Visit in Indianapolis and trip back to Virginia

We had a very busy visit in Indy with Ally and Family. Kate was not feeling well when we got there so I spent most of the day on Monday holding her which was really a chore since I love having her in my lap. I hate her being sick but it was fun to just sit and hold her . She was excited about spending the night in the motor home and sleeping with "HER" papa. Of course we had Noah come too . I slept with him and believe me he does not sleep still as his mommy had led me to believe. Needless to say Larry or I either one got much sleep on Wednesday night and after leaving Indy around 11 am on Thursday we only made it to Charleston W. Va. for the night. Our plan was to go as far as Beckley but by 6 pm we were both saying it was time to STOP. The Wal Mart was a welcomed stop and we got a good nights sleep and drove on to Kings Dominion on Friday. We had a great campout with the ODC group and arrived home on Sunday afternoon. All this week has been catching up with things around here. The "Big A Bus" is in the Barn until Monday Oct 6th and then we head out to Kentucky for Renfro Valley with the Discovery International Group for a long weekend.

I managed to get a couple of pictures on here. One of Bella and her hat and one of Papa with Noah and Kate. Also Bella with her Papa.

Mem

A little visit from IKE

Well, we had a "little" visit from Ike.
Saturday afternoon the Tolsons and us attended a show called "Six". This was amazing. It was six brothers from a family of 10 boys. Yes, I said 10 boys. They were very good and did a wonderful job of singing with NO instruments but you would have thought there was a full orchestra. Several of our group had attended and insisted that we see the show. Again we met for dinner and then attended the Mickey Gilly show at 8 pm and really had a great time there. Joey Riley was a comedian on Mickey's show and he was FUNNY.
We really did not see a BAD show in Branson we just liked some much better than others.
When we left the theater it was raining and then it got harder and then it got even harder about 2 am and the wind came with it. The actual eye of IKE came right over us. Finally about 6 am it was done. Larry and I had decided to wait and see what was what on Sunday morning before making the decision to travel or not. The campground had lots of limbs and debris around but nothing of any major proportion and no damage was done to any of the motorhomes or other camping units that we saw so we were much luckier than the people in Texas.We left the campground around 9:30 a.m. and even though we had some wind it was not a bad travel day. The storm was ahead of us so we just took our time. Spent the night in Effingham, Illinois and met several other Discovery Coaches that had been to a rally in Indiana.
After a good night sleep we were ready to tackle another day and arrived in Indianapolis at Ally's house around 11:30 a m. Of course we have not stopped since. The children keep us moving and wanting our undivided attention. Noah is in 1st grade so he is gone most of the day but when he gets home he wants to be right under us. I also helped him with his homework so that took some time and lots of patience. He and Kate are sleeping in the motorhome with us tonight. It will be an early morning getting him up and ready for school but he loves to be in this motorhome..

We will leave later in the morning to travel back to Virginia and get ready for the next trip .

My oh My!!!!!!! 9-12-08

After a 10 am show with the Gatlin Brothers I don't know what to say. They were wonderful!!!! Rating the top show would be very hard since all of the ones we have seen so far are so different. After a restful afternoon back at the motorhome we met with our group to EAT again. As Larry Gatlin said at the show the schedule for Branson is Eat, Show, Eat, Show, Sleep and sleeping is included sometimes in the 8 pm show since by then you are exhausted.

The Presley Show the first theater in Branson, was a wonderful variety of everything from gospel, country, comedy and beauty. The outfits were very classy and the people in them were fine too.

Today, Saturday, fines us cleaning up and packing up somethings for departure tomorrow, hopefully, but a lot depends on the path of IKE. The prediction is rain and more rain but we willjust have to wait and see. We hope to leave and make it to Indy on Monday but we will see what tomorrow brings. We certainly don't want to take chances with the weather.

We are going to see 2 more shows today. One at 2pm and another at 8pm and of course EAT somehow between.

Pictures of Mem and Larry Gatlin, The Gatlin Brothers, Dick Clark's Grill at the American Bandstand Theater,where we had lunch. Janice and Ralph Parsons at the Shoji show.

Enjoying the Music Sept 11, 2008

Before we arrived in Branson I remember saying that we shouldn't plan too much for one day but guess what, we have. There is just so much to choose from.
Yesterday, Wednesday, we decided to have a slow morning and then enjoy the 8 pm show we had tickets for so we did except for a trip to Wal Mart and then out to eat a "late" or "early" meal whichever you call it and enjoyed barbeque.
The show of the evening was the Shoji Tabuchi Show and it was wonderful. A big variety of music from country, gospel, 50's , Broadway, etc. It was just amazing the instruments played, singing, dancing and costumes.We had hoped to find somewhere for dessert after the show but believe it or not things were closed. Chuck and Larry were of the opinion that all the bus tours had to take their people back to their hotels , pass out medication and put them to bed. We are not being ugly but we do feel younger here as I think the average age is somewhere in the late 70's and 80's. Of course, Linda and Chuck are the "babies" in our group both still in their 50's.Finally, we found a McDonalds and had ice cream which actually hit the spot.
Today we are going to the Jim Stafford show at 3 pm, then join our group for dinner and then the Joe Diffie Show at 8pm. Ally surprised me the other morning when I told her we were seeing Joe Diffie and she said "John Deere Green" which is a song of his . I guess I forgot she had to listen to country music growing up since that was our preference.

I am adding a picture of the group when we had dinner with friends from Oklahoma on Monday night. Floretta & Mason Young have a park model here in Branson . I also forgot to add the picture of Jim's half hairy chest. That is mine and Janice Parsons hands. It is a long story and we will have to share it another time.

Continuing

We had a great time in the St. Louis area. Actually St. Charles and St. Peters. We got to visit with our friends, Dallas and Shirley with whom we have spent the last two winters in Texas and my "old" high school pal, Rhodes Rich and his wife Mary. The downtown area of St. Charles is quaint and I found some great Christmas presents and of course some jewelry for whomever.

We had dinner on Friday night at the Beefeater which is the restaurant on site at the campground. Wonderful food. Some of the group went to the Casino on Saturday and I think they came out ahead on money except they spent it on lunch. Later we checked out the RV Show at the mall and then on to an Italian Restaurant for dinner.

Traveled on to Branson today (sunday) and now are trying to plan the rest of the week. So many choices of shows.

Continuing on to Branson

Oh man are we glad that we drove as far as we did yesterday and did not have but the 99 miles today. It was raining and raining and the visibility was awful but we made it safely to St. Charles, Missouri and into the RV Park without any problems. Trust me I might not have had a steering wheel or brakes but I did help drive with my eyes(all 4 of them).
An afternoon nap was enjoyed by all after arriving and then of course time to EAT again. Fortunately, there is a wonderful restaurant right on site here in the campground so we enjoyed a nice dinner and now everyone has adjourned to their coaches to rest, write blogs, take showers and then listen to the speeches at the Republican Convention.

Trip to St. Louis and Branson, Missouri , Sept 2008

The Parsons, Tolsons and Mathenys came out to our house on Monday Sept 1 and we had a cook out (of course we had to eat) and then got a good nights sleep and headed West on Tuesday. We had a short day traveling to a Wal Mart outside of Charleston West Virginia .
Wednesday morning was an early departure and a LONG day. We drove over 400 miles to Mt. Vernon, Illinois to another Wal Mart. Tomorrow we will travel the whole amount of about 99 miles to St. Charles, Missouri to Sundermier RV Resort until Sunday. We will be doing a little resting, visiting with friends, eating, and sightseeing.