I Just Needed to Get Out of Dodge

One of my favorite things about being retired is that we can be very spontaneous and that is exactly what we did this last Wednesday.  After a fitful night (by that I mean tossing and turning and generally not feeling all that great), I woke Wednesday with a strong desire to get out of Dodge if you know what I mean.  Jumped in the shower, OKAY I will admit, for me it was the tub, and in a couple of hours we were off to Branson, MO.  You can do that when you retire. 

Here are a few random things about our trip which are nothing significant, but to me, they are memories made.

1.  Now there are a gazillion roads that lead to Branson and most of them are twisty-curvy and very scenic.  There is one that I encourage you to travel if you find yourselves on Highway 62 going East towards Eureka Springs.  Before you get to Eureka, turn north on Highway 187; keep your eyes open for the signs.  Last Wednesday the leaves were at their peak and the day was beautiful, even though it looked like rain drops would hit the windshield any minute.  The leaves on the highway swirled into magnificent colorful little tornadoes as we zoomed down the road at 30 miles per hour.  There is an old farm house on the left side of the road and their old barn across the highway.......still in use.  I can picture the farmer crossing the highway to do something in the barn, every once in a while having to wait for a car to pass.  Picturesque.  The site alone is so nostalgic for me.......memories again!  A little further down the highway the signs will tell you the speed limit is 10 mph and you need to heed them for just around the curve and down the hill is a beautiful little lake which actually is a fork of Beaver Lake.  If you don't slow down you will be in the lake and if you don't slow down you will miss one of the prettiest sites ever.  Beaver, AR  You will probably will want to stop and take pictures of the old abandoned two or three story general store or was it a hotel.............looks like someone would fix it up for a bread and breakfast.  Cha-ching $$$$$$ !!!!!!  Now to get back on the road to Branson...........but first you will have to cross a long one-lane bridge and then another shorter one.........I encourage you to take this road!!

2.  Even though you might be feeling your finest after a long day at Silver Dollar City, I encourage you NOT to try to run up the stairs of the hotel.  You might just get your foot caught under the open rung of the stairs and fall forward and hurt your shin............badly...........as in take your breath away..........as in bruise.  By the way, your shin will not pivot.  Nearly a week later and it is still black and blue.  Again, just because you feel like you can, don't run up the stairs if you are retirement age...not smart.

3.  Remember the Joni Mitchell song "Big Yellow Taxi"? 

They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique
And a swinging hot spot

That is exactly what the hubby said as we started down the last mountain to the town of Branson below.  The town has exploded.  We go back every couple of years, and every year we say the same thing.  Shops, restaurants, and hotels packed in like sardines.  Roads and highways going off in every direction trying to ease Highway 76........you remember that one!?!  As crowded as it is, one just feels safe and at home in Branson.

4.  Did you know you can get an all you can eat seafood buffet for only $35 in Branson?  We pulled into a place for seafood.  I ran inside to check the place out and to inquire about the price.  I nearly dropped my teeth at $35.  Not that $35 is outrageous, but since neither one of us was all that hungry and I felt like I couldn't justify $35 on a meal, we went elsewhere. 

5.  Dick's Old Time 5 & 10 is a fun place to visit.  A throwback in time to the old 5 and 10 cent stores.  I must warn you that the aisles are narrow and that is because the place is packed with everything you would ever want.  I will also tell you that the place is packed with wall-to-wall people all with hand carried shopping baskets.  A fun place.  www.dicksoldtime5and10.com

6.  Breakfast at hotels are not special, but they do provide you with substance before heading out for the day.  Since our breakfast at home usually consists of coffee and oatmeal, hotel breakfasts are perfect for us, but nothing to write home about............looks like I just wrote home about it.

7.  The week was topped off with a lovely meal with my brother and his wife while the hubby was busy elsewhere.  What a treat to just set and visit.  I miss them and wish they lived closer.

8.  There is no place like home.  As much as I love to travel, when we top the hill of our street and can see the house, it is pure joy and relief.  Once again, we had traveling Graces and the house is still standing.

We had such a good time and I definitely needed a "clearing of the mind" as it were.  And I got that except I came back with a bad cold or sinus infection.  Still........it was worth it.  It was worth it to stay and see the light parade at Silver Dollar City........to make room beside me for a 10 year old little girl and to see her eyes light up especially when the princess approached her.  Don't you wish you could always see life as a 10 year old when everything in life is magical?

I just needed to get out of Dodge.

I love you.