It’s been years since we’ve taken a family vacation together. I go to the quilt shows with my friends, I go back and forth to Louisiana to visit my family; Chad went with me last year at spring break but that was the last time he and I had been anywhere together.
Early this year, we found out that Vince had a week off of plant shutdown that coincided with Chad’s spring break. Chad had already been making noise about going to Florida with friends for Spring Break. I didn’t want that to happen! We discussed it and decided we’d all go to Louisiana and Chad and Vince could go salt water fishing and do some fresh water fishing. So, the plan was to go to Louisiana for the week. At almost the last minute, we had to change our plans and ended up going to Arkansas instead.
The plan was to leave home on Saturday morning at 8 a.m. What usually happens is Vince is sitting in the car at the appointed departure time, Chad is still in the shower and I’m running around trying to get Chad to hurry up and keep Vince from blowing a fuse. As it turned out, we were all in the car ready to leave at 8 a.m. Unbelievable! But, then I remembered I’d left a Dr. Pepper in the freezer and had to run back in. Then I looked down and had on my slippers and those were the only shoes I’d brought so I had to run back in again. Vince’s patience . . well, one more trip into the house and I might have been left behind.
We drove from here to Bass Pro Shop in Springfield. Vince and Chad were going to be in there no more than 30 minutes. I sat in the car with Speck and knitted.
They were in Bass Pro for 1-1/2 hours! I didn’t mind though. The next stop was to be at Lambert’s for lunch. We got there (our first time ever) and the line was out the door, around the corner and halfway to the street. No way! We ended up eating at Culver’s in Branson and then drove on to our destination but not without a little frustration.
I know all about that Venus and Mars stuff but I tell you . . going on a trip with Vince is . . sometimes difficult. I surely hope my friend, Elaine, isn’t reading this but most of the time, I have some idea of where I’m going. I have the GPS and the address or phone number to where I’m heading. Vince had found the cabin and made the reservations and printed the maps and had all the pertinent info. Before we left, I said do we need the GPS? and he said no, I know where we’re going! But, GPS was in the car so . . we had it. I just typed in “Mountain View, AR” because no where on the info Vince had did it have the actual address or phone number of the place we were staying!
We got to Harrison, AR and passed a highway and Vince said . . I think we should have turned there. GPS said to go straight. For two hours, Vince said I know we should have turned back there because the cabin was “north of Mountain View” but where . . we didn’t know. The road was narrow, hilly, crooked, up the hill, down the hill, around the hill and . . well, I was just hoping that wasn’t an indication of how the rest of the trip was going to be. We finally arrived at the cabin.
See that air conditioner in the window . . it wasn’t there when we got there. That’s a story you’ll hear about later. It wasn’t pretty! 🙁
The minute the car was unpacked, Vince and Chad were in the creek fishing. It took just a few minutes and Chad came up to the cabin with this.
Pretty, huh?
Don’t worry about me though . . here’s what I set up for myself. I had enough yarn to keep me busy for a month (no, I didn’t finish even one pair of socks!) and quilting projects for four quilts and I made good progress on all of them.
I’ll report more about vacation later.
dawn says
sounds like we are in for some great stories!
next chapter please.
Dawn in MA
Vickie says
ohh it’s like someone has borrowed my book and ripped out the next page…hehehe..sounds like you all had some interesting fun.
pdudgeon says
looks like a very promising beginning…..
knitting going on,
fish are being caught,
Judy not having to shop for 1 1/2 hours… glad you got to go on vacation.
Moneik says
Your vacation sounds kind of like our honeymoon… only I spent 2 hours in Bass Pro Shops, twice! We ate at Lampberts and loved it. We’d been there before, but it’s a place you’ll definately want to stop and eat at. It’s awesome. We went early, like 4ish, so we beat the supper rush. There’s a quilt shop in the strip mall behind it!
Karen L says
Yeah…….a man and his “Proshop” ………..your traveling story sounds like chapter 3 out of our book………at our home when we leave for vacation…..its a race to the backseat…….who ever is in the backseat doesn’t have to drive or give directions……..I look forward to more vacations stories.
Karen L
Melinda says
heh heh…. this brings back memories. 😀
Hugs,
Melinda
Karen says
What is it about men & directions????? I think it’s part of the ‘boy brain’ syndrome, right up there with controlling the remote.
I can’t wait to hear the air conditioner story. Heat with no a/c is my idea of hell. I love your sewing set up and can’t wait for the next chapter.
Karen
CJ says
We go no where without the GPS, I love that thing!
I’m laughing though that you brought along your sewing machine :). I’d have been out there fishing with the guys enjoying the gorgeous weather! Unless it was raining of course. LOL
Evelyn says
I always say – a family that plays together, stays together. Through the ups and downs and all sorts of adventures – your trip is stuff that memories are made out of and down the road some of the not so funny stuff when it was happening slowly becomes just too funny. Looking forward to the next segment!
Cheers! Evelyn
Liz L says
That photo of your sewing set up in the cabin is me and my friend when we meet up a couple of times a year. We have been friends for over 30 years and now live 600 miles apart so these times are special to catch up and see what quilting projects each is doing. The men spend the week fishing, either in the river or on the beach (we are on the east coast of Australia) and at the pro shop, and we spend our time sewing and going to the local patchwork shop. It is so relaxing! The cabin we go to is in a nature reserve and we are surrounded by native animals and birds. We are going there in 2 weeks for a week, so seeing your photo got me excited.
Looking forward to reading your next chapter!
Lori in SD says
you missed the “throwed rolls” at Lambertons!
Beth in Dallas says
I may be in Dallas now, but I miss Missouri and Arkansas… it’s too bad about Lambert’s! The rolls are DELICIOUS,, and I love the fried okra that they bring around… all you can eat,,, not that I need to “eat it all” but it is nice to be able to have seconds!
Cheryl L says
Oh Judy, I’m green w/envy of your vacation in my old stompin’ grounds. I used to live just a mile from Lamberts. I really do miss Ozark! Glad you had such a good time!
Nancy in Dallas says
Please tell me you went to the ‘restroom’ when you were at the Bass Pro Shop! lol
I just love that place…yea, and the BR is pretty cool too! If you ever go back do stand in line and eat at Lamberts…its is soooooo worth it!
Sounds like ya’ll had a great time.