Shopping Take Two: This Time It's Serious

1/04/2014  We live in a small town in Northern Indiana. It's a conservative area surrounded by farms and Amish crafters and Amish farmers. It's not quite the same as being vegan in Oregon or Northern California. I am fortunate that the town we live in is home to a large group of neo-hippies who pride themselves in living simply and in peace with the world around them. That means there is one small food coop in town where I might find vegan friendly items such as bulk lentils, Indian spices and maybe even nutritional yeast. And it is only 4 blocks from my house.
Today though, was about another store. Approximately 45 minutes from our house is the town/city of Mishawaka (very close to Notre Dame, which most people have at least heard of) and home to a Whole Foods store. We decided to spend a few hours on our last Saturday of Christmas Break in Mishawaka getting new running shoes, going to Barnes and Noble, and visiting Whole Foods.
I had Chris and the boys drop me off at Whole Foods before going to the running store, thinking I could pick up a few things while Chris got new shoes. But then I went inside.

And oh, the wonderland that is Whole Foods. Here were my people. Here I could be a vegan. I marveled at the bulk bins of colored rice--not just white and brown, but black, and green and purple! I touched the friendly cases of lentils--multiple cases. I caressed the containers of nutritional yeast, something which I had yet to find in Goshen. I smiled at people as they passed knowing that we were kindred spirits. And I bought. I bought the nutritional yeast, and coconut creamer for my coffee, and a $20 bottle of grade B maple syrup, and harisa (which I needed for a recipe a year ago and couldn't find near me). And of course, more nuts. Then I got a text from my husband saying that they were done and in the parking lot. So I invited him in to experience the glory with me. He patiently listened to my evangelizing and didn't complain about the bill as we left. But I'm pretty sure he didn't have the same religious experience I did. I'm pretty sure he's glad that Whole Foods is a whole 45 minutes away.
Heathen.