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STILL SCRAMBLING! Up out of bed on Saturday morning to go on an escapade with my sisses-in-law (and a niece). This time we were taking part in the "Berks County's Best Kept Secrets Tour," our brown paper shopping bags filled up with a list of the thirty-five shops that were participating, doodads these shops were giving away in the high hopes that participants would choose their particular establishment as a stopping place, and coupons, and brochures, and a map, and well, just enough stuff that we spent a good bit of our time between shops rummaging through our bags. "Where is it we're headed next? Is there a coupon for the place? Are they giving anything away? Does somebody have the scissors?

Of course we couldn't visit all thirty-five businesses. Alas, we had to pick and choose.
We pored over the yellow sheet with the list, each shop enticing us to visit with flowery words:

"JUST CURIOUS Gifts and Antiques...Our 1907 Brownstone Victorian Row home has been transformed into a charming, unexpected experience GUARANTEED to delight!"
(And oh boy, did it!
This was my pick-of-the-day!)

"SUNSHINE BLUE SKIES...Shopping here offers an experience for the senses. Beautiful music plays softly, while imported Italian tableware, handmade glassware, jewelry and local artwork delight the eyes. Scented candles and bath & body products are a treat to the nose. Gourmet food products & luscious candies tempt the taste buds. Plush animals beg...." (Surely you get the picture, Reader Dear!)

There was no telling what we'd find at each stop, what all we'd be treated to!


While the majority of places we visited were some kind of gift shop, we did have:
Bagels at a bagel shop.
Ice cream at an ice cream shop.
Candy at a candy shop.
Fruit at a fruit...er..."WEAVER'S FARM MARKET...
is a fourth generation family owned farm nestled in the scenic hills of Berks County. The farm market feels like country sunshine and is brimming over with fresh, homegrown fruits and vegetables."






















In addition to this, some of the shops were serving refreshments to the tour-takers. Let's just say, Dear Reader, we didn't lack for edibles!
Nor did we lack for fun!

(I could tell you more if I weren't still scrambling, alas!)
It was late afternoon when we (somewhat reluctantly) ended our tour and returned to our meeting spot; then I scrambled home to guests!













My yard man was entertaining the European visitors with whom we'd eaten the night before! They were seated on lawn chairs in the yard and getting hungry. Is it any wonder, Dear Reader, that I scrambled to make dinner reservations?

I'll have to scramble* back tomorrow and tell you more about Earhart and Carla and Mary Jane and Pit (apologies if this is not the proper spelling [he's a linguist, after all]; it's a nickname for Pierre) and Hubert and Riener (or maybe it's Reiner, hmm, it's a German name!)

*Okay. Now I'm sick of that word.
There'll be NO scrambled eggs for me tomorrow morning!

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