Sunday driving

Yesterday was sunny but quite cold, and we decided to go for a drive around part of the state we had not visited lately. So we took off up to Elroy, where Tom wanted to eat at a restaurant owned by a former Dells resident who also happens to be the brother of a former governor and cabinet member. Unfortunately, we drove back and forth in town -- a matter of only a few blocks -- and never located alleged restaurant.

So we stopped at a little place to eat. The menu was very small, but we were both pleased with our sandwiches. The young waitress asked how we were doing, and Tom told her we were just out on a pretty day having fun.

"Why did you come here?" she asked. "There's nothing to do."

She seemed genuinely shocked. We explained we were just driving around to look at the country. I imagine she went back to the kitchen to tell them there were some nuts out front.

We did have a nice drive through the Kickapoo River Valley, though. The landscape is great, and I imagine it is spectacular with fall colors.

On the way back, we passed an Amish buggy near Loganville. There are quite a few Amish in the area. Joe did some legal work for some of them when I was working in his office, and he frequently hired Amish carpenters. He lked their work, but he had to pick them up and drive them into Baraboo and then back home, because they do not drive automobiles. Another friend of ours used to earn part of his income driving Amish customers on long trips. Apparently they are willing to ride in a car or van, but they won't drive it. Just like the carpenters would not use electrical tools that had to be plugged in, but they would use battery operated tools. Even then, Joe had to recharge the batteries, because they would not plug in battery chargers. Joe explained it all to me, and there is a certain logical consistency to it. But as is often the case with the practices of other religions and other cultures, it leaves me shaking my head in confusion. As I am sure many Catholic or mainstream American practices leave the Amish shaking their heads, too. (Only the traditional Amish call everyone else"the English.")