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...AND HERE WAS THE PLAN* for today:
Some of the men (those who are retired or can take off another day of work) will go play golf (with the out-of-town men who remain in the area) in the morning. They will come and collect the baby (who will be keeping company with the women) when they are finished with their golf game (around noon).
The women (those who do not have to go to work, or can push off pressing duties for another day), will go with the out-of-town women for another round of exploration:
In this case, in the lovely, historical, and chocolate-scented town of Lititz. Wow! As often as I peruse these sidewalks and shops (and, hmm, I have many opportunities, considering its close proximity to where I live), I never tire of walking this delightful little town.

After some discussion, Maria and Cora and I meet Beth and Wilma in the parking lot right across the street from the Wilbur Chocolate factory store. It's the first place we visit, this shop-slash-museum where one can help oneself to a Wilbur bud (or two or three) without so much as buying a single box or bag of chocolates (though how likely is one to walk away empty-handed, when one has pored over the array of chocolates, eaten the samples, and watched the confections being crafted [not to mention breathing deeply of the tantalizing aroma?!]) Little Cora volunteered her services at the store while the other out-of-towners stocked up on edible gifts to carry home.

Before carrying the chocolates to the west coast, however, they had to carry them to the park--the one with the ducks and the fountains and the shade. It was rather warm today--we realized that chocolate would melt if left in the car!

By the time we left the park, it was time for "a little something" at a coffee shop (toting along the shopping bags of chocolate). Following that, we made one or two other small forays into stores before coming upon--(ah, ha! our exploration hit pay dirt!)--a relatively new place of business offering us lots of free samples of flavor-infused oils and vinegars. Oh, mama mia! Another perfect item for gift-giving! We left that store, Reader Dear, with the stroller-less tot; the paraphernalia for her comfort; the bags and boxes of chocolates; and now the bags and boxes of bottles of oil and vinegar (what a marvelous load for the pack mules, if we'd just thought to bring some along!)

It was time for lunch.
We took patio seating at the Tomato Pie cafe, placed all the bags and boxes strategically in the shade. (The men did not come for the baby, but opted instead for hot dogs at the golf course [tsk, tsk, and later fell ill]!)

At the risk of too many excessive exclamations, I'm just going to say, Reader Dear, that although the weather was warm for chocolates, it was most superb for eating outdoors! And the food [tomato pie, et al] was plate-licking good! When we had (not really licked our plates, and rued the fact) finished our lunches and gathered up our only-slightly-melted chocolates, we retraced our footsteps back to the parking lot directly across from the chocolate factory.

"Why in the world," said we all, "didn't we think to go to the chocolate store LAST?!"
(*Evidently not enough fine-tuning!)

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