Sugarcreek OH | Brain leaks and musings by "Mr. Boomsma," educator and author

Let’s start a movement and call it “Simply Sunday.” The idea behind it would be how simple can we make life on Sundays.

So the short update for yesterday is simply short. We didn’t do much. Just to give you an idea of what that means, one significant event was munching on maple-frosted cinnamon buns purchased on Saturday.

We did reinstitute the decades-old tradition of “going for a Sunday Drive” to nowhere in particular. That included some picture-taking.

Monday (today) is not proving quite as simple. For some reason, downloading yesterday’s photos from the camera is challenging. I think I’ve narrowed the problem down to a faulty adapter.

So here I am in a place where I can readily find maple-frosted cinnamon buns, fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole milk. However, I’m not so sure the cable I need will be easily located, which might not be a bad thing.

A return visit to Behalt is coming up and takes priority, either today or tomorrow morning. Tomorrow night, we have dinner prepared by an Amish couple in their home. I can still take photos (no face shots of the Amish*). Posting them may be delayed.

The technology issue is truly a gelassenheit moment.**

We are moving slower and sleeping better. Is that a sufficient update for today?

*The subject of photographing the Amish is not as simple as many people believe. While at Behalt, the two volunteers (Mennonites) assured me I could photograph anything but them–it was obviously a camera shyness and somewhat humorous request. I teased, “Oh, I understand. You think that taking your picture with a camera will steal your soul.” We had a good laugh, but there are Englisch who believe the Amish think that.

**Gelassenheit is a German word often used to describe the Amish mindset. It does not translate easily, but the Cambridge Dictionary explains it “means calmness, composure, poise or serenity in English.” It’s a sort of “so be it” way of thinking that I have written about elsewhere. Check out Cows, Corn, and Calm.

We arrived in Sugarcreek late yesterday afternoon after more Interstate incidents. One qualified as a “you can’t get there from here” experience. We did ultimately find our way. Greta Garmin complained a lot and did a lot of “route recalculations.” I think she resented the fact that human interference was required. To her credit, her voice showed no signs of frustration.

That means she also hasn’t experienced the joy of parking inside a garage at our VRBO. She doesn’t care how amazing this place is, but we sure do. We have everything we need and some things we don’t. It might be a new way of looking at “simple.” I did have some difficulty figuring out how to start the coffee maker this morning, but it was there, along with a wide array of coffee choices. The owners clearly have both the desire and skill to make things easy for their guests.

The last time we were in the area was close to forty years ago. I’d been warned that “a lot has changed.” Since my memory is sufficiently cloudy, I’m not confident in making comparisons, plus we haven’t really seen much of the area yet. Greta likes direct routes and is not a fan of meandering. She might even be a little obsessive when it comes to goal orientation. She’s definitely a linear thinker.

Will there ever be a GPS that you can tell, “I’ll like to go for a drive in the country. What do you suggest?”

In anticipation of this trip, I joined a few road trip groups. I scratch my head when I read a request like, “We are traveling from Florida to Maine for two weeks. What are some things we should see along the way?” The comments (answers) are clearly well-intended. If it’s an area I’m familiar with, I may ask about the traveler’s interests before answering. That just seems a bit practical. For example, on our trip here, we did not stop at any places offering ziplining.

It’s not that we’re not open to new experiences.

Whether one is a GPS, VRBO host, or traveler/VRBO guest, life gets simpler when values are clearer. The GPS realizes (admittedly in a mechanical and unemotional way) that it’s important to get you there. The VRBO host realizes that it’s important to make you comfortable. As travelers and guests, we get to decide what’s important. Sometimes, it’s important to get there. Sometimes, it’s important to be comfortable. The list goes on, and it changes.

It works best when we determine what’s important and assume at least some of the responsibility for obtaining it. It might be just that simple.

Brain leaks and musings by "Mr. Boomsma," educator and author

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Walter Boomsma (“Mr. Boomsma”) writes on a wide array of topics including personal development, teaching and learning. Course information is also available here!