Ok - we've been doing a LOT of driving, and have almost landed. While I've had Wi-Fi several times, TIME has been at a premium, as has sleep, and I haven't posted anything. Here's what we've accomplished. The girls have been great. They ALWAYS are on the road.
Pardon all the typos. I'm working on a small lap-top, and it's a challenge. I know you al will bear with me on this one until I get home.....
Thursday - drove 340 miles to Fredonia, NY. Got to our friend Chuck's around 3pm - and had a really enjoyable visit. Having lost LaVerne just 2 month ago - it was nice to visit with him and see that he's doing pretty well. We slept great.
Friday - we were on the road by 7:30 and heading west on I-90. The road construction is unbeievable this time of year and I am reminded why I do this trip NOT IN THE SUMMER. More on this tomorrow! We made good time. Around 3:00 we were at Gary - I-90 merged into I-80 and we just kept going. With plans to sty with family in Omaha Saturday, I decided to makek this the longer day of the two by as much as I could. Total miles 500 to Joliet, IL about 45 minutes WEST of Chicago. We found a Holiday Inn with a BEUTIFUL POOL and Wi-Fi, accross the street from Steak & Shake and checked in. I stayed up late doing "W" work - the AC was loud. Then the power went out 3 times. AND THENa major thunder storm at 4:30am. Here is Grace at the Steak & Shake. This burger joint doesn't exist back East. It is on Grace's promise list - of mommy pay-backs because we'll be on-the-road on her birthday. gonna get expensive!
Saturday: We hit the road at 6:30. no breakfast until 7 on weekends. Making great time. The storms are gone. it is a clear beutiful day. We started seeing these wind turbines round Anita, Iowa. At least 100' diameter blades. I want to be under one, and I wnt to know their MW rating. this was stunning. JUST STUNNING.
Here is Grace at a rest-stop ner the wind turbines. It was HOT and windy.
We got to Susie's around 2pm. Just 430 miles. We're now 1300 miles from home. It is hotter than hell. 96F and 96 % humidity. Just God-awful. i know know full well why I went to and stayed in the northeast! She invited her kids, their spouses and a total of 3-7/8 grandkids for dinner with us. he 4th is due on Tuesday! it was a spendid evening of great food, great comany, darling kids and dessert is always ice cream in their lovey basement while the adults bowl on WII! Susie and I tied at 181 ! never done that on wood lanes that's for sure!
Sunday: We got up a little later after a wonderful night sleep at Susie's. Air Conditioning is a wonderful thing. We had another great meal - and hit the road at 8:15. Just 180 miles to Kansas City and the big surprise for Mom. SHE was speechless. it was a good thing. We ate dinner at Noon, visited, watched JC - at 3:00 Mom was nodding off in the lobby chair - so we all headed out. Tht ws it. here is ingrid sharing her newly acquired collection of Silly Bnds with Jillian - Richard's granddaughter - 18months It was a nice visit so far.
Here is mom with ALL 6 grandkids. David, Alison. Megan holding Jillian (JC), Mom, and my girls on the floor. Whatt a crew.
We then heded out to the Plaza to the Marriot. The girls swam. I visited with Richard. then went to dinner. The girls and I ate on our own at PFChangs. Don't ask why when my entire family was in KC - but we ate on our own. TOO long to type and I dn't understand anyway.
For those of you unfamiliar. KC, MO is a city of fountains more than Paris or Rome they say. Our hotel is just behind this one. An old renovated apartment building. I worked summers in a small engineering firm just accross from here when I was in college. I sat by this fountain reading homework and eating my lunch most days. It is a beautiful area - just too damn hot. Here the girls enjoy their Cold Stone Creamies! Then back to the hotel for more swimming, Ingrid polished off the leftovers, showers, and bed. Tomorrow - Springfield, MO where we will stay put until Friday.
Keep the e-mails coming. I am enjoying the diversion of e-mail GREATLY. gretchen
Then we headed up the road just West of town to Table Rock Dam. This was a flood control project on the White River in the 1950's. A series of dams makes Table Rock, Taneycomo, and Bull Shoals Lakes (the last of which is where Aasby's have their camp). The damn is very impressive. a mile from end-to-end, much of it earthen dam, and then this concrete monolyth and power station.
Below the dam is a fish hatchery.... We toured this and it was a lot of fun. They hatch, and grow a MILLION rainbow trout each year to be released for sport fishing. The MO DEC permits at $7/day pay for most of the operation. These are NOT indigineous to MO, but love the 46F water that comes frm the bottom of the lake. They do not live in Tablerock Lake above the dam - but below in Taneycomo. We used to come here on fishing vacaions when I was a kid.
A beautiful view of Lake Taneycomo...... COLD water.
Some of the old retired spawn fish - 8 years old so. Grandma's and just a FEW Grandpas. 
Theese are the old dirt trench hatchery areas. I CLEARLY remember falling in one of these full of 8" trout when I was about 6 years old. A horrifying experience.
Ingrid feeding a bunch of the smaller trout.
Then we got on the Branson Belle Showboat. We boarded around 4pm - had dinner in the THEATER, and watched a very entertaining variety show. I forgot to take a picture of the BOAT in all our excitement. Here is a link that shows all about it. http://www.showboatbransonbelle.com/photo-video-gallery/
In between dinner and the show, we went out on the deck and enjoyed cooler air and beautiful views on a beautiful day..... 
Here we are in the boat-theater......
And, another HUGE surprise. Sarah came up from Fayetteville, AK to join in on the fun at the Branson Belle.
The show even included Todd Oliver's ventriliquist act with two talking dogs. I don't think I have ever seen Grace laugh SO HARD!
Here are Sarah, Ingrid, Grace and Molly. How did Susan and I spawn such a beautiful brood!!!!
We stopped at thhe neighbors on the way home to visit their baby minature mules... There are two babies here and he Mama of the gray one is on the right. They are darling..
