Get sick.
Don't ask, believe me you don't want to know.
These 24-hour (or less) things seem to come and, um, go, thank goodness. I'm feeling better now, but still a little afraid to eat.
So.
Yes, the Amish do need to go places and are more than happy to pay us English to take them. In fact, they're even allowed to "drive" our riding lawn mowers and tractors. They're just not permitted to own them.
Which is kind of odd to me, because they're allowed to own chainsaws and sawmills, both of which operate on gasoline. They have propane heaters and they use some kind of machine to increase the pressure in their wells so they can have running water.
I haven't inquired about their "facilities," but I will soon learn, as I've been hired to drive the bakery owner to Pennsylvania later this month. I'll be staying with her family, eating my meals with them and charging my phone in the car. Heh. Blog posts may be short and sweet those days. Although I might find some free wi-fi for part of the time I'll be there. Stranger things have happened.
On our way home yesterday, Mrs. Yoder had a question for someone in our community and I offered my cell phone. She said I had to dial the number, she wasn't permitted to do that. So I made it really easy and put it on speaker. She didn't even have to touch that piece of modern wizardry!
I do find it odd that her community can have a phone (they have a little phone booth, shared by all the families), but not use mine.
Anyway. The rest of the world can talk about Candidate Mittens' latest gaffe (he really should have his jaw wired shut, as suggested by Andy Borowitz). The Amish are fixing dinner!
I just hope I can eat it.
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6 comments:
Sorry to hear you're not feeling well. I've been not well myself for se
I've been blaming it on allergies, but now wonder if at least half of my problems are related to sugar withdrawal (haven't anything with sugar in it for over a week now).
Meanwhile, I suspect another significant contributor is acid reflux, which struck me hard and unexpectedly last night. Some nights, I go to bed expecting it based on the fact that I ate something acidic or spicy or even chocolate too late into the evening. But yesterday, I ate well throughout the day and not overly much of it, so to wake up in the throws of a severe acid reflux attack was very surprising.
So today I've been busy catching up on all of the sleep I lost last night while it's been raining throughout the day until just about now. At least it was good sleeping weather!
What part of PA are you going to? You might be going fairly close to my hometown.
Hope you're 100% better soon.
My Amish can own the vehicle, but have to hire English to drive it.
Most of them do not own them, but they can.
All of our English driver/owner Amish taxi vans have special drivers licenses and insurance.
They can own and use cell phones if it is work related.
Long ago we had phone booths out in the country, but not any more.
At work they can use any type of machinery (computers, vacuums, cash registers, phones, factory machinery, saws, anything)
They have generators and have washers and freezers in their homes. The key point for them is not to be dependent on the grid, but to be self sustaining.
Our Amish have very good medical and dental care (we do not have the denture thing here). Almost all their babies are born in hospitals. The only midwife they use is English, not Amish.
Ours also travel a lot - like will go on Alaskan tours (bus and then cruise) or major amusement parks or ocean.
If you asked for a list of every restaurant they have ever eaten at, here, you would be shocked at how long their lists are.
I am on the fringe of the city limits. Farms start within walking distance of my front door. Once upon a time we were far outside the city, but lines moved up to us.
I see and interact with Amish and Mennonite every day.
My girls and I understand every word including the idea behind the German ones, but people on the other side of town, who never even see them, do not understand anything they say.
Outdoor Privies here
Wood burning stoves
Sleeping porches which are usually detached from house/stand alone for hot days in summer
Ours usually have a dining building instead of room at the parents or grandparents house - will hold lots of tables for family dinners, church meals, holidays
I have also known childless Amish couple to adopt English babies thru social services.
I have also known Amish families to informally adopt English teenagers who then drive and work for them. These were usually sort of lost souls kids from the area/farms who lost parents suddenly.
I love reading your blog as I always learn something (or many) each time. I am enjoying learning about your Amish community. I live in NYC, so for me, I would have to drive to Pennsylvania Dutch Country (Lancaster and there abouts) to experience what you do. I have gone, and have enjoyed their hospitality, and their delicious cooking, awesome quilts and hadnmade articles. I look forward to traveling there again sometime.
Honestly, I think I am puzzled by this kind of restrictive living. Doesn't matter whether it is Amish, Mormons, Muslims or plain Atheist weirdos - I think they should at least be able to give a good reason for the things they allow or not. (Which in most cases, they cannot do.)
Of course this does not mean I think they should not be allowed to live the way they want - im simply puzzled.
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