A Few Photos and Thoughts for Friday

I've lost my blog list!  It has disappeared from my side bar.  Anyone else have this happen?

We started the week with a trip down I-70 to Kleinschmidt's for some boots and work clothes for BG.  His company gives them a clothing allowance and he has to wear flame retardant clothes, so we usually buy them there as well as his lineman boots.  While he was looking for what he needed, I was in the next aisle looking at cowboy boots.  I've never worn them, but after looking at the many, many beautiful boots I felt like I could start.  We all know Pioneer Woman loves her cowboy (or is it cowgirl?) boots.  Have you ever worn them?   

     
The little chipmunk above lives in Branson.  The weather here has cooled down a bit, it was 75 today and that is much better than the humid high 90's we've been having.  Anyway, my son and I were just talking and both of us were wishing we were back in Branson and are talking about maybe a long October weekend there.  There is just something about the place, in spite of all the tourists, that my family loves. 

Soon we bird watchers will be busy keeping the feeders filled up.  I kind of slack up during the summer months thinking the birds need to be catching some of the gazillion bugs out there.  

I don't want to dwell on unpleasant topics too much, but what is going on in our world today?  It seems like it's one tragedy after another.  So many people hurting and so much of it is just so senseless.  Will it ever get better?  I pray it will.  

My Stormy girl loves to nap near me if I'm sitting down.  Or occasionally on my lap.  But when the temperature was so hot outside, it was too hot for kitties on my lap even with the a/c running non-stop.  See the flipflops?  They are Skechers and they are sooo comfortable.  I've hardly worn anything else all summer.  In fact, I'm still wearing them.  

This has been a busy week.  Today saw me heading to the Big Town where I took my car for an oil change and tire rotation.  That was a 2 hour wait but their waiting area has all kinds of drinks, popcorn and ice cream plus free wifi to help make the waiting time easier.  

I picked up my daughter's payroll while I was in the city.  Then I ran by the Tuesday Morning store and got a new bath mat we needed.  I also needed to use my Kohl's Cash coupon so I stopped by there and with the sales I ended up with 2 bath towels, 2 hand towels and a necklace for only 9 dollars.  Pretty good deal, I thought!  

One place I didn't visit was the Upscale/Resale shop.  I've decided that I'd better not buy more books or magazines for awhile as I've got stacks now that I haven't read.

The last book I read was Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, a debut novel by Beth Hoffman.  It was different than what I usually read, but I really liked it and it was one that I didn't want to see end.  Poor CeeCee spent the first 12 years of her life with her mentally challenged mother, her father couldn't cope so he was away all the time.  CeeCee's mother died and her great-aunt Tootie swooped in to take her home with her to Savannah, Ga.  The cook at Tootie's house played a big role in CeeCee's life as well as various other women.  It was a very good read and I loved the setting in Savannah.   This photo has nothing to do with the book...I was too lazy to look up the book and take a photo of it. 

Do you have big plans for the weekend?  We'll most likely be working at The Project.  (For new readers, The Project is the house we bought and are fixing up to rent out.  BG is rewiring it.)  Hope you have a nice Friday and wonderful weekend...I'm hoping I'll get my blog list back soon!

xo Cheryl

It's Autumn! And catch-up time, too.

HAPPY AUTUMN!!

Hello, everyone!  This summer and blog break has flown by.  I really didn't intend to stay away so long but here it is autumn already.  At least that is what the calendar tells me.  It has been a very HOT summer and still is, so I'm not quite ready to buy pumpkins and put out the fall decor.  Autumn is my favorite season and I'm so ready for cooler weather.  I'm thankful we've had some rains along the way and the grass is still very green.  I'm hopeful that we'll have some pretty autumn foliage.

~sunrise in Branson, taken from our deck~

BG and I just got back from a nice long vacation at Branson.  We had a great time just relaxing at the condo for the most part and eating out somewhere different each day.  Our son had a case in the area, so he was able to visit us a few nights.  We went to see the Million Dollar Quartet one night.  It was fabulous! 

  

 ~I never win a game against the guys, but I have fun anyway!~

My daughter and I also went to Branson for a girl's long weekend vacay in August.  We had a wonderful time and got in some shopping and went to the Dixie Stampede one evening.  It was a fun trip!  

Did I ride the newest attraction in Branson?  The 15-story ferris wheel moved there from Chicago's Navy Pier?  Noooo...I'm both afraid of heights and claustrophobic, so I just admired the changing colors on the wheel as we played miniature golf across the highway!  Our son and his girl and her kids were in Branson for a little vacay this summer and rode the ferris wheel and they thought it was great fun.  I don't remember being afraid of heights when I was a youngster and rode the ferris wheel at the county fair then.  Of course, it wasn't 15-stories high!

You never know who you'll run into when you visit in downtown Branson.  Kim and I ran into these two characters in front of Dick's Five and Ten.  Ha!  We always enjoy browsing the aisles there and always find something we have to take home.
  

A few trips to Kansas City were made over the summer to visit our son.  I can't recall the name of the place in the photo above, but it was so good that we ate there during 2 different visits.  I must say that we have had some good food and ate out quite a bit during the summer.  I feel like I've gained 20 pounds.  Ouch! 

One of the highlights of the summer was on July 4th when BG, an Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War, was presented with a quilt of valor   It was an honor to be chosen to receive a quilt this year and the ceremony was held at the park.  The quilt is beautiful and I need to figure out a way to display it.  The other man in the photo also received a quilt and he was also a Vietnam veteran.

Another honor for BG this summer was when he received a standing ovation from hundreds of folks at our rural electric cooperative's annual meeting.  He was recognized for his 40 years of service.  He tells me that he's not ready to retire yet and wants to work at least another year.  My traveling plans will most likely have to wait one more year...good thing I love Branson! 

In spite of the heat, good times were had over the summer with a few trips, going to the winery, a parade, good shows and good food, flowers in the garden and a wee bit of napping included.  

Work was also done.  Things at The Project should wrap up soon, I hope.  The heat slowed us BG down as the attic where he is fishing around in the loose insulation for wires has been just too hot to spend much time there.  My work in the house is still ongoing.  I think it will take 2 years to go through all the paper stuff and shred.  Ugh. 

I didn't take many photos over the summer.  We've had some beautiful sunsets that I wish I'd captured at the lake.  Yesterday's sunset was gorgeous, but I was busy fixing a late supper and didn't get my camera out.  

That's about it for my summer recap.  I'm looking forward to cooler autumn weather....beautiful trees, pumpkins, mums, and all that goes along with the season.  I hope you've had a nice summer, too, and I will be trying to catch up with what my blogging friends have been doing.  See you soon!

xo Cheryl