Day 9 Mellow out...Please

Greetings from Lake Table Rock... 2 days to go
Today we had a amazing breakfast created by Aunt Chrissie and Grandma. It was french toast and cereal. After the satisfying breakfast we all went to the pool. First the boring pool that nobody really goes to, then the Water slide pool .The fun one. Harrison, Isacha and I decided we want to try something new and all go down at the same time. We went zooming in and out of the slide. Except they both landed on top of me.  But o'well. Another lesson we learned here is that because its so hot here they keep the pool temp. freezing.  I am not kidding. All of the pools are. We walk out shivering and teeth chattering. At least we had fun though. After all of the pool stuff we came back to the condo, and had a amazing lunch. We had a chicken sandwich, a salad, beans, and fruit. The chicken is from yesterdays Dixie Stanpeed. Yummmmmmm!! Then off to our next endeavor. Which was the book store. I got the next two books in the series I am reading, called Fabelhaven. Its better then Hunger Games I think . So I am so happy for that. I have already read some of it. Its already good. Everybody that went with us got a book. When we finished with the book store. Everybody played games in the condo while grandma and Chrissie cooked us dinner. We had spaghetti, salad, fruit,  and roasted veggies. My stomach was so full I thought I was going to pop. That would be bad. After dinner, I went on a walk on the Nature Trail with Chrissie, sean, Harrison, Isacha, Holland and Iris. We had a great time. We saw a deer, ticks,birds, and bugs. Chrissie and I  kept running into spider webs and laughing our heads off. It was fun. When we got back we had more mouthwatering cookies and then opa took Harrison and Isacha for a night walk, while Holland and Iris are in bed. Tonight I am probably going to read my book and relax. All of the other kids are sleeping in there own condo with there parents. Well I  got to go! Love you all!
With lots and lots of love,

Tori  (Victoria)

SUSAN


Rather a quieter day, lots of walking and pondering...along with the pool slide.  No one is going to go home malnourished and we only hope we eat what we have purchased  in these last two days.  We have decided we should leave for Georgia on Thursday because it is  900+ miles and we don't' want to trap ourselves in the car with two fidgety game players for extended periods of time!  Want to see Savannah and need to meet our group Sunday evening.  Time is marching...

     Victoria at the lake...Sunshine

RAIN !!! Day 8

Hola everybody, it's Tori obviously,

Today it finally rained.  We had to think of a quick plan of stuff to do, but we managed.  Today we saw the IMAX version of Born to Be Wild.  It is an animal movie. That is just admiring and inspirational for animal conservation and preservation, started by two women in two different parts of the world.  It really showed me that people care about wildlife and will give away their soul to save them. After the amazing movie we went to the Dixie Stampeed. That was a Dolly Parton show. There was a comedy and a rivalry between the North and the South .  They resolved the issue by doing fun, hilarious races you would normally see at a rodeo. The cutest races were the baby horses racing with dolls on their back and then the tiny pig race.  They were so cute.  We had a perfect ending with dolly Parton singing a beautiful song and saying " there is no North or South or east or west, there is the United States of America.  That part had to be my favorite part.

Anyway Love you all.

Love, Tori.




Susan:

Group Hug!  Harrison is in the next one!

Paddle Boats are great

Well, after a meltdown with this computer last night, Chrissie as set me on the right path for photos...I think.

I will re-visit the past posts and add a few 'illustrations".  Everyone knows I have taken hundreds by now

Yesterday, after a few minutes curiously watching the clouds gather and darken...the expected clap of thunder unleashed a rainfall the like of which I only know in the South.  It also had the effect of sending three adults to phones and computers to cancel a boat pontoon boat rental and to search out reservations for we 9 could DO instead of pools watersides and boats!  That might have looked like computer-Keystone-Cops:  phone service spotty, online reservations painfully slow, finding the credit card, finding the discount card, and "..what time is THAT?"  Lose the bathing suits and gather the troops.
The ensuing drive THROUGH Branson was S-L-O-W ( I had been warned).  I think I had  pictured    it more compact..WRONG...on our tour we had time to notice all the tornado damage from February, all the musical acts we didn't recognize, all the abandoned swimming pools (formidable lightening).  Did I mention the driving was S-L-O-W

The IMAX was lovely.  Somehow these two women have been under my radar while they have been saving the orphaned elephants and orangutans in Kenya and Borneo.  They are of my generation but lack the world wide fame of Goodall and Fossi.  It was truly an inspirational endeavor.
Despite our fear they would sell out (storm), there were few of us there...and it seats 500 +.
We exited through the obligatory gift shop where Victoria found a bling-y V keyring to identify her backpack and we still had an hour before the stampede.  SO..we drove.  And found the Table Rock Lake Dam and the fish hatchery.  Saw fingerlings and giant attack trout ( you can even tour the inner workings of the dam...if you were not on your way to Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede...) .  All were impressed by...the turtles in the information house.  Tom and Harrison fed fish large and small.

attack fish

The Dixie Stampede looked a bit like the Stock show gone South....With Paula Deene serving an ENTIRE cornish game hen ---with corn, potato, soup, and pork brisket...before an apple turnover...to EACH person.  Only in the South.  The tiny  pig races and barrel racing with mini horses. strawberry drinks served in a plastic cowboy boots,  Dolly's " be friends with each other song"  It was a fun show for everyone.
 We were not finished! Oh no, no, no.

Drove to Branson landing where we found flocks of ducks (big and small) that would swim in formation and then eat from your hand.  Bass Pro shop provided "rest stops" and we walked the colorful riverside mall and finished the evening with a laser =water show.

This town feels in no way cohesive, but Tom found the best things for us to do and we only took one questionable turn in returning to Still Waters.
Life is good.

Day 7 Catching fish makes the Day

Hi,
Its Tori. We went to the Oasis Pool this morning, then we went to the water slide pool after that. Everybody then came back to the condo to have Breathtaking BLT's. They were really good. Just the right taste to satisfy our tastebuds. Anyway, after dinner we hung out here at the condo for about 10 minutes, then we were off to our next adventure.  Our next adventure took place at the lake. Harrison ,Isacah and Holland went swimming. While I read a good book on the nice dry land. After a while we decided to go fishing. Sean, Isacah, and I caught a fish. I ...COUGHT A FISH!!! It might of been a  tiny fish but I am still proud. We also saw turtles. I was the one to spot the baby turtle. It was so tiny! We planed to go on a nice boat ride for 2 hours and have a picnic tomorrow. I am so exited. For dinner we are having nice seasoned steaks that Harrison and Opa are barb-b-qing. Well I love you all and I wish you a awesome, spontaneous day.
Love you all very much.
With a lot of love,
Tori  (Victoria)

Susan
You will know we've vacationed by our skin....All the SPF 70 in each of our backpacks will not keep us pale.  We freckle, we tan, no one blistered...yet.  We only used two of the pools today, had BLTs for lunch in the condo and  we fished for several hours  Final count:  Sean caught the first fish (this is not a surprise in this family)...Isacah caught the next! And was SHE excited.  Victoria fished patiently, reminding the boys not to snag the turtles and came up with a winner.  also clearly happy about this. We  fished off the boat dock so we were not looking for Moby Dick...catch and release was the name of the game.  We ate Sean's perfect steaks for dinner--no fish.  Tom then took the Big Kids on a night walk through the forest and the lake front--Sean and Chrissie took the little ones on a different (stroller friendly).  We and all the neighbors are entranced by Sean's animated laser flashlight:  pictures on the walls, the sidewalk, in the sky.  All the men around here DO love their gadgets.  He and Chrissie were cheered as they rounded the corner to home.  It's the simple things.
We spent the last hour making sugar cookies, something I promised Victoria we would do and everyone else simply loved.  Cookies at 11PM...hmm...It IS vacation .

We get up a little later every day.  Lose something and find something each day.  The little girls are sleeping in their parents' condo tonight because they seemed pretty wakeful the last two nights, we really can't sleep 4 in our bed and I guessed that they might need a little settling with the security of their parents in the next room.  Victoria & Harrison are sound asleep on the couches, books on their chests...the extra bedroom is empty...more fun to sleep out here.

I downloaded one picture...with help and darned if I can do it again!

OK, so I CAN get a thumbnail.  But I bet it would be better with the whole picture!  Tom was on a kayak with Isacah.

Signing off...

Day 6 Table Rock Lake Adventures

Hola everyone,
Its obviously Tori. We are having fun, we got to spend the the day swimming in the pool, the lake and then the pool again. The lake was cold and slimy, but the pool was a little chilly and slippery. The slippery spot is the floor. We started off at the water slide pool ,then we went to the pool by our condo, then the lake and then the oasis pool. The Oasis pool is probably the best one here on the resort. It is pirate themed and everything. The people that went to the oasis pool was grandpa, Harrison, Isacah, and then me. We had a blast!  We are here in the condo room ,all sleepy and ready for bed. Everybody can't wait for tomorrow to come. Grandpa planned for us to go fishing. I said ok but I will not being the one touching the slimy fish.YUCK!! It just grosses me out. Harrison is exited for the trips to come with grandma, grandpa and I. This trip is so far ,fun. Grandma said we can make our sugar cookies tomorrow night. YUMM!! I can't wait. Anyway we are all fine and everybody here is having fun and is exited for the exploring that will come.   Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for this trip. We are all having fun and are thanking you. Love you all.
With soooooo much love,
Tori (Victoria)



Susan here..
Pretty much sleepover city just now...Victoria and Harrison are laying on the various couches reading and Isacah and Holland are not quite sure why THEY have to go to bed...bed also being ill-defined since we have 3 girls and a boy (Iris always goes with Mom & Dad to their place)...someone is bound to decide the floor/other bed/ grandpa's room ( he IS still top dog...)/ our bed ...is probably better than the one they chose first.
Today WAS a water day...but I think the rest of the week will also be about water: fishing off the dock/ skidoo/fish hatchery/one of the powerboat options...we ARE at a lake resort.

Today, besides ascertaining which pool was freezing and the hot tub you could blister your feet in,  we ALL, individually and in pairs ( OK , NOT Iris...she slept in the stroller) became fabulous in paddle boats and  kayaks (both one person and two person) on Table Rock Lake.  Victoria & Harrison became particularly competent in VERY little time ( I didn't actually do so bad either).  This lake resembles Lake Powell in that it is fingers all over, not a single huge expanse.Where we are is relatively shallow and a big place to roam and race for them.  I should mention here that the first pool of the day was a tube slide...the three older must have climbed 500 steps to use this slide many times...Holland, after one ride down on daddy's lap..."I don't like that" and never looked back.
Interesting note: Iris does NOT LIKE WATER, she is not afraid, thank you very much, she doesn't like it...absolutely verified when the wet-from -the pool- grandma took her in her arms , Iris,  realizing she was enveloped in  wet , arched her back and threw her cute little arms away from me!  This kid is serious.

Tom & Sean BBQed burgers and hot dogs for dinner.  Chrissie and I are of the opinion that one should do the grilling and the other be in charge of "keeping the cook company".  Steaks tomorrow...Hmm

Victoria is very conscientious  about blogging before bed.  During the week we will try to draw Harrison into our computer.
We are having a great time...very little time for napping.  Everyone is asleep but me.  Nice.

Day 5 Reunion in Branson

Hi,
Its Tori. We arrived in Branson this afternoon and its really pretty. We have  a luxurious  condo with the view of the lake in a  quiet place.  When we went  for a walk to start our exploring we walked by the TABLE ROCK lake and activities it offers to us. We are in a resort. there are 2 pools and then the huge lake. In the lake we saw some small fish that like to mind there own business. Today was a hot day. It was 88 degrees but it felt like 100. In Tahlequah if it got to 103 degrees ALL jewelry was free in one store. All of it. Its a good deal but it stinks if it actually gets to 103 for the owners that own the jewelry store. Anyway I am exited to  take even more pictures here of the nature. Plus my cousins are joining us for a week, up here, and then we are taking Harrison on the rest of the journey with us. They are driving tonight and I am so exited. We ate dinner on the peaceful deck with dinner we made .We watched the sunset set and it was pretty. It feels like we are almost in our little house. We have to make our own meals, make our bed and even have chores ,but the chores will be fun. So far this trip is going well. We may not have enough time to do all of the things here in Branson. Anyway I love you all but I need to go.
LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!
With lots of love,
Tori ( Victoria)

Susan:
Left Tahlequah on what we used to call "blue highways"...very curvy...densely forested...sparsely populated...sometimes four lane...rarely with a median between us and oncoming.  It was beautiful, it was long...A unifying factor: churches.   I have concluded that Oklahoma rivals Rome in the number of churches.  On our last Tahlequah walk IN A NEIGHBORHOOD...we passed three churches...in one block...must have passed ten on the way out of town.

Tom has gotten very good  at stopping for me to take a picture of the "Welcome to..." signs, even did a u turn to go back to catch the one we sped by!  Nice.

Like most of the places we have seen so far...this is not on your way to anywhere, you have to KNOW it is here...and Branson Tourism is fabulous in spreading the word.  There are  thousands of musical things to do in Branson, but we are here for the lake experience and tomorrow will do Kayaks, paddle boats, swimming, biking ...and napping...We also have a theme park nearby that looks intriguing.  Of course, the provisioner for our condo: WalMart.  They own the South.

Sean & Chrissie arrived with the kids about 8 o'clock and we have been enjoying that for the last two hours.  They all looked tired but the cousins were so excited to see Victoria again...and she , them..three sleep in the room with Victoria and the precocious  3 1/2 year old Holland is watching the news with
Opa while I write.  Sean and Chrissie have Iris in their room...I suspect that the quiet is nice

Chrissie brought HER iPad, so I will be able to attach photos tomorrow!

TOM:
is so happy to have the "kids" here...many plans for the coming days.  Noted that it may be expensive to rent speedboats and pontoon boats for a day...but NOT as expensive a OWNING either of them...we're good.

Victoria reminded me this evening that "we haven't done the blog yet!"  We swore we would do it EVERY day.  Hope to have Harrison join our written journey tomorrow.

We seem a contented lot at the moment (Tom just told me that Holland is in our bed...don't smash her when you come to bed)..He is such a pushover with grandkids!

Tomorrow:  Lake love activities...I have not done this before...I grew up in landlocked San Jose CA

Day 4 Cherokee History...Last Goodbye to Tahlequah

hi
It's Tori.I did many things today.  I went to the Cherokee Nation  Heritage Center. Did you know that if  you are native american and you have a argument with somebody you do a stick game.  He/She who knocks the fish off the top gets his/her way.   Girls/women are forbidden to touch the stick. all they can do  is pull on the guys shirts and hair and even bite them. It seems a little fun. We also saw a white albino squirrel.  It was so cool looking. I took a picture but it somehow got erased. I am so exited to go to another state tomorrow morning, visit with cousins and do more exploring. any way I love you all goodnight.
my daily feeling report: tired exited and amazed at the wildlife here in Tahlequah.

Susan:
The Cherokee Heritage Center is very much more instructive and "spruced up" since Lisa and I were here about 12 years ago, much less since they opened it when Tom and I lived here (dirt paths versus stone...but it IS now accessible to a wheelchair).  The  'Trail of Tears" play that began when we were here is 15 years gone, too expensive to produce...AND they are building a new village based on this one we toured which , according to our baby guide , was built "a long time ago"...in 1969  The stick game Victoria mentioned, blow darts--no poison, just viciously good aim--pounding chicory nuts for food in hard times, making arrowheads...all demonstrated before we went to the Council house where the business of the tribe was conducted.  Here there were 7 sections of seating for the seven clans within the tribe: wolf, deer, paint, bird...and three more (between us we can't remember them).  Cherokee is a Matrilineal tribe ( as is my tribe, the Muskogee Creek), so when a chief died it was not his son that became chief but his sister's son ( he had gone to his wife's tribe...his sister had stayed home and produced a son ... got it?).

We lunched at the Cherokee Nation restaurant...sort of healthy available, but I certainly enjoyed a piece of southern fried chicken.

And that is about IT for what to do and see in Tahlequah.

We decided to return to the New Hasting's Indian Hospital which we had discovered was NOT the Tahlequah City Hospital, but the one BEHIND it.  We were rewarded with an extraordinarily cool hospital, well set up and easily accessed, great Old photos on the walls and electronic medical records explained via brochures all over the place ( in Cherokee and English).   It is in a lovely wooded setting and inviting instead of forbidding.  The old hospital was fine...but it was probably built in the 40's if not earlier.  The Native Americans are well served here.  We THINK it is still staffed with Public Health Service staff..but will probably google it to really know.  There is no longer an "Indian Blood"percentage  requirement for care...perhaps even I could receive care...1/32 Creek.

After a lovely Italian dinner ( HOW did a Sicilian decide to open up here?...his wife, met in Italy, is from Lawton...) we said goodbye to Tahlequah with a walk around the surrounding neighborhood.  Victoria was sure we were lost,  but we were saying goodbye...I can't imagine we will be back.

Tom:
Between the Hospital and dinner ( we had seen everything in T) we drove a very curvy, lush road to the hinterlands populated with about 15 churches and virtually NO visible homes.  This is where the  rust old trailer park "mobile homes" have come to rest. We  arrived at  Lake Tenkiller where we came upon a very populated campground...THIS is the Lake Powell of Oklahoma.  HERE is where you bring your RV...your fishing gear...your skidoo...your motorcycle...your boat (pretty upscale)...your bikes...your laundry...

quote from Tom: "...Susan, I think I may be cured..."  Victoria says "What?"
                                                                                       I say: "RV-ing"
Post Script:  I could have enjoyed a life in Goodland...I am grateful not to live in Tahlequah.

I am certain that Chrissie and Sean will enable us to show some of the photos of these last 4 days.  I seem lost without the iPad...

Tom and Victoria sleep...I'd better sign off

Tahlequah Floating the Illinois river... Day3

Hola every body ,
Its Tori again. We are in Tahlequah now and we are having a blast! So far we floated on the Illinois river. It was so fun. We saw a lot of fish of all sizes. Huge,big, normal, small, or even really small. They were all minding there own business. We set a record of floating a 3 hour float into a 1 hour. We stopped about halfway to eat lunch. I helped a butterfly out of water, but i think it died anyway. Grandpa caught  a baby frog for me. He thinks the frog was just a tadpole 3 weeks ago.  It was so small. Right when we got back to out hotel grandma and I went swimming while opa took a nap. We just got back from the pool and already planned for going back after dinner. The pool has a salty taste and smell. Its kind of weird. Opa is looking up more attractions here, because we are staying here for two nights. Its going to be nice to not be in a such  a hurry to get out the door and start driving to another state. I mean I'm already tired of driving. I like this hotel anyway. Its better then the hotel/resort we stayed at last night. We all agree to that. We are all exited for Friday to see our cousins and go on even more adventures these states will bring us to explore. I have to go, but I just want to say:
I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!
With love,
Tori

Susan now:

Last night's "resort" is an Oklahoma State Park...built in 1956...so it was a bit funky...you had to know it was there to even choose it.  The lake was lovely, the pool was full and I can't remember if Victoria mentioned the fireflies...all over the night forest.  We were the ONLY patrons in the restaurant...no kidding...for both dinner AND breakfast.  It was a lush, green drive the half hour  to Tahlequah where we briefly reviewed history by photographing Tom's first, very minimal house , now a part of the office structure of Northeastern University.  New information about the history of the University:  It is the evolutionary product of the early Cherokee Seminaries for Women and Men built in the 1850's .  Cherokees always interested in education

The Indian Hospital there was re-located 10 minutes away and is the Tahlequah City Hospital, while the old hospital building where Tom practiced has been re-purposed within the College of Optometry.

We drove and took a picture of our house on Mike Street ( a bit more landscaped all these years later)
 before we headed out to float on the  Illinois river.

The river was a walk back in time...we are grateful for the 40+ years,( many better than others!!) and experiences we've had , and to arrive back here,  to be here together is very very special.  Sharing it with Victoria is frosting on that cake!  Victoria is looking foreword to taking a picture of us tomorrow at the Cherokee courthouse where we were married April 1969.

Tom
...is working on music downloads with Victoria , researching restaurants for dinner, will swim after a walk and dinner

Victoria is counting the days to being with the cousins

Tomorrow we see Cherokee heritage and perhaps drive to Muskogee to see a museum, before heading to Table Rock Lake in Branson

Soon I will figure out how (with THIS computer) to add a few pictures to our posts.  I am not even going to tell about today's camera black hole adventure