Branson Trip, Day Five

Friday, Oct. 31: Halloween Day. We got up at 7 a.m. and had a breakfast of cold cereal, and then hooked up the camper for the trip home. The day was overcast, with a sprinkling of rain. This was the first day that we might have needed an umbrella, had we stayed in Branson. We were plenty prepared if there had been rain at any time during the week, though, because we ended up bringing seven umbrellas for the four of us. Apparently Hubbie had stashed two in the truck unbeknowst to me, so I put two more in (one for me, and one for Sis, in case she didn't bring one). Then Mother, not knowing there were now already four umbrellas in the truck, put another two in (one for her, and one for Sis, in case she didn't bring one). When Sis arrived early Monday morning, she put her own umbrella in the camper, bringing the total to seven.

We left the campground around 8:30 a.m., traveling the winding uphill road to the highway leading home, past streets with names like "Critter Trail," and "Bald Eagle Road." From the top of the hill, we could see fog tucked among the trees like a downy white quilt, while ghostly fingers of mist rose from the surface of the lake. Today, the trees, though still in muted tones, were somewhat more colorful than earlier in the week.

We stopped for lunch at an overlook that featured a scenic view of two bridges...one for vehicle traffic, and one for trains. Here, we had our traditional Halloween fare of chili, crackers and cheese, and pumpkin custard for dessert.

We arrived home mid-afternoon. Sis got on the road to her home shortly afterward, and we unloaded the camper, washed laundry, picked up the week's papers at the newspaper office, and just generally put things in order again.

We were sort of disappointed to find that the mama cat and her kittens were no longer here. We wondered if they'd come wandering back again in a day or two, as they've done in the past.