Our adventure... Day 1, part 1

We put on our leathers and headed south for Branson around 9 AM on Friday morning.  The longer we rode, the warmer it got, and by the time we arrived in Springfield, the temperatures were around 80 degrees.  Unbelievable, for November in Missouri.

We'd stopped at Lambert's on a previous trip, and loved it.  However, because they serve such huge quantities, Cliff and I decided to share one meal.  The waitress informed us that we'd have to eat from the same skillet (that's what they use as plates) and we decided we could manage that.  We asked her to wipe off the table, since both of us were sticking to it (ewww).

Then Cliff got a plastic coffee cup that was leaking water from its insides, which didn't make him real happy.  So he asked for another cup, which was promptly brought.

The food is still good there, but we pretty much decided to pass it up next time.  Oh yeah, did I mention Cliff found a hair in his food?  It didn't look like hair from someone's head, either.  (Ewwwww.)

But the ride was great, and we arrived in Branson by 4 PM.

Bargains and walks in the woods

We started the day off in a delightful way:  Our son-in-law works for a lumber company that is getting rid of a lot of the kinds of stock that walk-in customers buy, so they can cater to only builders and contracters.  In order to speed this process, they're practically giving things away.  Cliff was beside himself... I mean, fire extinguishers and toolboxes for a buck?  You gotta be kidding!

From there, we went and picked up the owners' manual for our motorcycle, since there was none with the bike when we got it.  Now maybe we can set the clock.

We went to Wal-mart for a coffee pot (for the time being, I got the cheapest $10 drip model they had), ate Chinese, and got groceries, and arrived home less than an hour before Cliff had to leave for work.

The girls had complained a few days ago that I never have a campfire at the cabin when they're here, so we remedied that situation.  Then they wanted to go for another walk in the woods; I figured we'd make it a quick one this time.  However, they both begged to go a different way.  "You won't like it," I said.  "There's a spring that comes out of the hill that way, and we'll have to walk through the mud; and there's lots of brush."

They insisted they wanted to take that way, so we did.  Much whining was heard as we tried to find the least muddy spot around the spring.  The whining increased as we headed up a steep hill, through blackberry vines, poison ivy and itchweed.  By the time we got back to the house, the girls weren't speaking to one another.

All's well that ends well, and they're now watching TV quietly.  Their parents are having a date night this evening, and I wouldn't be surprised to see someone asleep on the couch by the time they come after the girls. 

I think we may ride the Gold Wing to Branson tomorrow!  I'm so excited.

another day

Yes, my expensive, custom-made orthotics do seem to be working.  So much so that I hate to take my shoes off!

We only went four laps at the track again yesterday because some guys were coming to pick up the old "flood tractor", and Cliff needed to be here to help load it.

Hopefully we'll do five laps at the park today, if Cliff thinks we have time before we do some necessary errands.

Monica, who will be ten in a few days, was having a bad morning when she arrived today.  I warned her that in the next few years she will have moody spells because hormones will start raging.  She will cry for no reason and feel angry for no reason, and it's all part of growing up.  I also explained to her that her parents work hard and have to spend time commuting to their jobs, and life isn't easy for them, and they will sometimes say the wrong things and hurt her feelings; so she'll have to make allowances for them.  I believe the talk soothed her a bit, because she decided to have a cup of hot cocoa that she had earlier declined, followed by a carton of yogurt.

received in e-mail

Knowing how e-mail gets around, many of you have seen this, I'm sure; I believe I have.  But it gave me a morning smile.  Thanks to my buddy Bernie for sending it.

   Men Are Just Happier People

   Your last name stays put.
   The garage is all yours.
   Wedding plans take care of themselves.
   Chocolate is just another snack.
   You can be President.
   You can never be pregnant.
   You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
   You can wear NO shirt to a water park.
   Car mechanics tell you the truth.
   The world is your urinal.
   You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.
   You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt
   Same work, more pay.
   Wrinkles add character.
   Gray hair doesn't turn "blue".
   Wedding dress-$5000. Tux rental-$100.
   People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.
   The occasional well-rendered belch or "aromatic flatus" is practically expected.
   New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
   One mood all the time -- grumpy.
   Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
   You know stuff about cars, tanks, etc.
   A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
   You can open all your own jars.
   You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
   If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.
   Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.
   Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
   You can become "Mr. Best-Dressed" by buying at COSTCO or Sam's Club.
   You almost never have strap problems in public.
   You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.
   Everything on your face stays its original color.
   The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
   You only have to shave your face and neck.
   You can play with toys all your life.
   Your belly usually hides your big hips.
   One wallet and one pair of shoes one color for all seasons.
   You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.
   You can "do" your nails with a pocket knife.
   You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.
   You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.

   Finally, it is just no wonder men are happier.
   But, then again what do you expect from such simple creatures?

   Sure, go ahead and send this to your women friends who
   can handle it and to the men who will enjoy reading it and agree with you.

 

 

My alerts are working, my coffeepot is not

Of course, I can't blame AOL for the untimely demise of my coffeepot... or can I?  Well, I won't.

About a year ago, I did a journal entry on my new coffeepot.  Yesterday at 1 PM, it refused to make coffee.  The warmer still works, but the heating unit that actually makes the coffee brew does not.  I can do just fine without coffee, until morning; but Cliff was pacing the floor.  Thank goodness I remembered having a jar of instant coffee upstairs in our camper box.

I'd drink stump water before I'd drink instant coffee, so in order to have a satisfactory dose of caffeine for this morning, I went back to the cabin and fetched the Corning Ware coffeepot I picked up at a garage sale for a buck.  It's electric, although I was going to try using it at the cabin by just setting it on the burner.  It makes darned good coffee, I'm finding out!

It will get us by, but we're going to be getting another coffee pot of some sort, because I prefer drip to perked.  Cliff says he really liked the Bunn we used for several years.  I like it too, but it costs $100.  And when it's time to de-lime it, it's a major production, putting the vinegar solution through it and following that with 10 rounds of water.  Our well-water is very hard, and leaves calcium-lime deposits on everything. 

I can get another Brew-station like the one that just died for $38, but since this one only lasted a year, I'm not sure I want to do that (although my son and his wife have used one just like it for years).  I do like the way it works.  Checking out Walmart online, I see Proctor-Silex is making an imitation of my dear departed Hamilton Beach for $28.76.     

I got my $350 orthotics (shoe inserts) yesterday.  I was instructed to use them only two hours the first day.  Today I can go four hours, and in a week or so I should be using them all the time.  I'm anxious to try them out on the walking track where, by the way, I made four rounds yesterday.  Maybe five today?

alerts

Am I the only one not getting journal and comment alerts? 

GRRRRRRR!!!!

The fat season

Well, it's begun.  Halloween, you know, ushers in the "fat season". 

Cliff and I live in the country, and we haven't had any trick-or-treaters for years.  But we always buy a bag or two of candy, "just in case".

Of course, you know who eats the candy, and that gets us started.  Oh yeah.

Less than a month later comes our country's national eating marathon, Thanksgiving.  We have Thanksgiving dinners at work, at Church, at school, and with both sides of the family.  Oh yeah.

In the thirty days following that, we drag out all our recipes for Christmas candies and cookies, and consume mountains of sugar and starches.  And let's not even think about the eggnog.  Oh yeah. 

No wonder, on New Year's Day, all the stores feature diet products in their ads.  No wonder half the nation makes resolutions to lose weight.  After all, we only have ten months before the madness starts again.

Oh yeah.