Day 5: Buckeyes and Buffalo

BUCKEYES!!! This was our chance to show Sam where I went to Graduate School (think script Ohio). Peggy and I realized that even though Holly's Eats gave this German Restaurant 5 grease stains (the top rating), we had never been to this part of Columbus Ohio during the 1 and 1/2 years I attended school. Hmmmm. the area, known as German Town, has cobbled brick streets and wonderful eateries...the best of which is Schmidt's Sausage Haus. Are those my fingers behind Peggy's head???

The classic meal is the 3/4 lb Bahama Mama...grilled to perfection.

There was also an option of garlic or straight up Bratwurst...This one received many yearly Columbus awards as the "Best of the Wurst"!
Chocolate Pastries and Bavarian Cream Pies were amazing, but few people had room for them...
This place has been visited by the rich and famous of Buckeye-ville...For those that don't recognize this boxing champion...Woody Hayes had been here too.
Peggy ordered the Sauerkraut and Sausage Balls...
While Sam enjoyed the chicken and spaetzle salad...
While I went with the $9.25 Buffet...all the brats, and bahama mamas one can devour...Jim, I was mellow!
Then a walk through memory lane, we went to the house I lived in during my 1st year of Grad school. Mine was the attic apartment. The lawn was still strewn with cans...hmmm I wonder if they're the same ones?
On to BUFFALO... A Steamship Round...this baby is probably 30 pounds of perfect roast beef carved by an expert and delivered up on a Kummelwick Roll....a kaiser roll with large salt and caraway seeds on the crust. Endearingly referred to as a "Beef on Weck", Anthony Boudain had just visited last week, and next year, Guy Fieri has promised his show will cover this classic establishment.
Since 1837 Schwabls believes they may be the longest enduring restaurant in NY and perhaps the country...continually operating every year through all of US History's ups and downs...
Sam's friends wanted a few more pictures of her, so here she is wearing MY HAT...which somehow I think will end up in Orlando for a number of months...
Peggy ordered the full dinner...
While I went directly for nothing but the Beef on Weck...2 of them. My strategy turned out to be eating only 1 of them but putting the salted/carawayed top on top and bottom...

I couldn't finish, but it was worth it!
Driving back to our hotel, a bit full, we reminisced as we passed the City Hall where Peggy and I waited on line, and received, our wedding license...yeah!
A glorious sunset
and to our excellent (1.5 rating on the Dump-o-Meter with 1 nicest and 10 dumpiest) Best Western in downtown Buffalo....and we proceeded to do what we do in the hotel rooms....try to guess what's on the left, just out of frame...
Yep....a TV! We are happy campers...sated but happy...tomorrow should see Ted's Hot Dogs for lunch, lots of walking around Buffalo, and then a classic Italian meal....Blessings,

Day 4: Dump to Dayton

The Dump-o-meter almost reached a 9.5 by the time we departed in the morning. Let's just say, with this glorious view, we checked in, wrote the blog, rated the dumpness as between a 6.75 and 7.5...and then...the score sky rocketed...After the morning shower, the bath towel was shredded in the middle. The toilet worked, but had been through WWII, and hasn't seen porcelain or paint since DDay.

Not to worry, we went early to get our free breakfast...2 slices of damp white bread, empty condiment trays and TANG...oooo, can you feel Peggy's joy? We left asap and headed to the nearest Krispy Kreme...the donuts were hot and the coffee excellent. Too bad Sam ate the other half of Peggy's without asking...and we were already on the road by then...I bet Sam wished she was still eating breakfast at the dump after that encounter....

HollyEats .com, like Diners, Dives and Drive Throughs, recommends unexpected and yummy smaller gastronomic establishments. This one, called Crown Candy, received a 5 out of 5 Grease Stain rating(that's the highest). It is on a corner of St. Louis that no one would normally visit, unless they were short on gray market prescription medication. Nonetheless, when we arrived, there was a HUGE crowd waiting outside...and the inside was relatively small = long wait.
As is the modus operandi for Peggy, she entered the establishment to do recon. Knowing there was at least a 1 hour wait, we thought we had no option but to put 75 cents into the meter and wait with the crowd...
However, Peggy discovered there was a take out option...and no one was on line. Why not...we had our food in under 5 minutes, put the top down in the car, and sat at our parking meter indulging in this double dogged chili cheese diet meal. wow!!!
I ordered the previous smothered dog, and Peggy had this Reuben...which was also amazing...and huge...the kosher pickles were superb also...
But the creme de la creme was the BLT. They call it the Heart Stopper, with over 1/2 pound of perfectly cooked bacon...this teamed with the 2 24oz chocolate milk shakes and we were moaning with joy...Within 25 minutes of arriving, we were back on the road through St. Louis toward Dayton Ohio.
Plenty of time to take an Arch picture at a slowed down speed of 60 mph...time waits for no man, and supersonic fly bys are our specialty...
and to top Ben's profile facebook picture of him holding up the Arch, you see here Peggy having no problem containing the "arch" in her capable palms.
And to be sure we caught the "Results show", there was time only for me to run out in the rain and procure take out pizza...cut just like I remember from Ohio State, in famous little squares...
Thankfully, we are now out a Best Western just west of Dayton, and this room rates a 3...whew...

So signing off for now, we head for Buffalo and Ted's Hot Dogs for tomorrow's dinner and then another Best Western.... Praise the Lord! We miss you and love you all....

Day 3: Part 2 Greensburg Kansas

Coming towards Greensburg from the north, we saw the 2 most familiar landmarks...the silo and the water tower that was raised the day we were there. Most of the following pictures will have little text, our experience was primarily kinosthetic...we felt the original damage, the seemingly insurmountable tragedy, the power of servants and willing spirits and the progress that was reasonable...neither overwhelming nor disappointing...

The 1st house we all worked on...
All alone, without Stu's front porch pillars, yet fully livable.
Nothing else around...still...
Appreciation everywhere
Green efforts abounded
Our ministry team names were no longer written on the blue supporting structure
The amazing hand dug well...
the water tower!
the gift shop...
lots still in progress
where we met locals for coffee each morning
new construction at the high school
Peter's home...nice!
Peggy so wanted to see the tile job in the bathroom, and give Peter a hug...no one was home...
love those redi-forms
long view towards Peter's home
hopelessness in many corners
joyful completion in others...
empty spaces
hope communicated in other places
the main intersection still under construction
streets closed off in various places and infrastructure still lacking
the baseball park
the field looks great! This was key to instill a sense of worth and hope for the youth...and it seems to have worked...
nice silver paint still shining...
yellow outfield fence in fine shape...I can still see the sunburns and the paint stains on many of our youth...
Haviland's water tower...where we stayed during our mission...
the wonderful church that housed us all
still in the business of sharing the love of Jesus Christ with their community
our private entrance
coffee and chatter at 6:00 am each morning
the supply store in Pratt...
Many hands, much sweat, untold prayers....all a blessing and all still needed. They anticipate at least 10 years for completing the restoration of the buildings...however the restored hope is already at hand! Blessings to all who helped and prayed!