Thursday, July 5, 2018 - Kitchen Store, Laundry, Baking, Visit from Friends, Dick's 5 & 10, Taking a Drive, and a Surprise Rain Shower

Thursday, July 5, 2018 - Kitchen Store, Laundry, Baking, Visit from Friends, Dick's 5 & 10, Taking a Drive, and a Surprise Rain Shower

We only managed to increase our morning walk mileage from 2.75 to 2.77 today.  We typically take a bottle of water with us to share, but we forgot it this morning.   We returned to the RV to get one, but by the time we walked back out to the road it was just getting too warm, so we came back to Bentley.  We just need to get started earlier!  Once the sun is out it warms up so quick.

There was already enough dark clothes to do another load of laundry this morning, so I started a load after breakfast.

We still have the zucchini my sister gave me Tuesday, so this morning I decided I was going to make some zucchini bread, and possibly some muffins.  However, I do not have a grater, so off to the Kitchen Store we went....again!  Fortunately it's pretty close and most items are reasonably priced.  I found just what I needed for about $5, and we headed back to the park.

The washer was just finishing when we returned.  Once the clothes are done, I take them out, shake them and stack them on the end of the island closest to the pantry where the washer is located.  Once they are all laid out, I fold each item and then return them all to the washer, nicely stacked on top of each other.  Then I switch the setting from the washer to the dryer and dry the clothes for 20 minutes.  When they are done, I hang all of them on hangars - including shorts, slacks, etc.   Then I hang them outside on my clothesline stand to dry.  It takes about 15-25 minutes for them to dry outside, depending on how warm it is.  Today it did not take long at all.  I am still in love with my washer/dryer!

Today was my first time to use the convection oven in the new microwave and it worked great, although the steps were slightly different than the last one. I made two loaves of bread and 12 muffins and used about 2/3 of the zucchinni.  I gave one loaf to our friends Frank and Joyce.  I'll freeze the muffins.  They will make a great snack or quick breakfast once we start traveling again.

I stopped long enough to fix us some lunch, finished up with the muffins - all while we watched Space Cowboys.  I don't think I've ever watched the show from beginning to end.  It was a good movie, and I'm glad it happened to come on during my kitchen duties.

Joyce and Frank stopped by around 2.  Joyce had some canned goods, spices, etc. she was going to get rid of and wanted to know if I might be interested in any of them.  I was able to use several items.  She picked up the items I couldn't use, and I gave her a loaf of zucchinni bread while she was here.

A short time later Dean and I decided to head to Dick's 5 & 10 in downtown Branson.  Our grandson, Jaxson's birthday is Sunday.  Marc and Jen are bringing him and Kamron to Springfield to visit the new Wildlife Museum at Bass Pro.  We are going to meet up with them for lunch.  I asked Jaxson what he wanted for his birthday.  He told me a yellow fish.  I asked if he wanted a real one and he said YES, a long yellow fish.  Well, I don't know about a real, long yellow fish, but I thought we'd see if we could find anything similar that we could give him - or anything else I thought he might enjoy.  Unfortunately, the store was so packed it was hard to move around in.  I should know that from previous visits there, but it's always fun to look around in that store.  

When we left we decided to take a drive around Branson.  We drove through some areas near downtown and then we headed north, then turned and traveled east a ways.  We just drove up and down the roadways looking at the homes.  We found some that had great views of Lake Taneycomo. 

You can just see the lake peeking though the trees.

This house had a really nice view from the road - but from upstairs, I imagine it is really great.

We took the Highroad Bypass back to Treasure Lake.  I am just amazed at how beautiful the trees are in the hills here this year.  I have not seen a dead or diseased tree in the hills surrounding Branson.  The colors are just such a variety of greens - they are just gorgeous this year.  Of course, there are always beautiful vistas with the hills and valleys, and the rock that has been cut in order to expand the highways makes a beautiful picture with all of the beautiful greens nearby.

On our way back to the park, I took a few pictures here in the park to share with you.

This picture is before we reached the park, coming down 76 from the west.  If you enlarge this you can see the ferris wheel that is a few miles away.

Waiting to get in the gate at Treasure Island.  Rarely is there a line like there was today.

The Clubhouse - there are events held here almost daily.  We haven't been to any since Dean had his surgery but we might try and attend some next week.

Part of the miniature golf course.

Walking trail that we walk every morning.

Storage area for folks who want to leave their RV's when they head home.

We returned to Bentley about 6pm.  Not long after returning I made "super" sandwiches for us.  We bought some of the round bread for our hamburgers the other day and I had two rounds left.  I added mayo on both sides of the bread, then added 2 slices of oven roasted turkey, muenster cheese, 2 slices of bacon, 2 tomatoes, and I added gouda cheese to mine too.  Oh my, they were delicious.  We'll have a slice of zucchini bread in a little while.

Our waste tanks needed to be emptied, so Dean went out about 7:30 to take care of that chore.  All of a sudden, the sky darkened a little, it started to rain lightly, and then the electric went out.  

The clouds were starting to form, and just a few light drops were falling.

Just a light rain falling when I snapped this picture.

Now you can see the big drops that started.  That's when we gathered things up and headed inside.

I decided I would go out side and sit with him while I worked on this blog post.  I no sooner got out there and it started to rain - it was only a light rain, and then a few minutes later the lightening started and the heavy rains began.  It was the worst lightening storm I've heard or been in or near, in quite awhile.  We were quickly gathering chairs up and stowing them to get inside.  Evidently the storms formed north of us and just kept coming our way.  It rained for over an hour, and pretty hard at times.  It has pretty much stopped now at 9:15.

So, with the rain behind us and this post finished, I'll bid you all goodnight.