Home Again

We arrived home on Wednesday evening at 6:30. We were all grateful for a safe trip, and a wonderful time.
Now it is back to reality and loads of laundry. It is good to get back to a routine, especially when it includes grandchildren. I took care of Emma on Thursday, and look forward to seeing the other 7 soon.
The house project was mostly at a standstill while we were gone, except for the plumber, who replaced our old galvanized pipe with plastic, and that was great as the water had to be turned off. Now we are waiting for the drywall, and then the big mess will begin.

Last Day

The date on the last post was supposed to be Monday, September 24, but I can not figure out how to change it. It is now Tuesday evening the 25th and we are back in Des Moines. We left Branson this morning shortly after 8 AM and had a great trip back. We drove until Margie saw the Osage Pecan store in Butler, MO., and that was 3 hours down the road. We were all more than ready to stretch our legs at that point. Margie bought lots of nuts and Ken bought a book on how to write a sermon. Just in case you run out of someone to preach you may have to call Ken :-). We were ready for lunch so went to the Pizza Hut in Butler.
We got out more often after that, and it was welcomed. We had a bit of rain as we drove through MO, and some in Iowa. We thought it had started to rain at one point and then we realized we were directly behind a horse trailer carrying holsteins, and it was only a cow relieving herself. Rather nasty thought, so we were happy when it started to rain, and the car was rinsed off. PHEW!!
We arrived at our hotel in Des Moines at about 4:30. We checked in, unloaded the car, and had dinner at Grill Okaboji. We had a good meal, and kept it light as we decided we should have ice cream on this trip at least one time. We stopped at Culver's for a treat. YUMMY.
When we returned we set up and played cards in the breakfast room. Sad to be playing our last game for awhile. Dorothy beat again, so no more pity parties for her. I must tell you though that overall I had the high score. We had so much fun, and all in good humor.
It is hard to believe that this years vacation is over, but the memories are priceless. We thank the Lord for a loving caring family to spend time with. We are so blessed.

More Fun

What a great day. We went to breakfast not having an idea what we were doing today, but after we finished eating we drove east out of town and saw a train with people waiting by the depot, so Everett and Ken went in and checked it out. With in a matter of minutes, we had purchased our tickets and were in the crowd. We took the train 20 miles south into Arkansas, and saw some wonderful scenery, and heard interesting history of the area and the railway. It took about 2 hours.
We had overheard another couple talking at one of the shows, about the College of the Ozarks and how impressed they were with the time they had spent there. It was a short drive out of Branson, and we were there. We drove around the campus a bit, trying to get our bearing and decided that before we looked at some of the points of interest, we would have lunch. We went to the restaurant that was built just 3 years ago, and what a place that was. It was a beautiful big log building and the dining room was large and elegant. We had a wonderful and tasty lunch. The philosophy of the college is hard work, and all the students attend for free in exchange for 15 hours of work each week+ a forty hour week each semester. It is for students that would not be able to afford a college education, but they have to meet certain standards such as financial need, a christian background, want to work hard, and then will be able to graduate debt free. They have 80 different work stations, some of which are dairy, baking, serving in the restaurant, horticulture, child care, jam making, making fruit cakes ( they make 30,000 a yr. and only sell by order, not to a wholesaler) a mill, basket weaving, using a loom to make rugs, scarves and coasters, making flour and cornmeal etc. etc. It was an amazing place. About 65% of the students are from the Ozarks. All the things they make can be purchased at the college, and right at their work stations.
We went back to Branson, and visited a unique 5 & dime store, that had about everything you could imagine. It was a huge store, and was so full it almost made me dizzy. I found a few interesting things, and so did every one else. Margie and Ken had been there before, 4 years ago when they were in Branson. We also stopped at a quilt store so Margie could look for some fabric, but she was not successful. Next we stopped at another nut, candy store, + lots of other stuff, and we all bought some more snacks etc.
We finally made it back to the motel, so we could relax awhile. After a short nap, Dorothy and Marguerite invited us to their room for a drink. We had a wonderful white grape juice from the Mountain Man Nut and Candy store, It was very tasty, and other snacks were served to go with it. We skipped dinner as a couple of people had taken some of their lunch food with them so we split that. We had enough time to play some cards, 7 hands, before we left for the Presley's show which began at 8PM. We enjoyed the show very much, and over all, we agreed it was a wonderful vacation.
When we returned from the show we finished the last two hands and Dorothy won. I believe I reported earlier that she was boo hooing her losses. It was time for bed!!!

More From Branson

Today is Sunday and it was a good and mostly relaxing day. We could sleep in a bit, but I was wide awake by 6AM, so got up and started writing on the blog. I was surprised how quickly the days run together, and I was forgetting details of just a few days ago. After writing and going back quite a few times I think I have most of the details down.
We met for a good breakfast compliments of the Inn, with scrambled eggs, cereal, donuts, muffins, biscuits and gravy ( Ken loved that) juice and bagels etc. We went to a service at The Legend. It was a good christian service even though some thought the music was a bit loud. It was 1 1/2 hours and then it was lunch time. We went to Landry's Seafood, but had salad and hamburgs, and shared it with couples. This afternoon we had a 2 o'clock show at the Grand Country Hall and the Gospel Jubilee. It was a good group, and I think we all enjoyed it. We were out by 4 PM and went back to our room to relax and read and take our Sunday afternoon naps.
We decided we would call for pizza delivery this evening, so Margie took charge and ordered 2 pizza's from Pizza Hut. They were nearby and ordered for 6:30, but they did not come, and Margie called PH twice, and was told he was on his way. Well, he finally arrived at 7 and by that time PH had told her not to pay for the pizza's The driver's excuse was that they were so busy, then he said he had lost the receipt in the car, and then when we told him we did not have to pay, he told us that he did not work for PH and that being they were busy and his girlfriend worked at PH they gave him a shirt and sent him out with our pizza!! You know I could not think up a story like that!! I thought that was pretty funny. Well, we ate our pizza , even though it was not hot at all, and then went to the breakfast room and played two rounds of ripple golf. I did not win tonight although I missed it by 1 point the first round and was in 3rd place the 2nd round. I am sorry to report that Dorothy has not been winning. That is sad. Boo Hoo!!
Well, it is bedtime and the end of a very relaxing day. We will do some exploring in the area tomorrow.

Family Vacation

Hello from Branson. This time our family vacation includes Everett's sister Margie and her husband Ken, and sister in law Dorothy and her sister Marguerite Hubers. We are having a wonderful time, and are already planning where to go next year. We met last Wed. in Ankeny, Iowa, a suburb of Des Moines, and stayed at a Country Inn and Suites for the night. When we arrived at about 6:30 it was time to eat and we all walked across the parking lot to the Chips restaurant. We made a few detours as we made attempts to enter back doors, and also dodge all the goose poop, from the geese in the pond, but the place was super, as well as the food. After supper we kept our tradition of playing cards. Our new favorite game is ripple golf. We have lots of healthy competition, and that night was fun even though I could not get a minus score to save my neck!! We had a delightful stay there, a wonderful full breakfast, all which has proved to be the best hotel so far, and likely will keep that rating.
We left Des Moines early Thursday morning and headed down I-35. Our first destination was Carthage, MO and the Precious Moments chapel and museum. On the way Margie began her quest for the the best price in pecans. We stopped in two places and picked up snacks at the Osage Pecan store. We arrived at PM at 4 and only were able to go through the chapel, as it closed at 5. It was a very warm 90 degrees, so we were thankful for the A/C and the wheelchair for Marguerite as it was a bit of a walk to the chapel. We made a quick stop at the gift shop, and I left empty handed. Margie did better, and I believe Dorothy added to her magnet collection. We went to our Econo Lodge which was lower end, but noticed the other choice, a Best Western was closed. Lack of competition does not improve things!! It was a pit to say the least. After we checked in we took a drive through the town of Carthage. We were not aware that it was the site of a Civil War battle, which had left the town in ruins. Many of the older homes were lovely, but they had some areas that looked like they had not improved much since the Civil War. We went to the town square and took some pictures of the stately buildings. We had parked in the shade and as we walked around noticed a restaurant nearby. It was an Italian place called 311, the address of its original location. It was delightful and we had wonderful food; great steaks, I had a chicken dish with mushrooms, and Ken had all you can eat spaghetti and meatballs. That evening we did have some time to play ripple Golf, which we play with Scip-bo cards, and had a great time. I had an especially good time with a -131 score. That made up for the beating I took the night before in Des Moines. The others were all around the 0 mark so plotted what they could do to me the next night.
We left Carthage on time Friday morning, and on toward the Ozarks and Arkansas. It was a lovely drive through the hills/ mountains as we headed toward Eureka Springs. We had lunch at the Rowdy Beaver which was an interesting place with good food- hamburgers, soup/salad. We drove into town and found the Passion of Christ site, where the passion play was to be held that night. We went to get tickets and for $47 each we could see all the museums, take a tram tour of the Holy City, see the passion play and have a buffet dinner. It was a very hot day, and I was having a bout of dizziness, but the tour was interesting, and quite authentic. After the tour we were just in time for dinner, and enjoyed good food in a big room that seated 375 people. There was some gospel singing as we ate. After dinner we all got in the car, and checked into our hotel room, at the Stonegate Inn, That was an all time low!! No alarm clocks in any of our room ( no clock at all), no hair dryers, towels were like our car washing rags, light bulbs that were burned out, and the supposed non smoking rooms smelled of smoke! That was the only bad part of the day, because we all slept well in spite of that. As you can tell bad hotel/motel rooms are one of my pet peeves!! I guess you could say I am a bit anal about it. Brenda knows what I mean!!We drove back to the Passion play site and were so fortunate to have the handicapped sticker (thanks to Johnny) and Marguerite's handicap, because we were able to park right by the gate. The Passion Play began at 7:30 and was amazing. They had great sets and wonderful actors.

We got up on time Saturday, and left the motel about 7 AM so we could get to Branson on time to get tickets and see the Yakov Smirnoff show. We stopped at a MacDonalds on the way and had a quick breakfast. The Yakov show started at 9:30 AM and we had made it there just in time. It was just great and we did a lot of laughing. We got out shortly before noon, and found a Chili's restaurant across the street, where we had lunch. We then headed into Branson

We drove up and down the strip on '76' and saw lots of places. Wow I have not been here before, so the town was interesting, and busy. We checked into our Quality Inn, and it is decent. We had some time before supper, so we went to the breakfast room and played cards. I again did quite well, with a -97, and the plot on me continues to grow.

We freshened up a bit and got in the car to cross the street. It is close enough to walk, but unless you are very quick you will be dead, and not all of us are quick. We had supper at the Baldknobbers Restaurant, and then went next door to the theater. It was a good meal and we had some time to kill before the show. The pre show started at 7:15, and went quickly. The Baldknobbers was a good show, and funny, so we had a relaxing time.

More progress

Well the progress continues, and it is exciting. As you can see we have insulation in what will be the extra unfinished room over the addition. It will be easily accessible for storage, rather than the crawl under the eaves space we have been using the last 30 years. It also is warmer and quieter in the room up there.

The siding is all installed as well, and it looks so nice. The fella from the drywall company was here this morning, and measured, so will be ready to start the process in about a week or two.

Progress

So much has been going on here this week, and most of it will be between the wall. The electrician's have finished as much as they can as well as the HVAC men, and plumbers. The most noticeable progress is the roof and siding. Last weekend I reported that the roofers were finished, but they were not. They had water proofed it so the rain would not come in the house. Sadly we did not receive much rain either. The worst part of the week was the smell of the glue that the roofers and HVAC people used. It was noxious and nasty. Thankfully the air was cool and with the windows open, the smell left quite quickly. Other than that it was just interesting! I got up early and showered because I had NO privacy after that. Their were guys everywhere, upstairs, downstairs, outside the bathroom window and outside the bathroom door. At times in the bathroom. In fact I just left most days, because I did not accomplish much around here until they all left. I must say they were all very friendly and considerate, and actually very pleasant to have around.
It was also very chilly most mornings, so I dressed, put on a fleece jacket and sat under an afghan for the first hour or so. Brrrrrrrrrr.

Wednesday was the first day of Coffee Break for the season. We have 3 classes with 3 leaders and about 12 women in each class. We have more leaders that are close or over retirement age, so one or more take vacations each month, so we are hoping to cover the classes with more leaders per class. I am excited about my co-leaders and the women in the group. I do know quite a few of the women already, so that is exciting.

We will be starting our Sunday evening Bible study this Sunday after services, so will be fun to see who is in that class too. The fall season has hit so we must hang on and enjoy all the new activities.

Great Weekend

We left for Union Pier, MI Friday about 2 PM for a getaway to a Bed & Breakfast called The Sandpiper on Lake Michigan. It was a very nice place; clean, beautiful setting, good breakfasts and so relaxing to see the lake from our deck and hear the waves crashing into the shore. It was a wonderful way to celebrate our 42nd anniversary which is September 10.We were just a few miles from New Buffalo, and went there both evenings to watch the boats coming in the channel and also watch the sunsets. ( We forgot our camera the first night, but got some shots Sat. night). The B & B was a gift from some of our kids for Christmas. Thanks!
Friday night we went to a restaurant just a mile or so down the road called 'Skips' Antiques and Restaurant. We had the prime rib and it was excellent.
Saturday we slept in later than usual, but they served breakfast from 9-11, so it worked out well. We were 15 miles from Michigan City, so decided to go to the Lighthouse outlet mall. We had a good time shopping, and Everett found two pair of jeans and two pair of shoes, so he did well. I found a card and bought some onesies that Brenda had asked me to pick up for Emma at Carters.
We had a late lunch at a neat bar and grille called Holly's. Needless to say with two late meals we skipped supper.
Sunday morning we again slept in, and after breakfast we enjoyed the scenery and then checked out before noon. We began our trip home; slowly. The weather was just so lovely both days, so we just enjoyed the blue skies and blue water, and the sun.
We stopped in South Haven and walked along the channel and then watched the boats going in and out. It was picture perfect.
Later we stopped at Clementine's one of our very favorite spots in South Haven. We made it home by 4 PM and ended the day at church.
Great weekend!

The roof is on!!

The weatherman is forecasting rain for later today, so we are happy to report that the roof is all on, and hopefully will keep us dry. The addition is coming along nicely and with some last minute changes I think we made our electrician's day much easier. I never realized how much thought it takes to have the room to place all the switches and plugs, but now I have a new appreciation for that as well. I talked to the gal helping us with cabinets and she suggested moving the linen cabinet in the master bath as a separator by the toilet, opening up the wall by the door. Good call Krista R. sorry that is H!!!!. I still have to make some decisions on the walk-in closet and the flooring. Then it will be paint colors etc. etc. and light fixtures. Yikes!! More decisions.
We had our organizational meeting for Coffee Break yesterday, and it all went well. We have classes with 12 in each at this point, and if more come they will be bigger. So exciting to see what the Lord has in store for us this year.

Happy Labor Day!

What a wonderful weekend as far as weather is concerned. We had a good time with our friends Vern and Nella Mae on our pontoon on Friday evening. We left shortly after 4 PM and docked in Ada. That is the most difficult thing about going on the river; the current is strong and makes it very difficult to get the boat in and out. In spite of that, the river is the most relaxing place to take the boat, and the scenery is the best. We went about 5 miles up the river and turned around and anchored the boat, set up the table and chairs and had supper. We all had plenty to eat and good conversation. It was a delightful evening.
Saturday Brett, Aidan, Regan and Olivia came over about 3 and we took the pontoon on the river again. ( Roxanne had to do some cleaning so she could not make it). We took a nice slow ride up the river toward Lowell, and when we got to the island where the 4 of them had camped over a month ago we discovered that the river was higher because there was very little island to set a tent or lay sleeping bags on. Good they went when they did. The kids waded around the island and looked for treasures. All they found was a plastic drawer of a Steelcase desk. We took it home only to put it in the dumpster!! So it goes with many temporary treasures.
This morning we worked around here. Everett really worked at a difficult job of hammering a hole in the basement wall into the new crawl space, so the electrical and mechanical people can get in there in the coming week. It was a messy very noisy job, and he is glad it is finished. We also found that the original builders made the cement block wall stronger by putting rerod in the blocks every 2 feet or so, and filled the hole with concrete. It also made more work to hammer through the block wall!! I did some laundry and cleaned up around the house.
We met Brenda, Joel and Emma at Green Lake near 146th and Kalamazoo. It took a bit to find the access, but we got there by three and had about 4 hours of fun and sun. There was alot of activity on the Lake, but we did anchor to the side for quite sometime to just play in the water and relax. After we ate, (thanks Joel and Brenda for the good food) we took another circle around the lake and headed for home.
What an enjoyable weekend with friends and family. We are so blessed.