Up at 6:30 to get dressed, have breakfast, and wait for the sheetrock guy to come put another coat on the stairwell and bathroom walls. He said he'd be here at 7:45, but he didn't arrive until around 8:15.
Didn't take him long, though, to complete the task, and when he left, I did stair stepping resistance bands, and weights exercises, and then showered and changed clothes. In the meantime, Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house.
I didn't have a major project planned for the day, so I read a book on my tablet that I'd borrowed from the library prior to our vacation trip. The expiration date is approaching, so I want to finish it soon. Today was a perfect day for reading, since it was rainy.
Mother worked on her puzzle, of course, and Hubbie occupied himself with this and that until lunch. Everybody had something different for lunch...Mother opted to finish her baked potatoes from last night's catfish dinner, Hubbie chose a sandwich and chips, and I had leftover sweet potato and English peas.
Mother returned to her puzzle afterward, and I returned to my book. Hubbie watched football on TV. Around 2:15, we went to the museum for a program about the Civil War.
We arrived early, so we had time to tour the new exhibit about the war. The exhibit was set up so that visitors enter through what appear to be the flaps of a tent. Included in the exhibit are a Confederate uniform, a bayonet, a rusted stirrup, shells, diaries, photos, etc. There are also hands-on exhibits aimed at kids. It's a small exhibit, but very interesting.
The program was led by a retired college professor, who, dressed in costume portrayed our town's mayor of 1862. He served as the host who introduced costumed Civil War "generals," one representing the Union, and one representing the Confederacy. These reenactors told the stories of their lives, and what parts they played in the conflict as it related to our area of the state.
A young woman (about seventeen) in a hooped-skirt dress portrayed a girl of our town who, while away in another state, was mistaken for a spy and was jailed. Another young woman in the jail bribed the jailer into providing them with a skeleton key, and they escaped and returned home. The woman ultimately married and produced twelve children.
Note one: my former ESL student's father and mother-in-law were at the museum. The father-in-law is a Civil War buff. The mother-in-law is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease, and it was evident today, when, during the program introductions, she kept singing and talking out loud.
No amount of cajoling by family quieted her, so her daughter finally had to remove her from the room. My heart went out to her and her family. I'm sure they brought her so she'd have an outing from the nursing home, where she now resides.
Note two: while visiting with one of the water aerobics members, I mentioned water aerobics and how the pool had been closed for a while now. She said that actually there had been aerobics all last week, and everyone wondered where I was.
Well, no one thought to alert me that aerobics had started again. I think our leader would have, except the elderly man she lived with as a caretaker died last week, and I'm sure she was busy with activities related to the visitation and funeral.
It was probably just as well I didn't go, though, since the stairwell/bathroom project has been so problematic.
I learned that there will be aerobics Monday, but then the pool will be closed again until a week from next Wednesday. Also, the monthly fee has increased from $20 to $25 a month.
Mother really enjoyed the museum outing, which lasted about an hour. Fortunately, the rain had stopped long enough for us to make the trip to and from the museum, but it started again shortly after supper.
As soon as we got back, I started supper, which was leftover Dragon Soup, and the remainder of the cornbread and biscuits. The soup really hit the spot on this rain-cooled evening.
Afterward, Mother stuck around for a while and watched a few episodes of "Too Cute," from the Animal Planet channel. These shows are about adorable kittens and puppies. While we watched these, it started pouring rain again. So it was about 7 p.m. before Hubbie could accompany Mother to her house.
Later, we watched our favorite college football team, as they played to a loss...as we feared.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Friday, October 4, 2013
Friday, Oct. 4
Up at 6:30 to get ready for the day, since we expected the sheetrock guy to come by around 8 a.m. He actually didn't get here until closer to 9 a.m.
We didn't accomplish anything while he was here, which was all morning. When he had finished the job at noon and went on about his way, I heated leftover sweet potatoes for Hubbie's and my lunch, which I served with cold rotisserie chicken. Mother opted for Ramen Noodle soup, as usual, with a helping of the cold chicken.
After lunch, I did this and that around the house, while Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle. Later, Hubbie and I went to the WDCS to buy a bale of straw and three mum plants. I plan to set up the outdoor fall display this weekend.
For supper tonight, Hubbie went to a local fish house to get take-out boxes of catfish and fixings. The restaurant has recently re-opened after being closed for five years, so it was Hubbie's idea to patronize them tonight. This is not a healthy meal, so I won't be doing it very often.
Not long after supper, the sheetrock guy arrived again to put another coat of sheetrock mud on the wall. He's to return at 7:45 in the morning to give it yet another coat. Another early morning for us. Yawn.
After supper, Mother stayed around to watch TV for a while. Then Hubbie accompanied her home. We continued watching TV for the evening.
We didn't accomplish anything while he was here, which was all morning. When he had finished the job at noon and went on about his way, I heated leftover sweet potatoes for Hubbie's and my lunch, which I served with cold rotisserie chicken. Mother opted for Ramen Noodle soup, as usual, with a helping of the cold chicken.
After lunch, I did this and that around the house, while Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle. Later, Hubbie and I went to the WDCS to buy a bale of straw and three mum plants. I plan to set up the outdoor fall display this weekend.
For supper tonight, Hubbie went to a local fish house to get take-out boxes of catfish and fixings. The restaurant has recently re-opened after being closed for five years, so it was Hubbie's idea to patronize them tonight. This is not a healthy meal, so I won't be doing it very often.
Not long after supper, the sheetrock guy arrived again to put another coat of sheetrock mud on the wall. He's to return at 7:45 in the morning to give it yet another coat. Another early morning for us. Yawn.
After supper, Mother stayed around to watch TV for a while. Then Hubbie accompanied her home. We continued watching TV for the evening.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Thursday, Oct. 3
Up around 7:30, and did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30.
Today's tasks were to sort bathroom cabinet drawers, and clean the artificial plant, which had accumulated a lot of sticky dust. Since Mother likes to have some helpful project every day, I sprayed the plant with vinegar, and she used paper towels to scrub each leaf. It was something she could do while seated at the little table in the kitchen.
While she did that, Hubbie and I sorted the drawers. I don't know why we collect so much stuff, but we were able to fill a trash bag with out-of-date items, and items we knew we'd never use. I'd like to think I'll be more vigilant in rotating products from now on, but it seems doubtful. Things just seem to collect before I realize it.
It was lunchtime by the time we finished these tasks. After lunch, Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie ran errands, and I caught up on my blogs.
Didn't do much else for the afternoon. Around 3:30, I started supper preparations. Tonight, we had Salisbury steaks, mashed potatoes, and a choice of spinach or English peas. For the Salisbury steaks gravy, I used a recipe of cream of mushroom soup I'd made a few weeks ago and put in the freezer, along with gravy browning, and sour cream. It was very tasty.
Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then he and I watched episodes of "One Tree Hill."
Today's tasks were to sort bathroom cabinet drawers, and clean the artificial plant, which had accumulated a lot of sticky dust. Since Mother likes to have some helpful project every day, I sprayed the plant with vinegar, and she used paper towels to scrub each leaf. It was something she could do while seated at the little table in the kitchen.
While she did that, Hubbie and I sorted the drawers. I don't know why we collect so much stuff, but we were able to fill a trash bag with out-of-date items, and items we knew we'd never use. I'd like to think I'll be more vigilant in rotating products from now on, but it seems doubtful. Things just seem to collect before I realize it.
It was lunchtime by the time we finished these tasks. After lunch, Mother went to her jigsaw puzzle, Hubbie ran errands, and I caught up on my blogs.
Didn't do much else for the afternoon. Around 3:30, I started supper preparations. Tonight, we had Salisbury steaks, mashed potatoes, and a choice of spinach or English peas. For the Salisbury steaks gravy, I used a recipe of cream of mushroom soup I'd made a few weeks ago and put in the freezer, along with gravy browning, and sour cream. It was very tasty.
Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then he and I watched episodes of "One Tree Hill."
Wednesday, Oct. 2
Last night, the lady who was to work on the stairwell and bathroom called to say she would be here this morning, so we hopped up around 6:30, got dressed, and again cleared the bathroom.
She and her husband arrived around 8:30. Her husband set up a scaffold for her in the stairwell, and then she began work. The first thing she ran into was a wet place in the sheetrock when she removed the wallpaper from that area.
She went on with her work, while Hubbie called a plumber, a sheet rock man, and an insurance agent. The plumber arrived a little while later and repaired the pipe that was causing the problem leak. To do this, he had to cut a section out of the sheetrock in the stairwell.
Later, the insurance agent arrived and said that our coverage would pay for replacing the sheetrock, as well as the cost of new wallpaper, although we will actually be painting that area.
As though this problem was not enough, the lady taking the wallpaper down found that the person who had hung the paper had not sized the walls first, so in struggling to remove it, the sheetrock covering was peeling, too.
We discussed solutions to the problem, and I suggested that we might texture it. The lady agreed that this would be easier than trying to add enough layers of primer to smooth the wall. However, she said she would not be able to return to continue work until next Tuesday.
In the meantime, Hubbie set a fan up in the stairwell to dry the area where the leak was, in hopes the sheetrock guy would come soon.
The lady finished removing the wallpaper and left around 4 p.m. In the meantime, I'd put sweet potatoes in the oven. Hubbie went to the WDCS to fetch a rotisserie chicken, and I served the meal with a side of coleslaw.
Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we settled in to watch TV.
She and her husband arrived around 8:30. Her husband set up a scaffold for her in the stairwell, and then she began work. The first thing she ran into was a wet place in the sheetrock when she removed the wallpaper from that area.
She went on with her work, while Hubbie called a plumber, a sheet rock man, and an insurance agent. The plumber arrived a little while later and repaired the pipe that was causing the problem leak. To do this, he had to cut a section out of the sheetrock in the stairwell.
Later, the insurance agent arrived and said that our coverage would pay for replacing the sheetrock, as well as the cost of new wallpaper, although we will actually be painting that area.
As though this problem was not enough, the lady taking the wallpaper down found that the person who had hung the paper had not sized the walls first, so in struggling to remove it, the sheetrock covering was peeling, too.
We discussed solutions to the problem, and I suggested that we might texture it. The lady agreed that this would be easier than trying to add enough layers of primer to smooth the wall. However, she said she would not be able to return to continue work until next Tuesday.
In the meantime, Hubbie set a fan up in the stairwell to dry the area where the leak was, in hopes the sheetrock guy would come soon.
The lady finished removing the wallpaper and left around 4 p.m. In the meantime, I'd put sweet potatoes in the oven. Hubbie went to the WDCS to fetch a rotisserie chicken, and I served the meal with a side of coleslaw.
Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we settled in to watch TV.
Tuesday, Oct. 1
Another month gone. They sure are rolling by fast.
Slept late this morning, until around 8 a.m., then did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and I gathered carrots, onion, celery, and banana peppers for her to dice, while I got ready for the day. Back downstairs, I sauteed the veggies, then added chicken and beef broths, and a package of tomatoes from last year's garden, along with various spices, and started it simmering.
When I'd finished, Hubbie asked if I had anything special in mind to do today, because he wanted to go shopping for a storage shed. I would have preferred to wait until the work on the stairwell and bathroom, and even the kitchen, were completed before launching into another project.
But Hubbie likes to find ways to complicate things, so after he'd accompanied Mother to our house, off we went to a nearby town, where sheds are manufactured.
In about an hour, we'd settled on one that suits our needs, and placed an order. It will be about two weeks before it can be delivered. We suggested that someone from the business come to our house to see if it would be a problem driving the truck hauling the shed between the trees and the garage to maneuver the building to the spot we have selected for it...right beside the other shed out there. Around 3 p.m., someone came and after looking at the space, said he would have no problem driving the truck through there, although he'd have to trim off some limbs from the big tree.
On our way back home after shed shopping, we noticed that a man who annually sells 40 lb. boxes of sweet potatoes had his sign out, so we stopped and picked up two boxes. Later, I contacted family members to find out if they wanted us to pick up boxes of these delicious potatoes for them. Hubbie contacted his family, too. So far, we've gotten orders for about eight boxes.
Around 4 p.m., I added to the soup a container of veggies, gravies, etc. accumulated in the freezer, and also cooked a bit of macaroni to add to it. The Dragon Soup was delicious, served with a choice of cornbread or biscuits.
After supper, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house so she could change clothes. Hubbie and I did the same, and then we went to the college down the road to attend a concert...The Three International Tenors.
We really enjoyed this program. The three men are extremely talented. They performed several opera pieces (not Hubbie's favorite) that were recognizable to us, but they also performed Broadway show tunes, and contemporary songs.
The program also featured a slide show of tenors of the past, including Enrico Caruso (who died at the young age of 48), Mario Lanza (who died at the even younger age of 38). More recently, Luciano Pavarotti died in 2007 at the age of 62. Current popular tenors include Andre Bocelli, and Josh Groban, both of whom are included in my CD collection.
Mother and I were so glad we wore long-sleeve shirts and brought along sweaters and jackets, because it was freezing cold in the auditorium. Some ladies around us, who'd come in short sleeves and crop pants were shivering. During the intermission, as college staff member leaned down to tell Mother that she was going to adjust the thermostat to make it more comfortable.
We were back home around 9 p.m., and I accompanied Mother to her house. Then Hubbie and I watched a little TV, and then headed to bed.
Slept late this morning, until around 8 a.m., then did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises after breakfast.
Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and I gathered carrots, onion, celery, and banana peppers for her to dice, while I got ready for the day. Back downstairs, I sauteed the veggies, then added chicken and beef broths, and a package of tomatoes from last year's garden, along with various spices, and started it simmering.
When I'd finished, Hubbie asked if I had anything special in mind to do today, because he wanted to go shopping for a storage shed. I would have preferred to wait until the work on the stairwell and bathroom, and even the kitchen, were completed before launching into another project.
But Hubbie likes to find ways to complicate things, so after he'd accompanied Mother to our house, off we went to a nearby town, where sheds are manufactured.
In about an hour, we'd settled on one that suits our needs, and placed an order. It will be about two weeks before it can be delivered. We suggested that someone from the business come to our house to see if it would be a problem driving the truck hauling the shed between the trees and the garage to maneuver the building to the spot we have selected for it...right beside the other shed out there. Around 3 p.m., someone came and after looking at the space, said he would have no problem driving the truck through there, although he'd have to trim off some limbs from the big tree.
On our way back home after shed shopping, we noticed that a man who annually sells 40 lb. boxes of sweet potatoes had his sign out, so we stopped and picked up two boxes. Later, I contacted family members to find out if they wanted us to pick up boxes of these delicious potatoes for them. Hubbie contacted his family, too. So far, we've gotten orders for about eight boxes.
Around 4 p.m., I added to the soup a container of veggies, gravies, etc. accumulated in the freezer, and also cooked a bit of macaroni to add to it. The Dragon Soup was delicious, served with a choice of cornbread or biscuits.
After supper, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house so she could change clothes. Hubbie and I did the same, and then we went to the college down the road to attend a concert...The Three International Tenors.
We really enjoyed this program. The three men are extremely talented. They performed several opera pieces (not Hubbie's favorite) that were recognizable to us, but they also performed Broadway show tunes, and contemporary songs.
The program also featured a slide show of tenors of the past, including Enrico Caruso (who died at the young age of 48), Mario Lanza (who died at the even younger age of 38). More recently, Luciano Pavarotti died in 2007 at the age of 62. Current popular tenors include Andre Bocelli, and Josh Groban, both of whom are included in my CD collection.
Mother and I were so glad we wore long-sleeve shirts and brought along sweaters and jackets, because it was freezing cold in the auditorium. Some ladies around us, who'd come in short sleeves and crop pants were shivering. During the intermission, as college staff member leaned down to tell Mother that she was going to adjust the thermostat to make it more comfortable.
We were back home around 9 p.m., and I accompanied Mother to her house. Then Hubbie and I watched a little TV, and then headed to bed.
Monday, Sept. 30
Up early, around 6:30, because we expected a woman to arrive around 8 a.m. to remove wallpaper from our stairwell and the upstairs bathroom.
So I skipped my exercises, and hurried to get dressed and ready, and then cart stuff out of the bathroom to clear it for her to work.
Around 8:30, she called to say that her eight-year-old son had awakened with fever and vomiting, so she would have to stay home with him, because her mother, who usually babysits for her, didn't want to be around the sick boy. Can't say I blame her.
So we spent the day getting things back in order after the trip. Around 9:30, Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house, and I brought out some jigsaw puzzles for her to choose from, and she began work on one.
During the afternoon, I cleared my laptop of photos so I could download about 300 from the trip. I put the older photos on CDs, and then chose a representative number of the new photos to upload to my social network page.
This was an all-afternoon project, so by the time I was finished it was time to think about supper. Tonight, I fixed breakfast for supper by scrambling leftover fried potatoes into eggs, and adding shredded Monterey Jack cheese. I served the meal with cottage cheese and blueberry muffins.
Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we settled in to watch TV.
So I skipped my exercises, and hurried to get dressed and ready, and then cart stuff out of the bathroom to clear it for her to work.
Around 8:30, she called to say that her eight-year-old son had awakened with fever and vomiting, so she would have to stay home with him, because her mother, who usually babysits for her, didn't want to be around the sick boy. Can't say I blame her.
So we spent the day getting things back in order after the trip. Around 9:30, Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house, and I brought out some jigsaw puzzles for her to choose from, and she began work on one.
During the afternoon, I cleared my laptop of photos so I could download about 300 from the trip. I put the older photos on CDs, and then chose a representative number of the new photos to upload to my social network page.
This was an all-afternoon project, so by the time I was finished it was time to think about supper. Tonight, I fixed breakfast for supper by scrambling leftover fried potatoes into eggs, and adding shredded Monterey Jack cheese. I served the meal with cottage cheese and blueberry muffins.
Afterward, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we settled in to watch TV.
Sunday, Sept. 29
Up at 7 a.m., after sleeping well. Today's breakfast was a choice of yogurt, juice, muffins, and bagels.
It was really chilly this morning, following a rainy night, but we were packed up and ready to head home by 9 a.m.
It was an uneventful trip. We stopped at an overlook to snap pictures of a vehicle bridge and a railroad bridge. Then we continued out trip until time for lunch. We stopped at an area that overlooks a lake to enjoy sandwiches and chips and cups of coffee.
Arrived home around 2 p.m. We noticed as we turned onto our road that a church on the corner had set up their annual pumpkin patch, and since both Sis and Daughter stayed to visit for the afternoon, we piled into the van and went to visit it. We strolled through the colorful pumpkins, while Sis pushed Mother in her wheelchair. We took several snapshots. Daughter bought some small pumpkins, and I bought a couple of gourds.
At home again, we prepared a supper of leftover chili and other things. Shortly after supper, Sis and Daughter headed home.
After we accompanied Mother to her house, we relaxed for the evening. We'd unpacked the camper earlier.
It was really chilly this morning, following a rainy night, but we were packed up and ready to head home by 9 a.m.
It was an uneventful trip. We stopped at an overlook to snap pictures of a vehicle bridge and a railroad bridge. Then we continued out trip until time for lunch. We stopped at an area that overlooks a lake to enjoy sandwiches and chips and cups of coffee.
Arrived home around 2 p.m. We noticed as we turned onto our road that a church on the corner had set up their annual pumpkin patch, and since both Sis and Daughter stayed to visit for the afternoon, we piled into the van and went to visit it. We strolled through the colorful pumpkins, while Sis pushed Mother in her wheelchair. We took several snapshots. Daughter bought some small pumpkins, and I bought a couple of gourds.
At home again, we prepared a supper of leftover chili and other things. Shortly after supper, Sis and Daughter headed home.
After we accompanied Mother to her house, we relaxed for the evening. We'd unpacked the camper earlier.
Saturday, Sept. 28
Up at 7 a.m., and after a breakfast of bagels and cream cheese with jelly, orange juice, fruit, and coffee, we dressed and headed out to tour Blue Spring Heritage Center.
At the center, we began our tour by watching two short films. One described the founding of the center, and the other featured divers, who explored the depths of the spring, sometimes squeezing through narrow spaces. It was creepy just watching them do this. They are certainly braver and more adventurous than I am!
The spring is generally a cobalt blue. Thirty-eight million gallons of cold water (a constant 55 degrees) flows into a trout-stocked lagoon each day. A wide path encircles the lagoon, where visitors can stroll and enjoy the many flowering plants. Today, hundreds of yellow butterflies flitted among the flowers.
There's an overlook from which visitors can feed the trout. From this vantage point, we could see the green vegetation, like huge broccoli plants, growing beneath the water of the lagoon.
The area also features a large bluff, where Native Americans once sheltered, and where they carved hieroglyphics into the stone, though we were not able to see the markings.
To access the lagoon area, visitors must descend a steep stairway, then return to the top via a long, long ramp. Folks need to be in pretty good shape to do this, though there are benches at a couple of levels for catching one's breath. We didn't dally, though, and just climbed the ramp without stopping.
At the top, there is a lovely red barn, and a pasture with appaloosa horses grazing. Down the road from the facility, there is a viewing area for looking down into the valley and out over the hills. From here, visitors can see the river and a bridge, as well as farms and homes.
From here, we decided to see if we could find the city park, which was supposed to be near a lake. We found the turnoff and followed a "paved" road that was nothing but potholes. At the beginning of the road, a prominent sign declared that the road was scheduled to be repaired "this month." There were only a few days of the month left, so we wondered which month the sign referred to...and how many months the sign had already been there?
At the end of the road, there was a marina and some camping areas, but nothing that looked like a city park.
So we decided to go back to camp and have lunch before continuing our tour. This afternoon, we went to a place that features a huge rock that is balance on a sort of rock leg. It looks like it could tumble at any minute, but it has actually been there for thousands of years.
Also at this area is a "natural bridge," which is a large hollowed out rock that creates a bridge-like span. Both the bridge and the balanced rock are natural wonders that amazed Daughter. Of course, to access them, folks had to go down a steep paved path (an iron handrail keeps people from slipping and falling), and the up, up, up, a path to the balanced rock.
By the time we had toured Blue Spring, and this bridge/rock area, we felt we'd had plenty of exercise for the day.
From here, we went to an unusual home, where the owner (now deceased) spent about fifty years covering everything inside and outside the house in rocks, shells, marbles, and anything else she could lay her hand on.
Inside the house plants grow from ground level to the second level of the house. They grow in the earth in an area between the large windows and the floors of the home. Picture frames, tables, walls, and other things are decorated with rocks and shells. Outside, there are gardens of rock art, as well as bottle trees (this woman's husband collected bottles, particularly blue ones).
It's a very unusual place, but not very comfortable looking. However, Daughter was completely enchanted with it, particularly the framed butterflies and moths.
Just as we finished our tour, it began raining, so we headed back to camp. Supper tonight was baked potatoes topped with chili and sour cream, and a side of coleslaw. Daughter loved this meal, especially the chili.
Later, we enjoyed wine with cheese and crackers, while we listened to an audio book. By 9:30 p.m., we were ready for bed.
At the center, we began our tour by watching two short films. One described the founding of the center, and the other featured divers, who explored the depths of the spring, sometimes squeezing through narrow spaces. It was creepy just watching them do this. They are certainly braver and more adventurous than I am!
The spring is generally a cobalt blue. Thirty-eight million gallons of cold water (a constant 55 degrees) flows into a trout-stocked lagoon each day. A wide path encircles the lagoon, where visitors can stroll and enjoy the many flowering plants. Today, hundreds of yellow butterflies flitted among the flowers.
There's an overlook from which visitors can feed the trout. From this vantage point, we could see the green vegetation, like huge broccoli plants, growing beneath the water of the lagoon.
The area also features a large bluff, where Native Americans once sheltered, and where they carved hieroglyphics into the stone, though we were not able to see the markings.
To access the lagoon area, visitors must descend a steep stairway, then return to the top via a long, long ramp. Folks need to be in pretty good shape to do this, though there are benches at a couple of levels for catching one's breath. We didn't dally, though, and just climbed the ramp without stopping.
At the top, there is a lovely red barn, and a pasture with appaloosa horses grazing. Down the road from the facility, there is a viewing area for looking down into the valley and out over the hills. From here, visitors can see the river and a bridge, as well as farms and homes.
From here, we decided to see if we could find the city park, which was supposed to be near a lake. We found the turnoff and followed a "paved" road that was nothing but potholes. At the beginning of the road, a prominent sign declared that the road was scheduled to be repaired "this month." There were only a few days of the month left, so we wondered which month the sign referred to...and how many months the sign had already been there?
At the end of the road, there was a marina and some camping areas, but nothing that looked like a city park.
So we decided to go back to camp and have lunch before continuing our tour. This afternoon, we went to a place that features a huge rock that is balance on a sort of rock leg. It looks like it could tumble at any minute, but it has actually been there for thousands of years.
Also at this area is a "natural bridge," which is a large hollowed out rock that creates a bridge-like span. Both the bridge and the balanced rock are natural wonders that amazed Daughter. Of course, to access them, folks had to go down a steep paved path (an iron handrail keeps people from slipping and falling), and the up, up, up, a path to the balanced rock.
By the time we had toured Blue Spring, and this bridge/rock area, we felt we'd had plenty of exercise for the day.
From here, we went to an unusual home, where the owner (now deceased) spent about fifty years covering everything inside and outside the house in rocks, shells, marbles, and anything else she could lay her hand on.
Inside the house plants grow from ground level to the second level of the house. They grow in the earth in an area between the large windows and the floors of the home. Picture frames, tables, walls, and other things are decorated with rocks and shells. Outside, there are gardens of rock art, as well as bottle trees (this woman's husband collected bottles, particularly blue ones).
It's a very unusual place, but not very comfortable looking. However, Daughter was completely enchanted with it, particularly the framed butterflies and moths.
Just as we finished our tour, it began raining, so we headed back to camp. Supper tonight was baked potatoes topped with chili and sour cream, and a side of coleslaw. Daughter loved this meal, especially the chili.
Later, we enjoyed wine with cheese and crackers, while we listened to an audio book. By 9:30 p.m., we were ready for bed.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Friday, Sept. 27
Up at 8 a.m. on this cool morning. Well, actually I awoke at 4:30 for a bathroom visit. Couldn't go back to sleep, because Hubbie was snoring, and Daughter talked in her sleep.
After we dressed and had a breakfast of fruit and muffins, with orange juice and coffee, we took a trolley to the historic downtown district, where the colorful shops offered all sorts of wares at out-of-sight prices. We looked, but didn't buy.
We enjoyed window shopping though. At a candy store, a machine in the window pulled taffy. In another window there was a display of skimpy underthings, like a thong for a man fashioned after a tuxedo, and a thong for a woman that featured googly eyes.
We went into one shop that offered various serving items. One was a pitcher shaped like a fish that gurgled when fluid was poured from it. We were tempted by this novelty item, but passed on it, since we didn't think we'd find enough uses for it. Besides, it was pricey.
Toward noon, we caught the yellow line trolley, which delivered us back to the campground for lunch. After lunch, we caught the trolley again, which delivered us this time to the trolley station. There we bought tickets to ride on the tram.
But since it would be another hour before the tram departed, we drove our truck (we parked it at the station earlier) to the Amish shop, where I hoped to find spices. But the shop only offered furniture, and some jars of jams and jellies.
So we visited a winery, thinking we could sample wines. But there was a $5 person charge to sample, so we decided to just ask for their sweet wines. They only had one, and it was semi-sweet. We were allowed to taste it at no charge. We didn't like it. So the clerk directed us to a package store, where we found a bottle of moscato wine to enjoy later with cheese and crackers.
We arrived back at the tram station about fifteen minutes prior to it leaving. We were asked not to board the tram until five minutes before it left. Naturally, one old guy ignored that and got on anyway. There's always somebody that flouts the rules.
The tram tour was both fun and educational. The city was founded in 1879, based on its "miraculous healing spring waters." People flocked to the town seeking cures. In 1882, the railroad came, and within a couple of years business and home were built along and into the hills. Construction was so rigorous that they still exist today so that the whole town is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Around the loop of the district, colorful Victorian homes and businesses abound. We were told that home owners must adhere to a strict color code when painting their homes. We passed by one huge Queen Anne house on a hill that was not built there. It was moved from another state, which required that every board, every stone, be meticulously numbered, then loaded on flat bed trucks for transport. Reconstructing the house must have been a nightmare.
Many of the business are built of native stone, after major fires in 1883 and 1888 destroyed stores built of wood. It is said that there are also fifty-six miles of stone walls, and 230 winding, twisting streets, none of which cross each other.
The tram made a stop at the Crescent Hotel, where we were allowed to tour the lobby and the fourth floor. The balcony on the fourth floor was an ideal spot for photographing St. Elizabeth's Church across the road.
This hotel, built in 1886, was once renowned as a place where a Norman Baker claimed cancer was supposedly cured. Later, he was convicted of perpetrating a hoax and was sent to Leavenworth Prison on mail fraud.
A history of Baker says, "Having been run out of his home state, Norman moved to Arkansas...to the Ozarks and the town of Eureka Springs. There he bought a majestic Victorian hotel that had fallen on hard times. The Crescent hotel sat on a hill 2,000 feet above sea level overlooking the town nestled below. He called it a “Castle in the Air” and made it the new location of the Baker Hospital.
Norman picked up where he had left off in Iowa. Running the same medical scams in the Ozarks that had made him hundreds of thousands of dollars in Iowa. According to one US Postal Inspector Norman was pulling in $500,000 a year in Eureka Springs.
For two years, He thrived in there, but the clock was ticking on Norman. He was now a marked man by federal authorities. They quietly investigated him and in 1939 they closed in."
Hundreds of people died because they put their trust in this man, instead of getting legitimate treatment from real doctors.
Now, it is said that ghosts haunt the hotel, including one of the cancer patients, as well as an Irish stone mason who fell to his death. For about $149 a night, guests can stay in a haunted room.
Back at camp after the tour, we had potato soup and pimento cheese sandwiches for supper. Afterward, we went to The Great Passion Play.
The campground is only minutes away from the theater site, so Hubbie had gone right after supper to buy tickets.
We arrived around 6 p.m., and attended free presentations of the story of David the Shepherd, and Parables of the Potter before the Passion Play performance.
The Passion Play itself was well done in an outdoor theater with staging built on three levels along a hillside. A herd of sheep, a camel, donkeys, horses, and doves were featured in the production, which creatively used special lighting and sound to create remarkable effects.
Prior to the performance, Daughter was a bit concerned about the bats flying overhead, but I was glad they were there, because I knew they were dining on mosquitoes that might otherwise have found us a delicious dinner treat.
It was a cool evening, so we were glad for long-sleeve shirts and jackets.
The play venue was supposed to be handicap accessible, but it wasn't ideal. The ramp incline was too steep. And the steps were hard for older folks, many with walkers and canes, to go up and down, even with a rail to hang onto. Frequently, we saw folks pulling themselves up the rail to go to the restroom.
At the end of the play, a boy of about fourteen strained to push his grandmother up the incline. Another older large woman with a cane was being helped by her husband, and it was obvious she was struggling. I grabbed her hand to help her steady herself for the trip up.
By 9:15, we were back at camp and ready to head to bed. We'd had a busy, but happy day.
After we dressed and had a breakfast of fruit and muffins, with orange juice and coffee, we took a trolley to the historic downtown district, where the colorful shops offered all sorts of wares at out-of-sight prices. We looked, but didn't buy.
We enjoyed window shopping though. At a candy store, a machine in the window pulled taffy. In another window there was a display of skimpy underthings, like a thong for a man fashioned after a tuxedo, and a thong for a woman that featured googly eyes.
We went into one shop that offered various serving items. One was a pitcher shaped like a fish that gurgled when fluid was poured from it. We were tempted by this novelty item, but passed on it, since we didn't think we'd find enough uses for it. Besides, it was pricey.
Toward noon, we caught the yellow line trolley, which delivered us back to the campground for lunch. After lunch, we caught the trolley again, which delivered us this time to the trolley station. There we bought tickets to ride on the tram.
But since it would be another hour before the tram departed, we drove our truck (we parked it at the station earlier) to the Amish shop, where I hoped to find spices. But the shop only offered furniture, and some jars of jams and jellies.
So we visited a winery, thinking we could sample wines. But there was a $5 person charge to sample, so we decided to just ask for their sweet wines. They only had one, and it was semi-sweet. We were allowed to taste it at no charge. We didn't like it. So the clerk directed us to a package store, where we found a bottle of moscato wine to enjoy later with cheese and crackers.
We arrived back at the tram station about fifteen minutes prior to it leaving. We were asked not to board the tram until five minutes before it left. Naturally, one old guy ignored that and got on anyway. There's always somebody that flouts the rules.
The tram tour was both fun and educational. The city was founded in 1879, based on its "miraculous healing spring waters." People flocked to the town seeking cures. In 1882, the railroad came, and within a couple of years business and home were built along and into the hills. Construction was so rigorous that they still exist today so that the whole town is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Around the loop of the district, colorful Victorian homes and businesses abound. We were told that home owners must adhere to a strict color code when painting their homes. We passed by one huge Queen Anne house on a hill that was not built there. It was moved from another state, which required that every board, every stone, be meticulously numbered, then loaded on flat bed trucks for transport. Reconstructing the house must have been a nightmare.
Many of the business are built of native stone, after major fires in 1883 and 1888 destroyed stores built of wood. It is said that there are also fifty-six miles of stone walls, and 230 winding, twisting streets, none of which cross each other.
The tram made a stop at the Crescent Hotel, where we were allowed to tour the lobby and the fourth floor. The balcony on the fourth floor was an ideal spot for photographing St. Elizabeth's Church across the road.
This hotel, built in 1886, was once renowned as a place where a Norman Baker claimed cancer was supposedly cured. Later, he was convicted of perpetrating a hoax and was sent to Leavenworth Prison on mail fraud.
A history of Baker says, "Having been run out of his home state, Norman moved to Arkansas...to the Ozarks and the town of Eureka Springs. There he bought a majestic Victorian hotel that had fallen on hard times. The Crescent hotel sat on a hill 2,000 feet above sea level overlooking the town nestled below. He called it a “Castle in the Air” and made it the new location of the Baker Hospital.
Norman picked up where he had left off in Iowa. Running the same medical scams in the Ozarks that had made him hundreds of thousands of dollars in Iowa. According to one US Postal Inspector Norman was pulling in $500,000 a year in Eureka Springs.
For two years, He thrived in there, but the clock was ticking on Norman. He was now a marked man by federal authorities. They quietly investigated him and in 1939 they closed in."
Hundreds of people died because they put their trust in this man, instead of getting legitimate treatment from real doctors.
Now, it is said that ghosts haunt the hotel, including one of the cancer patients, as well as an Irish stone mason who fell to his death. For about $149 a night, guests can stay in a haunted room.
Back at camp after the tour, we had potato soup and pimento cheese sandwiches for supper. Afterward, we went to The Great Passion Play.
The campground is only minutes away from the theater site, so Hubbie had gone right after supper to buy tickets.
We arrived around 6 p.m., and attended free presentations of the story of David the Shepherd, and Parables of the Potter before the Passion Play performance.
The Passion Play itself was well done in an outdoor theater with staging built on three levels along a hillside. A herd of sheep, a camel, donkeys, horses, and doves were featured in the production, which creatively used special lighting and sound to create remarkable effects.
Prior to the performance, Daughter was a bit concerned about the bats flying overhead, but I was glad they were there, because I knew they were dining on mosquitoes that might otherwise have found us a delicious dinner treat.
It was a cool evening, so we were glad for long-sleeve shirts and jackets.
The play venue was supposed to be handicap accessible, but it wasn't ideal. The ramp incline was too steep. And the steps were hard for older folks, many with walkers and canes, to go up and down, even with a rail to hang onto. Frequently, we saw folks pulling themselves up the rail to go to the restroom.
At the end of the play, a boy of about fourteen strained to push his grandmother up the incline. Another older large woman with a cane was being helped by her husband, and it was obvious she was struggling. I grabbed her hand to help her steady herself for the trip up.
By 9:15, we were back at camp and ready to head to bed. We'd had a busy, but happy day.
Thursday, Sept. 26
Up at 6 a.m. to get ready for a vacation trip to the northwest part of the state. As soon as I was dressed, I woke Daughter, and she hopped right up to get ready.
Before we left town, Hubbie stopped by a gas station to air up the tires on the camper. As we waited, Daughter and I noticed a line of birds perched on a power line...but the angle of the sun made the wire invisible to us, so it looked like the birds were suspended in midair.
We were on the road by 9 a.m. Sis, who was to come and stay with Mother for the weekend, wasn't scheduled to arrive until sometime after lunch.
The trip was interesting, if uneventful. We saw a field of pumpkins still on the vine, crossed a bridge over Hog Skin Creek, and passed a street named Buzzard Roost Road.
Around 12:30, we stopped at a roadside park for lunch. After lunch, I called Mother. Sis answered, so Daughter and I breathed a collective sigh of relief. We're always edgy when we leave Mother at home for any length of time.
As we traveled, we enjoyed an audio book on tape that Daughter provided. She'd gotten it free at her public library. Actually, it is three books in one, and we had time to listen to one book and part of another on the trip.
Along the way, we stopped at a roadside fruit stand where, on large signs and in painted in large letters, the vendor advertised tubs of apples for $1. Well, the tubs were about the sized of butter tubs and contained three apples each. Deceptive advertising. The buckets of apples were $4 each, and we bought one.
A young couple were selling the apples, and the woman of the pair had constructed a chair by stacking two boxes of apples, cutting the one side out of another box and placing a cushion in it to make a chair. I thought it was clever and told her so.
We arrived at our destination around 3 p.m. This town has 2,073 people, though it seems like a lot more. It's a tourist town, so maybe all the tourists made it seem larger. We learned that the town has absolutely no industry beyond tourism.
At the campground, signs abounded warning folks to not park in the driveway...Welcome, Pull Forward, Keep Left, Please Park here to Register. Hubbie, who considers signs suggestions only, parked in the driveway.
Once the camper was set up, we went on a tour. Stopped first at the Christ of the Ozarks. Daughter was amazed by this enormous statue, as she was with Thorncrown Chapel, which is a glass and wood structure situated in the middle of the woods.
The seven-story high Christ of the Ozarks has overlooked the town since 1967. Thorncrown Chapel, which opened in 1980, rises forty-eight feet into the sky. It has 425 windows and over 6,000 square feet of glass.
We also visited St. Elizabeth's Church, which is entered through the bell tower, and the grounds of the Crescent Hotel, which is said to be haunted.
Back at camp, we had chicken noodle soup and blueberry muffins for supper. Later, we dressed to go to The Great Passion Play, but learned that it was not open tonight. So we went to an overlook, which features a lovely viewing structure.
Two young women were at the area, both of whom looked stoned. They engaged in lively banter with us, and when they found we were not interested in visiting with them, they left.
From the lookout, we could see the Crescent Hotel on a hill across the way. It's a sort of castle looking building, and with most of its lights glowing yellow, combined with the twilight of this evening, it looked sort of spooky and haunted.
Back at the camper, we played a few games of Skipbo. I won two, and Hubbie won one. None for Daughter this time.
Before we left town, Hubbie stopped by a gas station to air up the tires on the camper. As we waited, Daughter and I noticed a line of birds perched on a power line...but the angle of the sun made the wire invisible to us, so it looked like the birds were suspended in midair.
We were on the road by 9 a.m. Sis, who was to come and stay with Mother for the weekend, wasn't scheduled to arrive until sometime after lunch.
The trip was interesting, if uneventful. We saw a field of pumpkins still on the vine, crossed a bridge over Hog Skin Creek, and passed a street named Buzzard Roost Road.
Around 12:30, we stopped at a roadside park for lunch. After lunch, I called Mother. Sis answered, so Daughter and I breathed a collective sigh of relief. We're always edgy when we leave Mother at home for any length of time.
As we traveled, we enjoyed an audio book on tape that Daughter provided. She'd gotten it free at her public library. Actually, it is three books in one, and we had time to listen to one book and part of another on the trip.
Along the way, we stopped at a roadside fruit stand where, on large signs and in painted in large letters, the vendor advertised tubs of apples for $1. Well, the tubs were about the sized of butter tubs and contained three apples each. Deceptive advertising. The buckets of apples were $4 each, and we bought one.
A young couple were selling the apples, and the woman of the pair had constructed a chair by stacking two boxes of apples, cutting the one side out of another box and placing a cushion in it to make a chair. I thought it was clever and told her so.
We arrived at our destination around 3 p.m. This town has 2,073 people, though it seems like a lot more. It's a tourist town, so maybe all the tourists made it seem larger. We learned that the town has absolutely no industry beyond tourism.
At the campground, signs abounded warning folks to not park in the driveway...Welcome, Pull Forward, Keep Left, Please Park here to Register. Hubbie, who considers signs suggestions only, parked in the driveway.
Once the camper was set up, we went on a tour. Stopped first at the Christ of the Ozarks. Daughter was amazed by this enormous statue, as she was with Thorncrown Chapel, which is a glass and wood structure situated in the middle of the woods.
The seven-story high Christ of the Ozarks has overlooked the town since 1967. Thorncrown Chapel, which opened in 1980, rises forty-eight feet into the sky. It has 425 windows and over 6,000 square feet of glass.
We also visited St. Elizabeth's Church, which is entered through the bell tower, and the grounds of the Crescent Hotel, which is said to be haunted.
Back at camp, we had chicken noodle soup and blueberry muffins for supper. Later, we dressed to go to The Great Passion Play, but learned that it was not open tonight. So we went to an overlook, which features a lovely viewing structure.
Two young women were at the area, both of whom looked stoned. They engaged in lively banter with us, and when they found we were not interested in visiting with them, they left.
From the lookout, we could see the Crescent Hotel on a hill across the way. It's a sort of castle looking building, and with most of its lights glowing yellow, combined with the twilight of this evening, it looked sort of spooky and haunted.
Back at the camper, we played a few games of Skipbo. I won two, and Hubbie won one. None for Daughter this time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)