Blinker Bob

 A few weekends ago my Dad's fire company had their yearly company dinner.  They decided to do a picnic this year.  A large percentage of the company is made up of Amish, who are very community minded.  

 Many of the ladies help with the monthly breakfast - all you can eat for $6.00.  It is a great breakfast.  The money from these breakfasts go to pay off the companies new fire truck. 

 The families often all where the same color, but there seemed to be several 'couples' who were dressed in the same colors.  That is pretty unusual, as they usually keep who their courting a secret.

 See the same color dresses?  This dad was wearing his fire company shirt.

The Amish are a friendly, warm people.  Each community is a bit different from each other.  There are two communities who serve with the fire company.  One of the bishops is a lot more strict than the other community's bishop.  And when they vote for officers they all discuss ahead of time and then all vote for the same person.  They really like my Dad and liked when he was the president of the company - in fact they asked him to run.  The head of the Amish with the company said to him "If you run we'll back you."  They knew that he would do things in an honorable way.

They also love to tease him that with our family being so close and the fact that they are going to add on to our house, that he must really be Amish!

The biggest honor he has received from the Amish community is that they have given him a nickname.  This is a big deal - it means he is accepted by the community.  The Amish use alot of the same names so they often use nicknames to identify who they are talking about.  A girl may be identified by her father's name such as "Levi's Mary"  or a guy may be "Smithy John."  

My Dad's nickname was given to him by one of the family's children - Dad always drops by and picks up this family's dad when they get a call and with his volunteer blue lights flashing the kids would always call out to their dad "Blinker Bob is here, Blinker Bob is here!"  Now he is known in many different communities as "Blinker Bob."  In fact when Dad and Lindsay go to a certain tack shop that is Amish owned he is greeted by them "Hey Blinker Bob!"  He also gets a deal on things.

This has perks for me too.  "Oh, you're Blinker Bob's daughter!  Well, you can have these tomatoes for less." 

This post was done today for my friend Jane who lives in Florida.  She is interested in all things Amish.  I was thinking of you today friend, and missing you.  Much love!