After an easy winter Genie and I decided to visit her cousin Sandy in Harrison, Arkansas.
We scheduled our visit over Palm Sunday, leaving Albert Lea early a.m. Thursday, March 21 staying overnight in Marshall, Missouri and arriving in Harrison Friday March 22. The return trip was leaving after church Palm Sunday March 24, staying overnight in Marshall, Missouri, arriving home to Albert Lea Monday, March 25, a total of 575 miles each way.
We congratulated each other on our scheduling Thursday, March 21 as departure date after hearing the weather forecast that day of two to four inches of snow, high wind with tough driving Thursday evening and Friday. (The storm did hit Albert Lea, but not as bad as forecast.)
As we're leaving Albert Lea, we hear the forecast of heavy snow in the Albert Lea area on Monday the 25 of March, the day we are returning to Albert Lea!! (Genie in her great wisdom said, “Don't worry, be Happy!!”)
Once we crossed into Iowa on I30, we started to see a few fields having been made ready for planting.
We took U.S. Highway 65 out of Des Moines and saw fields having been planted as we crossed into Missouri at Lineville where we filled up on gas at $3.07 per gallon.
More fields had been gotten ready for planting with even more planting done. We even saw two meadowlarks!!
We stayed at the Comfort Inn Marshall, Missouri Thursday night. The evening meal was enjoyed at Applebee's in Marshall.
As we drove south of Marshall, Missouri on U.S. Highway 65, we noticed how dry it was. (A lot of the roadside pond's level of water was low!!)
On Highway 65 at Branson, Missouri, we came upon a bad car accident. Two cars were in the median that somehow hit each other. The south-bound vehicle had been hit by the north bound on the passenger side and was caved in, killing the passenger. Traffic came to a stop and we know it was backed up at least five miles before we got beyond the accident.
Friday evening, after arriving in Harrison and checking into the Quality Inn, we visited Sandy while enjoying take-out food from “Neighbor's Mill Restaurant.” (Yes, we were pleased with a coconut cake for dessert as baked by Sandy.)
Back to the Quality Inn where Genie and I crashed til mid-morning Saturday.
Genie and Sandy enjoyed attending a 60-year celebration of a weekly gathering of friends in a fellowship hall in Harrison on Saturday. (I watched the women's 2024 March Madness basketball games.)
We attended the Sunday morning church service with Sandy at First Lutheran Church in Harrison. A pleasant surprise was when Genie and I were introduced to a farm family from Brownsdale, Minnesota also visiting First Lutheran Church in Harrison. “Small World was the reaction!!”
As Genie and I sit down to watch the women's 2024 March Madness games Sunday evening, the TV announcer is talking to some ladies. Genie say “I know them. That's my relatives from Algona, Iowa”!!! They were being interviewed because Audi Crooks, the star center, is part of the clan relatives. “Small world,” was the reaction. Sad to say the Iowa State girls lost in overtime.
P.S. Sad to say while we were gone I missed the funeral of fellow graduate of Rural School District #53, Gene Larson. He went on to High School in Ellendale and I went on to High School in New Richland.
P.P.S. In to and from Harrison, Arkansas, we left before a small blizzard and got back to Albert Lea just before a small blizzard.
P.P.P.S. Gas was $2.99 per gallon in Ridgedale, Missouri.
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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in Volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in New York. Bob says if you enjoy his column, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of wisdom: There is always room for God.