Lots of detail here, so bear with me!
We hit Branson a little after 7 Friday night; the wife wanted to clothes shop with a bonus she got from her health insurance company, so I took her to Dress Barn at Tanger. 30 minutes (and $300) later, we were on the way to check in at Homestay. Spent a very pleasant few minutes talking to Paige; my wife indulged herself in some TV while I tried to read, and then we hit the hay for an early wake up.
We got off the bus and the entrance to the park at 8:05 and waited near the head of the line to get in. A little kerfluffle occurred when a young man in white shirt and cummerbund left his instrument in its case on the bus that brought him in. a couple of citizens were trying very hard to find the bus and get the instrument to him.
We got in at 8:29 (by my watch) and headed straight to Mollies for our first b-fast buffet of the season. We got to watch a young family at the “special” table. It was funny to see how long it took them to admit that something was strange about their table.
When we were stuffed, we went back to the HH so my wife could begin her pin-trading career. She bought a supply to deal with and a lanyard, and then we headed to the square for the flag raising. On the way, she spied a hand-knitted sweater jacket hanging on a rack by the Ecuadorian band. Their top salesman came over, knew he had a fish, and said: “Alpaca! Like llama, you know? Alpaca! $45; but, for you, $40.” The fish didn’t play: “Done!” she shouted. It is warm and heavy and fits well, but now she is nagged by wondering if she should have dickered. Ha! I had to run back into HH for more cash.
Right after, we went to wait for the Pickers, but, instead of staying put, I went over to listen to the tractor operator’s spiel. I almost got the test question right.
As soon as we finished talking to the Pickers about a couple of songs, we headed down Cardiac Hill to the Dockside for the yodeler—nice guy! Fantastic vocal skills: we bought a couple of his CDs—and then hung around for the Irish harpist. My wife—part Irish—had to have her picture taken with her, and they chatted quite some time after the show.
We then went round to the Frisco Barn for lunch. This was the one bad experience of the day. Far too crowded: they really need to pull those tables out of there. No way to form good lines with people trying to work their way through. It was made worse by a bunch of teenagers feeding their friends into the Greek line in front of my wife. After 30 minutes, her line hadn’t moved at all because of the constant cutting in, so she moved over to the Chinese line, waited, got her food, and got her drink, and the people who had been right behind her in that line STILL had not moved up to order. Next year, unless it is changed, we will eat elsewhere and maybe only stop there to get a dessert. The situation is simply not working.
After lunch it was off to the train. New conductor, still having a bit of trouble with the lies but a real nice guy. I was disappointed not to see Hobo Junction, of course, and I was rather dismayed by the proximity and the overwhelming character of the construction. I know that the park needs the big rides, and I know that some of you like them, but have no use for them and regret the continuing encroachment on the train ride “in the woods, for you city slickers.” Just my own personal pet peeve, of course, and no disrespect meant to you folks who thrive on them.
After the train, we went through the mine (I also got lots of outside pics for my project) and then went uphill ot the HH for the Pin Trading. My wife traded one, bought another. Then she traded again—this time for an employee pin—when we bought some Cherry Butter and Strawberry Preserves at the Apple Butter place. She’s real proud of that pin. We’re also apparently becoming known to some of the citizens—“Hey, I remember you guys! You’re re-enactors!” The folks in our unit have grown fond of SDC Cherry Butter.
After stopping in at Hannah’s for the best Ice Cream on the planet, we went to Granny’s for a log of Pine Tar lye soap—we cut it close and are almost out at home! Then we cut across to the candy shop for some fudge for a hospitalized friend and the glass blowers for a business card holder for my wife’s desk. We went back to mid town to browse the quilt ship, but my wife was out of $$$ at that point and it was after 5.
So we headed up the steps and out to OM. We had to stop at the dulcimer shop at pick up a catalog for the older son, as he wants to buy a Hammered Dulcimer, and we needed to price them for him. Then it was out to the chaos of the tram lines. They really do need more than one citizen directing traffic there at rush times. And what happened to Stop 4??
After a long and tiring but Wonderful day, we stopped in Springfield for HuHot and got home at 10:04. My sife had to wait till Early Sunday morning to prepare to teach her Sunday School class, for she was awful tired at that point.
All-in-all, a great visit and a break at the City just when I needed one. We’re looking at mid-May to do BG&BBQ, which I had to keep reminding myself as I left. Why, oh, WHY won’t they let us move in??
