Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Sat/Sun/Mon: May 8,9,10, 2010: No internet at the mother-in-law's home

SAT: A beautiful day…..the Azalea Festival….the annual F’town festival…..was going on down below our hill all day, but we were busy getting things ready to leave for a few days. By 3pm……we were packed, the alarms turned on at the stick brick….and we were on the road.

By 5pm, we had arrived at Glen Carbon City Park……where we were to join the celebration party for Laura Gipson…..as she was awarded her Master’s Degree during the morning graduation ceremonies at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. A large crowd of families and friends had arrived….and it was really great to see Andrew’s family again, as well as Laura’s family again. Andrew had provided all the BBQ food and beer……and it was really a super late afternoon/early evening. The not-sooo-good was that the temps began dropping just about that time, the winds were REALLY blowing……and everyone there was shivering and shaking from the raw weather that moved in to town.

About 7pm…..we took our leave, as we had to drive up to Monroe City, about a 2.5 hours trip, going around the north end of STL and then north to Hannibal and west to Monroe City. Arriving about 10pm…..after a coffee purchasing stop along the way…..we both called it an evening before too much longer.

SUN: A windy and cool day………which saw us enjoy Mother’s Day with the 1st Lady’s mother……and then we all went out to Sunday noon dinner at a local café between Monroe City and Hannibal. The meal???? Well, barely average quality…..I had a pork tenderloin sandwich…..very large, very thin, very dry, very below average!!! Would I order this again……well, I wouldn’t go there again….and, the name of the place used to be called The Rocket….at the junction of Hwy 36 and where Hwy 24 breaks off and turns north. I also was a glutton for punishment when I ordered a piece of pie……Coconut Crème……UGH!!!!! Flat, runny, frozen crust, and no meringue….terrible!!!!! Never, ever again!!!!

We drove on into Hannibal as the 1st Lady and her mother needed to pick up some groceries…..soooo Super Walmart was the only choice on Sunday afternoon. This is a really large and very nice store….(for Walmart)……and it was busy for such a special day…Mother’s Day.
Returning to Monroe City, we just enjoyed the remainder of the afternoon…..with visits by the 1st Lady’s brother, our niece and her two children/young adults…..and then before long….AMAZING RACE was on. The final………and we were not too excited about the winners, especially after the attitude the winners had as they flew out of Shanghai. But…….such is Life!!!!!

MON: Ahhhhh…..the clouds, the low temps…..and the dampness soon brought on the predicted bad and nasty weather which has lasted all day and still going on with heavy rains as I type this……about 9:30pm. Sooooo, we barely stuck our noses out of the house…….enjoying the plasma tv my mother-in-law has……and doing some reading. Rather boring, boring day…..and I rarely use that word, but it is about the only way to describe this LONG day of dreary, nasty weather in a small town in northeast Misery. Oh yeah……..we did get a copy of the local paper which had tons of pictures and discussions and descriptions of President Obama’s visit here to the “Peggy Sue Café” for a lunch with some of the local citizens of the town, as well as visiting a local farm close by to here……all happening last Wednesday!!!! An EXCITING time for the people here…..and I don’t doubt it….as a President has never visited Monroe City, MO before!!!!

Tomorrow, we go on up to Iowa City….about 160 miles north of here…..and we will attend one of the performances of the Cape Girardeau, MO intermediate school’s percussion groups. Our granddaughter, Rachel, is a member of this group and they are giving performances to several elementary schools in Iowa today and tomorrow and Wednesday as the return to Cape G. We will attend the evening performance at the Theater in the city center of Iowa City. Should be fun to be there to see her performing!!!! We will remain in Iowa City overnight…….and return to F’town on Wednesday afternoon.

Sooooo, I will post this when we get to the hotel on Tuesday….the Comfort Inn and Suites. And……not too mention the terrible lunch yesterday and the terrible weather today……as always….

LIFE IS JUST REALLY, REALLY GREAT!!!!!!….And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!

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