49 3/4 Anniversary Trip: Day Three Unexpected

Another day with sunshine! We started with breakfast at a cute little diner where most customers ordered "the usual".  I had one of the nicest fruit cups I have ever had. Many varieties of fruit included. 

Mr Merry's breakfast, not a burger.

And lots of decaf coffee. 

Our next stop was an Autozone for new windshield wipers.  Mr Merry is very good at car repair but could not install the ones they sold him. 

The man from the parts counter then installed the correct wipers for us (they had sold him the wrong ones at first).

Our original plans for the day were to walk a hiking trail in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, visit a vintage flea market shop and then go to a comedy club in the evening. 

It was too humid for a hike. My husband who did not assist in the planning of this trip, looked up the address of the vintage shop and said he was not parking his vehicle in that neighborhood and we already knew the comedy club closed it's doors a month ago. 

Our next stop was an outlet mall that includes a New Balance factory store. We each got a new pair of shoes! 

To pacify me, we went to a nearby village with a book store. It was very nice. 

But when I go to bookstores, I am looking for well-loved books, dusty and piled on shelves and whispering to me. This book store was new shiny books.  BUT . . . 

This was next to our vehicle in the parking lot! We went level by level all the way down to the falls!

It was just beautiful and so peaceful. 

We found a park across the street with a walking trail! 

Adorable shops. 

The funniest hardware store.

It has been in the same family for generations. 

They sold EVERYTHING.  

We started to get hungry for a late lunch and I had my eye on this building across the river. We walked over and unbelievably the table right with the arrow was available. The corner window!

Here was my view. 

I ordered a "spirit free" Peary Happy with pear juice, lychee, ginger beer, and fresh lime. I felt very sophisticated at our table with a real tablecloth and cloth napkins. 

The table beside us was filled with what I will call the Real Housewives of the village. They seemed like high school classmates having a get together, women in their 40's maybe? They had been "lunching" with cocktails for a while and let's just say the conversation was interesting. Personal gossip about those not present, intimate relationship details, and bragging about belongings and vacations. I felt like I was listening to an R rated episode.  

The most delicious lobster bisque I have every tasted.  It was divine.  And we will be traveling back here (with reservations because we can't get this lucky twice) just so I can have this soup again. 

It really seemed like the kind of restaurant that would wash their lettuce and I was craving a salad. This is the chopped side salad.  Again it was unbelievably good. 

And Mr Merry ordered a burger. 

The restaurant was really classy and I am so glad we chose to go there. I did spot wicker chairs outside when we were across the river, but by the time we walked there it was getting humid and our indoor table was perfect. 

We were too full for a custard, but I had to take a picture of the sign.  We returned to the hotel and watched some tv. We weren't even hungry for crackers for supper. 

This was my favorite DAY of vacation. It was such a surprise to discover this village and we will be back another day - perhaps in the fall.