BRANSON TO MISSISSIPPI

July 26

Soooo.  We drove from Saint Louis to Branson.  Fun sights along the road. One was too good to pass up and even though I promised Linda we wouldn't do any go backs,

this was really worth the turn around:

As you walked in they said welcome to Uranus and when you left they said thanks for picking Uranus. All of these greetings are at a loud volume (Sushi bar like greetings)  

We must apologize since we wanted to ship "Uranus Fudge Packers fudge" to our family but they do not do summer shipping because of the heat.  Imagine the disaster of melted fudge from Uranus. 

Okay.  Enough of that.  We arrived in Branson and Marty and a poor unsuspecting guy completely unloaded the car.  We've needed to make sense of our growing tumbleweed and this was a great opportunity. 

Branson is a surprise!

Our first surprise was a very good show of Clay Cooper (helped that it was one building away from our hotel. Even better that the building in between was a Walgreens and we picked up my Rx. yay for convenience!  

The Clay Cooper show was a variety performance including 

interactive audience comedic participation, 
impersonations, good music and some "dancin' ".  
We thoroughly enjoyed it and I am still
 laughing that I asked our hotel if we
 needed to get dressed up.  Many types.  Many get ups. lots of overalls and jeans...

Interesting that no one in Branson has gotten word that Cigarette Smoking is Dangerous! 

Food is just as you'd expect:

 Dieting isn't even a question here.

July 27

 Perfect second day in Branson, rain, laundry, nail salon, rest exactly as we had wanted and needed and then another evening show. 

We were treated to the Haygoods a family of six brothers and one sister, each more talented then the next. Banjos, fiddles, singing and even a harp. Darlings of the Ozarks. So much fun, from the first song when they zip lined upside down onto the stage  

to the lights, pyrotechnics and lasers it all added up to ...a great family show and we thoroughly enjoyed (and recommend it).

 After a full evening out, we began reloading the car with the intent of getting an early start in the morning. But first, we headed to the local Custard Shop (Andy's).  So right before midnight, in the heat and humidity with the rain taking a short break, we joined the masses for a late night treat.

and this is at midnight

Our first impression of Branson was that it's a perfect family vacation spot.  We have never seen so many miniature golf, go cart, water slides, or other family attractions in one place.  Add the Ozarks, the lakes, boating and shows, it's a perfect week end destination and  many families were there. 

The ferris wheel was brought in from Chicago's Navy Pier and is just one of the many attractions adding to the family fun of Branson 

 We've decided it's all about attitude and expectations. How you enjoy your self when traveling has a lot to do with flexibility and being open to new and truly different experiences.  We are definitely having many.

July 28

 We continued our drive today to Greenville Mississippi passing Choctaw Ridge and I kid you not within five minutes Bobbie Gentry with Billie Joe Mc Allister was on the radio, throwing something off Tallahatchie Bridge.

                     

Lunch just outside Little Rock, Arkansas and then that Mississippi kindness and that southern thing awaited us as our car got plugged in and we checked into the Harlow Casino Resort and Spa in Greenville.  The Spa and a massage sounded good but the energy it would take to go downstairs was more than we could muster.  

Each 5 hour drive becomes 6 1/2 with our multiple stops.  We ate at the buffet and okra, collard greens and mac and cheese were the offerings tonight.  I think that tells you all you need to know about Greenville.  We really are having the best time.  We've met some characters and decided we are probably the people they are talkin' about since we are the oddities here.  Ain't nothing like a Southern story...  The waitress tonight told me their B rating in the restaurant "weren't as good as an A but it's close".  True Story!!!

       

                 

BASEBALL BEEN BERRY BERRY GOOD TO ME

Baseball been berry berry good to me

Sunday, July 23

Sad to leave Des Moines and miss any more of the fabulous family frivolity but baseball is waiting.  On our way to Minneapolis, we stopped at a rest stop, one of many we have frequented along this trip. This one in Iowa was unbelievable and could have been the nicest we've seen.  It had picnic tables, play yards for the kids, dog runs and was immaculate with vending machines and pull off areas for the tired traveler.  We were quite impressed.

On our way to the perfect day...just ask Marty:

 We drove from  Iowa to Minneapolis and the twins game. We were fortunate to have seats  behind the Twins dugout, fourth row and happy to have the kids next to us use their mitts to catch any foul balls.

We learned that the combining of St Paul and Minneapolis teams created the TC logo which stands for twin cities.
We watched as the Detroit Tigers took out the home team. :(   The stadium is beautiful and fairly new and called Target Field. Very modern, lots of technology and fireworks for each home run. 
We are always a bit surprised when the 7th Inning Stretch and song doesn’t repeat the second verse.  Apparently only a Dodger Thing.

Great food and we loved being close to the field.  Hot in the sun and Marty is beginning to develop a farmer tan.

Drove 450 miles today between before and after the game.  Reached the Dells to spend the night.  Minnesota Delta resort community about an hour shorter than we would have liked to have gone and an hour longer than we thought we would.  Arrived around 9:30 pm which was already dark and not ideal...ordered pizza which got delivered to our hotel room.  Baseball food and pizza…we are really gourmands.

Monday, July 24

Up early and into Chicago. CONSTRUCTION DELAYS

 Arrived in the worst traffic, on game day/ thought it would be good  to have a hotel  close to Wrigley Field. Not the best idea from a timing situation.

Best laid plans…when buying the tickets from home, assuming it would be hot, we purchased under the overhang. oops...Freezing and glad we had a backpack with jackets.  The stadium is iconic and very  special.  Because it is old, there are only two levels of food stands and bathrooms and EVERYONE converges on the same walkway going different directions.  It is crazy crowded and going to get food or go to the bathroom can be a two inning event.  Overall Wrigley is just too cool though.  Probably the reputation, the feeling of it or maybe we so wanted to be here.  Either way, it was great.

Again 7th Inning and one chorus only..
Not having the best luck with the home teams so far.  Cubbies played White Sox…Sox won.  Lots of energy and true team spirit.  I may be one of the few not dressed in team colors.  Marty again bought a hat, this time on the way in.  I think he looks great and he is really enjoying all of this.

 

We were lucky enough to hear the cast of Hamilton sing the National Anthem

Happy to be back at our hotel but not having much luck waking "Mr. Baseball" for dinner.  Once I did, we ate at an adorable little Italian, Angelina Ristorante, about four blocks from our hotel. 

Our walk back to the hotel took us by a market where we stopped to buy a few things...Ethan had asked us for a Rizzo jersey and we were amazed that everything from Rizzo Wrap (Reynolds wrap) and cereal were part of the Rizzo phenomena.  

 Sounds like a guy who has his priorities right...so good for him and the team.

  Our hotel is off Lake Shore Drive but close to Wrigley.  Perfect location, old hotel and a very cool butler type serving breakfast in the “library”.

Tuesday, July 25

On the road again but not as early since the Big City of Chicago boasts tremendous morning traffic delays - we scooted out around 10:30 and made it into St. Louis by 3:30 and were really excited to go see our grandson Andrew’s Cardinals play the Rockies.  Now even though Carrie and Jamie both went to college in St. Louis,  during those 8 years we were never here during a Cardinals home stand except for graduation week end and that just would not have been cool.  

 This stadium had it all…a kinda cross between the last two.  Energy, team spirit and the combination of the skyline, arch and all, and I have to say it was my favorite so far.

 The fact that the Cardinals won in the 9th after a tie made it all that much more exciting.  Harrison Bader had been called up to the Majors just this morning and  crossing home plate on a sacrifice fly for the win in his first major league game couldn’t have been more exciting…as baseball goes. His parents were highlighted on the screen and the excitement was contagious.

Humphrey Bogart said it best....

THE WARMTH OF DES MOINES

The Warmth of the Corn Fields

From the minute we entered Iowa we felt the warmth. Sure family is amazing and it was also 100 degrees. They know how to party in the Midwest and our cousins Don and Margo celebrated their 50th Anniversary with an all out bash.Their daughter and her new husband, Jossie and Jeff, celebrated their 55 day marriage and we celebrated being related to them. 

and if you were lucky you even got to visit with the real guests of honor

Night one.. party with all the touches; 150 relatives, a personal note on the response card from their original wedding invitation and songs to sing based on where we were from.  

Day two.   Iowa farmers market, brunch at Vivien's, a field trip with the California cousins, the Science Museum and an IMAX movie:The four D's. Dunkirk, Death, Darkness and Deep water. IMAX is cool. Movie, rating: Marty liked it; although not my fave.

Cousins: Richard, Sarah, Jascha, Nancy, Mel, Paulette, Lee Ann, Mark, Rachel,  Stephen and Marty

"Dress as you know them". Imagine a theme, add a great venue, recreate your invitation to come alive, bring in a band from Atlanta (Jessie's Girl) and have 580 of your nearest and dearest come dressed as they know you, then Shuttle them around in party busses. It was outrageous.  I do have to say, we were not the only ones looking like we were from California (guess we could have been more original) and there were people in togas (obviously from their fraternity days), UCLA, boy scouts, brides maids, their daughter, Jocelyn, came as an angel and the list goes on and on..our vote for the winners however showed up in kayaking gear including the kayak.

Speeches, love, great food, outrageous decorations and even their dogs made an appearance.  On display Margo’s wedding dress and a dress she wore at 18 on one of their first dates.

Thanks to Don and Margo for a great party. We may have arranged our trip around your party but it certainly will stand out as the highlight.