Good morning everyone. It takes me so long to write to the kids (Class name "Kahunas") that the adults have to wait sometimes. I hope they are enjoying it as much as we are. Don is so patient when I find a place I think the kids would like. he really helps with Jr. but after the buffalo pose in golden, I may have to watch him more closely. That pictue did not get sent to the kids.
Our RV hit 5000 miles in Stratton Colo. Saturday we stopped in Burlington, Old Town Museum.
We were the only ones in the whole town, 21 bldgs and several large storage bldgs. I guess there are advanttages in traveling during snow, wind and hail. And we are not even Postmen. This old pretend town was really interesting. As we looked around all the bldgs, one of us would comment, hey we have one of those, or remember those. A few times Tom, your name was menttioned. We got to play a lot with Jr. At the end of our self guided tour, the woman that runs the Museum, Lavila, (call me Vi) took Jr. and played the piano for him. When she found out about the kids, she asked for our website. Thanks to the wonderful business type cards with all three our pictures on them, courtesy of Debbie, we gve it to her. She phoned us before we even got to the freeway (?) to ask how to go on her computer. Note to Darcie and Joan, Don says I have my own Rich. She was very friendly.
From there a stop at St. Fidelis Church, renamed " The Cathedral of the Plains," by William Jenning Bryan in 1911. Entered Kansas and we are now 2 hours ahead of you.
Stayed in Russell, Kansas. I was actually afraid during the night. The wind blew so hard I couldn't sleep.Poor Cmor was rocking and then would jerk like a ride at Disneyland. Sometimes it actually felt like an earthquake. I was up quite often looking outside. Part of the ad for this park anounced a shelter. I kept expecting someone to baang on our door or run through the park yelling for us to head for shelter. I was remembering Dorothy"s house in the Movie and picturing Cmor spinning around.
Then I was wishing, before bed that I had ironed my birthday suit. It is so wrrinkled and I would't want to sscare eveyone as we were all huddled together in the root celler. Aanyay, morning arrived and everyone around us was sttill there. To them it was a regularr Kansas night. Our park came complete with a miniaure golf course, closed for the season. How do they keep the grass down? Why they use pet elk. They wander around inside and whe anyone walks by, they come over to the fence and visit. After asking permission, Don and Jr. fed them dog biscuits.
After a quick breakfast, w wentt to Mass at St. Marys, Queen of Angels. It was a beautiful new church, and they were doing First Communion for 9 little ones. One of them reminded us both of Danna. Glasses, blond curls, and so sincere during the ceremony, but with a big grin every once in awhile. We drove tthrough Waldo and I took pictures of homes along the road. No paint left on buildings, (the wind blew it off) and some were really tilting. Many are abandoned. Lots of limestone used here ( a beautiful gold color) and they even use the limesone for fence post instead of wood. Don says it is because there are very few trees for lumber. I say it's so they won't blow away.
We had a very touisty day, zig zagging around Kansas, only because tthe wind wouldn't let us drive straight. We wentt to Lucas and the Garrden of Eden. Started in 1907 by SP Dinsmoor. retired sschool teacher, Civil War veteran, farmer and Populist politician. For 22 years he built itt wih Limestone and then moved on to 113 tons of cement. I would have liked to have seen him married to Sarah Wincester. I can imagine what they would have built together. Wandered around the yard but the house didn't open until one, and I can only ask just so much of Don, so I had to miss going in he 40 ft talll limesone log mausoleum he was laid to rest in in his hand made glass top cncrete coffin.
Since at the age of 81 he married his seond wife, 20 year old Emilie and had two children, Don said the poor guy was just worn out. Lots of wierd art in this town. Blackie and Jane, not even liking Disneyland, wuld not even be able to drive though this place. We stopped to take pictures of the Fork Art, not a misprint. Then on to Cawker City. Ah you European Travelers. You miss so much. Does Italy, England, or Spain have the World's biggest ball of Twine? I think not! On the side walk through town is a painted twisting line of twine. It starts where old farmer Steer donated his ball in 1961. You follow the twine along Main Street to see the paintings in the windows. They are spin-off versions of well known works of art, but each has a ball of twine somewhere in it. Therre are 46 paintings. Most of the buildings are abandoned and falling down. It acually made us a bit depressed.
We went bit
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