Travelin' on Thursday

I decided to interrupt my normal Thursday post for a little more Route 66.

We were seeing this ice cream/restaurant all over Oklahoma. Finally, we stopped to check it out. We got turtle sundaes. The clerk told us that all of the shops have to be within 100 miles of the dairy so that all of the products could be fresh. 

It is also a market--fresh meat, cheese, ice cream--just about anything you can think of. The prices were very good. Ground sirloin was $9.99 a lb. Ground chuck in Nashville is $12 a lb. Our small sundaes which weren't all that small were $2.59 each. That's have the price of a Starbucks drink!

There were many murals all along the way. Lots of old-time gas stations, cafes, and motor courts/motels. We stopped all along the way and probably have 200 pictures to prove it!

We had the best dinner here--this is the oldest steak house in Texas! The food was so good. They started us off with yeast rolls. I ended up having a second one for dessert--they were that good! We both ordered the beef tips over horseradish mashed potatoes. Butch had Caesar salad while I had the coleslaw--I didn't love it. We shared the fried okra and the cowboy beans--both were delish. The portions were so big that we couldn't finish. I had iced tea and Butch had an old-fashioned (alcoholic beverage) and the bill--are you ready for this? The total bill was right at $60.00!!! Unbelievable! There were two cowboys going to each table to sing and play the guitar. I gave them a $5.00 tip. 

They have one of those deals that if you can eat a salad, 72oz. steak, 3 shrimp, roll, and a baked potato in one hour, the you get it for free. That's 4.5 lbs. of meat alone! There were two people doing it while we were there. They have them up on a platform. If that cannot do it, then they have to PAY $72.00! OMGosh! I told Butch that if we lived here, that would be a deal. Take the challenge, lose and take the leftovers home for 72 bucks!! In Nashville, a 6 oz. fillet is like 60 bucks! Talk about a deal!

We've had some great food on this trip and have been very surprised at the prices. Very reasonable! We had a fabulous breakfast at the MidPoint Cafe--half-way from Chicago and Santa Monica--1139 miles each way. We shared the plate with 2 eggs, 4 pieces of toast, hash browns, 2 lg. pieces of sausage and the half order of biscuits and gravy (3 huge biscuit halves smothered in delicious sausage gravy) and a humongous, gooey, hot cinnamon roll. Coffee and iced tea to drink. Total with tip--$35.00. Again, we couldn't eat it all. 

The table next to us had so much food--I don't think anyone shared. The boy ordered the pancakes. I have never seen anything like it. They were overlapping a dinner plate--and there were two of them--about a half inch thick. I'm not even sure how he ate them. Everything is definitely bigger in Texas!!

The green door on the left on the second floor was our hotel room. It was across the parking lot from the Big Texas Steak Ranch.

There was a sing to encourage you to sign the door. We didn't do it as there's no room left. I didn't think it seemed right to sign on the wall. Plus, I forgot about it. I might have signed on the door frame.

The wall were a corrugated metal. The doors to the bathroom were swinging bar doors. They were pretty loud. At first, I thought the kids next door were bouncing a ball on the wall. Butch figured it out that it was the doors. 

One of our stops was the Slug Bug Ranch.

They are buried in the ground.

And just down the road was the Cadillac Ranch. I had a thought that it was going to be muddy walking out there, so I passed on going. I'm glad I did!

Butch met Betty Boop at an old Texaco station! That was almost the highlight of his trip!!

But, something really fun happened! When we started this trip, we decided that we were only going to listen to 60's music on our Sirius radio. The famous DJ--Phlash Phelps--is our favorite. I made a sign before we left and used it in many of our pictures.

All along the way, as we took the pictures, Butch sent them to Phlash. Yesterday, as we were listening--he mentioned us along with many of our stops. It was such a fun surprise! We texted all of our friends and family! It was the highlight of the trip for Butch! There's something surreal about hearing your name on the radio!!

And that's how we "got our kicks on Route 66"!

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

Still on the "mother road"--cruisin' 66 as much as we can. I would highly recommend it--so much fun and dozens of interesting things to see. I'm so happy we did it now during the 100th anniversary. So far, as you read this, we have made about 65 stops over 3 days! Today we driving through Texas to Santa Fe, New Mexico. One more day and then home on Friday--late. 

Now on to "Words of Wisdom"!

I know what euphemisms are, but I have to admit, I've never heard the word dysphemisms. I'm not really sure how to pronounce it. Actually there's no need as I most likely will never remember this word! 

Still pretty interesting. I've heard many of them and have probably have used some too.

Travel Tuesday

Yesterday was a super busy day. We left Carthage, MO at 7:30 a.m. and didn't get to Oklahoma City until 6 p.m. I can't even get in to it all! But let's suffice it to say that we made over 45 stops! By stops I mean, just getting out of the car to take a photo. We did go inside a few places, but for the most part, it's just interesting-- original businesses and attractions as we traveled along Route 66.

Some of the highlights were:

Standing in 3 different states at the same time (Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma). 

Visiting the apartment where Bonnie and Clyde lived in Joplin, MO until they had a shootout right here--killing a lawman. I realize now that I should have edited out the trash can! I'll do that before printing.

Mickey Mantle's childhood home in Commerce, OK.

This one was quite a surprise.

The RAF Memorial in Miami, OK. 

Apparently, the RAF sent boys over for training and these boys were killed in accidents. Since it was Memorial weekend, there were flowers on each grave.

We stopped by the Paul McCartney sign. I had made the "Phlash Phelps" sign before leaving home. Butch has been emailing back and forth with him about the George Harrison billboard in Benton, Illinois (a little town where his sister lived and he visited). Phlash Phelps is Butch's favorite DJ on the 60's channel on Sirius Radio. We are listening to it our entire trip. I told Butch that I might be sick of 60's music by the time we finish and I might not want to ever listen again!! We'll see about that! It's comfort music to me! 

More about Paul McCartney:

He and his girlfriend stopped here while on his own road trip on Route 66 in 2008.

We decided to skip lunch as all our stops took a lot longer than we thought. Plus, we wanted to go to the Cattleman's Steakhouse in Oklahoma City--the oldest steakhouse--over 100 years old. By the time we got to the restaurant at 6:30, I was pretty "hangry!" I wasn't happy that we had to stop and check in at the hotel so Butch could change out of shorts--which turned out to be totally unnecessary as the restaurant was super casual. I was certain that we would have an hour wait at least. Instead, we walked right in and had a fabulous meal! Everything about the place is super old and not necessarily in a good way. But we were there for the food and it was so good. Butch got a steak, I got the cat fish. The homemade salad dressing and croutons were amazing too. 

Tomorrow, we leave OK and head to Amarillo, Texas. There won't be as many stops along this leg.

It's now 9 p.m. and I'm "pooped!"  

Me on Monday

So, we had a fabulous few days! We left Nashville in a rented car on Thursday morning. First stop--Bloomington, Illinois to see the new baby! Our first great-granddaughter. Sorry, I'm not allowed to post pictures. But trust me when I say that  she is the most beautiful baby ever!! Even Butch said, "She is cute as hell!" He has never said a baby was cute--even our own! And he is right. Cassidy is darling! 

We stopped at the broom capital of the world, Arcola, Illinois. That's also where Raggedy Anne and Andy were invented by Johnny Gruelle. It was a cute town with a hippie memorial too! A fun stop. 

After visiting Morgan, Olly and the baby, we headed to St. Louis for a Memorial party with family. We visited Walter and Chris. My brother, Matt had a fish fry at his house--I requested it--he makes the best fish!! Fresh caught, crappie!! So delicious. He and Sharon had quite a spread: Cole slaw, baked beans, corn on the cob, and Jennifer brought mostaccioli. Jeanne and Jim, Zachary, Allison, Reese and Nolan came too. It was such a fun evening. The next morning,  I visited my sister, Janice with my sister, Jennifer. Then it was on to Jeanne's for the party. We had about 36 family members there. So much fun!!

The weather wasn't supposed to be good, but luckily for us, it was perfect! 

Jim, Greg, Lauren and Patrick.

Just hangin' out!! Lots of activities!

The kids: from the front, Theo, Annie, Rosie, Nolan, Reese, Nathan, Josie, Evie, Travis.

Rosie gave me a tattoo!

It was Evie's 14th birthday!! 

Nieces, Andrea, Allison, Jackie and my sister, Jennifer.

Madison and me! She's a sweetheart!!

It was such a fun weekend!! We left St. Louis on Sunday morning to start our 3rd leg of Route 66. 

Our first stop was Meramec Caverns! So beautiful. 

We went on to stop in Uranus, MO and finally Carthage where we checked in to the Boots Court Motel--original Route 66 lodging.

Little did we know that when it says, "Radio in every room, it means "No tv!" Still, we made the best of it. We had our gin and tonics in those red chairs out front. Such a beautiful evening. We sat there for about an hour and a half. 

Our first day has been so much fun. Tomorrow we progress through Kansas and on to Oklahoma! 

Scrapbook Saturday

I do a lot of my scrapbooking on my laptop in front of the tv. I design all of the titles for my Cricut and do all the journaling for several layouts. Then, I'll cut all the titles at the same time. I add them to the photos and papers. That way, when I'm ready to sit down and do the page, I don't have to stop and do the title and journaling--it's done and ready to go! I keep preaching this method to my friends, but I don't think anyone is listening. Basically that's how I pre-plan which makes it easier when we go on our retreats. 

Friday Funnies

Ten Things Thursday

Today is all about porches, a pool and sunrooms.

I love everything about this pool setting--the woodsy background, the fence, the fringed umbrellas, the loungers with those cute pillows and fringed---towels? I also like the color of the pool tile and water. Just everything about this looks so inviting.

I always love these porch scenes. But I also know how unrealistic it is. Any outdoor space require a lot of cleaning--a lot--if you want it to look pristine like this! There is always a thick layer of pollen, dust, leaf debris--on a daily basis. It's not like you can clean it once a week and be done. It's every day!! Every day!

All I can say is OMGosh! So beautiful!! That hanging moss means it's somewhere in Mississippi or Louisiana. Which also means, it's hot, hot, hot!

Okay, come on! I do not believe that you can have climbing roses inside. But it sure is pretty.

Another beautiful sunroom. Love the furniture and that ceiling! It looks like it might have been added on to an exterior wall. Love the shiny tile floor too.

Love this pink and green so much!!

All that white!!! Totally love it! That ceiling, all the light and windows (which only look good if they are perfectly clean which is kind of hard to maintain), the view which is also perfectly clean. I'm no convinced that it would look like this ALL the time with a lot of work. 

Can you tell I am tired of working? It's all too much! I have so much to clean out of our house. It's overwhelming, but I swear, I'm going to get on it! I have been getting rid of books since I plan to move all of my scrapbooks to the library. 

Okay, that's enough for today.