Branson and Branson again

We are having a great time here in Southern Missouri. We have been spending a lot of time with our son Frank and family. We are enjoying the grand kids and of course Joe and Frank are still fishing almost every day or night. We have had barbecued at their house a few times, pizza a couple of times, and they have been here a few times too. We have a great playground and pool area here at this campground, the kids love it.

We did take a few days off from family last Wednesday and drive down to Branson for three days, we went to 3 shows and bought tickets for 4 more shows for this week too. We will go again on Wednesday until the weekend, it is only about a 2 1/2 hour drive from here. We were very impressed with Branson, very clean, very hilly, and very family friendly.

We got back from Branson just in time for Joe and Frank to go to a Boat show and race on Saturday and again on Sunday. There were racing boats from all over the country there. They had a great time. The Bud Light boat was the winner, but all of them were great.

We are having so much fun here, but all good things must come to an end, we are planning to leave in a couple of weeks, and head for Kansas, then on up to South Dakota again.

Family in Camdenton, MO

We are in Camdenton, Missouri now and spending a lot of time with Joe's son Frank, his wife Julie, their son Austin (4 1/2) and daughter Cassidy (16 months). We are all having a great time. Frank and Joe are fishing every day (and night) and Austin joins them most of the time.


The 3 fishermen

Yesterday we all went to Ha Ha Tonka State Park for the afternoon. Beautiful place and so quiet and peaceful. We walked up a side of a beautiful spring all the way to the source. I got some great pictures, and had a great day.

Julie, Cassidy, Frank, Austin

Time to go home now...........

We will be here for several weeks, and I am sure there will be a lot of fishing, maybe some golf, and a lot of catching up on all that is going on in our lives. We have not seen them in over three years, so I am sure we are going to have a great time here in Missouri.

Scott AFB IL and St Louis MO

We have spent the last week at Scott AFB IL. The Fam Camp here is pretty nice, only has water and electric (30amp), but there is a dump site. They have a very nice Golf Course, Joe had to try it out, of course. It is a beautiful base and we have enjoyed it here.

We went to St Louis and saw the Arch. This is an amazing structure. We saw a film on how it was made, this was great. Joe went up in the capsule that takes you up to the top of the Arch, 630 feet up. I did not go up, I felt safer on the ground. It is a beautiful site overlooking the river, and a very interesting place to visit.

We were able to spend some time with our friends who live near Scott AFB, Faith and Cliff Waller and their two little girls. They are doing great, and they love this area, quite a change from California. It was pretty hot and humid while we were here. Was cooling off some today, the day we are leaving.

Lincoln's Museum

We visited the Abraham Lincoln's Museum and Library, we also took a tour of the many Lincoln sites in Springfield, including his tomb. They loved this man here in Illinois, a fascinating place, and a wonderful museum. We are so glad we were able to spend some time here. Lincoln was truly one of our greatest Presidents.

I am including a few pictures from the museum and from the cemetery and tomb.

We are at Scott AFB, IL now and will be here a few days before going on to Camdenton, MO where our son Frank (Joe's son) and his family Julie, Austin and Cassidy live. We have not seen them in a very long time so we are anxious to see them. It will be the first time we have seen their little girl, Cassidy.

Oh, by the way, we are Grandparents again. Kristy (Carol's daughter) just had a baby boy on July 24th , Jonathan Thomas Ryans, 3 lbs 4 oz. He arrived early, but is just fine, small but healthy, and they are both home from the hospital after 3 days.

Bye for now, more to come !!