Winding Down on the Shows

So to bring us up to date.. we caught the Roy Rogers Jr Show yesterday morning. It really brought back memories of our household when my brothers were young and playing cowboys. Roy Jr also told of his family history and how they are trying to keep the memory of Roy alive. We just don't have 'heroes' today like back then. I really enjoyed Roy Rogers Jr son, Dusty. He really looked like his grandpa. They're keeping it in the family ;)

In the evening we were entertained by the Yakov Smirnoff Circus Dinner Show. MM would have prefered the Yakov Smirnoff Show (Not the circus), but there was a little mix up on my part. Anyway, the circus was really cute... no animals except for dogs. Yakov wasn't even in the circus performance other than to narrate from his book about bringing his circus to America. We were curious as to how there was going to be a dinner since we were seated in auditorium seats that did have little writing tables that came up, but....



Yup, a Yak-in-a-box! They passed out glow in the dark boxes that glowed under the black lighting. It was complete with soup, meatballs, potatoes, roll and pudding. Have I had a better meal??? Okay, it was a Yak-in-a-box, what do you expect. Cute but not a "Dining Experience" :) The circus was good and the love story was cute. Like all of the shows here in Branson they really tried to get a lot of audience participation. They had a guy stand in front and one in back holding a string of tape dividing the section of seats and then they started tossing beach balls out to be played as volleyball. A member of the audience was brought on stage and strapped to a wall for a knife throw... they used toilet plungers lol. Lots of silly stuff but it was fun. Enjoyed the show, but next time it will be the Yakov Smirnoff Show, not the circus.

This morning we met friends for breakfast then headed for Branson Landing on the waterfront. When we got there we noticed the Branson Scenic Railway was getting ready to board so we grabbed some tickets and hopped on. The ride is a 40-mile roundtrip excursion thru Ozark foothills and tunnels. You learn the history of the area as you cross bridges and trestles and you experience the luxury of rail travel from yesteryear. So here's the train...



A fellow traveler grabbed our camera and caught us settling in for our ride.


The view from one of the trestle bridges.


I can't remember being on a train before unless you count the one at the zoo. It was a fun experience and I think if I were on a long trip I'd probably just sleep because it is very soothing to be lulled and rocked back and forth.

When we got back to the landing we walked around and did some shopping then sat at one of the sidewalk dining places and enjoyed some ice tea on this beautiful fall day. There was a water and fire display that danced to music. A great way to spend an afternoon.



Later we grabbed a quick bite to eat before our evening entertainment of Spirit of the Dance. I love the energy and excitement of Irish Dancers. This was a fantastic show with lots of singing and dancing. It was so fast paced that it seemed like we just sat down and the show was over!! Love the Spirit of the Dance!!

It's late and I'm ready to call it a night. Just a couple of more shows left, and I can't wait. Sons of the Pioneers and Noah the Musical...

More Branson Shows

Monday we only had one show scheduled. The Platters. They put on a powerful show bringing back some great memories of the '60's. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Only You to name a couple. Just a GREAT show and they had a good diner in the lobby of the Starlite Theater that also brought back memories. Nice show.

We found a really nice BLM (Bureau of Land Management) Park just outside town that we plan on returning to when we have more time to just camp. It's an Army Corp of Engineers park right on Table Rock Lake. Very nice. We love to just drive around new towns checking things out. You find some real gems hiding out there.

Today (Tuesday) we had to move from the ABC (America's Best Campground) to the Coast to Coast park that we scheduled for the second part of the week. Treasure Lake RV Resort is right next to the IMAX theatre in town. Very big park and has everything we need including being right in town!!

Did a little shopping around town before going to the Jim Stafford Show. His biggest hit back in the '70's was I Don't Like Spiders and Snakes. We were a little disappointed that he didn't do all of his old song (kind of like Ricky Nelson not wanting to play the old songs). He did a lot of funny stuff and had his son Shea and Daughter GG doing a few numbers. One of his skits he broke a guitar and had to duct tape it back together lol

What sticks with me right now was at the end he said he had to go home and do some mechanical stuff.... Put a rearend into the recliner lol. Gotta remember that one. We did buy a few of his cd's because our olds ones of his got lost or damaged and MM really likes his stuff.

So here we are back at camp and resting up for a busy tomorrow. Checked out pictures of the girls on the internet.... I really miss them. They are so cute :)

We love talking to other couples that we camp near or sit near at shows. The couple we camped next to at the last camp were from GA and we're trying to find time to have dinner with them sometime in the next few days. The couple we sat next to at the Baldnobber show was from ST Louis MO and today a couple that was celebrating their 50th anniversary were here from Indianapolis IN. What really stands out is that travelling during October, in the middle of the week, is lots of old folks lol. Guess I found my niche. Tomorrow - Roy Rogers Jr and Yakov Circus.

Having a BLAST in Branson!

We arrived in Branson on Friday and are staying at the ABC - America's Best Campground. It is really nice and has a lot of friendly campers - MM is out now visiting with our newest neighbors.

Saturday we got up early for a pancake breakfast served here along with entertainment. Tucker was the entertainment and we visited with a nice gentleman Harry Hazzard... later we bought one of his CD's. He sounds just like Dean Martin.

Back at camp we went through all of the flyers of entertainment and coupons. We went back to the office and bought a handful of tickets and began our fun. Our first show was Showboat Branson Belle. This is a dinner cruise on Table Rock Lake. Dinner began as we cast off from dock with a salad and bread followed by Roast Beef, Chicken Marsalas, veggies and mashed potatoes. They had a band playing and served a yummy raspberry gourmet something for dessert. This was followed by a short intermission of sorts while we went uptop and walked on deck. It was a perfect day and we enjoyed watching the views as we sat soaking up the sunshine. When called back for the performance we reluctantly went back inside. There were four singer/dancers that were very good - the Showstoppers. They were followed by Todd Oliver and his talking dogs. Talk about funny... I was laughing so hard I could hardly breathe. He's a ventriliquist that's been on Jay Leno as well as other late night shows. This is his last season on the Showboat so get there fast to check him out.... FUNNY!!

We left there at about 6:30 and headed for our next show the Baldknobbers Jamboree (think we had tickets for the 8:00 show). Their family has been running this show for 50 years. The oldest show in Branson. The singer/entertainers were okay, but the comedic portion was hilarious!!! Once again, side splitting funny. Another show that I would definitely recommend.

This morning we headed out for my favorite so far... Adventure Ziplines of Branson. You start out getting set up in a harness that attaches you to something solid at every station. After a short learning process of how to stop, and how to stop spinning you climb a 65' tower. Yup, a spiral staircase to a platform looking out onto the world!! So now you're standing up there and they hook you up to a cable and tell you that whenever you're ready to just sit back and jump off. I'm first, of course, otherwise I might chicken out :) Look out, breathe, sit back and jump!! There I am floating across the sky and trying not to brake... oops, braked too much, the guy had to throw me a rope and pull me in lol. Forgot to tell you that you have two staff working with you, one goes first and one last. MM joins me fast and the last staff comes in doing hot dog moves lol. I think this next cable was the longest (I could be wrong :)) at 1600' long. Again, breathe, sit back and jump... try to hold your feet up so there's less wind resistance and you can make it to the next tower. One of the staff later explained to me that with the cooler temperatures and more clothing there is more wind resistance and therefore you go a little slower to begin with even if I weren't braking lol. Next comes a rope bridge that you have to cross from tower to tower. Have you ever seen a little old lady walking with a cane taking baby steps? Okay, everything but the cane. I felt ridiculous, but it was SCARY!! Whew!! I made it. We did this a few more times 5 zips and 3 bridges and the final one you land on the ground and can't believe you made it through it all. What a RUSH!! You know I'm recommending this to all my friends!! I've heard of others doing the zipline of sorts, but I think they just had a zipline and were done. This was so much more because you had to jump 5 times and the bridges!? Yikes!!

We had tickets for Fountains of Faith next at the Waltzing Waters Theatre. This was all gospel singing with dancing waters behind everything. The singing was by Tucker and Susan Hudson Carman. Harry Hazzard was there too, but he didn't do any performing. It was fitting for a Sunday morning... very inspirational and beautiful singing. Another performance I would recommend to those that enjoy gospel singing.. I do.

MM had been eyeing the Rib Crib every time we went by so we stopped in for a quick lunch/dinner before heading back and resting up from a very full morning. We have lots of tickets for the rest of the week and hope to rent a motorcycle (didn't bring ours) for a one day excursion. The weather looks great for the rest of the week and we're loving the time to just enjoy each other and all that Branson has to offer. Check back later in the week for more updates of our adventures.

Deeper Than The Dead by Tami Hoag

When three children stumble on a shallow grave in 1984, an idyllic California community is rocked to its core. The victim is a young woman, her eyes and lips sealed closed, a blind and silent witness to an unspeakable crime. The third victim in two years’ time, it’s clear that a serial killer has come calling.

As a member of the FBI’s fledgling criminal profiling unit, Special Agent Tony Mendez knows serial killers. It quickly becomes apparent that the See-No-Evil killer is no ordinary psychopath. The profile paints a portrait of a man easily trusted, well respected, and intelligent—a man no one would suspect.

Dr. Peter Crane fits the bill. A pillar of the community, he volunteers at a center for disadvantaged women—a center the victims had all attended. Crane is also a beloved husband and father to a ten-year-old son, Tommy, who was one of the three children to discover the grave. Needing insight into Peter Crane’s world, Mendez asks Anne Navarre, Tommy’s fifth-grade teacher, to find out what she can. It’s a request Anne finds both intriguing and unethical—much like Mendez himself.

Then a new victim leads to a different suspect—a man whose son was another of the three children to find the grave but a man whose position in the community is also above reproach, a sheriff’s deputy. As the connections between the two families become increasingly tangled, it seems clear that one of these children holds the key to a serial killer’s double life . . . and a revelation of evil so dark, so deep, no one may survive.


I was grabbing every spare moment to finish this book!! I'd be so tired my eyes were drifting closed on me over and over, but I just couldn't put the book down. Very good book that lead you in many different directions. Can you imagine being held by a psychopath that stops his victims cold by making them deaf blind and mute. Unthinkable horror is all I can think of... You won't want to read this book while home alone.

Roadtrip

My Daughter and I took a little roadtrip on Tuesday. Tuesdays are twofer days at Longaberger. Lots of specials... make two baskets for the price of one, two lunches for the price of one... and other specials. First we saw the Longaberger home office in Newark OH. It's huge and can be seen from a long distance away.


This beautiful basket of apples is at the homestead. Wish I had the picture my daughter took, because the sky was a beautiful blue. The day was absolutely gorgeous with a high that reached 90!! Great travel day.


We both made this basket. Mine has the fall colors and hers is the warm brown with pink and green, very pretty.


This picture shows both of the baskets I've made at Longaberger. The one on the left I made on a trip in 2006.


So while we're showing baskets here's a sampling of the ones that are in the basement with me :) I use them for everything and they hold up very nicely.


We had a great time together and she brought along her Ipad so I could get addicted to Bejeweled Blitz. Yes, I played a lot, but then accidentally erased my high score. I'm thinking we should plan a girls trip at least once a year. There are a lot of interesting thing not that far away. A trip to Bronners would be nice... We'll have to think about what's next. Ever been to the Longaberger Homestead? Start planning your trip now. And no, this is not a paid endorsement lol, just like the product.

I Won! I Won

Look at this cute apron and pot holder set.



I won it from A Latte With Ott A. A group of canners got together and had a big give-a-way as they blogged about canning recipes and directions. I loved all of the recipes and I'm inspired.

I got my notification from Mess Hall to Bistro. I love visiting new sites on such fun and interesting stuff. Thanks to all the bloggers that ran this contest for National Canning Week. We all love winning stuff, but fun cookbooks, aprons and canning equipment are really fun. Thanks Again!!

Fertilize Friday 9/3/10

Our wonderful host Tootsie who I haven't checked out yet today. She always has gorgeous pictures and wonderful hints for gardners. There are a lot of other gardners linking up so check them all out.


Well, it's almost Labor Day and things are really drying up. We had a good rain yesterday and last night to perk them up, but most of the flowers have seen better days. Basically we have the Rose of Sharon at the back of the deck still going great guns. The coleus and daliah are also doing good. The coleus falls over every time it gets a little dry (okay sometimes we go away for a few days :)), so I'm amazed that it's still doing good.




So pretty with the rain drops hanging on.


Bought some new Rudbeckia yesterday.


Hope I have blooms like this next year when they are out front replacing the


flowerless daisies. The daisies are in between the azaleas



Look who else I found on the camera. Little Punkin! We watched her last week while her family went to a wedding. She was actually starting to coo a little... she's about 5 weeks old in this picture.


That's it for this week. I have serious doubts about next week, but I'll show you how the Rudbeckia look in their new home and where the daisies are being moved.

Top Ecard Droppers for August

Thanks to all the Droppers in August. I know I don't always have the time that I'd like to spend on the computer, so I really appreciate those that take the time to drop. I know you're all very busy too.

comatised
Kreated by Karen
The Sewing Mom
AsTheCrackerheadCrumbles
elai's haven 19
In The Eyes Of The Beholder
elai's precious angels
Bible Examples
Mumsy
Grampys World

I love visiting all the blogs out there. I learn so much and am often inspired and motivated to be a better me. Thanks again.