Monday, July 30, 2018 - Breakfast Burritos; Miniature Golf; Dolly Parton's Stampede; Family Leaves; Chiropractic Treatment

Monday, July 30, 2018 - Breakfast Burritos; Miniature Golf; Dolly Parton's Stampede; Family Leaves; Chiropractic Treatment

I was so tired last night that I left my phone in the living area, and forgot to put it on the charger, but my alarm still went off at 5:00 this morning.  I jumped out of bed and hurried downstairs to turn it off.  I doubt it would wake Dean, but I didn't want to take the chance that it might.  I turned on the coffee and my laptop and soon was enjoying my first cup of coffee!

I told Misti and the kids last night that I was making breakfast burritos for breakfast this morning and their eyes lit up.  It makes a "Nana's" heart feel good when that happens!  Misti sent me a text when she got up so I would know when to start them.  Dean helped me by fixing the hash browns while I prepared everything else.  It was about 9:00 when we walked over with the burritos, tabasco and apple juice.  I can't remember the last time I made these, and I have to admit they were really good....and in no time they were gone!

We visited for awhile, and finally decided we would play miniature golf at Pirate's Cove.  

Our pirate ship is waiting.....

Love this picture!

Eeek!!!  My hair almost blends in with this grey rock!  But...I love this picture with me and two of my favorite people.

By the time we finished, we only had an hour or so until we needed to be at the Stampede, making sure we allowed enough time to park, look around, turn our receipt in for our tickets and find our seats.  On the way there Dean asked me if I had the receipt.  Guess what, it was still at the RV.  Fortunately, we were able to stop by the RV and make it to the Stampeded in sufficient time.

Once we obtained our tickets, we entered a large area where there was seating both on the floor and an upper deck.  On the floor there was a large stage in the middle of the floor seating.  We set right at the edge of the stage where we had a table if we chose to have food or drink. Goldwing Express provided about 45 minutes of great entertainment.  I've heard many good comments about this band.  We almost went to see them perform while we were in South Texas earlier this year but for some reason we decided not to go.  When I heard they were the band that would be performing for the pre-show, I was thrilled for another opportunity.

They were amazing and I would definitely love to see them in a full concert.  They play bluegrass and infuse it into all of their music, which was a nice touch!  They sang a variety of songs from different genres.  They were fun to watch, fun to listen to and they appeared to really be enjoying themselves.

If you are interested in learning more about this group you can check out their website here.

Once their show ended, we were moved in to the large arena where we were seated at tables.  They wasted no time in getting the show started and the food coming.  We were on the "South" side.  There were a number of different contests between the North and South sides throughout the show, and our side ended up winning.  

Our waiter, Shey started by bringing out drinks - coke, ice tea, lemonade or water.  Next we were served soup in a handled bowl that allowed us to drink from it.  It was very good, and even better when they brought a yummy biscuit that we could sop up the last of the soup with.  Dean and I had been here before, but I was still surprised at the size of the cornish hens we were each provided - and they were delicious, followed by a roasted potato, corn on the cob, and a slice of pork loin.  As if that wasn't enough, we were served huge apple turnovers for dessert.  Dean and I brought home most of our cornish hens and I'll use that meat to make a meal or two for us later this week, along with a couple of pieces of pork loin and one potato.  

The show was very good and I couldn't help but think of our two grandkids Dacy and Tucker as we watched these young men and women ride their horses and do various patterns, some were similar to what we watch when we attend the grandkids events.  You could tell these young people had most likely participated in 4-H or some sort of horse training over the years.  They were very good.  

Here are just a few of the many pictures I took:

Part of the scenery.

Notice the change in the background changes here.  Covered wagons representing both the "North" & the "South".

Trick rider on two horses.  She was very good!

The two buffalo in the front, ran into the center of the arena, and just fell down and rolled around in the sand/saw dust.  It was almost like they were trained to put on a show for us .  I think this was one of the best parts of the entire show.

Covered Wagons

Square Dancing

Logan - our grandson

Haleigh - our granddaughter

We had a great time at the "Stampede"; and now we needed to get back to Treasure Island.  The kids need to head back home and I have a chiropractic treatment at 5:30.  We hated to see them go and sent prayers for a safe journey home.  It started raining not too long after they left so we are glad to know God is watching over them in their travels.

My treatment went well.  I am going to have one more treatment tomorrow after we return from Dean's Dr. appointment in Springfield.  My back is feeling great but I'm not sure when I'll have a chance to have another treatment so I'm going to take advantage of it.

We returned to Bentley and I've been working on blog posts ever since.  At 10:00, we are still full from our lunch at 3:00 this afternoon.  I pray your day has been as good as ours.  Thanks for following along.  

Sunday, July 29, 2018 - Walmart Trip, Misti & grandkids arrive; Silver Dollar City; Late Night Pizza and Card Game

Sunday, July 29, 2018 - Walmart Trip, Misti & grandkids arrive; Silver Dollar City; Late Night Pizza and Card Game

We got around early this morning because I wanted to run to Walmart to pick up a few things before the kids get here.  We hurried to get what we needed. It was just beginning to spit rain as we returned to the truck.  

Misti, Haleigh and Logan are coming to visit us this afternoon and staying the night in one of the cabins here at Treasure Lake.  We managed to get one almost across the street from where we are parked.  We've got plans for this evening and tomorrow!

It has continued to rain lightly since we returned from Walmart - around 8am.  It was really nice and cool outside.

We decided on comfort food for lunch today, so I made meatloaf, baked potatoes and corn.  It's been several months since we've had meatloaf and it sure tasted good....and there is enough leftovers for a meal later in the week.

While I was relaxing in the loveseat, the front door opened.  I looked up and it was our grandson Logan!  Yea, they are here!  Misti and Haleigh were at the cabin and would be over soon.  I jumped up and gave him a big hug.  He is our first grandchild, he just turned 19, and is going into the Navy in October.  Haleigh was actually our second grandchild - our little redhead.    

Misti and Haleigh showed up a short time later and there were lots of hugs given!  We are excited they are here.  Our first event is this evening.  We are going to Silver Dollar City as part of their moonlight madness event.  Normally they close at 6pm, but they will be open until 10pm this evening.  They are offering a reduced price of $30+taxes for their daily ticket if you arrive after 5pm.  Misti and Haleigh have season passes.  Logan went in as Misti's guest for $20, I went in as Haleigh's gift for $20 and Dean bought a reduced price ticket.  This was a great bargain for us....cheaper than buying one normal day pass!

Misti and the kids rode the new ride "The Time Traveler".  They really enjoyed it.  I joined them on "Fire in the Hole", one of the few roller coasters I am still willing to ride.  We had a good time.  We stopped and ate a large container of kettle fried potato chips that is covered with melted cheese and bacon bits.  They were delicious.  We walked through the park looking at a few things, before ending up at Echo Hollow for the evening entertainment that we all enjoyed.  

Logan and Haleigh - last car (to the left).  Logan has on the red shirt and Haleigh's is purple.  Misti was in the car in front, but she was on the other side.

We enjoyed great musicians and singers in Echo Hollow!

Following the music we enjoyed the fireworks.

The show ended at 9:30 and we followed the crowd to the front of the park.  We stopped to look at various products for sale before heading outside and walking back to our vehicles.  Dean and I drove separately in case we wanted to leave early - but we had a great time and chose to stay until the end.  

As we were leaving we noticed the moon was a beautiful deep red.  I tried to take pictures while we were in the parking lot, but I could not get any good shots.  Once we made it to the RV park, I rolled my window down and had Dean stop.  I was also able to take another picture once we made it back to our site.  Unfortunately, the redness does not show up in these pictures, but the brightness itself makes it beautiful

On the way back to Treasure Lake, Misti ordered some pizzas and a sandwich for Haleigh from Dominos.  Dean didn't want anything to eat, so I went to the cabin with the kids.  After pizza, Misti, Logan and I played gin rummy and "I won"!  The last game I could hardly keep my eyes open....in fact someone laughed and when I opened my eyes, I realized I had fallen asleep while waiting for them to take their turns.  Yep, it's time to go home!

It was a great evening with these three. 

Saturday, July 28, 2018 - Day to Get Things Done; Lunch with Friends; Budget Updates and Program; Visting with Neighbors

Saturday, July 28, 2018 - Day to Get Things Done; Lunch with Friends; Budget Updates and Program; Visiting with Neighbors

Up at 5:00, I put a load of clothes in the washer.  I brought them downstairs last night so I wouldn't wake Dean up trying to fish them out of the hamper this morning. 

After finishing my blog post for yesterday (Friday, July 28) this morning, I decided today I am going to get our budget info updated. I worked on it off and on most of the day between one thing or another.  It was nice to take a break occasionally.  

We are meeting our friends Frank and Joyce at Dana's BBQ for lunch today and I was glad for the break.  Dean had a cheeseburger and onion rings and I chose the Pork Sandwich Special which included beans and cole slaw.  The pork was delicious - very moist and tender.  Dean enjoyed his meal as well. We had a nice visit with our friends before we headed back to Bentley.  

Joyce is interested in the budget program I am using so I invited her to come over later this afternoon and take a look at it.  I ran into a bit of a problem getting June's information input....mostly because I waited too long to do it, but finally finished it about 3:00.  June is done and I will finish July's shortly after the first of August.  At least now all of our expenses are input through today.  It is interesting to see how our actual expenses compare to our annual budget after six months; which gives me some real comparisons. One thing I have noticed is it is much cheaper to buy groceries and dine out in Texas than it is in Kansas & Missouri.  We dined out much more in Texas, and we are buying the same type of foods now as we did in Texas.  Our actual costs show we are spending slightly over $200 more a month since we returned from Texas - that includes both groceries and dining out.  

I sent Joyce a text she could come over anytime.  Frank came with her and Dean sure enjoyed visiting with him.  I also showed her a couple of budgets of other folks on the road that share their budgets with their readers.  Many work throughout the year at various jobs, including as campground hosts, Amazon, beet harvest, gate guarding, etc.  They can make pretty decent wages, allowing them to spend a few months each year traveling to areas they want to visit.  For example, a few of the blogs I follow, they have taken workcamping jobs in Alaska.  It gives them the opportunity to visit and explore a state they may not be able to afford to visit otherwise.  

My last task was to input all of our expenses to date for July.  I was glad to step away from it at that point.  June and July were somewhat hectic and a little stressful for us, but God brought us through it all.  I look forward to getting back into our regular routine where I input receipts every few days or so.  Waiting to do this at the end of the month is time consuming and can make it easy to miss a receipt somewhere, and I typically update every day or so.

We visited for awhile with our neighbors Diane and Gerald again this evening.  They are a very nice couple.

We spent the rest of the evening watching TV before we called it a night.

Friday, July 27, 2018 - Breakfast at Grandma's; Thank You Drena; Hair Appointment; Visiting with Friends and Meeting New Ones.

Friday, July 27, 2018 - Breakfast at Grandma's; Thank You Drena; Hair Appointment; Visiting with Friends and Meeting New Ones.

Up at 5:00 again this morning, and worked on finishing the blog for the past two days.  I actually had Wednesday's written, but I couldn't stay awake last night long enough to read through it and make sure it really made sense.  

As I've mentioned many times, Dean loves to go somewhere to eat breakfast on Friday mornings, and today was no different.  There is a restaurant just outside the entrance of Treasure Lake called Grandma's Cafe.  

My breakfast!

We've noticed lots of cars there in the morning so we decided to give it a try.  It's a large restaurant, with three sections.  Only two were open this morning.  When my Uncle & Aunt were here earlier this summer, Joyce said they tried the cinnamon rolls and they were pretty good, so that was another reason for choosing Grandma's.  Our waiter, Andrew took our order.  We almost always get the same thing - 2 eggs over medium, hash browns, wheat toast, sausage for Dean and bacon for me; and that's what we ordered today.  Unfortunately, we were somewhat disappointed in our breakfast.  The hash browns were only browned on one side and it appeared they had been put on the grill in one huge bunch, then cut them to plate size for serving purposes.  We wondered if they were in a warmer until served.  The toast hardly had any butter on it and there was none on the table.  By the time we got our meal, the toast was barely warm.  Both the sausage and the bacon was the same, barely warm.  It was edible and okay, but it was not what we consider a really great breakfast.  We were both disappointed.  The coffee was also okay, and pretty expensive for $2.50 per cup.  Many times we do not even get coffee with breakfast, and I usually check the price but I failed to do that this morning, so that was my own fault.  We did purchase a cinnamon roll to go, and we hope it will be a reason to go back.....although we really don't need them!  I told Dean I might be willing to go back if we tried another item on the menu - such as an omelette or french toast.  

The cinnamon roll looks really good.  We're saving it for a snack/dessert later. 

When we returned to Bentley, I finished my morning chores including washing up the dishes from our snack of cantaloupe last night and coffee cups this morning.  I needed a clean dishcloth.  When I opened the drawer to get one I saw this:

I love the colors - and the same ones I plan to use as accent colors in Bentley.

Drena gave me this dishcloth she made when they were here a couple of weeks ago, after she saw my post about the cotton dishcloths and towels I recently purchased at the "Made in the USA store".  I had been trying them out so I could let someone else know what I thought of them...... as they were thinking of having me pick some up they could give for gifts.  I decided now was the time to give Drena's dishcloth a try and I really like it.  Thank you Drena for thinking of me!!

Dean has mentioned he needed a haircut the past few days, and since I'm getting mine trimmed at 12:30, he thought he needed his today too!  So he's outside doing the major part of it; then I will trim it up where it's needed.  

I just finished up Dean's haircut so we'll both be good for another 4 weeks or so!  

We are tentatively planning a trip for next spring/summer (May-July/August) that will take us to some northern states (NB, SD, & ND), and then into the northwestern states (WY, MT, ID, WA, CA, NV, UT).  Now, that being said visiting all of the states on this planned trip is subject to change, but it's what we are thinking of now.  I ordered Mountain Directories for both the Eastern and Western parts of the US.  We can use the Eastern directory for our trip to New York and New England states and the Western directory for our trip next year.





















I spent an hour or so going through my "INBOX" paying bills, filing papers, etc.  At least that's done for awhile.  I started working on our June budget...I am nearly done with it and then I will need to begin working on our July budget.  My goal is to have it all updated before the kids get here on Sunday afternoon.

My INBOX

We left the park at 1:30 for my hair appointment in nearby Hollister, MO.  We arrived about 10 minutes early.  Cherry had called me earlier to inform me she was running behind for my 12:30 appointment and would I mind coming at 2:00?  We had nothing planned and I didn't want to just sit there and wait; so of course it wasn't a problem for me at all.  

Oh, by the way I had half of that cinnamon roll from Grandma's for my lunch (I know it wasn't on the diet and not the best meal) but it was pretty good.  I would have preferred a little more butter and cinnamon mixture but overall on a scale of 1 to 5, I would give it a 4.  I would definitely buy another one if I needed a cinnamon roll fix.  

We arrived at the Hair Salon at 1:50.   Cherry was done with her previous customer so I was able to go right in.  We were out of there in 30 minutes or so.  When your hair is short it sure seems like it grows overnight, but when my hair was long, I felt like it never grew. 

We returned to Treasure Lake, stopped at Bentley for a few minutes, then drove over to Frank and Joyce's and visited for an hour or so.  We always have a nice visit with them covering a number of different topics.  As we left, we passed by Gary and Connie's motorhome and they were sitting outside.  We stopped for a short time before heading back to our site.  By now it was 5:30, so it wasn't long before I was starting supper - our favorite meal.  Hash from leftover roast.  It's hard for me to keep from taking a huge helping of it because it is so good, but I kept it small and just took my time enjoying every bite!  Lol! 

Once the dishes were done, I went back to working on our monthly budgets, but it didn't last too long.  In the past day or two I noticed our neighbor to the west had some type of cover over their door that allowed them to keep it open throughout the day.  I really would like to have our door open like that as well.  I told Dean he should go over and ask the owner about it.  We were not sure if the trailer came that way or if they had done something on their own.  As I was getting into the budget again, he commented, our neighbors are sitting outside, do you want to walk over and talk to them.  Sure, I told him.  So we walked over about 7:30 or so, and left a little after 9:00.  Diane and Gerald live here in Branson, but they love to camp, so they come out here quite often.  They are no longer able to travel long distances so this still gives them the opportunity to be in nature and they enjoy visiting with friends they have made here.  Gerald told us he purchased some plexiglass and had it cut to fit his door.  He then screwed it on to the frame.  They never take it down, so they can use it through the winter and summer months.  The plexiglass is dark - during the day you can't see in at all, but you can in the evening if the lights are on inside their trailer - which I had noticed.  The windows are not real large so you can only see people moving around inside,  you cannot see their every move.

Our site here at Treasure Lake.

With the weather cooling down some, we have taken the reflectix out of several of our windows so we can see out.  It is great for keeping things cool inside when it is in the upper 90's and into the 100's, but it can get a bit depressing not being able to see out.  Amazing how much better it makes you feel with the light pouring in.  Fortunately, there are a number of shade trees here in the park as well which also helps keep the temperatures comfortable inside.

You may have noticed I have not mentioned my back during this post.  It is so much better and I'm feeling good.  My last appointment with the chiropractor will be Monday.  Dean's doctor appointment with his urologist is Tuesday.  He's doing great.  We expect a great report, and plan to head north and east Wednesday morning.  As we begin our travels again, I hope to be able to share some great adventures with you - rather than just our daily routines.   

Thank you to everyone who follows along.  I really appreciate it and I love hearing from you.  

Thursday, July 26, 2018 - Good News on Back Pain; Checking off my To Do List; Preparing for Misti & Grandkids to Visit; Walk at the Landing; Resting; Instapot Dinner; Evening Walk and Meeting New Friends

July 26, 2018 - Good News on Back Pain; Checking off my To Do List; Preparing for Misti & Grandkids to Visit; Walk at the Landing; Resting; Instapot Dinner; Evening Walk and Meeting New Friends

I was up at 5 again this morning.  Surprisingly, my back does not seem to bother me at night which is very good.  This morning when I got out of bed pain was minimal.

Dean went outside this morning to sit and I made a list of things I needed to get done, change a couple of Dr. appointments, and make a change on our stay at Shipshewana South.  I told him we would be there until Aug 10, but I should have told them Aug 9.  They were gracious and made the change.  I changed a Dr. appointment scheduled for November 1 to later in the month, and my hair appointment for Monday to tomorrow, Friday.

I talked to Misti about tickets for this weekend.  She, Logan and Haleigh are coming down on Sunday after church.  We've rented a cabin that is located across the road and just one cabin down from where we are parked.  They want to go to Silver Dollar City Sunday evening around 5.  If you don't have a ticket you can pay a reduced price after 5 to get in.  Dean hasn't decided whether he will go or not.  He's not a big fan of SDC, but I love it.  I also checked with the lady who sells show tickets to folks here in Treasure Lake, and purchased 5 for the Dolly Parton Stampede for Monday at 3:00.  It includes a nice meal.  The kids will probably leave shortly after that to head back home.  Once all of those were done, I went outside to sit with Dean.

He suggested we go for a walk down on the Branson Landing.  We parked at the north end near Belks and walked very leisurely down to Bass Pro.  There were a few drops of rain once or twice but we managed to leave without having any rain.  It's a good place to walk and there's always something going on.  On the way back, we moved from the mall area to the walkway along Lake Taneycomo, where I took a few pictures.

Beautiful landscaping on the Landing.

The fountains at the Landing.

A boat had just passed us when I took this picture, catching their waves.  The water is so clear.

Once we returned I made sandwiches, then I laid down to rest with my ice pack.  My back is almost pain free, so I'm just being proactive and hopefully it will continue to improve.  I fell asleep for about 30 minutes.  After my nap, I felt energized.  I laid a roast out earlier, so I started to work on cooking it in my Instapot.  We were having dinner about 6pm.  It tasted so good.  I can't even remember the last time I made a roast.  It's one of our favorites, because the leftovers are used to make hash, so we'll have that Friday or Saturday.  Yummm!!

After I washed dishes, we decided to go for a walk.  We didn't get too far - maybe 3-4 RV's west of us when we stopped to talk with Carol who was sitting out in front of her RV, while her husband, Chuck, was playing a Bouzouki guitar and singing outside of their rig.  We visited for quite awhile.  They are from Hot Springs, AR.  We are going to exchange "travel cards" so we can keep in touch.  

We continued our walk for awhile and then returned to Bentley.  I tried to work on the blog but I kept drifting off.  I think that was my cue to get some sleep.

Wednesday, July 25, 2018 - Lazy Morning; Laundry; Lunch with Friends; Chiropractic Treatment; Dessert & An Evening Drive

Wednesday, July 25, 2018 - Lazy Morning; Laundry; Lunch with Friends; Chiropractic Treatment; Visiting with Friends

I was awake when my alarm went off at 5:00 this morning.  After going to bed at a little after 9 last night, I'm surprised I managed to sleep this late.  I must have gone to sleep immediately because I don't remember anything except laying my head down.  

It wasn't long and I had a cup of coffee in hand and was enjoying browsing the internet.  I have been reading the Bible on my phone app, but since I downloaded the same one to my computer I like it even better - the print is so much easier to read!  

It was 8:30 before I finally got up from the computer, made breakfast, did the dishes, and all of the other morning routine things I typically do.  My back felt pretty good, so I also cleaned the shower.  I've been wanting to get it done and today I had the time and felt like I could do it.  I might be a bit sore, but I still feel better about the job being done, and the pain is tolerable.

I took some time to catch up on a number of blog posts that I just didn't have the time to read a few weeks back.  

When I did laundry the other day I used one of those Tide "pencils" on a few spots I found on some of our shirts, but once they were washed and dried, I noticed when I went to put them away the spots were still there.  So, this morning I pulled all of those shirts out and pre-treated them again, but with a different stain remover.  I checked them when the washer stopped and it appears I may have got them this time.  I guess we need to wear napkins or an apron when we eat!  HA!

After my shower, I pulled my ice pack out of the freezer so I could put it on my back for 15 minutes.  Now an hour or two later, and I think it was a wise decision as my back feels pretty good right now.  I haven't taken anything for pain today so it's a very good sign.  

This morning has been so nice taking our time and not having anything we need to do.  I managed to get several things done without feeling rushed.  I told Dean we need to have one of these days every week.  

We left the park at 12:40 to drive to Mel's Hard Luck Diner where we are meeting Clarence & Barbara V. and their granddaughter Chelsea.  It's only a few miles but it took us 20 minutes from the time we left until we walked into the diner.  It takes 5 minutes just to get out of Treasure Lake to Hwy 248 (the speed limit is 10 in the park).  We had to park in the far south parking lot in order to find a place to park Max (our truck).  Our friend, Barbara called me to say they were at Mel's and were in line.  I was surprised how busy they were at 1:00 p.m.  It's the first time I've been in the Hard Luck Diner that it has been so busy we had to stand in line for a seat. However, the waitress arrived soon after we were seated to take our order and we received our food in a short time.  I chose half of a chicken salad sandwich on toasted bread and a cup of corn chowder with potatoes.  It was excellent.  Dean had the patty melt and french fries.  He said his was very good as well.  The only problem with eating here is once they start singing it is SOOO loud we could hardly heart a thing anyone said.  With two guys who have hearing aids - it was impossible for them to have a conversation except between songs. Clarence and Barbara are Heartland owners which is how we met them.  We sure enjoyed our lunch  with them even though talking was a challenge at times.  Their granddaughter Chelsea was very sweet.  By the way, the singing waiters and waitresses do a wonderful job - but I wish it wasn't quite so loud.  In fact our two favorite "local" artists are Debby & Gordy.  We first heard them hear at Mel's and at "Center Stage" at the Walmart on 76 Highway back in mid to the late 90's They are still performing here but at the Uptown Theatre where Gordy does a tribute to George Strait.  They also perform in the "Valley" - South Texas each winter.  

We left the restaurant, walking together with our friends.  Fortunately both of our vehicles were parked nearby.  Then we visited outside for awhile before we had to leave for my chiropractor visit.  We had about 25 minutes to get there.  This time there was hardly any traffic so we were there in no time.  We had to wait 15 minutes for them to open.  

I am feeling better but I am a little sore after the adjustment - not too bad though and hopefully it will improve as the night goes on.  I came back thinking a big glass of iced tea sounded really good.  It was really good.....once the ice machine made several batches of ice.  I try to keep the ice bucket full, but somehow we failed to do that.

I worked on this blog post and did a few other things around Bentley.  As the afternoon went on my back was beginning to bother me again.  I didn't feel like making supper so we decided to go eat somewhere.  Neither of us were that hungry and Dean finally suggested we just have peach cobbler and ice cream at Cakes & Creams.  So that's what we did.  Dean wanted to get fuel and take a drive.  So, we took a drive down to Hollister to get diesel, then took Hwy 165 towards Branson, over Table Rock Dam, then up Hwy 265 to Hwy 76 and on in to West Branson and Kimberling City.  After we passed over the Kimberling City bridge, we saw a sign for Mill Creek campground, so we drove through it.  By the time we made it back to Treasure Lake I was getting pretty sore - probably from sitting too long.  

As we headed toward West Branson, the sun was beginning it's descent behind earth.

Just a few miles down the road I got this shot.

Headed over the bridge at Kimberling City.

Taken in Mill Creek Corps of Engineers Park.

If you enlarge the picture, you can see the Kimberling City bridge in the background.  Taken at Mill Creek COE Campground.

Taken as we were returning to Branson, making the last curve on Hwy 76/  It's a bit blurry, but the moon is beautiful and we love seeing all of the lights.

We enjoyed the ride, but sitting that long was harder on my back than I imagined.  So, I iced my back for about 20-25 minutes, changed into my pj's and went to bed.  I'm sure I'll feel better tomorrow.  Often after an adjustment, there is more pain, but the next day is almost always improved, so I'm counting on that!

Monday & Tuesday, July 23 & 24, 2018

Monday & Tuesday, July 23 & 24, 2018

Monday, July 23, 2018

I was up early to get the coffee started and make sure we got around in time to leave for Springfield.  

The view on our way to Springfield - the countryside is just gorgeous here!

Dean's first appointment is at 10:15, so we left Treasure Lake at 9:15.  His vascular surgeon has ordered a cat scan of the area where the abdominal aorta aneurysm was; and the veins that go to his legs, just to be sure everything is as it should be.  Our first stop was at the Martin Center in the Cox Hospital Area.  It took about 20-25 minutes to complete the test.  His appointment with Dr. Vorhies isn't until 11:45, so we drove to his office, and set in the truck for about 30 minutes or so before going inside.  Fortunately it was a nice day and we just put the windows down.  We didn't have to wait too long once we were inside.  The results of the cat scan were available for the doctor to review and he was very happy with the outcome - and we were too!  We will need to see him in approximately a year - and he said it was fine to work around our schedule - we can go a little early or a little later depending on where we are at that time of the year.

By the time we left Dr. Vorhies office it was 12:30.  I had suggested Zio's, an Italian restaurant or Leong's and Asian restaurant.  Dean chose Leong's since we just ate Italian a week or two ago while we were in Branson.  They have a lunch special for $8.99.  You can choose two dishes from about 5-6 choices.  Dean chose broccoli beef and cashew chicken.  I chose General's and cashew chicken.  I ate half of mine and brought the other half back with me.  We also got one egg roll and split it, and 2 crab rangoon, one for each of us for an extra $2.  We both thought it was very good and would not hesitate to return.  

My back felt a little better this morning but as the day went on it seemed to worsen.  I slept most of the way back to Branson.  When we returned I looked up some reviews on chiropractors and called Thrive Chiropractic.  I was miserable and knew I wasn't going to get over this without a little help.  They did not have any openings until Wednesday, but she called me back about an hour or two later and wanted to know if I could come at 5:45. I told her I would be there.  I felt a little better when I left, but sore.  He suggested we go to the Branson Landing and walk for about 15 minutes or so before going back to the RV Park.  It is a nice flat sidewalk.  

View as we walked on the sidewalk behind Branson Landing.

He also told me to put ice on it for 15 minutes later in the evening.  I did that and it helped some as well.

It was fairly late when we went to bed, about 10:30 or so. 


Tuesday, July 24, 2018

I woke up this morning and other than feeling a little sore when I got up I felt pretty good.  However, as the morning went on my back was soon hurting again.  I made a second appointment for 4:45 today.  

I washed a couple of loads of clothes this morning, then got things picked up before I went to do a little shopping with Joyce G.  Dean drove over and visited with Frank while we were out and about.  This morning on the news I heard about a resale shop that only carried name brand clothing.  That's where we are headed.  Joyce found a cute shirt but I came away with nothing.  Very disappointing.  We then walked down to another store that carried lots of Lee products along with several other name brands.  I found two pairs of shorts but I didn't like the way either pair of them fit me, so nothing here either.  

We called the guys and told them we were headed to Vaskens Deli, just around the corner from the Branson Meadows Mall.  They showed up not too long after that.  I had a reuben sandwich - one of my favorites.  Dean had a panini with ham and veggies.  My sandwich was wonderful and came with a pasta salad.  Dean enjoyed his as well.

Dean is going to go over and help Joyce get her new printer setup later so she can print from her phone when she wants to.  We stopped at Bentley long enough to use the restroom, and I wanted to take some clothes out of the dryer.  We drove to their site here in the park.  Dean is really good at doing stuff like this.  I'm glad - I'm someone who just wants it to work.  If I have to learn it on my own I will, but I'd rather someone just tell me what to do.  I'm not sure how long it took - between 1/2 to 1 hours.  We visited for awhile before we had to leave. 

We had to stop at Bentley before Dean took me to my doctor appointment.  By the time we got there I was so sore and it hurt to get out of the truck.  My lower back hurt almost everytime he touched it.  He adjusted both my back and my neck - my neck just went right in, and my upper back did pretty well, but the lower back wasn't giving too much.  He mostly pushed, stretching my lower back, then used a little punch gun, followed by a heavy duty vibrator to further stretch my back by pulling away from the area where it was out of place.  I'm going back again tomorrow at 2:45.  

Once we returned to our site, I did a few things inside, grabbed my ice pack and laid down on the bed.  I slept about 20 minutes.  Shortly after that I was looking at my phone when it rang.  It was our Heartland friend Barbara V.  They are in Branson.  We had visited with each other earlier about their trip and that we should try to get together, and that is what we are going to do.  We decided on Hard Luck Cafe at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday.  Dean and I really like this place.  They have their 10 year old granddaughter with them and I hope she will enjoy it as well.  Once I was off the phone, I had to roll over to get out of bed.  I couldn't just set up.  Sitting anywhere except in a straight back chair is just miserable,, so that is what I'm doing.  I'm sore but the pain in my lower back has finally let up, so I'm hoping tomorrow will be the last treatment I will need.  It's not keeping me from doing anything, it's just not fun!

It's now a little after 9 and I think I'm going to head to bed a little early tonight, hoping to get a good night's rest and wake feeling much, much better tomorrow.  Goodnight all!

Sunday, July 22, 2018 - Taking Stuff to Storage & Bringing Things Back, Moving Day to Branson, Lunch at MacFarlain's, Back Pain

Sunday, July 22, 2018 - Taking Stuff to Storage & Bringing Things Back, Moving Day to Branson, Lunch at MacFarlain's, Back Pain

You might remember a few days ago I mentioned setting an alarm on my phone so I wouldn't oversleep.  I did that, and even with the fan and air conditioner going I could hear it at the other end of the RV in the living room area.  I needed to get up so it didn't really bother me, but had no idea it would be loud enough to wake me up with the noise and distance between us.  I expected it would need to be at least near me to wake me up.  Good to know I guess!  

I made coffee and was enjoying my first cup when Dean got up.  He had a second cup and then we changed clothes and drove to our storage unit.  We have things to take back - our bleacher seats we needed for the horse show yesterday, the booster seat we keep on hand when Jaxson visits, and a few things I didn't think we needed in the RV.  We picked up a few winter items while we were there.  

Sunrise as we left the RV Park.

Sunrise overlooking Oswego's golf course.  Beautiful!

With that out of the way, we returned to the RV Park, ate breakfast and then started getting things done before we leave for Branson this morning.  Dean checked the slides to be sure debris was removed before sliding them in and I started putting things up inside.  Once I was finished I went out to help him.  It was 10:07 when we pulled out with me driving.  I drove until right before Highway 96 ended where Dean took over, and then merged onto I-44. I think I would have done fine on I-44, and even on Hwy 360 around Springfield, but I'm not ready to do the steep grades on Hwy 65 going south to Branson yet.  

The traffic coming north from Branson was heavy today, and I was glad it wasn't that busy on the southbound road.    It was 2:00 by the time we arrived, found a site to park and had everything set up.  We turned the air conditioners on, and then left to have some lunch.  We just wanted something to eat and close by so we chose McFarlain's, just outside of the Treasure Lake entrance.  This used to be one of our all time favorite places but the last couple of times we've ate here I haven't been as happy.  I had a chicken salad sandwich today and it was okay, but I've had better.  It had a thin layer of chicken salad on it, lots of lettuce and the bread was a bit dry.  It was okay - just not great!  Dean had a pork chop and he liked it fine.

We returned to Bentley and I took advantage of everything being put away to vacuum and dust before getting things out.  

My back started hurting Saturday and by the time we got here today it was really bothering me.  Once we set down I promptly fell asleep.  When I woke up it was even worse.  I took a couple of Tylenol and applied Biofreeze to where it was hurting.  It eased it a little but not enough.  I'll do some stretches and see if it won't ease up a bit over the next few days.  If not, I may be searching for a chiropractor in the area.  Why did it wait to do this until Dr. Frisbee was closed over the weekend?   I know it will get better.  Hopefully I can walk in the morning for awhile before we have to leave for a Dr. appointment in Springfield.  Walking is good!



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