The Amish and Me
At least once a year we visit my wife’s family in Central Pennsylvania. They live in small towns in close proximity to Penn State which provides much of the non-farming employment in the area.
An interesting part of the visit is provided by the Amish neighbors who have moved into the small hometown in which my mother in-law lives. For the last 20 years almost every house that has gone on the market has been bought by an Amish family. The first Amish family moved into the house next door about 30 years ago. My kids got to know their kids a bit and as time passed we also got to know the family. They owned the only (successful)store in town and sold boots and equipment related to horses and carriages. The retail approach met the needs of the growing Amish community but also me the high end needs of the Dressage and horse show crowd. If I needed boots I would schedule the purchase to my annual visit to PA. The selection carried in this small country store was as diverse as any I have seen anywhere.
The Amish are known by most for the separate life they lead from the normal activities of a typical American family. We have become friends of a sort with a number of Amish folks but recognize that there is a separation that will not be crossed . That is understandable and OK with me. I feel my blood pressure relaxing as I sit on the porch watching the neighbors grandkids playing in the yard with simple wagons and carts. They are having as much fun as any kid in
America and there is not a cell phone or I-Pod in sight. On the porch I watch with interest when the neighbors head out with their carriage pulled by a beautiful Standard Bred which didn’t quite make it at the track as a big time Trotter. He seems to be quite happy heading into town proudly trotting in front of the neighbors carriage.
An older single Amish lady lives across the road with an immaculate lawn and hanging plants around the porch. The property looks great and today I discovered why. A young Amish Family showed up with push mower and a few garden tools. In an hour the lawn was cut and trimmed and the young family was on their way home. My mother in-law explained that an Amish family shows up every week to handle the large lawn cutting. It is a different family every week and a schedule has been worked out that takes care of this for the neighbor.
Last year the next door neighbors house caught fire and burned to the ground . It was a total loss.
The embers were not yet cool when the Amish community started showing up to help solve the neighbors problem. We followed the progress of restoration every day from Colorado on the phone with my wife’s mother. She watched from the window with amazement as a new house appeared next to her rising like a Phoenix from the rubble. Hundred of Amish friends and relatives appeared within a few days with hammers and saws. Six weeks later our friends were in their new house.
We are not talking a modest house. It is approximately 4000 sq ft with every amenity(except electric) that is necessary for a comfortable life. I ‘ve had a tour of the new house and as an old builder developer I can’t even imagine how that six week deal happened.
I’m not about to convert(they wouldn’t take me) but I recognize certain aspects of the Amish life that were once important to most Americans. Family and community were once structured into our activities every day. The family was first and other issues were structured around that primary consideration.
The President was not in our face every day and we were able to get along without the government plan for the AM followed by the PM outline. I think that the average Amish person doesn’t know what Nancy Pelosi does for a living. That is not unusual since I’ve been trying to figure that out for some time. I have figured out how to avoid high blood pressure problems.
My personal recipe. Only listen to a weekly summary of the news. Listen while lying down after taking a full sized aspirin (not an 81mg variety). If there is a Nancy Pelosi sound bite, on the news broadcast, hit the mute button.
This prescription has not been approved by any medical organization and I am not sure what the administration will think about it. I do fear that if my practice becomes widespread that the administration will make a proclamation requiring a National Noon News Break where we will gather for daily instructions from the Obamanista Administration.
The Amish won’t notice. No electric
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