Linda and I attended the Thanksgiving dinner at Mom's nursing home.

They fixed Mom's hair up all pretty.

It's long now and the colors are beautiful.

She is doing so well, and of course we love it!

On Thanksgiving Day, we went to Linda and David's house.
Sue and Randy were in from Indiana too.
I forgot to take a decent camera so these
pictures are not good at all but here goes.

Pretty Linda!

Linda's daughters and granddaughter.
From the top--Tracy, Brandy and Shaylah

Kyle (Linda's son), Shaylah, Brandy and Zack

Geo, David and Randy
Watching football.

Shaylah giving Randy a kiss.
Smiling Sue in the background.

All us gals

Shaylah is a hoot--quite entertaining!

This just makes me laugh!

Sending Smiles from Turkeys,
D~~~~

Daisy State Park, Arkansas~Part Two

Day two of the trip (Sunday) started out with some light rain which turned into a heavy rain with severe weather warnings for the rest of the day.  Tom & Phyllis and Kenneth & Linda decided to pack it in and head home so they did.

I wanted to watch the Cowboys v. Eagles game but there was no cable and our antenna was not picking up a thing!  Nada!  Nothing!  Zero!  Zilch!  (Insert a heavy sigh here).  So what's a girl to do?  Actually, I'm not sure what a girl is to do but I know what we did!  Joe, Linda, George and I drove to Buffalo Wild Wings in Hot Springs to watch it, and of course, to chow down on some good food.

The four of us.

Good one of Linda and Joe!

We're having a good time!

Carrie and Rick joined us for a little 

while too but they didn't stay too long.

 It was really fun, and the Cowboys won!

YAY!

The next day, it was time to go home for all of us but before we did, Joe, Linda, George and I drove over to the Narrow Dam.  There it is from the water side where we saw it on the pontoon.

The dam from the street side 

A lovely view off a nearby bridge

Joe and Linda's chihuahua, Harley, went with us.

He's a sweetie!

We stumbled across a little Mexican Restaurant in tiny Murfreesboro so we stopped for lunch.  We were glad we did because it was excellent!

I was quite enamored by this colorful caterpillar in the window sill next to our table.

When we were about to leave, I snapped this good shot of Carrie with their dogs, Maggie and Harley.

Linda took this one of us with Daisy and Sally.

After the Narrow Dam, the Mexican food, and the two pictures above, we headed home.  It's about a five hour drive.  Not too bad!

That's Rick & Carrie leading the way, 

Joe and Linda are just in front of us.

So long Daisy State Park.  

We'll hopefully see you again sometime!

Autumn Smiles,

D~~~~

   

Daisy State Park, Arkansas~Part One

Last week, we traveled to beautiful Daisy State Park on Lake Greeson in Kirby, Arkansas which sits at the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains where the trees are wonderfully tall and the leaves were in the midst of their gorgeous Autumn transformation.

I took this photo of the lovely 

view from the steps of our RV.

This picture too. 

That's Joe and Linda's rig next to us. 

The first morning we went on a 

pontoon coffee cruise around the lake.

Here's George and Kenneth

It started at 9:00 in the morning, and even though it was chilly, overcast, and a bit windy, it really wasn't too bad.  By the time the trip was over (a couple hours later), it was sunny and much warmer.

Linda, Joe, Tom

Rick and Carrie

We could see Rick and Carrie's RV up 

there in the trees as we cruised on by.
Can you see it?

The never ending stairs.

Can you see them leading up to this house?

Our tour guide said there are 474 steps because she climbed them and counted.  A cardiologist lives in the house at the top of the stairs which somehow seems appropriate with all those stairs available for heart healthy exercise!

Phyllis and Tom

Linda B. gazing at our path ahead.

George and Yours Truly

Chimney Rock which is full of graffiti art--

actually more like graffiti art lettering!

The Narrow Dam which was our destination.

I think it resembles an entrance to an old fort!

This was our sweet tour guide, a college student with a huge love for the outdoors.  She grew up in the area and was VERY knowledgeable about the Lake.

One story that she shared, and my favorite, was about a sandbar she showed us.  People frequently run up on it and get stuck.  She told us that she once rescued five grown men, all in blue Speed-O's, and joked that it scarred her for life.  Then, she added, "They were from Texas too!"  

I suggested that it was more likely they were really from Oklahoma and they just wanted to blame their misfortune (and probably their attire) on Texas.  Tee-hee!

She took a picture of our entire group after the pontoon tour ~ (l-r) Kenneth and Linda, Joe and Linda, Me and George, Carrie and Rick, Tom and Phyllis.

After the tour, we went for a hike with Linda and Joe, Kenneth and Linda, and our canine families.  After that, Phyllis, the two Linda's and I went into Hot Springs and did some shopping.  That night found us all sitting around a campfire visiting.  It was a really nice day!  I'll share the rest of the trip in my next post.

Wishing You Colorful Autumn Smiles,

D~~~~

RVing to New Braunfels~Part 2

Middy sent me some of the pictures she took on our trip, and I wanted to share them.

RVing to our destination.

The Alamo (and me)

Jack on the Riverwalk

Three in front of a pretty water feature.

Four in front of a pretty water feature.

Wake up honey!

Now smile!

Okay, grin!

Intense magazine focus.

Smilin' and chattin' in Gruene, TX
(pronounced Green for some odd reason!)

And smilin' too.

(I really like this one of Middy and me.)

Geo, the Band Watcher!

Adam, Mandy, Jackson and Mallory.

Jack & Middy's son, DIL and grandkiddos

Autumn Smiles,

D~~~~

RVing to New Braunfels~Part 1

Once upon a time (like last week), Jack & Middy came to town to go RVing.  We picked them up at the airport in the evening, and stayed in a local RV park for the night. The next morning, Rio Raft RV Resort in New Braunfels was our destination, a location that placed us in close proximity to lots of fun places!

We've been accused of being on a Griswold Family Vacation (Adam!) which just might be true depending on who you ask.  Nevertheless, we were happily minus the dead granny on the roof!  

When we arrived at Rio Raft, we decided to hang at the RV the rest of the day and we had a merry good time doing so.  Middy and I got a hold of the Rock Blocker microphone, and suffice it to say that I'm glad there were only a few RVs in the park!  

The next day, we ventured to San Antonio.

First stop, The Alamo.

The main attraction was next,
the festive and quite beautiful River Walk.

The usual suspects on the River Walk.

I goofed up on the collage below and made "River Walk" one word!  I'm having trouble editing it to get it fixed.  I've spent four days on this post so I give up!  

Please use your imagination and 

pretend  you're seeing two words! 

You hallucinator you! 

(Hallucinator is my new made-up word). 

Lunch @ Ibiza

Do they look alike?

Oh happy day!

I'm in mid sentence (as usual).

Surprise!  Cheese!

I love those George smiles!

Walking, shopping, and numerous stops for snacks and drinks happened throughout the day.  Dick's Last Resort was one of the stops. 

If you're not familiar with Dick's, they take pride in being rude.  Our waitress did a great job of it too! She was from Boston (or Bahston if she's pronouncing it.)  I asked how she ended up here, and she said it's because her "stupid boyfriend lives here!"  Tee-hee!  

The waitstaff also twists up hats, writes comments on them about customers, and places them on the customer's head.  We were almost ready to go when the hat fun began so we escaped it.

Again, insert imagination here.

Would you believe that laughing

took place while we were there?

Hee-hee-hee!

Saturday night lights on the River Walk.

The next day we went to Gruene.  

We started off with lunch on the deck at the 

Gruene River Grill Restaurant.  

Excellent! 

Two happy pals!

Thumbs up!

Of course, we stopped in at Gruene Hall, the oldest dance hall in Texas.  

The Steve Helms Band was pickin' and

singing their Texas tunes and others.

Attention diverted from

the band for a photo!

Of course, shopping took place!

In one store, the only person working 

was sound ASLEEP behind the counter!

After Gruene, we went back to the RV and watched the Tennessee/Alabama game outside.  It was a beautiful day which turned into an equally beautiful evening.

Big Vols fans!

The next day, we headed back to the house but before leaving New Braunfels, we stopped at Cooper's Old Time Bar-B-Que.  Wow!  I highly recommend it.
  

To sum up the trip,

It was delightfully ducky!

I hear your "ugh" groans!

It truly was a wonderful trip!  The San Antonio River Walk was my very favorite part of it.  We really need to go there more often!

Wishing You River Walk Smiles,

D~~~~