. So we took a photo of this sign.

As we only had two hours before dinner, we decided to just PRETEND we're going to Ritters Frozen Custard. So we took a photo of this sign. We knew we shouldn't eat anything because otherwise Heather might get in trouble for spoiling her appetite just 2 small hours before dinner.

 

For authenticity purposes, I bought a double scoop of chocolate and butter almond frozen custard in a waffle cone, stuck a spoon in it, and then took this photo after which I threw it away. I didn't eat it, no sirree.

For authenticity purposes, I bought a double scoop of chocolate and butter almond frozen custard in a waffle cone, stuck a spoon in it, and then took this photo after which I threw it away. I didn't eat it, no sirree.

 

Heather wanted to pretend she was eating chocolate custard too, so she pretended she ate the whole thing and that it was delicious!

Heather wanted to pretend she was eating chocolate frozen custard too, so she pretended she ate the whole thing and that it was delicious!

 

Meanwhile, back at Heather's grandma's house, Heather's dad Charles was making enough spaghetti to feed an army.

Meanwhile, back at Heather's grandma's house, Heather's dad Charles was making enough spaghetti to feed an army.

 

Meanwhile Heather's grandma was drinking up every last drop of alcohol that was in the house

Meanwhile Heather's grandma was drinking up every last drop of alcohol that was in the house

 

Luckily we had hidden a bottle of red wine where she couldn't find it. Here Heather's mom is saying, "this whole bottle isn't just for you, just ONE glass."

Luckily we had hidden a bottle of red wine where she couldn't find it. Here Heather's mom is saying, "this whole bottle isn't just for you, just ONE glass."

 

For some reason, Heather's mom was fascinated by this huge loaf of bread. I think secretly she was hoping it was filled with candy.

For some reason, Heather's mom was fascinated by this huge loaf of bread.

 

CANDY??!

We barely started dinner when she grab the loaf and started to rend it apart!!

 

Spaghetti with meat sauce, italian bread (sans candy), and a salad with homemade dressing. Delicious!!

Spaghetti with meat sauce, italian bread, and a salad with homemade dressing. Delicious!!

 

You can tell that both of them are totally trashed from the alcohol, that's why they're grinning so much

Look how happy they look! I think it was all the wine.

 

After dinner we talked for awhile and then decided to head out to a bookstore.

The barnes and noble is located in Mishiwaka, very close to South Bend, maybe 20 minutes away from our hotel. It's HUGE!

The barnes and noble is located in Mishiwaka, very close to South Bend, maybe 20 minutes away from our hotel. It's HUGE!

 

Here's Heather looking at her favorite type of book

Here's Heather enjoying a classic piece of literature

 

And here's me wondering why catepillars are so disgusting

And here's me wondering why catepillars are so disgusting

 

That was our day in Elkhart!  A very fun filled highly caloric day haha.  See you later alligators!