Everyday I have driven into Minneapolis for Showcase I have been a bit challenged. Miss GPS tells me how to travel except she does not know that the entrance to the road I need to go down is closed construction. I managed and got there. Thinking I was crazy, Paulette rode with me this morning to help me find the turn. Well we never made it to the turn because another section was closed. Paulette had a fun day planned - jumping out of her comfort zone and striking out on her own and alone. She made her own walking tour of the center of Minneapolis. She found a wonderful museum in an old flour mill right on the river.

We will be pulling out tomorrow if all goes well. You won't believe it but we have several ideas for the next destination on this journey. Northeast or northwest - flip a coin? will it by Green Bay and on up to Mackinac Island or will it be to Duluth and up the shore of Lake Superior to the Canadian border and then head west to Pipestone, Minnesota. Decisions will be revealed. I have to get home in about 10 days as I have to schedule a "Photo Solutions Party" and a 50th high school reunion to finalize.

Blessings and keep on making memories to keep in your heart and in your albums. I am passionate about the company I am associated with. Mary Alice

Making our way to Minneapolis

Did we ever have fun on Wednesday. We pulled out of Manhattan around 8 am heading for Minneapolis. Some could get there in the allotted hours as designated by the annoying voice of the GPS lady. It took a bit for us to navigate through Kansas City. I have never made it straight through KC without ending up traveling on some road that goes through cornfields that are growing up to the steps of the houses. There is little of interest to me from there until I get near Limoni, Iowa….home of many Amish families, a visitors center run by the students of the local college where wares of the Amish are sold, and perhaps horse drawn carriages traveling on the road. Yes, I bought a basket which I needed for the garbage in the trailer. Checking to see if Paulette might be interested in the covered bridges of Madison County, I peeked her interest. Truck and trailer hooked a left headed west? To Wintersett. Winterset is the birthplace of “The Duke.” Since I was there last, a statue has been erected and many bricks are laid in the sidewalk with donor names. A real deal. The names of the contributors make a very interesting group. While in the area we visited 3 of the bridges that are still standing or have been restored. Flat Donna liked having her picture made. Two little girls from Oklahoma held her at the bridge for a photo-op. Off we went for the final leg of our trip. Miss GPS is now saying arrival time will be 11:15. Book of CD and a steady foot on the pedal brought us to Apple Valley, Minnesota to the Lebanon Hills Dakota Campgrounds at 11:30 pm. We are fast at setting up this little Jr. Egg. We took a fast shower and hit the bed. I have a big day ahead. I know you are afraid that we did not drink enough water or eat enough…do not worry about that.

Traveling Fast in the Slow Lane

Meet "Flat Donna" who will be traveling with me. She is my friend Donna Whitecotten.
Days fly by when you are having fun. I did not get in a hurry this morning and could hardly wait for coffee. I headed out on I-35 for Oklahoma City. Paulette was in Waco when I left Gainsville. About that time the phone rang and Nick was wondering when I would be getting into Manhattan. I was so excited because I was not sure I would get to see him this trip. The rest of the day was spent in anticipation of seeing him so the miles were long. While I waited to meet up with Paulette, I visited the Oklahoma Fallen and Living Firefighters Memorial and State Firefighters Museum. Much of it was the history of firefighting equipment. The most impressive part to me was the tribute to those who assisted in the bombing at the Murrah Federal Building in 1995. Having visited the memorial on site just a year ago brought it all to my attention again….we are so vulnerable in our country of free thinkers. The parking lot at the zoo and science center had one shady area and I claimed it for myself. The soft breeze in the shade gave me a nice place to wait. We left Oklahoma City at 3pm headed to Junction City, Kansas. Sweet GPS directed us down a different road that turned out to be such a good road and straight through the corn and grain fields of Kansas. We only saw one field of sunflowers..salute Sue Paben. We set up the trailer very quickly and hurried to meet Nick for dinner. He brought Giles Bell with him and we were delighted. They have become good friends and I hope they take good care of each other when they deploy. It will be different this time and I fear more dangerous. I hated to say good bye to him but he will come home on leave before he goes. I look forward to that. Well these two old broads are settling in for the night. The baby egg traveled very well today. We boogied down the road and hardly knocked anything off in the floor. Tomorrow will take us through Kansas and Iowa where the barns and silos are waiting for grain and into Minneapolis for 3 days of Creative Memories hoop-la. Blessings to all who are following. Days may get more exciting come Sunday.

Stumbling for Sure to Showcase and Beyond

Not sure anyone wants to know the details of this day but here goes. Wanting to have a nice leisurely drive leaving my home and arriving somewhere north of Ft. Worth by night. The baby egg “Edwina Jr.” was hitched to my little Toyota and time left to say good bye to a few friends, delivering a get well present and wishing success to a friend who is having surgery on Tuesday. In my attempt to do something properly, I FELL ON MY KNEES! OUCH my new pants now have a small hole in the knee and my knee is bleeding and hurts like a big bulldog. Okay, I cleaned up the knee, locked up the house and pulled out at 12:02 just as planned. Off I go just as happy as “a pig in slop.” Pulling into a service station in College Station gave me my next revelation….NO PURSE. In the process of delivering the lovely gift to my friend, I took my purse with me in the car which is the law. The knee injury followed the gift delivery so upon returning to the house to fix the knee, I left the purse IN THE CAR. Being very fortunate, I am Richeys very good friend. He went to my house, got the purse, and met me half way back. The rest of the day was a piece of cake. I had planned to see a former student Monday afternoon but with running a little late we had to postpone the visit for another day. This all puts me at the south edge of Ft. Worth and the clock says 5:02. Yes, I could pull over and eat dinner and wait for the traffic to die down but I really had no trouble until downtown. All were in such awe of “Jr. Egg” that I had no trouble getting through town on I-35W. I found the loveliest state campground north of Denton. It is Lake Ray Roberts State Park. Now I am grateful to our state for posting good signs because the very expensive GPS could not find the lake nor the KOA that I know is on I-35 just over the Oklahoma line. I have now had an egg sandwich, watched 3 episodes of last year’s season of the Closer and writing for my blog of this trip. These will be my first writings in my blog of the 3rd trip to Minneapolis. Wow, looking back to the first driving trip…..this is great. That time I was in a tent and it was hot. I am sleeping tonight in “Jr.” with the air conditioner running and I dinner cooked in the microwave. Just like the good Bulldog puppies would say, “woof woof woof.”
Traveling along with me is my friend “Flat Donna, a real Girly Girl.” She was created by one of my friends Donna Whitecotten. She created this cutie using Storybook CreatorPlus3.0. Consultants etc., who could not attend Showcase, are going by proxy in the suitcases of those of us who are attending. Most will fly their guests to Minneapolis but Donna is traveling by auto and seeing very interesting sites.