Grandkids, Branson, and Home!

Sorry for the delay - we were not only busy at all possible times, but once we got home, we had to have both computers repaired, including the one storing all of the pictures!

We left Albuquerque, turned northward, and drove to CO, where Luke's girls and the grand kids live.  Youngest granddaughter Nelle has changed a lot since we first saw her in October. She and her Bompa re-bonded

Then Bomma got her chance

We took Nelle's brother Simon to "Get Air" - the largest indoor trampolines I've ever seen.  Simon is the blue blur in the center.

And then, there is Walter.  He approves of Nelle's carrier....

Erin and her family took us to the Celestial Tea factory in Boulder.   It was a fun tour and we got to taste many of their teas. Even Evelyn and Kiran like hot tea.

The tasting room has a mock-up of of the living room that is on the front of their Sleepy Time tea.

We also went on a visit to Boulder with everyone.  The 3 oldest grandkids can always find something to do.

Erin is an artist and has her work exhibited in the "made local" art shop in Boulder.

You can't be in CO without going on hikes.  This is the Hall Ranch Hiking trail.

Deer were tucked away and napping during the early afternoon.

We left CO to go southward to Branson, MO to visit friends we'd met in FL.  But first we needed gas.  And then we needed to wait for over an hour for a semi hauling one blade for a wind turbine to make a 90 degree turn onto the interstate ramp.  There actually wasn't one of these; there were 3.  It took each over 30 minutes to make this turn.  Virtually all traffic was stopped for this period.  The semi has already made the tight turn.  A back end part of the semi is supporting the middle.  The guy in the orange shirt is standing just past the red tipped end of the blade.  We learned that this blade is about 140 feet long.

We caught up with Janet, John, and sweet Picasso.

John and Luke caught up on their remote control airplane hobby (John is the one who is responsible for getting Luke back into the hobby).  That is one of Janet's many beautiful painting on the wall.

They live on a lake

so boating is another mutual interest

Branson is definitely an entertainment center!  In addition to 38 performance theaters, there are endless possibilities for fun along "the strip"

We chose dinner out at a restaurant affiliated with Bass Pro Shops (centered in Branson)

Big Cedar Lodge is an amazing resort owned by the Bass Pro Shops group.  The trestle bridge and  man-made waterfalls are examples of the architecture and attention to detail.  Oh, and a wonderful restaurant! 

Finally, the 3 day drive home.  Uneventful with the exception of the Cairo Bridge crossing the Mississippi River.  I have never been more frightened in our RV travel than here.  See the narrow bridge?  The yellow line down the middle?  Where that yellow line appears to be from the dashboard?  AND THEN CAME THE TRACTOR TRAILER!!!  We passed on the bridge, so closely that our tires scrapped the curb of the bridge.  Never again....

HOME!  The RV in the driveway, the cars moved out of the garage so we can use them.

The grass is always greener....Smokey was deliriously happy to get home. She romped through the house, checked everything out, did it all again, and wanted attention.  BUT  when we went back into the RV to start unpacking, it was a different story.  She had been LEFT in the house!  Alone! She recovered quickly...

One last chore - to cover the RV for the summer.  Luke gets on top and drops the cover.  I grab and arrange.  OK, it isn't that simple but that's the basic idea.

We are settled in now and beginning to think about going to the boat and putting her in the water in a couple of weeks for the summer.