The rest of the story ... our accommodations might not have been 5 star, but ...

... I don't think I would have enjoyed our honeymoon any better had it been '5 star'! Well, maybe, but I'm not sure we would have had the treasured memories we share!!

Our honeymoon budget was somewhere around $75-$100. I realize that costs were much different back then but that did limit us quite a bit on what we might do. But Bob, the ever resourceful one, had something pretty unique planned. And with those plans came a couple perks we had no idea about until they happened!!

I talked about being chased by my brother (and others) after we left our reception and picked up our nicely decorated car which did announce to the world that we had just been hitched!! We headed east on I-80 and decided we better look for a place to stay fairly soon as it was getting quite late! And we were both famished - we just had a cake and punch reception and I was still sort of a nervous wreck so didn't each much. We found a truck stop around LaSalle IL and ordered dinner - I do remember that I had meat loaf and then we looked for a hotel room. We laugh about some of the funny stuff that happened ... we found a Holiday Inn which had one room left - with two double beds. Usually when we share that, people ask, "Why did you get two double beds?" Well, it was simple - it was the ONLY room left!!  Some things are definitely kept private so will bypass the wedding night ...  

We had decided that we would visit old friends (yup, on our honeymoon) but when you are pretty broke, you have to make do with great friends who are willing to take in poor newlyweds!! We headed off to Harvey, Illinois where we visited a church Bob's family attended when he was just a boy! And an added benefit was that the grandson of our hosts offered to clean our car of all it's advertisements!! What a sweet guy!!! I was grateful and I imagine Bob was even more grateful!!

Our next stop was the Barberton Rescue Mission - oh, I know, what a place to go for a honeymoon!!! We were making a memory and that we did!! Especially as soon as we arrived! Bob had been there before as he helped out with a crusade there the year before reaching young people who were addicted to drugs. We arrived at Bruce and Phyllis Hawthorn's home and another gentleman was there. His shirt was wrinkled and half out of his pants and I was pretty sure by everything I saw, he was one of the 'guys' whom they had rescued from downtown Akron. Imagine my surprise when Bruce said, "I'd like you to meet my dad, George Hawthorn!" I believe it was later that evening when we received an invitation from Madlyn Hawthorn (George's wife) that she was preparing French onion soup at their home for us. However, this sheltered gal was going to try something newer to her than French onion soup. Bruce informed us that we were going over in a horse and buggy!! Oh, wow ... I wasn't sure about that but how could I say 'no' .. my 'compliant' nature hadn't taken a turn yet so I swallowed my fears and off we went. We even arrived back home in the dark and I try not remember my emotions about riding late at night in the 'open air'. But, all in all, it was an awesome evening and I will have to say it was probably about the best French onion soup I have ever had!!

The following day, Bruce announced that we were going to take an ox cart ride ... oh, wow!! Another new adventure for me and when I saw that the seat was a board balanced between the sides of the cart, well, I wasn't quite sure I wanted to ride! But, I did -- and We are not in this particular photo but it probably was the same ox cart!  somewhere along the lane that was pretty rutted, that board bounced off of one side and I found a new seat -- right on the ox cart floor!! Yup, it was funny ... buy, hey, do you know of anyone else who has honeymoon memories like ours?? Then again, probably so!

Then we were finally off to our grand destination ... Niagara Falls. Oh, but did we have reservations? Of course not but that was sort of taken care of since Bruce allowed us to borrow their pop-up camper. Not fancy - no bathroom - just one of those that folded down and then pops up - thus the term "pop up" camper. (I know - lame attempt at humor, right?) We found a camping spot somewhere in the vicinity of Niagara Falls (yes, with bathrooms / showers) and we began our official honeymoon. It's funny the things you treasure ... I remember the family who stayed nearby and how we got acquainted at the picnic table. I remember one evening when the rain was pouring down and I was happy as a clam as we ate our bologna sandwiches together - we had spent a little more than we had planned that day on a "Honeymoon Tour" of the area and received a certificate that said we had been there and encouraged us that our marriage could be as strong as the mighty Niagara River!  I really didn't care if we were in some fancy hotel ... we were together and that's what mattered! And what an awesome time we had!!!

I think our official honeymoon lasted about a week from start to finish ... and while there have certainly been ups and downs over these 43 years, I'd do it all over again!