Free Bird's Adventures

Saturday, July 4, 2015

2001~ November 21-December 1, Celebrating Thanksgiving with Family & Traveling to Gulf Shores, AL

We stayed four days and five nights at Veteran Park to spend time with family for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Day 1: Wednesday, November 21, 2001

I spent the day with my children and grandchildren and ate Thanksgiving dinner.

Hannah, Nevada, Madison

Nevada and Marcus playing Video Games

Nevada, Jake watching a movie.

Nevada and Marcus in Jake's Room

Day 2: Thursday, November 22, 2001

Celebrated Thanksgiving with family.

Day 3: Friday, November 23, 2001

I spent the day with my granddaughter Hannah at the Conference Center and Veterans Park.

The Renaissance tower

Hannah at the Conference Center

Hannah at Veterans Park

Veterans Park

Day 4: Saturday, November 24, 2001

We celebrated Thanksgiving with Hubby's' family.

Day 5: Sunday, November 25, 2001

I spent the day with my grandmother.

My siblings and grandmother

Visiting my Grandmother

Day 6: Monday, November 26, 2001

Hubby drove our Damon Escaper to the Luxury RV Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama, where we stayed a week with the other snowbirds.

Luxury RV Park

November is off-season at Gulf shores, and all you see are snowbirds. The pace slows down during the winter months.

It is a good time to go sightseeing and drive along the Ocean.

Luxury RV Park Gulf Shores

November 26, 2001

We toured Fort Morgan "Bowyers" Museum and walked among the ruins.

We walked along the windy beaches of Fort Bowyers, with the windy salt air blowing in our hair. We toured the museum where we saw Mobile Point Lighthouse, 4th order Fresnel lens 1873-1966.

Fort Morgan "Bowyers" Museum

Day 7: Tuesday, November 27, 2001

We spent the day at the National Aviation Museum in Pensacola, which was festively decorated for the Christmas Holidays during WWII, with Christmas music playing in the background.
On the upper level, we saw a grocery store, a barbershop, army camps, TV shows from that era, aircraft, jeeps, and jungle camps.
We saw pin-up girls posted at camps, Hagia & Hagia Booz for fifteen cents, the Home of the Luck Marine, and what a house of a military family may have looked like. We saw Pawn & Loan, Sandy Ridge Grocery, a Colonial Bread sign, Jo, Jo's, a Buck Rodgers, and an airplane; we saw maps, family pictures, and radios.
The museum was full of airplanes and jets of every size, shape, and color.
There was a replica of a ship. We went inside, where we saw the sick bay area with medicines, bunk beds, and toilets.

We saw the US Coast Guard, a miniature boat display with airplanes ready to defend our country, two floors of airplanes and flags from different countries, and a skylab that simulated flying. Hubby had always dreamed of being a pilot.
We saw the cockpit of an airplane. We crawled inside and played

We saw F70-3M 129655 Aircraft, Blue Angles US Navy 16483 Aircraft, and a flight of the Blue Angles over St. Louis hanging from the ceiling.

Museum of Aviation in Pensacola

We walked back upstairs, where we saw Jake's Garage, a sign for Pepis for five cents, and a Texaco sign. We also saw melon scales that did not work and a theater with popcorn.
We saw a hall filled with plaques of honor, and one was Alan Shepard, one of the first men to walk on the moon.

Our next stop was Big Lagoon State Park in Perdido Key, Florida. We were the only ones there as we walked along the boardwalk, which took us over a natural lake filled with wildlife. We saw an observation tower but did not climb it. We walked along the sandy beach, stopping at the water's edge.

We ate dinner at Lambert's Restaurant, "Home of the trowed roll. "

They bring you all the food, and you can eat rolls. The original restaurant is in Sikeston, Missouri, and another is in Bis Branson, Missouri.

Day 8: Wednesday, November 28, 2001

We toured the USS Alabama Battleship at 2703 Battleship Parkway Mobile, Al 36602.

We walked along the decks of the mighty USS Alabama.

The ship received nine battle stars from WWII. We walked up and down many flights of stairs and saw many memorials honoring our veterans who died for our country.

USS Alabama Battleship Mobile

A-12 Blackbird Spy

We walked through the aircraft Pavilion and saw exhibits, including an A-12 Blackbird Spy, a Tuskegee Airman's P-SID Mustang, a Vietnam PBR River patrol boat, and many other military bombers and flying planes.

We walked through the USS Alabama rose garden, saw the Coastguard 1378 helicopter in black and white, and saw the F-15 fighting Falcon Viper Replica of the USS Alabama.

We saw the galley of photos in the Battleship Memorial Park. Christmas music was playing over the radio, and the park was covered in Christmas decorations.

Day 9-10: November 29, 30, 2001
On Friday, we rode to Gulf Shores and walked along the beach, filling our shoes with sand. It had stormed the day before, so the Gulf was still violent, with pounding waves, and red flags were out.
We saw the iconic PInk Poney Restaurant and watched birds feeding on fish. It was an overcast, very windy, and pleasant day.
During the summer, this beach is filled with tourists' voices, but today, it is silent.

It is time for our vacation to come to a close, so we are heading out. At 11:30 A.M., we crossed Mobile Bay in our Damon Escaper, and we could see the USS Alabama in the distance as we neared the Mobile Bay tunnel.
At 6:29 P.M., the sun is setting as we ride through Mississippi. We stop at Sam's Town Casino RV Park, where we stay for a few nights before beginning our journey home.

We gambled in Sam's Town, Hollywood, and Harrods Casinos.

The casino in Tunica, MS

Day 11: Saturday, December 1, 2001

We spent Thanksgiving with family, rode to Gulf Shores for a short vacation, saw the Museum of Naval Aviation and the USS Alabama, spent two nights in Tunica, and traveled home to Fenton, Mo.

Friday, July 3, 2015

2000-2002~ Sites we visited in Missouri

September the first, I moved to Miss Maria’s RV Park in Fenton, Missouri with my husband.

We made many friends and had lots of cookouts and get-togethers with brother electricians when at the RV Park.

Some of the places that we visited were:

We visited the Butterfly House at Faust Park, 15193 Olive Blvd. Chesterfield, Mo 63017 where there are thousands of live tropical butterflies fly freely in a glass conservatory.

The St. Louis Zoo 1 Government Drive St Louis where we saw elephants, cheetahs, penguins, bears, hyenas, lions, tigers, zebras, giraffes, antelopes, primates, birds, and reptiles.

The St. Louis Art Museum 1 Fine Arts Drive St Louis, Mo 63110.

Six Flags Over Saint Louis Theme Park:

My husband’s sister won four tickets to Six Flags in Missouri; she could not use the tickets so she gave them to us.

All bags had to be checked before entering Six Flags Park because of 911.

We went to Six Flags in September and again in October for Halloween.

The most fun was at Halloween:

We walked through a couple of haunted houses where I bumped my head when I was frightened by a goblin.

The goblin looked at my husband and said, “ That is the funniest thing I have seen tonight.”

My husband also laughed.

We saw several tombstones covered with spider webs lying all around on the ground.

We saw many scary white ghosts, and black bats flying among the trees.

The street lights flicker with orange and black lighting.

Fenton is known as the city of parks and we visited many of Fenton’s parks.

RV Park Fenton

The City currently has over 340 acres of parkland, featuring active and passive leisure pursuits. Fenton City Park amenities include 7 softball fields, 8 soccer fields, 2 basketball courts, 4 tennis courts, picnic pavilions, 2 playgrounds, and a 1.4-mile pedestrian/bicycle trail.

Neighborhood parks range from 1 to 16 acres featuring playgrounds, fishing ponds, nature trails, and pavilions.

RV Park Fenton

Saturday, October 6, 2001

We rode to a German neighborhood in south St Louis called Bevo Mill most of the people there are from Bosnia and Croatia. We visited the Miniature Museum of Greater St Louis. It houses a collection of artistic miniatures. The museum collects, preserves, and sells some of the most impressive miniature works from dolls to their houses.

We saw a miniature replica of the Long Branch Saloon from the TV show Guns Smoke. We saw the windmill Bevo Mill Restaurant located at the intersection of Marganford and Gravois roads. We saw the Stari Grad Fadil’s Bakery Restaurant in the Irene Building and much old building no longer in use.

The Bevo Mill Restaurant

The Bevo Mill Restaurant located at the intersection of Morganford and Gavios

Storefronts in Bevo Mill

Long Branch Saloon

Storefronts in Bevo Mill

Replica of Bevo

Town of Bevo most stores are closed

We watched the Founders Day Parade in Fenton Missouri.

In the parade we saw the daughters of the American Revolution, a group of Boy Scouts, Michal Gibbons Missouri State Senator, Greg Quinn County Council, Larry Steelman Alderman, riding in a black Corvette, and the Silver Falcon Marching Band of Rockwood Summit High School.

RiverChase of Fenton, Olde Town Fenton Veterinary Hospital, owners walking their dogs, people riding horses, and driving old & new Cars.

We saw the Saint Louis County Police and the Number 1314 Fenton Fire Department firetruck.

Fenton Parade

Sunday, October 21, 2001

Museum of Transportation

We visited the St Louis Museum of Transportation Train Museum location at 2967 Barrett Station Road, St Louis Mo

We saw the Rogers and Hammerstein State Fair billboard starring Bobby Darrin, Pat Boon, and Ann Margaret. Displayed was Bobby Darrin’s dream car, a 1963 Chrysler turbine car.

Train cars: Union Pacific, Nickel Plated Road Daniel, Sabine River, and Northern.

St Louis Museum of Transportation

We did a drive-through at Jelly Stone Park at Christmas.

Jellystone Park address: 5300 Fox Creek Rd. Pacific, Mo 63693

December 2001

We waited in a long line to drive our car through Yogi Bear’s Jelly Stone Park.

The park was decorated with red, green, yellow, orange, and blue lights flashing, dancing, and glowing light everywhere

Many of the summer cabins were transformed into different light themes.

We saw the Space Age Jetsons orbiting overhead in their jet aero car.

We saw the primitive family of the Flintstones, with Dino chasing Fred.

We saw Snow White and the seven dwarfs in a line with their tools headed to the diamond mInc.

We saw Santa Clause rains in hand with his reindeer saying, “ 'Merry Christmas, and to all a Good Night”

We saw an ice pond with anatomic dolls skating on ice.

Lone Elk Park Sunday, November 18, 2001

We drove through the Lone Elk County Park, located in Valley Park near the intersection of Hwy 44 and hwy 141. The park consists of 546 acres loaded with bison, elk, and deer that roam freely. It is a beautiful drive and you can watch wild animals in your car.

Lone Elk County Park

Sunday, November 18, 2001

Laumeier Sculpture Park

We visited Laumeier Sculpture Park, seventy-two acres of land given by Matilda Laumeier. A personification of Mother Earth, this piece proposes that a land easy to an understanding ingratiating face is what the public wants to see.

Robert Morris's minimalist sculptures are often arrangements of geometric shapes placed on the floor, up against a wall, or suspended from a ceiling. There is no expressive or symbolic associated with this work and it is a study of pure form. Some of the pieces that we saw were Vito Acconci,(Faces of the Earth #3), Jonathan Borofsky (Man with Briefcase #2968443), Niki De Saint Phalle (Ricardo Cat, 1999), Donald Judd (Untitled 1984), Alexander Liberman (The Way 1972-80), Jonathan Borofsky, (Parts of a Ballerina), Ronald Gonzalez,(Birds fly through us 2000), Ernest Trova, (Abstract Variation 1980), George Greenamyer,(Heritage Schooner for Debra Lakin 1998) Judith Shea, (Public Goddess 1992) & Terry Allen, (Symphony Lounge 1998) were a few of the pieces that we saw.

Laumeier Sculpture Park

Laumeier Sculpture Park,

Malls of St Louis MO area:

Brentwood Promenade hwy 170 and hwy 64/40 Missouri

We visited the Chesterfield Mall on hwy 64/40 Clarkson Rd Missouri.

Crestwood Westfield shopping town Watson and Sappington Road

We visited Jamestown Mall Lindbergh and old Jamestown Rd. Missouri

Northwest Plaza Westfield shopping town Lindbergh Blvd and St. Charles Rock road Missouri.

It snowed my first winter in Missouri which was just before Thanksgiving.

There were still patches left from that snow in January.

The streets are cleaned every day and the traffic flows smoothly most of the time but sometimes the weather does unexpected things and the traffic slows to a halt.

The next winter was mild.

January 2002 that night before we left Fenton it snowed.

1998~ November 25-28, Trip to Graceville, Florida

Day 1: Wednesday, November 25, 1998

I traveled with Mike, his family, and Ronald to Graceville, Florida, to visit my younger son and his family.

Day 2: Thursday, November 26, 1998

Robin & Charity spent all morning cooking the Thanksgiving dinner.

The kids played outside, and the weather was very warm,

The Macy's Thanksgiving parade was playing on the television.

Day 3: Friday, November 27, 1998

We went shopping and left the boys with my sons, who were all watching football games.

In 1998, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions went to overtime. Pittsburgh's Jerome Bettis called the coin toss in the air, but confusion surrounded the call. The officials misheard Pittsburgh's call and awarded Detroit the ball, which went on to win 19-16 on their first drive in overtime. Because of the fiasco, team captains are now required to call the coin toss before the coin is tossed.

Minnesota vs.Vikings score is 46 to Dallas Cowboys 36.

Charity, Robin, Sierra, Hannah, and I left early for the early morning Black Friday Sales at Wal-Mart.

It was a madhouse at the crowded Wal-Mart, where everyone was grabbing, shoving, and pushing to get the early morning sales.

Ronald needed a new television. I found one at Wal-Mart. Since I did not have a shopping cart to put the television in, I sat on the television box so no one would take it.

Finally, someone offered me a shopping cart. I loaded the television into Sierra's cart and walked to the checkout counter.

Robin and Charity were standing in the checking line.

We rode to the outlet mall, where we shopped for several hours.

Day 4: Saturday, November 28, 1998

We packed a picnic lunch on Saturday morning, and all rode to Panama City Beach.

At the beach, we built sandcastles, swam in the Gulf, and played football in the sand.

Being on the beach was a great day because it was not crowded.

Jake, Ronald, Hannah, Sierra, Charity and Me

Jake and Hannah

Ronald building a sand castle

Ronald building a sand castle.

Hannah, Sierra, Dakota, Charity

Mike playing football

Me on the beach

Hannah, Dakota, Sierra

Jake and Hannah

That night, after dark in Panama, we walked down the road, passing several hotels already decorated for Christmas.

Mike, Ronald, Andy, Jake, Hannah, Sierra, and Hannah

When we returned to my son's house, the kids decided to decorate their tree for Christmas.

Jake, Hannah, and Dakota decorating the Christmas Tree

Day 5: Sunday, November 29, 1998

Our trip home was a little crowded because we had to make room for the television I bought at Walmart on Black Friday.

🚙1998 ~ August 2-8, Trip to Akron, Michigan

Day 1: Saturday, August 2, 1998

My sibling, Dad, and I are taking turns driving my other sibling's jeep to Akron Michigan.

We left the house around ten PM, and we drove all night.

It is a twelve-hour drive and we only stopped to use the restroom.

We did stop the next morning for breakfast at Cracker Barrel.

August 3-4 Sunday-Tuesday, 1998

We will be spending the next three days with Lesley and Illa.

All of Leslie and Illa’s children are grown and married.
So while we are visiting family we will be sleeping in their children's old bedrooms.

Their son Terry and his family are driving down from Toronto Canada.

Illa is in remission from cancer, and Sherry, Illa’s daughter-in-law will do most of the cooking.

We had a great reunion swapping information about the family.

We looked through the Family Bible that had been passed down from generation to generation.

Day 2: Monday, August 3, 1998

Monday night we rode over to visit Laurence (the former home of Mary and Art)

He showed us some old picture albums.
I asked if I could take the albums home with me to make copies and I would mail them back when finished.

Leroy, Leslie, and Victor at Lesley's Home

Gail, Laurence, Dad and me

Vicki, Gail, Laurence, and Dad

Day 3: Tuesday, August 4, 1998

Dad wanted to go fishing in the Great Lakes with Laurence so we dropped him off at Laurence’s.

My sister and I rode to the cemeteries of East Dayton Cemetery and Demorest where I took pictures of family tombstones.

We rode into East Dayton where we visited some of the shops, I bought a book about East Dayton.

We drove back to Laurence’s they were back from fishing, and we all rode into Akron to buy a bushel bag of white beans.

Day 4: Wednesday, August 5, 1998

We rode to Roseville Michigan to stay with Donald and Isabelle.

We spent Wednesday sitting around talking and eating.

Day 5: Thursday, August 6, 1998

We all rode to the Henry Ford Museum, where we saw a large, iconic, neon, arch, of McDonald's, the sign said: fifteen cents McDonald's speed service system Hamburgers over 160 million sold.
During the 1950s and 1960s, McDonalds was the hangout for American Teenager.
We saw the 1953 Sunliner Convertible Indy 500 Pace Car.
We saw a 332 CID 6-cylinder engine FVRH Motor Texaco Gas Truck sitting next to the Texaco Service station.
The gas station had a big yellow Shell sign on top, and in front of the building was a red and silver gasoline pump.
The pumps read Fire-Chief Gasoline, on the front of the pump was a circle inside the circle was a big red star with Texaco written across it and a picture of a red fire hat.
Next door was the Douglas Auto Theater in Neon, Now showing Car Culture, and behind the theater was the Holiday Inn in Neon.

The Spirit of Saint Louis Staring Jimmy Stewart is about the life of Charles Lindberg and his struggles to finance and design the first solo transatlantic airplane flight.

US Mail Stage Line, and the 1601 Allegheny train engine.
Lamy's Diner opened in 1946 in Marlborough, Massachusetts, as a roadside cafe with red vinyl furniture and a stainless steel back bar that sold coffee, soft drinks, and more.
JF Kennedy Limousine, the 1961 4-door convertible Lincoln Continental Presidential Limousine that President Kennedy rode in that fatal November 22, 1963.
After a full day at the Ford Museum, we rode back to Donald's for supper.

Taking a rest break at the Ford Museum are Isabell, Donald, and Victor

At the Ford Museum Vicki, Isabell, Donald, and Victor

Dad with his foot on the trolly

Donald and dad looking at the train

Mcdonald Hamburgers

Day 6: Friday, August 7, 1998

On Friday we rode over to Madison Heights, Michigan to visit Irwin and Deloris.

Irwin had also been sick for a long time.

Day 7: Saturday, August 8, 1998

Early on Saturday morning, we loaded the jeep with our luggage and started the twelve-hour drive home from Donald’s house in Roseville, Michigan.

Irwin died on January 9, 2000, and Illa died on October 20, 1999, both died just a few months after our visit.

Illa died of cancer, not sure what Irwin died of but he was sick for some time.