A Great Experience

I think it has been about nine years since we have taken a real vacation - a time away from home without any responsibilities or schedule to keep.  Now we have been on many trips, but they have been business related or to visit relatives. They aren't really vacations. We've been to Chicago and Pittsburgh for Awana training, to Wisconsin several times to visit with aging relatives, and to Pinebrook many times, usually to help in their programs.  Before I retired, we used to take long weekends away, but that hasn't happened for years.  Since retiring, our responsibilities with Awana, with Bible studies, with weekly church finances, church music, elections, etc. have sort of tied us down. I guess I am very old fashioned, but we feel a responsibility to be there when we make a commitment.  And then, of course, being retired our budget has placed some limits on what we can do.

My wife has always wanted to go to the shore during the Fall.  Now I really don't care for the sand, swimming in the ocean, or sub bathing.  But I do enjoy watching and listening to the waves roll in.  So this year I began to search the internet to find something that we could afford and enjoy.  And I was very fortunate to find a three day special at the Courtyard by Marriott in Ocean City, Maryland during a period that we could fit in between Sunday church finances and Wednesday night Awana.

We actually found a great location in a rather new hotel right on the beach.  We had an ocean facing room with a balcony.  We never got in the water, but we strolled the boardwalk several times a day, sat on the balcony and watched the waves and the people, read, wrote and relaxed.  There were very few people there - enough to make it interesting, but certainly not crowded. I think 70% looked "old" like us and about 25% had their dogs with them. The weather was just right.  It was just a perfect vacation that we needed, especially after about a month of various sicknesses.

However, one of the highlights of the week was finding a Chick-Fil-A just a few miles away.  There weren't many eating places open during this off season and those that were open were very expensive.  We have never spent much money on big meals, and once again, we are living on a budget.  Now we had only ever eaten once before at a Chick-Fill-A, when we were in Pittsburgh, but we have read of their admirable stands on moral issues as well as their refusal to open on Sundays. I have always appreciated their standing behind their convictions despite the possible resulting reduction in profits.

What we found was an amazingly clean store with a large variety of chicken products.  Everyone was extremely friendly and well dressed. Someone even came to our table and asked if they could give us a refill on our drink.  On our return, on the second day, the clerk at the counter actually remembered us and called me by name.  Of course, maybe I was so strange that she couldn't forget me.  But I hope not. The food was great.  In fact we took home salads to eat later in our room and they were fresh and great. It was just such a contrast to Wendys where we usually eat after church on Sundays.  It probably sounds strange, but our experiences there just topped off a great vacation.  My only regret is that we don't have a Chick-Fil-A close to us in Millersville.  If only they would build one in the new plaza on the New Danville Pike near Comet Field.  But I understand that they are asking "an arm and a leg" to rent or buy a location there.  But they will now be on my search list for a place to stop as we travel.  It is so very special today to see a firm with a good product and good moral convictions.  I guess that is the way it used to be in this country before it became politically incorrect to have both.

Lord willing we will be back to this motel and to Chick-Fil-A once again.  A+ to both!