Death toll passes 160 as storms rip through U.S.

Death toll passes 160 as storms rip through U.S.

Morning April 18, 2011

A picture taken at the parade in Montana last summer.  My recent pictures are on the laptop.
Thought it best that I update this blog before I forget.  Saturday the 16th was a very nice day in Witchita.  We toured the old town and went to Jacks Hat Works that  I went to last year and bought a red hat.  This year they did not have anything that took my fancy.  Jack tried on alot of hats but did not  buy one.  We had lunch at a funky cafe The Lotus cafe and crepery That was different with a rich chocolate dessert.  After lunch just toured and went back to THE MALL.  Sunday morning we left at five for the airport and  on our way way.  It was a good flight and Carol met us at the airport.  It is good to be home
My right knee is bothering so I had better get into a exercise program.  Just had a phone call that today is Photo Club so I had better get a move on as it starts at noon.

Wichita April 15, 2011

The top picture is of Dawsons University and the second one about 15 miles from Witchita.  The botom is of three wild turkeys we saw along the road on our drive.  There were more on the opposite side of the road and I thought of Greg
Today we had lunch with Dawson and left him at his school about 12:30 and we headed in the direction of Wichita which is not that far from Hillsboro  We arrivedc here about three, found the way to the airport, found a hotel - the Comfort Suites. Had a rest and went to THE MALL, just across the highway.  Had supper at the food court and home,  This morning the rains really came down in Hillsboro with a strong wind. It stopped raining along the way but the winds are still very strong. Stopped to take a few pictures of an old Mennonite church and a couple of historical markers. 

Hillsboro Kansas April 15, 2011

The door on the entrance to a cafe in Marion Kansas

Not much for news today.  Yesterday - the 14th, we had a day with dawson  We met him about ten am and took a drive to the country.  Had lunch, then he went to school and ball practice  Afteer that we had supper with him and just spent the evening at the motel.  Today, we are meeting him for lunch and then he goes to school and his team plays a game.  He plays at 3 pm but Jack decided that we should move on to Wichita and get ready for the plane at seven am on Sunday.  It is cloudy and chilly here today, so a possible rain. 

The baseball game April 13

Dawson had a good day - He is will be  -already is - a good pitcher
Weather good.

Hillsboro KS April 13,2011

This is typical of many of the old towns that we passed through on our way west.
After leaving Springfield (before nine) we drove 300 miles through some very interesting country, some cultivated, some very rocky and alot of tallgrass prairie that sustained alot of cattle. We  reached Hillsboro - were Dawson live - about five thirty.  we booked into the motel, had supper and met Dawson.This is a small farmer town and as we had breakfast we could look out and see cultivated fields and tallgrass fields. We will get lots of rest.  Dawson is at class this morning and this afternoon he has a double header game at two.  We will go to watch that. As of now, we have plans to stay here until Saturday morning and then go to Wichita.
It is colder here than what we left further east. Actully have the heat on.  It is hard to tell  if it is cloudy or if it is hazy as there is alot of controlled tallgrass burning happening. The leaves are just beginning to come out.
Dawson is enjoying being here and it shows as he looks really well.

Springfield Missouri April 11,2011

The "strip" in Branson

Guess What?  I bought a pair of Lee Jeans here for $14.95 while Jack was across the street at an Antique tractor show. a country store in the Ozaks
Well, What else is new?  We booked into the hotel at Branson for two nights.  This morning the lure of the highway was present.  We checked the mileage to Hilsboro on the computer and found that it was 321 miles.
Good enough reason to get started in that direction.  After breakfast another trip downtown in Branson to see the sights.  This place is definitely good for a second trip with plans to stay a week. 
We headed north through the Ozarks about noon and stopped at a place called Ozark for lunch. Nice old town - lots of history.  Then drove as far as Springfieild Missouri where we are tonight in another La Quinta with a pool.  Checked out the city (pop 151,300) and found the BIG mall with 170 stores.  This is the first mall that had a Macys store.  So I checked out the bedding and found prices not that much better than in Ca but there was'nt a sale.  Had supper at Ruby Tuesdays in the mall and ready for bed. Total mileage today 48.