Celebrating our 42nd Aniversary

It was our 42nd anniversary and what better way to celebrate than with good boomer friends Jim Baker & Diane Fisher. We had heard Red Hot & Blue BBQ was a must stop and so that is where we all decided we should go. And our vote was yes, it is a great bbq place!

The chicken fried steak was a winner, as well as the ribs. But a new to us item on the menu was deep friend corn on the cob--interesting but the jury remains out on whether we'd try it again.

Thanks Jim & Diane for sharing our special day!!

George Washington Carver & a visit from good friends

Much to our delight fellow boomers & good friends Jim Baker & Diane Fisher directed their travels to cross our path here in MO. We were very happy to see them and to spend a few days with them. One of our visits was to George Washington Carver National Monument in Diamond, MO--just a few miles north of Neosho. This is a wonderful complex detailing the boyhood life of Carver. There is a ranger guided walk with historical facts & sites that gives one an interesting birdseye view of how his early life influenced his passions and decisions. George believed all of life's problems could be solved through nature. Many of his thoughts and quotes are very relevent to our current modern day lives. There are many exhibits that detail his early life in this southwest part of MO where he grew up. He produced over 100 products from the peanut. As a young boy he was known as the “Plant Doctor,” and he tended his secret garden while observing the day to day operations of a successful 19th century farm. Nature and nurture ultimately influenced George on his journey to becoming a renowned scientist of agriculture and his story is well worth spending a few hours in this museum.

After our day at Carver's National Monument we ended our day with a stop at a very popular candy house in this part of the woods. Richardson's Candy House has been making and selling their own candy for almost 40 years and it is always a great spot to stop if ones wishes to soothe ones sweet tooth.

Fred & Red Joplin, MO

Dianne discovered spaghetti red when she & Frank lived & worked in MO during the 60's. It is basically a very meaty sweet chili sauce served over spaghetti noodles, served with onions, pickles & crackers. Weird but good somehow very good. There is a diner in Joplin, MO, Fred & Red's, who have been serving this concoction for many more years than we've been alive. The diner only has bar stool sitting and remains a local favorite, therefore always busy. So the Jim & Diane joined us at one of our favorite joints.

Visit with Mom & Ron in MO

We arrive in Missouri right on schedule. Our trip west was uneventful, but filled with interesteing stops along the way. Almost every year since we began full-timing in 04 we stop at Dianne's mom & brother's house in Neosho, MO and park in their backyard. We ususally stay for a couple of weeks and always find new things to see. Also, since Frank is the "project guy", he always seems to find a task or two around the mom's house, and this year was no exception.

Dianne's family always spoil us and you can bet her brother will be cooking some of our favorite foods, because he is such a good cook. Picture below is one of his specialties--southern friend chicken--oh yeah he knows how to cook it just right.

Darryl Starbird's Exotic Car Show Museum is not far from mom's house, and it is full of the many, many cars he has custom designed.