Is My Grandaughter Really 16? (I didn't think I was that old)

Time and reality have set in.  Cindy and I just finished a week in Branson with our oldest granddaughter, celebrating her 16th birthday!  I find it really hard to believe that she is already 16.  seems like just yesterday we were visiting her parents while her dad was in the navy out in Norfolk.  Oh well, I guess time does fly (at least it moves real fast) when you are having fun and I do have to admit that for the better part of my life, I have had fun.
Well, back to the fun filled week in Branson.  We had originally booked this week in order to go check out an RV campground membership program, something that we had been looking at for a while and the 4 free nights were hard to turn down for a 90 minute presentation so we booked our time at Branson Ridge Campground and Resort. 
Now we have been to Branson many times but most of those times were just to visit with some very dear friends of ours that live there, we would maybe take in a show but with the exception of our vacation there in 2007, we never really did the tourist scene there.  That changed this trip.  Lilli had  never been to Branson and I wanted her to have a very memorable time so I let her set the itinerary for the week and Grandpa proceeded to pry open his rusty wallet in order to make sure that she would remember this birthday for at least a week or two. 

Getting ready to hit the town!

Lilli had decided, after some coaching from her mom, that she wanted to Ride The Ducks, see the show The Haygoods, and have a dinner show on the Branson Belle so that is just what we did, plus some!
We picked a really good week to be there, school had just started and the town was kind of in a wind down mode.  The down side to this was that the shows were not running full schedules and you had to buy early for the Haygoods because they were on a roll and had many sold out performances during the season.  I can fully understand why they continually sold out after we saw them, they are beyond a shadow of a doubt the best show I have ever seen in Branson!
Now, for those that know or have known me will find the above photo quite different from photos of my past.  There are two things that are notably "different" about me in this picture.  Can you spot them?  I'll give you a few minutes.....In my 59+ years, I have never , NEVER worn shorts in public.  Number two is that I am smiling!  This, although it has happened in the past (usually motorcycle induced) has become a more common occurrence for me.  It seems that I have finally come to the realization that life is good!

I think she had a good time

some of the old military vehicles on display at the gravel pit

The Showboat Branson Belle as seen from the Duck

One of the original Ducks

We decided that the first venture would be the world famous "Ride the Ducks" attraction.  My friend alerted me that there were two separate Ducks in the Branson area, one based on the strip and one headquartered at the landing.  We were advised to take the one based on the strip and are we glad we did.  I'm not slighting the other one, after all I don't know their route, but the one based on the strip takes you into a gravel pit that has numerous older military vehicles on display and the only way to see this display is to ride the Duck!  Now, the Ducks were not new to Cindy and I, we had ridden them in Hot Springs, Arkansas while attending a Gold Wing Rally back in 2006.

Grandma and Lilli after our guided (or mis-guided) tour of Branson.  The captains on these Ducks give you  a comical and informative history of Branson.  Well worth the money.

Here is a view of Arkansas from the Duck route across Table Rock Lake

The next item on the agenda was to see the family show "The Haygoods".  I had heard from very reliable sources (Lilli's mom) that this was a must see show, and as usual, she was spot on!  I purchased the tickets Monday morning and by Monday evening the Tuesday evening show was sold out.  This is a very talented family and the showmanship was excellent!  Definitely a must see while in Branson.

Now I do ask that you all remember that I am getting old and forgetful, and when in a rush very forgetful so the only picture I have of the Showboat Branson Belle is the one above that I took from the Duck tour because I forgot my camera.  The show was very good, the food was tasty and the excursion on Table Rock lake was beautiful, you'll just have to trust me on that one.

We all went out for frozen custard at Andy's (can't go to Branson without a visit to Andy's) after the Haygood show and just took in the sights of the amazing Ferris wheel and the choreographed light show that it offered during the clear night.  One of the Haygood men was responsible for doing the computer programming for the enormous wheel.  If the Ferris wheel looks familiar it may be because it was at one time  in it's life on the pier in Chicago.  It is a new attraction in Branson.  We did all ride it the last day there.  The view from the top was AMAZING!

Some shots from the Ferris Wheel

We left Branson and we did buy that membership for  the RV resorts so now we are looking forward to many, many more  adventures in many MANY more places.  Stay tuned for more!

Oh yea, HAPPY BIRTHDAY LILLI!