Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Alabama Bound

Oh yea, we took off Tuesday for Alabama. Teri is behind that sign looking for the cache. Seems she had a problem so I joined in.

And there it was. Hiding right in those bushes.

Look what we passed just inside Alabama. Was a clean looker.

As always, we hit a local graveyard here in Hamilton.

I thought we were in Mobile when I saw this, ha.Old trucks we saw as we drove into Hamilton. My dad was born down here  in Alabama. When he was about 7 my grandparents moved to Missouri where the cotton fields were much whiter.

Geocaching downtown Hamilton, right at the main intersection.

Inside the hole of this light pole I located what Teri could not find. she had to have a stick to push the cache out the other side.

Oh, this was a neat place. As you can see we are at the end of the road. this is on the Buttahatchee River. My dad used to swim here as a child. Have heard lots of stories about this river.

Here comes Teri down to the river.

She found this one under the steps to the river.


A very neat place that we would never have seen if not for geocaching. It is right close to my grandfather's first cousin's place. We will stop and see him tomorrow.
Life is good in Alabama. took my grandparents a couple of days to move the 300 miles. Had to ride a ferry across the river. Now we have a big bridge and 4 lanes all the way here. Easy 5 hour trip in the car. We try to come here as often as we can. Now we are at my cousin's house. She and her husband took us to Florence today. Might post those pictures tomorrow. Hope everyone has a good fourth. Seems that is this coming weekend.
Catch you later.
Dan

Monday, June 28, 2010

Home Again

You can tell by looking at the picture that it is sunny and hot here. I have not mowed the yard in two weeks. This morning was nice so I got outside and worked on a few things. About 130 pm I noticed that it was really hot again. I backed the bug into the shade of the GMC so I could finish up some work I was doing on it.
My brother and his family went home to Monroe, La. yesterday after church. We really hated to see them go home. But, some folks must work. I used to know how that was. Worked 2 jobs myself until my kids got old enough to need more of my attention.
We may be heading to Alabama in the morning for a few days. Just waiting on my cousin to call me back. We had planned to go today but things came up. Teri took care of her things today. I think I can postpone mine until next week. So, why not go suck up someone else's air conditioning for a few days? Can bump mine back up a few degrees and hit the road. Hmmm, that may not sound just right but, oh well. What can I say, I am a leach, ha.
Hope everyone had a great Monday. I did not leave town. Sorta just rested up and tinkered outside.
Have a good week. May hollar next from the road.
Dan

Friday, June 25, 2010

Bootheel Youth Camp, Day 5

Day 5 is here already. I don't like day 5. Everyone must pack up and head back home. The GMC is about to get packed up and back to the house it goes.

It is all about the kids. Wow, we have had such a great group of kids this session. I hate to see them all go their seperate ways.

A group of our leaders as they finish off their last breakfast together.

Early morning gathering.

Colsyn gathering his things to head home, on Thursday. He did not want to go. Of all the kids, Colsyn was the only one to take home injuries this year. Seems he rolled out of his top bunk Wed. night. He sure tore up his lower lip. When they brought him to me, 1230 am, he had a golf ball sized lower lip. Oh boy, what now? Well, that Colsyn is tough. He crawled into bed and finished his dreams about parachutting out of a plane. By the time I delivered him to his mom, he was looking pretty good.




We could not have camp without folks like Clyde. Thanks for doing so much for us.

You can see who the real bosses are up here.

The group at breakfast this morning. It has been fun. Can't wait to see all of the kids agai next summer. They may have not learned a lot but I did.
Dan

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Day Three and Counting

This is the coolest place on the property. Glad it is my cabin.

Hmmm, wonder why they call her Scary Teri???

We have all ages.

Our grandson, Colsyn.

My favorite line to be in.

I think I have seen my brother's photo up on the Post Office bulletin board.

My loving partner. She makes me what I am.

Can you believe this. No one can have any electronic devices up here. We can not keep the preacher off his cell phone. Always checking his email or something. Maybe it is on line gambling!!!

See, every time I look at our director he is on the cell.

No kid is having any more fun than our grandson Colsyn. He is only here for 2 days and is not going to be a happy camper when he must leave tomorrow. Participating in a team challenge. Wear gloves, unwrap a caramel, and eat it before passing the gloves to next kid. I saw some sick kids after swallowing the caramel whole. Might not be a real good challenge for the weak of stomachs.

Oh what fun we have.
Thanks for stopping. Life is tough here at camp but someone must take charge of these kids. Should you want a picture of your child, just let me know.
Dan

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Day Two

Whew. I have never seen it this hot in June. This is unusual for Southeast Missouri. July and August, yes, but not June. the activities outside have to be limited as it gets to 100 by 2-3 pm. It did cool down Monday night from what we had Sunday evening. I slept with no air last night and was very comfortable.

I find that I can relate to these kids. Maybe I have regressed a bit. I know that when my father was my age he really loved kids. I thought he hated kids when I was one, ha. Anyway, after he sold the farm and retired at 50 he began driving a school bus part time. I thought he was nuts. I could never do that. When he passed away I bet we found 1,000 kids' school pictures that he had saved. They were all from those that rode his bus. I still run into grown "kids" now and then that tell me he was their favorite bus driver. Maybe someday a kid will tell my children I was their favorite "bug owner" or something.

Now, this is my favorite kind of grub. We can only get this stuff at camp. I really had one, or two, pieces too many. Oh well, I have cholestrol pills and I take them everyday.

I try to hang with these ladies. they are the ones that fix the grub. Sometimes they do need a taste tester and I try to be right there handy.


My youngest brother's wife, Barb. This is her first year at camp. She has pretty much been a city girl all of her life. Barb came around right away and is having a lot of fun. Her husband is the one doing all of the bellyaching. They have 4 twins here ages 9 and 10. They love camp.
Well, I better roll. Need to get out here and sweat a little so folks will think I have been hard at it. Hate for them to catch me napping in the motorhome.
Yall have a great day. Thanks for checking up on us. All is well on our second day. Tonight I go get our 6 yr old grandson. He will really liven things up. Not letting him bring the gator though.
Dan

Monday, June 21, 2010

Bootheel Youth Camp

Yall be praying for me up here. As you can see I have it rough. Nearly foze to death last night. It got down to 88 around 2 this morning. Teri is not here to keep me protected from the air conditioning in the coach.
I am the co-director. That is a tough job. I really have no resposibilities, kinda like our vice president. I just walk around saying stupid things to keep folks amused.
Back in 1968 we broke this place in good. That was the first year the camp opened. My dad was one of the first board of directors. I later took his place and served for 10 years. Anyway, it took no genious to want to come to camp when I was a kid. We packed this place. Kids would do anything to get a break from hoing cotton. I would stay here all summer but never got that opportunity. Sure beat the cotton fields.
Today it is a bit tougher to get kids up here. They are used to sitting around in an air conditioned house all summer. These cabins are not air conditioned, only the cafeteria. I am going to work on getting these cabins upgraded. The kids just are not used to this and do not wish to subject themselves to it. Parents do not force them to come either. So, we need to attract the children. I think we can do that. Does not take a rocket scientist to know that a bunch of old guys are not in touch with young kids. The board of directors do not sleep in these cabins. I would venture a guess that the average age of the directors is about 65. that is only because we have two guys about 40 now, out of 7.
Alright. Enough of that. Teri is coming tonight or tomorrow. She went to Columbia to take Tyler to a doctor's appointment.
Life is good at BYC.
Dan

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Happy Fathers Day

Take a look @ this. Do you think the kid is excited to own a gator head? A friend from church purchased it for him down in Florida.


A shot after lunch. I just does not get much better than this. My daughter called and had me over for lunch. Teri is gone for a couple of days. It was great. Seems like just a few days ago that she was the size of these kids. Now she has three of her own and another on the way.
 Being a grandpa is much better than being a father. No doubt about it. Seems nowadays, though, I get treated like a kid by my own children. When I bring a grandchild home,  and that child tends to be a little sassy, I get the blame. Then, I get punished as the child is told that they can not go home with grandpa for a while. What???? I can't win for losing. See, that is one reason I say why can't we have grandkids without ever having their parents. Something just ain't right.
Two of my girls sent me a big box of soft pepermint candy. That is the stuff I control the grandkids with. I really appreciated them thinking of me and saving me a pocket ful of money. Next year, send me some peanuts too.
Seems to me that my father was not all that smart, that is until I got to be about 35. He really wised up in a hurry. I really miss him. I am hoping I can get a lot smarter real soon. My son is now 35. I bet it takes me until he reaches 40 though, what do you bet. We will see.
Happy Father's Day to all of you dads. Some guys are just sperm donors. It takes a real man to be a dad. I appreciate all of the dads that really step up and take their position seriously. We rarely saw a guy in prison that had a real dad.
Well, I am at church camp. It is 127 degrees up here. I should have cut the air on last night. Now, the air has been on for 90 minutes, in the coach, and it is down to 98.4 in here. I am going in to the cafeteria. the heck with the nascar race. It is cool in the kitchen.
Will have pictures later in the week.
Dan

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Bernie Missouri Car Show

Here is my buddy today. Colsyn helped us finish up the interior last night and this morning. Then he and I washed the bug. the tinted pop out rear windows were put in Thursday by me and Colsyn's sister, Marci Claire.

Here is a shot of the fold up inside trunk. I think it looks pretty good. Teri worked on the carpet til after dark last night while I held the flashlight. This will keep the interior looking much nicer. There is a huge storage area under the lift up.

You can see the new carpet here along with the stainless steel gaurds that will keep us from ripping the carpet loose when we bump it getting in and out of the car.

Here we are at the Bernie Car Show. Some nice looking rides there, even in the heat.


A couple of real trailer queens.


We saw at least a half a dozen yellow cars. Glad Teri made me get the yellow off the bug.






Colsyn sitting up in the tree singing. He was in the rest room singing. A lady came out laughing as she could hear him over in the women's side. The boy can sing.

We had a few lookers around the bug.
Was very hot at the show. Colsyn and I stayed about 2 hours and cut a trail. I am using an inhaler and the heat does not help me much. He and I are about to take the coach up to the church camp and hook it up. I will be staying in it next week.
Hope yall are enjoying your weekend as much as we are. Thanks for checking in with us.
Dan