written October 19, 2014
It
has been a few weeks since we last bothered you with an e-mail
describing our travels throughout our great southwest. That is
because we have not traveled throughout our great southwest as of
yet. The week or so in Branson turned into more of a “or so” as
we got to the end of one week and decided to stay a couple more days
due to weather. It was going to be rainy, so we just stayed a
couple more days (that turned into 7) where we were comfortable
instead of traveling we just stayed in Branson and felt younger and
younger due to everyone else being older and older. We spent six of
the last 7 winters in Florida and never felt too out of place. The
first year at the park it was questioned if one of us was 55 or not.
After that we just sorta melded into the surroundings and nothing was
said again. Let me tell you October in Branson is a hoot, bus loads
of “White haired Wanderers” fill the air, the streets, the
sidewalks, the roads, and the shows! In the two weeks here I know I
have stood and held the door so “older people” could get through
for at least five hours!!! OMG – I swear if someone would bring a
small child into any of the venues it would be hugged and kissed to
death by the thousands of Grandmas. Poor thing would be pawed and
oohed and aaahed and patted and groped because “isn't he/she just
the most precious thing you have ever seen!!!!
We
have done the “Tourist Thing” but mostly we have just laid back
and lived here. Our first afternoon here we went to an ice cream
social at the club house. We received coupons for free tickets to
the Pure Comedy show downtown at the Owens Theater (oldest theater in
Branson) and were really excited. On Monday we took the coupons to
the Theater to exchange them for tickets. Asked where we got the
coupons we told them Turkey Creek RV Park, and the lady said “Oh
wow that is the park Bernie and Red are staying at. Not knowing who
or what a Bernie and Red was or is, we were told it was a they, and
they are a comedy team. So, after looking at each other, we decided
to get tickets for their show that evening. Being a Veteran (a huge
thing here in Branson) my ticket was free and checking my wallet I
decided to get one for Julie too. Got to the venue a little early,
cause you know how Geezers hate to be late and we did not want to be
in a long line getting inside. Should not have worried. Lets just
say Mondays in Branson are not the most populated. We met and then
stood and talked with Red while she set up their display for selling
“junk” after the show. We have now learned that every show in
Branson is set up so that the entertainers leave the stage and walk
through the audience first to be at the exit to shake hands with the
audience, and oh yea have their merchandise proudly displayed and in
grabbing distance to the captive people as they are funneled through
the only exit!! Pretty smart I guess. Anyway, we loved the show and
naturally Julie bought some “stuff”. The poor girl is just a
sucker, hey, she married me didn't she?
On
Tuesday we ventured downtown again and mingled with the multitudes of
Geezers (ladies inside various stores shopping, men outside wherever
they could find a place to sit or lean or rest somehow) before the
our next show. Pure Comedy is a standup/slapstick show that has a
cast of about 7. The audience was made up of a cast of 10. Comedy
needs a few folks in the audience to chuckle and snicker at the
stupid jokes to get the rest of the crowd into a jovial spirit. Did
I mention that our tickets were free – I honestly believe we were
overcharged!!
Our
time here has been wonderful. Sightseeing and attending a few more
shows. We had lunch at Mel's Diner (no Alice wasn't there) where the
waitstaff takes turns grabbing a microphone and singing. Very nice.
Would heartily recommend it. However, get there a little early cause
the Geezer Buses start arriving after noon and when 60-70 people
descend upon an establishment it can get a little crazy. A couple of
days we just got into the truck and drove around looking at the
beautiful Ozark countryside. Darn it, we seem to be couple of weeks
or so too early for the great fall foliage color show, but there was
enough to keep Julie busy ooing and aahing.
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| Cloud Nine RV Park, gorgeous mountaintop view |
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| Stained glass ceiling in Men's dressing room, Hot Springs |
steam cabinets in Hot Springs
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Nothing to worry about here, it hasn't rained in over a week. So on we go. The odometer is quickly becoming my major concern. At 2.6 of our 2.9 mile journey we crest the last hill that leads downward around a curve. About two thirds of the way down this hill the road turns to gravel. I thought ooops. Another 50 feet and we can see around the hill all the way to the bottom. I bring the truck to a stop and Julie and I look at each other and just stare! 100 feet ahead of us is a beautiful bend in a stream covering our gravel road and pretty trees hanging from the banks all the way through. We can see the bank on the other side after the stream meanders around a small island!! Julie gets out of the truck with her trusty walkie talkie in hand and is going to guide me backing up a hill, on gravel, around a curve. We start and actually make it about half way back up the hill when she tells me to stop. There seems to be a car behind us. I get out and head up the hill to see what if anything can be done and lo and behold the car is the husband and wife from the only farmhouse we had passed for the last mile or so. They tell Julie that this happens all the time because GPS tells everyone to come down this road. Julie stays with the wife and the husband walks down the hill with me saying there is actually no problem, they drive their motorhome through the stream all the time. He points to a sandbar and says stay right of that. So after “looking” the situation over Julie climbs into the truck with me and we with great trepidation we head forward. The front wheels in the water and no problem yet, the back wheels in and still not sinking so now the trailer travels just as the truck did and we are now headed up the other bank when the wet wheels start slipping on the loose gravel, but just for a second. Just like the nice man said the bottom was hard and we made it through with no problems at all. 2.9 miles and we turn left onto another road and finally take a breath!!!! Anyway, that is the news (or lack of) from the “Homeless Painters”. Till later.
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| uh-oh |
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| uh-oh X 10 |
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