After visiting Jenn in Columbia, I went to Fulton, Missouri to stay with my friend Michelle. Here she is with her son John Michael (I must admit it was me who encouraged him to put on his clothing wrong!):
While in Fulton, she made me gooey butter cake:
and took me to the Winston Churchill Memorial and Library:
Who knew that he coined the phrase “Iron Curtain” in this small town in mid-Missouri? It was a great museum and also featured a beautiful Christopher Wren-designed church moved from London.
Skip forward a few days and I was off to SW Missouri. First stop Mansfield.
Mansfield is in a gorgeous part of the Ozarks. My real mission was to see the farm where Laura Ingalls Wilder lived out the rest of her life after her hardships in the upper midwest. She and Almanzo build a lovely farmhouse:
Later, their daughter Rose had a lovely modern stone house built for them.
But they soon grew homesick for the wooden house they had built themselves, and so moved back to it.
Then I went on to enjoy a couple of days at Lake of the Ozarks.
Saturday the 2nd of June I drove to Columbia, Missouri (great college town) to meet my friend Jenn (who currently lives near KC) for the day.
We had an awesome day full of kitschy shops, the best Greek food, homemade ice cream, art, and walking, walking, walking.
The Mizzou campus (University of Missouri at Columbia, for those not in the know) provided the following snapshots:
Not sure what’s up with all the columns holding up AIR:
Jenn and Jefferson pondering the constitution:
I’ve really missed Jenn. So much so that I’m driving down to visit July 4th!
I took a trip to St. Louis May 31 through June 9. It ended up not quite like I expected.
I started out staying with my good friend Sandy. That first evening we spent some time in her awesome backyard:
The next day I was off to Shaw Nature Reserve for a retreat with the Education Staff.
It was a gorgeous day:
And we said goodbye to Barb. We’ll all miss her. (No picture of her here since I don’t want to incur the wrath of Barb!)
Next time: A horrible accident and a fabulous trip to central Missouri…
Hi folks,
I’ve gotten some requests for updates on the whole apartment roof leak thing:
- I didn’t have to actually move; I just had to move all my stuff out of that room and squash it in the living room and bedroom. I’m living in a chaotic, messy pit. How is that different from how I usually live, some might ask…I don’t really have an answer for you yet.
- I’ve been given a slight rent discount to compensate.
- I have been assured they will replace the roof as soon as it is dry. As that has happened several times, I believe this is a lie.
- I’ve taken a sample of the orange liquid for further testing…does anyone know where I could get this stuff tested for possible carcinogens?
:O)
I feel so very sad today. I hear nothing but drip, drip, drip. It rained. Yahoo for the forest fires but not so good for me. My office is leaking more. There are at least nine trouble spots now. I’m running out of pots. And it would be bad enough if it was only plain water. But it’s this red-orange tinted stuff. To see it go to my April 11th entry.
I called the landlady AGAIN (my first call was beginning of April). This time she came over and was suitably horrified. At this point I started bawling. Not sure why. It’s not THAT bad. I guess I’m just sick of getting screwed over with apartments.
Anyway, she is going to help me move into another unit. This should make me happy. But somehow it doesn’t. I like my unit. It is my home. I know the new unit is nicer. Tile floors, new appliances, a dishwasher. But I love being on the top floor. I love my views of green trees. I like being able to see who’s coming and going. The new apartment looks back on the parking lot with a view of a highway and with windows over the smoking area. It’s on the second floor so I’ll have someone above me. I won’t get the amazing morning light. I won’t be able to see when I have visitors (and there’s no intercom system). So I feel sad.
Plus I have to move. Again. It’s just such an effort. She says she and her fiance will move my stuff. But I still have to pack it. And I’ll have to change my address again. I like my address. I finally remember it. That means new checks too. Gosh, I hope I don’t have to change phone numbers as well.
And it’s not coming at the most opportune time since I’m going out of town for 10 days next week.
On the bright side there is Jeremy. Yesterday he brought flowers and root beer floats. So nice.
The family got together to celebrate birthdays last Saturday. Per the birthday girl’s request, a game of croquet:
HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
Remember last year’s Minnehaha Falls post? I went again this year recently with my sweetie, Jeremy.
Everyone, this is Jeremy.
Jeremy, this is everyone, or at least some…
