Summer Trip Away from the TEXAS HEAT!!

 We made our travel plans for the summer to include a trip to MI to visit my cousin Karen and husband Bob and attend a wedding there.

We also plan to visit friends Cindy and Tom (who worked at JCP) from Plano, in Wisconsin, and then travel to MN to visit relatives and friends also to celebrate Judy's sister Pam and husband Steve on their 50th wedding anniversary.

The final leg of the trip plan is to visit my sister Judeen and husband Jim and family in the Omaha area.

We left Plano on 7/5 and made a quick stop at this place to get their infamous banana pudding.  But, they didn't have it so we settled for 2nd best - mixed berry pudding!

Then we drove on to Chanute (again!) but this time to have the trailer brakes, suspension, etc. checked.  Now that the RV is 15 years old, we have to consider these things.  We got there late Tuesday, so that afternoon we sat outside and enjoyed the rest of the day - even though it was in the upper 90's!

Had an appointment for Wednesday and everything checked out.  We had planned to be there 2 days in case they would need more time.  Saw this truck at the Grain Bin Restaurant where we always go for breakfast while the RV was being serviced.

While the RV is being serviced, we usually go to this city park and wait it out.

There are those who believe that I was sleeping here, but, as you can see, I was engrossed in the book I was reading!!

On Friday we traveled Eastward to Marceline, MO. to spend the weekend there.   Crossed the Mississippi and saw a couple of barges.

This was our campsite for the weekend - very nice.  Great camp host here.

Little did we know that this is the boyhood home of Walt Disney.  His family lived in Chicago until he was 5 and then moved to Marceline.  They have a great museum here that originally was a train station.

Walt and his sister Ruth.

 Memorabilia...

Walt and his brother reading the Marceline paper.

This teacup ride was our daughter, Julie's, favorite when we went to Disneyworld.

(NOT!!)

Afterwards, we got a Mickey flag.

Trains are very much part of the town here as there were at least 4 trains that went by while we were in the museum!

While sitting outside at our campground, we noticed a bird pecking away on top of our mirror.  All we could think of is that he was seeing his reflection in the metal part of the mirror.

On Monday we drove to Carlock, IL to spend a couple of nights before heading up to Michigan.  

This town of 600 had one gas station and one restaurant.  Diesel here was $5,89 so I opted NOT to get filled up here.  The restaurant was very good.  We did drive into Bloomington to wash clothes at a laundromat.  While there we filled up with diesel at $5.49 and felt like we got a good deal!

On Wednesday we drove to Belding, MI. which took us near Chicago (I-80) and many trucks and slow downs along the way.  

Notice the cloud formation here - very unusual.

We found our way to Belding and the Double R Ranch Campground where we parked for 5 days.  Expensive place ($58 per night) but they do have horse back riding, canoe and kayak floating down a river, etc.  This is 1st time we have stayed here over the weekend, and, we were lucky to get a spot because the CG is full.

Had dinner - taco salad - with my cousin, Karen and her husband Bob.  On Thursday we had lunch with them and talked about old times and looked at old pictures, trying to determine who some of those people in the pictures were!  Went to dinner with them that evening.

On Friday we got together again and we went on a tour of the town.  Visited a very nice library with many murals, etc,

Cousin Karen...

Karen and Bob...

 Have you ever seen "hops" growing before?  This is in the town of Greeenville, MI. 

Saw the Veterans Memorials which included WWII, Korean War, Vietnam, Middle East conflicts, - Desert Storm,  etc.  Also had a memorial for Afganistan.  Because it started raining, we went back to their house and played cards (taught them Up the River-Down the River.  Played 2 games!) and had pizza for supper,

Saturday we went to Jan Gray's wedding with Randy.  We knew Jan when she was married to Tony Huffam and they went to our church.  She divorced Tony and lived in the Plano area for many years.  Her daughter, Joy and family live in McKinney so we saw them all.

Jan has since moved to Michigan (Charlotte) where she has family and met Randy and they married.

Notice line 4:  Exchange of Rings...

It was actually a door knob!!  And Jan had a 'rock' for him!!

Wedding venue took place in this building.

On Sunday we were back at Karen and Bob's house for lunch (taco soup and corn bread) and played cards again (4 games of Up the River-Down the River!!!).

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