Daughter Jill messaged me, inviting me to take a road trip with her and her sister, Bonnie.
“And where might that be?” I inquired.
“Missouri”, was her reply.
Jill’s and Greg’s son Logan and his fiancé are living in Boonville, Missouri.
Logan attends vet school in Columbia and his fiancé, Laney is a FFA teacher in a neighboring town.
Meanwhile I am struggling in Wheaton as Kathie tries to accept the fact that the care center is her new home. That is not going well. 🙁
Consequently, I am a little stressed myself.
So, a five- day break in Missouri might be just what the doctor would order.
Our two daughters were coming a day early to help me pack my bag. But I showed them, even at eighty I remembered how to do that.
I became the backseat driver as Jill and Bonnie sat in the front seat giggling all the way to Missouri. That was very refreshing as I had not heard giggling for a while. 🙂
I got so absorbed checking my iPhone we flew right by Watertown, S.D. and I missed it. By the time I realized that fact we were approaching Sioux Falls, S.D.
I was reminded of the down- sides of the iPhone!
Before the trip began, we all agreed to take time to explore interesting sites along the way. So, a stop at the famous granite outcrop park in Sioux Falls was a must.
The Sioux River over the millennia had cut through a granite outcrop to produce a gorge of gushing water. It was a beautiful site!
A tall observation tower allowed one to view the beauty below.
To get to the top one could climb the 82 steps or take the elevator.
After climbing the first few steps we quickly came to our senses and sprinted to the elevator door. 🙂
Nearing the end of the first day of travel one becomes weary, and it showed up in an unusual way.
A highway sign arrow indicated a right turn would lead to Oregon.
One of the daughters commented, “Hey let’s add that state to our travels too.”
We began making the turn as I’m in the backseat quickly reviewing the U.S. map in my mind.
“I don’t think we have time for that trip. That would require a several thousand- mile detour!” said I.
The girls giggled and so did I. For about twenty miles we giggled. 🙂
An interstate sign announced a turnoff for a state park featuring a historical farm site so we agreed this would be considered an interesting site.
So off we went to explore a very unique state park in South Dakota.
The young lady who was the coordinator gave us a warm welcome and introduced us to her friends the turkey and a white duck from Europe.
We spent time getting to know the two birds. The turkey was quite interested in pecking at my watch.
As an author I’m always looking for a way to market my books. I happened to have a business card with me which I promptly gave to the coordinator.
She was quite impressed and stated that she would share my book information with other state parks in the area.
Possible book sales? I’m not holding my breath.
We stopped the first night in Omaha hoping to get a room.
But first things first, we needed to eat.
My two daughters are always urging me to expand my world and experience new things.
Since I had never eaten calamari(squid), sea- weed, or sushi what restaurant do you suppose they led me to?
Sea food would be the correct guess!
I quickly caught on to the chop sticks and began my experience with the sea life.
At first the squid made me nervous.
Squid was one of the critters we dissected in biology class.
They have a sharp beak-like mouth part that allows them to grab and tear their prey. It is brittle and sharp.
Hopefully that is removed from the squid before preparing the squid to be feasted on.
Thank goodness I ran into no sharp, brittle objects as I chewed.
My fears had been quelled and I discovered I liked calamari, sushi and even sea- weed.
Although that night as I slept, I kept dreaming a squid was wrapping his tentacles around me and that biting beak was ripping me to shreds. (This may have been slightly exaggerated.)
Then our search for a hotel began and a valuable lesson was learned. Always call ahead and reserve a room.
We drove for miles finding hotel after hotel was filled up! 🙁
Finally in Nebraska City we came upon a mom- and- pop motel that flashed a vacancy sign. It was cheap and clean.
What more could one ask for?
The next day we arose from our beds and prepared for the final trip to Missouri.
The traveling was progressing well, me in the back seat and the girls in the front seat giggling and questioning maybe they should have taken that turnoff to Oregon.
We made a bathroom stop and while at the convenience store, I made a purchase that I thought was very appropriate.
Proudly I presented my two crazy daughters with Ding- Dong bars and the laughter continued.
As we drove into Boonville, Missouri it was like we had gone back in history. The buildings were the same as what had existed back in the Civil War days!
Logan and Laney were wonderful hosts. They gave us a tour of the town, a winery, a greenhouse, city park, endless stores for shopping and Warm Springs Ranch the home of the Budweiser Clydesdales.
Laney led us on a tour of her classroom, and I got excited when I saw how her students removed flower parts and fastened them on paper and identified them. Hands on learning, the only way to go! 🙂
Logan gave us a tour of Columbia and his vet school. Very impressive! 🙂
The days flew by and before we knew it, it was time to head back north.
But before I end this blog, I must share on bit of knowledge that I gained as a result of this trip.
Technology continues to confuse me. It is a black cloud in my life.
But during this vacation I experienced technology in the bathroom! Can you believe it?!
We stopped for a bathroom break and when I opened the men’s bathroom door, I see a line of fifteen or so doors. They were not the normal stalls one finds in most men’s bathrooms.
The doors are full doors right down to the floor.
Strange, I thought.
Then I looked on the bathroom wall and I see a list of directions of steps to follow when going to the bathroom!
Hey, I’ve been potty trained now for about 78 1/2 years why do I need directions on proper bathroom etiquette?
I went back to the directions on the wall and reread them.
They still didn’t make sense!
So, what do I do?
I had to go to the bathroom, so I did
Now I had another problem, how do I flush that thing?
I stepped on things, jiggled things, poked things and finally reread the directions.
Then I carefully opened the door and slowly slinked out of the bathroom and stood dazed in the hallway waiting for my two daughters to explain what had just happened.
I spent the first eighteen years of my life going to the bathroom in a two- hole outhouse. That I could understand!
Jill and Bonnie patiently explained to me that I had just visited a bidet which actually washes the user’s butt and accessories t00.
I’m sure my mouth was hanging open as I listened!
There, I feel better getting that experience off my chest.
Now it’s time to say thank you to my two daughters Jill and Bonnie for the wonderful road trip!
Maybe this will become a habit!
Until next time.
