October 5, 2015 Travel Day - Pacific, Missouri

Today was a travel day and as we drove out of Illinois I became very reflective.   I have had such a blessed life.  My childhood was full of love and caring and no harm.  That alone is a huge blessing.  I had two parents who loved life;  they played hard and enjoyed themselves.  We were always surrounded by friends and family.  There were huge get togethers for all the holidays and just because days.  My dad was one of 9 children and most lived in the area.   There is only one alive today and unfortunately she has become what I can only describe as a recluse.  She allows only two or three people in the old homestead, where she still lives alone.  It's sad for me but all I can do is pray for her.  I had been blessed to have many cousins who were my first friends, who I learned to play cooperatively with and to share.  I was lucky to be surrounded by truly caring people.   We used to live upstairs from Aunt Opal's hair salon and after school I was in the salon with her and she would save all the permanent rods she used and I would clean them and take the papers off.  I felt so important.  Aunt Opal doted on me.  I loved my aunts and uncles and there were always lots of laughs around the table as well as lots of food.   They were the best cooks.  Aunt Bernadette could bake like nobody's business.   Aunt Dorothy made the best homemade mac and cheese, among other things.  But it was a whole lot more than just the food - it was love and laughter and I am so blessed to have those memories.   

See told you I got sappy today!   

Travel day was great, we stayed near Six Flags Saint Louis at a KOA.  Nice park,  very noisy at night, lots of traffic and trains.  Ear plugs did the trick for me.  

Tomorrow is Branson, Missouri!

Our campsite at KOA Pacific Missouri

The arch in St. Louis - not a very good shot