Time at the lake was time well spent

         Debbie and I enjoyed a relaxing vacation last week, Sept. 30 – Oct. 4.
      We spent five days and four nights in Missouri with overnight stops in Hannibal, Lake of the Ozarks, Camdenton and Macon.
        We took the vacation in celebration of our 20th wedding anniversary on Sept. 25 and my 65th birthday on Sept. 26.
         We went antique hunting in Hannibal, Lebanon, Eldon, Columbia and Kirksville. We also stopped to visit a good friend, Eric, in Lebanon, who is a high school photography and art teacher there. Eric and I graduated from the Agricultural Journalism program at the University of Missouri-Columbia one year apart and we have stayed in contact through the years. He spent 10 years working for the Lebanon newspaper before earning his masters and switching to teaching.
        If we are in the area, Eric always takes time to visit. It just happened that he was between classes and had a few minutes to catch up on life happenings and show us a Route 66 and Laclede County mural that two local artists where creating. His art students were painting tiles that will be placed around the artwork once the mural is in place.
      While in Lebanon, we made a stop at the Shepard Hills Factory Outlet. I found a new pocket knife and non-stick frying pan. I bought neither, but enjoyed checking them out. I put the frying pan on my Christmas list. Now, if only I can remember the brand.
            We spent one night at the Lodge of Four Seasons near Bagnell Dam at the lake. It’s an older resort, but real nice. I’ve never booked a hotel room that was bigger than my living room, kitchen and dining room put together.
           We walked all over the lodge and visited the rooftop at the Lodge where we enjoyed a wide view of the Lake of the Ozarks. We met a couple from the twin cities who was spending a couple days there and had a nice visit. It just happened that the lady was born and raised in Des Moines.
         We then enjoyed pizza served at one of the lodge eateries and the waiter gave us a large piece of triple chocolate cake for our anniversary. I also spent time taking photos of the magnificent facility and learning all about it.
         We visited a bookstore at the lake and enjoyed eating at Bandanas, Wobbly Boots Roadhouse at the lake and enjoyed Pizza Hut while in Hannibal.
      Our last night was spent in Macon. We arrived at the motel and I mentioned something about eating supper and the desk clerk said we could eat there. He had fixed tacos and it was all you could eat. That was a nice surprise.
        It’s so nice to get away and enjoy life.
       Outside of the Iowa State Fair and the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion, this is the first vacation we have had together since June 2018. We did visit the Lake of the Ozarks with all of our family in August 2020, staying in a rented duplex.
        That was a great trip and included going go-cart racing with my nephews. I was bragging beforehand that I would show them how it was done. Instead, they lapped me a couple times and left me in their dust. We also went bowling, enjoyed good food, both eating out and cooking at the duplex, and antique shopping. Trips make for great family memories.
        The next time we visit the lake, we are going to look into renting an Air BnB or returning to the Lodge of Four Seasons or one of the other resorts in the area.
       I would enjoy taking a guided fishing tour on the lake and it might be nice to rent a pontoon and cruise the lake sometime in the future. Both are pricey adventures, but would be royal treats.
       I remember some years ago going fishing at the Lake of the Ozarks with a neighbor of mine in Ashland, Mo., where I lived when I was a student at MU. He owned a 17-foot bass boat and we ended up in the main body of the lake. I was hanging on for dear life as the waves from the big boats were rocking our boat. Those big boats that fly across that lake really move the water and I’m thankful that God kept us afloat and got us back to shore safely.
       I’m hoping that we don’t have to wait so long for our next vacation. I would enjoy returning to the lake and taking a trip to Mount Rushmore sometime in the future. It might be nice to visit Branson and I’m looking forward to returning to my hometown of Tulsa down the road. 
         Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day.