Retirement……LOVE IT!

We headed back to Missouri (from OKC) on Tuesday morning, October 3rd, to go to Branson and then Springfield, MO, for two weeks.  We went to Branson first and stayed at Oak Grove RV Park.  It was really nice, however, I forgot to take pictures.  I absolutely HAVE to start thinking constantly about taking pictures of everything!  In fact, I took very few pictures in the last two weeks.  😭  We met up with good friends from Dexter:  Pam & Perry Jolliff and Don & Lou Kennedy.  Here we are with these special friends.  In the first picture is (L to R) Pam, Perry, and Don.  Second picture is Jack, me, and Lou.

While in Branson, we drove up to Springfield one day to eat at Cheddars.  I didn’t have the chicken pot pie because the last time I posted about Cheddars and eating the chicken pot pie, I got several suggestions of other good menu items to try.  So, this time I had the Monti Cristo sandwich with potato soup and, OF COURSE, one of their delicious croissants. 🥐  O.M.Gosh!  Both the soup and the sandwich were SOOOOOO delicious!!

Pam and Perry had arrived in Branson a day or two before we arrived, and they left the day after we arrived.  It was great to visit with them.  The rest of our time in Branson we hung out with Don and Lou.  We went to the IMAX and saw “Blade Runner – 2049.”  WOW!  That was a good movie!  We had not seen the first Blade Runner, but Don filled us in on the important details from the first movie.  Now I really want to see the first Blade Runner.

One afternoon we went the The Dutton’s show in Branson.  What a wonderful show!  This is a musical show comprised of three generations from one family who play blue grass music (along with other music genres), sing, and dance.  The family consists of Dean and Shirley (the parents) who decided when their kids were very young that the children should learn to play instruments because of the discipline and hard work that they would learn from the experience.  When the children started learning blue grass music, they begged their parents to join them so they could become a band.  Dean, who was an economics professor, dusted off his guitar and Shirley, who had many talents but didn’t consider music as one of them,  learned to play the bass violin.  They got their “big break” some time in the 1970″s (I think) when they entered a contest in Paris, France, and won.  That put their music career on the fast track to success.  They were also finalists in America’s Got Talent in 2007.  The children are grown now and have children of their own.  They ALL participate in the show displaying their various musical talents.  If you are looking for a Branson show that consists of various musical styles, comedy, the sharing of some of the family’s personal “struggles” through life, and one that expresses the performers’ patriotism and faith in God, I would highly recommend The Duttons.  We were truly blessed that afternoon!

While staying in Branson, we spent a couple of nights playing cards at Don and Lou’s condo.  We played “Oh, Pshaw!” which is based on the game of spades with several unusual “twists.”  It’s a fun game that is totally unpredictable.  We also taught Don and Lou how to play Three Thirteen which is based on rummy and is equally unpredictable.  Needless to say, we had a lot of fun.

We also ate out at some delicious places.  If you go to Branson and want some good places to eat be sure to stop in at McFarlains (best cornbread EVER!), Golden Corral, and a little diner called Cakes and Cream.  Cakes and Cream has THE BEST funnel cake I have EVER eaten (and I’m a funnel cake connoisseur)!  It’s topped with strawberries, ice cream, whipped cream, and a cherry!  Take my word – share the hamburger and french fries with your spouse or a friend so you can save plenty of room for the funnel cake!  You will be glad you did.  Here is a picture of the inside of Cakes and Cream.  I wish I had a picture of the funnel cake for you.  😔

From Branson we went on to Springfield for a week.  We visited with Jack’s mom, brother (Carl), and sister (Carol), and her husband (Delano).  We had fun playing Skip Bo with Jack’s mom (she won most of the games, of course!).  We went out to supper with Carol and Delano one night, and then we went back to their house and taught them how to play Oh Pshaw!  Carol wasn’t sure she liked the game AT ALL in the beginning, but she decided it was kind of fun AFTER she won!  Jack spent one day with his broyther, Carl, doing “guy” things.  One night I had dinner with a good friend who I used to teach 5th grade with in Dexter that I hadn’t seen for about 12 years.  It was so good to visit with her!

While in the area, one day we went to Bass Pro Shop (if you haven’t been to the original one in Springfield, MO, you must put it on your Bucket List!).  They have a new Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium (there is a hefty entry fee for this, so we didn’t go in), an area that tells the history of Bass Pro Shop along with an exhibit of the original Brown Derby store that housed the first Bass Pro Shop and aquarium, and a Motor Sports Museum (free!) with NASCAR and other racing memorabilia.  The history of Bass Pro Shops was very interesting, and the racing museum was awesome!

We walked down to the other end of the store to take a look at their gun museum.  It was fabulous!  We saw guns used by Annie Oakley, Jessie James, various other outlaws, guns used in Olympic competitions, shotguns used by various U.S. Presidents, and guns used in movies by stars such as John Wayne, Mark Wahlburg, Clint Eastwood, Angelina Jolie, and many others that I can’t remember now.  Reading about all the guns (some of which were VERY old) and who used them was VERY interesting!

On the walk back through the store to the entrance we came in, I stopped and caught a 26 pound “stripper!”  😂

All in all we had a great time with family and friends these past two weeks in the Branson/Springfield area.  Now we are headed back to the STL area for about a month so my younger sister can get away for a vacation and I can visit with my parents.  The best thing about having a “home on wheels” is that all the comforts of home not only go with you, but you can actually travel in your comfy, squishy, soft slippers!

So, for now … “On the Road Again!”

Betty