Round trip to Nowhere

I drove 5 hours today and went nowhere. Okay, I went somewhere, but came right back. Alyssa's friend, Caitlin, came for the weekend to join her at a youth retreat; so today I had to drive 2 1/2 hours south to meet her dad and give her back. Before we left town, we decided Caitlin needed to experience our new discovery--Merritt's Bakery. Oh I knew it was there, had heard it was wonderful, but was trying to avoid actual knowledge of how wonderful so I wouldn't face glaring temptation every time I drove by it which is several times a day since it's just around the corner from my neighborhood. This is the kind of place that is a little taste of heaven, a place that can make you break every new year's resolution you've made or will make in the past and future decades, a place that can probably make you gain weight just by sniffing the aromas. I bought Alyssa's birthday cake there (see birthday post below) and we discovered the cinnamon rolls....

Alyssa is eating a fried cinnamon roll covered with chocolate and pecans. She's very serious about this cinnamon roll and daring me not to touch it.

Look at the size of these things!

Katie had the regular fried cinnamon roll. It's almost as big as her face and all for the bargain price of $1.30!

The trip down was quite entertaining. We listened to Alyssa's Itunes downloads which is an interesting conglomeration (is that a word?)of Journey, Carrie Underwood, and Corinne Bailey Rae and tracts from movies like 'Music and Lyrics'. There was also an exciting game of Catch Phrase where I overheard fax machines and checks being referred to as old fashioned. We met Caitlin's dad at Mickey D's, because all small towns have one. Why is that? Can someone please tell me? Why does every person who wants to buy a franchise in a small town pick McDonald's? If you can explain this strange phenomenon to me, please do. Anyway, the drive back was uneventful and seemed longer than the way down although I know that's impossible, but I did get to look at this cutie in my rear view mirror while I was driving. And don't ask how this picture was taken because you don't want to know.