October 31, 2014 Favorite Trick or Treaters! (The Landing Point RV Park, Cape Girardeau, MO)

It is many miles across the width of Arkansas, from the Oklahoma order to nearly the Tennessee border....472 miles across I-40 to I-55 north!

For us we had an early start 7:57 a.m., with a stop to fill with diesel at $3.30 per gallon!

We arrived in time to see Ashlynn and Zade ready to depart for the evening.

 Yadier Molina, #4, St. Louis Cardinals, AKA Zade, complete with "tattoo"!

 This is Elsa, from the movie "Frozen" AKA Ashlynn

 Ashlynn and Zade

Grammy with Zade and Ashlynn

It was a fun evening.

We are now snuggled in, ready for the low temperatures in the morning.  It is presently 40 degrees at 9:20 p.m.

October 31 2014 socks needed

We are just an hour south of cape Girardeau mo. Might need to find socks and a coat for tonight. 

Outside temperature is in the. 40s. Trick or treaters will need to be dressed warmly tonight . 

Looking forward to see what kind of trick or treaters we will find tonight---scary or cute!

October 29, 2014 All Done!

It is all done.  

Glen finished the painting project today.  All of the rooms finished, including doors, trim, , closet shelves-- all finished!  I hope it helps the house to sell quickly and at a good price!

We enjoyed dinner with Trisha, Jeff, and Brady; then watched Game 7 of the World Series.  

Our "team" didn't win, but it was a great series with great play.  Pitcher Bumgardner from the SF Giants is a fanastic pitcher.  I am sure he is the MVP of the Series.

One more day here in Arkansas.

October 28, 2014 Still in Arkansas

We are still in Arkansas, visiting with Trisha, Jeff, and kids! 

Glen has just a couple of hours left till finishing the painting project.

He might have finished this afternoon but we picked Tanner up when school ended and took him home.

Then we were invited to ride with Trisha, Jeff, and carpenter Scott to Ft. Smith.  They were looking at some new construction homes to see kitchen cabinets.  

The new wood of choice seemed to be knotty alder.  Not my choice at all....nor Trisha's choice.  We then saw two homes that used maple with a dark stain.  Trisha definitely liked the maple wood much better, and the dark stain.  

I have mentioned that one of the remodeling projects is the kitchen area.  It will start soon.  

The master bath project is about finished.  Custom shower glass is the last item and will take several days for delivery.

The  days are dwindling down for our stay here.  We are heading to Cape Girardeau Friday morning.  There is a multitude of doctor/dental appointments scheduled for the first two weeks of November.

October 25, 2014 Nothing Exciting

Really, nothing exciting; nothing going on; nothing to report.

Glen has been painting each day.  Yesterday Tanner helped in the afternoon.  

Today, Tanner, Brady, and friend Haeven helped finish one room.

There have been beautiful sunsets the past two days.

 Between Greenwood and Ft. Smith, Arkansas

 Taken with no flash.

Taken with the flash activicated.  
"Red (sunset) at night; sailor's delight!"  

October 23, 2014 Music

Ok, I hope this video downloaded correctly and you can open it. 

Brady and Glen did some pickin' and grinnin' tonight.  Brady is very talented on the guitar.  

Enjoy.  Please leave a message if the video doesn't open.

I just tried watching and listening; it didn't work.  I sent the original video from my phone to my email, then downloaded it to my video files.  Somewhere in all that I lost the sound and correct viewing speed.  SORRY.

If someone can give me a hint or suggestion, I will be glad to try again.

October 21, 2014 Verizon deal!

Just a quick summary of the day!

Glen--more painting!  

Gayla--cleaning--ugh!

In the afternoon we made stops at Target, Ulta, Sam's, and Verizon.  

Are all of you Verizon users aware of the deal that ends October 31.  A package of 30 G's of data is available for $130.  There are no contracts, time limits, or restrictions.  If you get close to your limit or have to extend the usage, then check this out.  

Glen and I shared pizza with Trisha, Jeff, Brady, Natalie, and Tanner; then watched the first four innings of the World Series with them.  

We are now home watching Kansas City lose to San Francisco!  

10/20/14 When Work Isn't Really Work

Is it work if you volunteer? if you like doing it? if it is helping someone?

Glen is enjoying painting on his own schedule with no deadline.  He is working at Trisha's father-in-law's house, prepping it for sale.  He is painting the walls "warm oatmeal" and then trim/doors "white".  It surely is looking better.

Jeff has been complaining about pains in the chest area; he insisted it felt muscular not deep in the heart.  He was "encouraged" to see the doctor today.  Doctor told him there are some torn ligaments, and maybe one end of a ligmament torn loose.  He is in a sling for a few days.  Thankfully there are no flights scheduled for this week.  And...Thankfully, it wasn't a heart issue.

I spent the day at Trisha's house, catching up on turning dirty laundry into clean laundry.

Then I prepared a casserole for dinner.  When did casseroles go out of fashion?  This was called "Spanish Delight"...complete with noodles, browned ground beef, onions/green peppers, creamed corn, Rotel tomatoes...all mixed, then topped with cheese.  If the chef may comment, please, it was delicious.  There was just enough left for Trisha to take for her lunch!

Have I said that the battery in our pick-up had to be replaced?  The day that the boys washed the jet...that day...the truck had to be jumped when it was time to leave.  Sunday morning it was very sluggish when starting.  The original (2007) battery was showing its age.  It now has a new battery.  No worries!

Have a great week.

October 18, 2014 (Saturday) Where is the Month Going?

Wow-ee, the month is slipping by so quickly.

Trisha and Jeff are preparing Jeff's dad's house for sale.  (Willie passed away in May).  Of course there has been the usual sorting of "things", garage sales, Craig's List sales.  

Trisha today did the last sorting of the last stacks of pictures, papers, etc.  Glen volunteered to paint the walls of the house.  I did some shredding of papers.  

He enjoys painting and is very good at it.  Trisha bought "oatmeal"-colored paint for the walls.  I removed all of the switch plates and plug-in plates.  Glen finished the living room, and hall way today.  The rooms are small and it won't take long to finish the project.  

New and fresh paint is surely making the house look better.  

Brady and Tanner are with their dad this week end.  Landon and Natalie are with their mother.
Trisha and Jeff, and Glen and I went to "Rolando's" for dinner tonight.  "Rolando" is from Brazil; the cuisine is delicious.  Quesadillas and enchiladas are prepared in the familiar technique, but the rice/beans/side dishes has a different flair to them--oh, so good.

October 17, 2014 (Friday) Riding in a Jet Plane (photos)

Jeff had a trip to make a trip in the jet from Ft. Smith to Tulsa, Oklahoma.  It was a 21-minute flight.  The jet was left at the Tulsa airport.  Jeff, co-pilot Gene, and Glen returned in a single-prop Bonanza.  The return trip lasted approximately one hour.

 Jeff, as the pilot, sits on the left.  Gene, co-pilot, sits on the right in the jet.

Jeff, hard at work.

There is space for ten passengers in the corporate jet.

October 16, 2014 How to Wash a Jet! (Pictures)

Here's how you earn money when your dad is a corporate pilot!

 Brady, Tanner, and Glen

Landon, Jeff, and Brady

You might just think washing a motor home is a big job....but a corporate jet is a bigger job.  It took the three teenagers plus some assistance from Jeff and Glen about two hours to finish.  Removing jet fuel takes a lot of muscle!  

Jeff  has two more jets to wash in the next few days!  Jeff has several clients, and is responsible for the cleanliness of the jets.

It was a warm afternoon for washing jets!  High today was 88 degrees.  

Oh, yes!  Trisha and I were the main supervisors with Glen and Jeff as assistant supervisors!

October 15, 2014 Dinner with Trisha and Jeff

We enjoyed dinner tonight with Trisha and Jeff at "AJ's Seafood" in downtown Ft. Smith. AR

There was oysters on the half-shell, oysters Rockefeller, crab cakes, oyster basket, and shrimp basket shared by Jeff and Trisha.  Glen enjoyed a shrimp basket, and I had a very delicious oyster basket.

A company that picks up what's left from a garage sale came to Jeff's father's house today.  We met them to let them in the house.  The house is now about empty.  The few remaining things will be sorted for taking to their house or trashed.  The house will then be for sale.

We haven't seen much of Landon, Brady, or Tanner this week.  They have homework each evening and we do not need to break up the routine of getting that done.

October 14, 2014 S-L-O-O-W Day

After the rain, comes the sun!  It has been a beautiful day: low humidity, high blue skies, temps in the mid-70's.

You will be thrilled to know that....
we ran errands
met Trisha and Jeff at Jeff's dad's home*****
picked up Natalie at school, took her to Sonic for a quick dinner, and returned her to school.  She is a       trainer for the football team.

We may live in a motorhome, but we have just regular days, too, just like you!


*****Jeff and Trisha are in the process of emptying Jeff's Dad's house.  We are meeting someone tomorrow that is looking at at some of the items in the house.

October 13, 2014 Just Like the Book!

We went to the movies' this afternoon.

Did you read the book "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn?  We went to the movie by the same name.  It was filmed (partly) in Cape Girardeau, MO, where our son and family lives.

The time spent filming made quite an impact on the city of Cape Girardeau.  You can pick up a brochure that describes a "Gone Girl" tour!

Darin, as media officer for the police department, had some interaction with the production company.  Actual CG police cars were used; several of the policemen in the movie were actual policemen; Darin spent a day as a driver of a police car with Ben Afleck with filming from several different camera angles; but for some reason Ben made the movie, but Darin didn't.  :}

Just like the book, the movie has several twists, turns, and plots.  It could have been just as good a movie without all the foul language and sex scenes, but that isn't the way Hollywood does it.    Forewarned: it is "R" rated for a reason!

There is already specualation around Cape Girardeau that a sequel is in the works!

Since Friday night there has been 6.34 inches of rain!

October 12, 2014 Great Concert!

When we arrived here daughter Trisha announced there was a Don Williams concert Sunday night here in Greenwood.  Were we interested?

Yes, maam, we were interested.

The concert was advertised from "6 to 8 p.m."  Actually there was a warm-up/opening act (can't remember his name, but he was from Ireland) 6:00 to 6:30; then there was an intermission.

Don Williams finally came on stage at 7 p.m.  Oh, my, he can sing!  He is one of my Favorites.  But, he is frail.  We fully expected a band member to help him off stage, but he made it under his own power.  He is 75 years of age, but looks older.  

On the average the audience looked our age, or older!

Did I say...it was a great concert!

October 11, 2014 Breakfast Request

Last night Tanner asked that I make pancakes for breakfast this morning.  Of course I can!
I always make maple-flavored syrup for drizzling over the pancakes.

I didn't keep track of how many each one consumed, but they enjoyed them.  The last few were saved for later.

It was a day for watching sports on television.  The results:

     Mizzou Tigers - losers
     Kansas City Royals - winners
     St. Louis Cardinals - losers
"
We finished the evening by watching the DVR'ed Friday night showing of  The Amazing Race".

Brady is on a church-sponsored "coon (racoon) hunt".  I must admit I have never heard of a church sponsoring this type of event.  I hope it is all Brady was looking forward to.

October 10, 2014 DISH Satellite and Bomb Threats

Area schools have been hit recently with a rash of bomb threats.  These threats are usually not phone calls, but written on a bathroom wall.

Of course the threats have to be taken seriously.  

The high school here in Greenwood went on "lock down" for the third time this school year.  Normally Brady goes to Univ of Arkansas at Ft. Smith in the afternoon, but because of the threat missed the bus.  Eventually the lock down ended and he came home.  

Tanner wasn't involved because he is in the "junior high" building.  Trisha says usually the student is "caught", but that doesn't prevent someone else from doing it. 

Evidently students doing such threatening do not take the consequences seriously.

We went to Trisha/Jeff's home this afternoon to meet the DISH satellite tech.  Some wires needed to be changed/moved.  Because Brady was home early, we kept him company.

Eventually Jeff came in from a flying charter; and Trisha and Tanner came home at their regular time.  

We are parked with a view of the high school football stadium.  The start of the game was delayed for two hours because of lightning in the area.  Rain totals for the afternoon/evening is 1.75" with rain still falling.

October 9, 2014 A Chili Day

Everyone has different schedules after school.

Tanner had try-outs for soccer team.  He will learn the results tomorrow. We all are cheering for him!  He has "heard" that only two freshmen will make the team.

I made a double batch of chili;  one for tonight and one for the freezer.  Because we had corn-on-the-cob that needed cooking, we served that as a side to the chili.  Oh, man, that was delicious!!!

Glen washed the bugs/road debris from the windshields of both the pick-up and the motorhome.  There is rain forecast for the next several days.  

All of the boys---Landon, Brady, and Tanner, are near or over six feet (tall).  Tanner needs another inch to catch up with Landon.  It might be a while, or never, for them to catch up with Brady.

October 8, 2014 Now In Arkansas (Sebastian County Fairgrounds, Greenwood, AR)

There is only one downside to parking at the near-perfect site on the Williams' Farm, near Iberia:  No internet, unless we carry the computer to Jan/Bruce's house.  I say that to make my excuses for being behind in posting to the blog.  

No posts didn't have a thing to do with St. Louis Cardinal games most every night, or visiting with Jan and Bruce, their sons--Matthew and Mitchell and families; or going places with Jan and Bruce; or riding the four-wheeler over the farm, generally just having a great time!

The view from the MH windows at the farm include fields filled with black cattle, bluebirds perched on the fence, flickers checking out the fallen walnuts, a Carolina wren perched on the window sill, rows of round bales of hay.  

We left all of that today to travel to northwest Arkansas to the home of our daughter, Trisha, hubby Jeff, and their four children.

We stopped first just east of Joplin at Colaw's RV Surplus.  Oh, my goodness, it is the biggest offering of RV supplies, plus all of the surplus RV's we have ever seen.  

I think I have mentioned that the bins in the new refrigerator used to hold milk, OJ, etc are shaped differently that the old refrig.  We could have kept the bins from the old refrig, but that didn't occur to us.  No fear, in a back building, was an abundance of bins from old refrigerators.  There were plenty of the right shape and size.  We chose the newest/cleanest one.  

Next stop was at SpeedCo, at Joplin MO, which specializes in lube/oil changing for heavy duty diesel trucks.  All of the necessary procedures were done, and we were on the road again.

We arrived just in time to pick up Tanner from soccer practice, take him home where he showered, and took him to church for Youth Services.  

Trisha is under the weather, not feeling well with sinus infection-type of symptoms.  

There is some major remodeling underway at their house.  Both bathrooms are being updated--floors, countertops, new shower surrounds;  The kitchen is also being updated ---new cabinets, counter tops, hardwood floors refinished; popcorn ceilings throughout the house is going to be removed.  The construction crew say it wll will be finished in two weeks.  We shall see.

I plan to stay on schedule ---stay tuned.

Here's a few pictures from the past week.

Mattie

L. to R: cousin Diana (from Iowa), sister Jan; Aunt Lois (from Iowa), Gayla

 Mattie, daughter of Matthew and Teresa, enjoying a ride in the frontloader. Her grandpa Bruce is the tractor driver.

Diana and Aunt Lois (mother/daughter) enjoying a visit  with all of us at Jan'Bruce's.  

Lois is the remaining sibling of the nine in my father's family.

October 5, 2014 Intermittent Internet

Sometimes the WIFI works, most of the time it doesn't.  If it does, it is very s-l-o-w!.

It was a great day on the farm yesterday.

We enjoyed breakfast around Jan's table with Aunt Lois, cousin Diana, and Jan and Bruce.

Later in the day we drove to the location of Mom's home.  The house is no longer there.  Niece Megan and hubby Ian tore down the 75-plus year old house and rebuilt a beautful home there.  It is good to have family still there.

And we got to see baby Reed, three months old, the lastest great-grandchild for my mom.

In the afternoon Bruce and Jan worked on picking up some debris left after some dozer work, then Bruce sowed grass seed.

In between all of the activities three heifers (first-time mommas) delivered calves.  Two of the deliveries were did not survive.  Such is life on a farm.  The death of a newborn calf is not only sad, but a minus in the financial column.  Such is life on a farm.

Jan and Bruce's older granddaughter, Mattie, spent the day and night with them.  Uncle Glen and I so enjoy seeing all of the great-nieces/nephews.  

Nephew Mitchell was successful in harvesting a deer with bow/arrow.

Pictures later when the internet download speed is much faster.

We will be around here for a couple of more days.

October 3, 2014 At My Sister's (Williams' Farm, Iberia MO)

After a relatively short (five hours) trip we arrived at the farm of my sister and brother-in-law.

The only surviving sibling of my dad's family (nine children) Aunt Lois and her daughter Diana also arrived at the farm for a mini-reunion.

My brother, Mark; his daughter Megan and her two children, and his granddaughter Laney, were all with us for supper.  It was a great evening with visiting and looking at old photos, and.....

Cheering for the St. Louis Cardinals!  There were some long faces for a while, but the Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-9! it was a squeaker.

We will be here for the next few days.  

October 2, 2014 Tommow is Here!

Thursday:

We enjoyed lunch at "Shogun's" today with Jeff and Marcella, then sitting under the awning with them until the wind and rain drove us inside.

Tonight we kept Ashlynn and Zade company while Sarah and Darin went to the movies.  Just not any movie, but "Gone Girl".

"Gone Girl" with Ben Affleck and Neil Patrick Harris was filmed here in Cape Girardeau.  Darin was the middle person between the police department and the movie production.  He sat in a police car with Ben Affleck for eight hours  one day but only his shoulder made it in the movie.

There was a post-movie celebration at the local casino.  It was after midnight before they got home.

Their review of the movie:  "dark, but a good movie."

The book wasn't uplifting so I didn't expect the movie to be light-hearted or uplifting.  

There was lots of loud thunder and close lightning tonight and 3.3" of rain.  Every drop was welcome.  Local television reported tornado on the ground and damage between Blytheville AR and Caruthersville MO.  Nothing that severe here.