December - Chapter 2

Remember back in October when we visited the family, the Elliots, who had Yorkie puppies?  Well, they own a time share with Big Cedar Resort down just south of Branson, Missouri.  It is connected with Bass Pro.  The Elliots had a four days that had to be used in December and they couldn’t go – so they asked if we were interested!  Now, going away for even one day in the busy Christmas season is sort-of crazy but, at the time, back in October, it seemed like a nice get-away so we accepted their offer.  Plus, aside from the cost of gasoline and of food, it was free!  So, off we went and it was just a lovely time.  We looked at the cost of going to Silver Dollar City and $61 per person ($59 senior discount!!!) caused us to say “no thanks”.  We are not really Branson show people.  Instead, we really relaxed.  We wrote some Christmas cards, we hiked a bit, we drove over to Kimberling City (where Steve actually interviewed for a job), checked out the Table Rock Lake dam and visitor’s center, saw a movie (Dr. Strange).  We mostly ate what we cooked at the condo but we did “splurge” for dinner at Golden Corral one night.  The resort is really nice – all decorated in a rustic theme.  Even the parking spaces were defined by lines of painted fish!  

our room (they use antlers in all of their decorating)

a cute bench outside the main lodge

on the road into the resort, you actually drive over two springs

 

 

 the resort even has it's own church

the view from our room.  It was cloudy and damp ( but no rain) most of the time we were there

A view of Table Rock Lake

a dam view

Steve and me by Table Rock Lake when the sun actually peeked out from the clouds

On our way back to Columbia, we stopped off at the granddaddy of all Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, MO.  It is what started it all.  And, boy, it is HUGE!  I had some birthday money so I bought a pie-iron.  This was to replace the one that the raccoons hauled off back in August at Johnson’s Shut-Ins! 

Here are some photos from our visit. 

 

  

  

  

 

  

  

  

 

 

 

December- Chapter 1

I am going to have to tell about our month of December in chapters – for my sake as well as yours!  We had some cold days the first part of the month.  One morning, during one of our dog walks, I snapped a few photos of the frost on the ground. 

 
 
The December single adult activity was to ring and sing for the Salvation Army on Saturday, December 10^th in front of Hobby Lobby.  Sheldon Slade is the High Counselor over single adults so he and his family came.  Melanie came.  That was it.  BUT, all the Slades can sing so we sounded REALLY good – four part harmony AND in tune.  And, they know as many, if not more, Christmas carols than Steve and I do.  As a result, I believe the Hobby Lobby customers were very generous that morning.  Boy, it sure was cold, though!  The Slade kids were real troopers.  

Speaking of music, that week was FULL of rehearsals and performances.  Tuesday night, the 6^th , was a Civic Orchestra rehearsal, Wednesday night it was rehearsing with Memorial Baptist Church with their choir that Elise sings in.  It was for a Christmas cantata written by Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant called "Almost There" which we performed on Sunday, the 11^th.  Civic had another rehearsal Friday night and a performance Saturday.  We did excerpts from the Messiah and some nicely arranged carols.  Also, I played a cello solo of The First Noel for church that Sunday.   Just to add more to the week, our ward Christmas party was also on Saturday night and Steve had been recruited to be a wise man so he and Steven came to listen to the Civic Orchestra music on Friday’s dress rehearsal.  Steven also came with Steve to hear the Memorial Baptist performance on Sunday.  My heroes.

Finally, some of the tongue depressor snowmen I painted for my music students….

 

And the note Steve put on the back door regarding our poor, senile, 16-year-old-dog-this-month who forgets she has JUST been outside so she wants to go out again....  (apologies to the author of the Pokey Little Puppy)

The beginning of Christmas music season

The MMCO (Mid-Missouri Community Orchestra) had their Christmas concert at Parkside Manor on Friday night.  Here we all are.  What a great group of people!  We had caroling sheets and we invited the residents to sing along with us.  I hope they had a good time.

 Here I am with Steve and our trombone player, David.

 

  After our performance, we all went to the orchestra librarian's home afterwards for a little party.

I really don't have much to write about the rest of the week.  It was the first of the month but on steroids because we had Christmas decorations to put up on top of everything else.  Elise took me and Steve to see Fantastic Beasts on Monday for our birthdays and we three went tree shopping afterwards.  The rest of the week was spent gradually setting Christmas things out.  I finally finished this morning!