OLA: Exploring from our 'Dock' in Pittsburg, Kansas

Christ of the Ozarks, largest statue of Christ in the US and the 4th in the world

In the last post I wrote about one disadvantage of the RV cruising lifestyle. But, there is still that one big advantage: to address the lure of the places we hear and read about, to actually see them with our own eyes, and then to write about them from our own perspective. In the past 2 ½ months, not only were we able to visit with family and cultivate new friendships and celebrate but we were also able to make wonderful day trips from our base, the warmth of the Docks’ home.

the tree of hope in Joplin, rows of white trailers at the back

First, Missouri. Joplin (please see our first visit there by simply clicking  http://rvcruisinglifestyle.blogspot.com/2010/07/coming-home-to-kansas-part-2.html), the city that was almost totally devastated by an EF5 tornado in May 22, 2011, the third to strike the city in 40 years, was our first stop. She still has the scars of that disaster. Long rows of white trailers provided by FEMA are still around for  those who are still homeless. Trees that lost their foliage but refused to fall were painted in living colors. One building, a former hospital, was totally wrecked and the next day we found out in the news that it had finally been imploded. 

a great view of Truman's Presidential Library

The other city is Independence, Missouri, part of the Kansas City SMSA, where Truman was born and lived. His presidential library and museum also houses his gravesite, resplendent with bright yellow flowers!!! Nearby, his home is now a National Historic Site and at the city plaza a statue of the man stands proudly. He made one of the most difficult decisions a US president had to make: drop the atomic bomb! 

a view of his burial site at the back of the presidential library

Kansas City Public Library

Second, Kansas. Whenever we visited Pittsburg, we always made it a point to go to Kansas City (please see http://rvcruisinglifestyle.blogspot.com/2010/07/coming-home-to-kansas-part-2.html ) but I didn’t know that one of the best designed buildings in the world was there! The Kansas City Public Library is designed like a shelf of books (I understand they selected thirty two of the best loved books of all time) for its façade. Books like The Republic by Plato, 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, etc. are memorialized as a giant book on this giant shelf. Even the stairs leading to the entrance doors were designed like books stacked on top of one another. What a most appropriate design for a library! But the trees that were planted many years ago are now practically hiding this gem. The City should really do something!

  

the very first Walmart: 5-10 Walton's in Bentonville, Atkansas

Third, Arkansas. We took the RV to Jay, Oklahoma, just two hours from the Docks for a week; it is one of those in our network of resorts. From there we explored parts of Arkansas that we had missed on our first visit there (please see http://rvcruisinglifestyle.blogspot.com/2010/07/stopping-by-little-rock-arkansas-then.html). Bentonville, Arkansas is the site of the Walmart Visitors Center and the giant retailer’s headquarters. The very first 5-10 discount store Sam Walton started stood there as it did in 1962. Even his old pick-up is displayed with a famous quote from him: ‘I just don’t believe in a big showy lifestyle. Why do I drive a pickup truck? What am I supposed to haul my dogs around in, a Rolls Royce? ’. 

his modest pickup truck

Sam walton's office, still the way it looked the day he died

The office which he occupied remains untouched from the day he died. It is an office that looks neat because Sam liked nothing more than management by wandering, being close to his ‘family’.  And now his idea is a business legend, operating 8,500 stores in 15 countries. It‘s the world's third largest public corporation, the biggest private employer with over two million employees, and the largest retailer with 2011 sales at $300 B.

inside the Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas

An hour from Bentonvile is Eureka Springs and that is where the Christ of the Ozarks stands atop the Magnetic Mountain, hands outstretched to minister to all, the fourth  largest statue of Christ in the world (behind Poland, Bolivia, and Brazil in that order) at 67 feet (and the largest in the US). It is on the grounds of the Passion Play Park that runs from April to October. I imagine that the park becomes very much alive during Easter and Christmas. Not far from this Christ is the Thorntown Chapel, with the structural woodwork designed like the crown of thorns. It was truly spiritual to be there. And just a few miles away is the Celestial Wind Chime, the largest tuned wind chime in the world hanging from a tree at 36 feet. Bill had fun swinging the pipes to create holy sounds.

Bill playing with the largest windchime in the world, at 36 feet, in Eureka Springs, Arkansas

the Clinton Museum in Fayetteville, Arkansas

But the big surprise of our Arkansas day trip was Fayetteville. There the very first home, and where they were married, Bill and Hilary Clinton owned while they were professors at the University of Arkansas. Though small at 1,800 ft., the home is absolutely beautiful in its stonework, just the right size for a small family, and well taken care of. The twist is that a colorful razorback is in front of their house, the mascot of the University of Arkansas, one of several pig projects in a fund-raising PIGshibition for the Ozark Literacy Council. Bill Clinton’s boyhood home is in Hope, Arkansas and his Presidential Library is in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Har-Ber Village, legacy of Harvey and Bernie Jones
 in Grove, Oklahoma

Fourth, Oklahoma. The campground where we stayed in Jay, Oklahoma is called the Pine Island RV Resort because the RV sites, including ours, overlooked the Otay Lakes with the Pine Island on it. Every morning and every night we look out to this peaceful scene of calm and cool waters providing comfort to those who temporarily make it home, like us. Then at nearby Grove, Oklahoma just ten minutes away there is a beautiful park dedicated by the couple Harvey and Bernice Jones for the enjoyment of the public. What a legacy they have left behind!

The End of the Trail at the National Cowboys Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Museu
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

The Female Cougar

We had been to Tulsa before (please see http://rvcruisinglifestyle.blogspot.com/2010/07/coming-home-to-kansas-part-2.html ). But this time we wanted to experience Oklahoma City, the center of 43 Indian tribes in the state, only three hours from Jay. The National Cowboys Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Museum features wonderful statues but ones we most liked were the ones entitled 'The End of the Trail' and 'The Mountain Cat'.. 

The Oklahoma City Bombing National Memorial

There we saw the grand memorial built for the victims of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah federal building on April 19, 1995 that killed 168 people, including 19 children, and affected 324 buildings in 16 blocks. The two pillars at each end are marked 9:01 and 9:03 AM because the bomb actually exploded at 9:02. The water that stands between the two is shallow but shimmering and the rows of empty chairs alongside make for a moving cemetery. A nearby church that was almost destroyed erected a statue of a crying priest. It was the largest terrorist attack before 9/11.

the cemetery of empty chairs

the crying priest

These are some of the reasons we decided to do the fulltime RV cruising lifestyle. We had such a long bucket list that we felt we had to go at the pace we did. Living a dream is more passionate than mere living. But now we have to be more pragmatic, visit more of friends and family, and as you will read in the next post, take care of ourselves better as we advance in years.

     

       

   

OLA: Cultivating and Celebrating Friendships

Bill gave his ID bracelet to this 1st Carol in his life, not knowing he will end up with a last Carol, with 2 Judys in between!

Afterglow at the Simpsons

One of the disadvantages of the fulltime RVing is that we create distance from family and friends. So Bill was definitely excited to get to Pittsburg, Kansas for his high school Class of ’62 50^th reunion on Sept. 6-9 (please see http://rvcruisinglifestyle.blogspot.com/2012/09/having-blast-at-phs-class-62s-50th-ola.html). And that’s just after we met with some of Bill's high school friends, in Antigonish, Nova Scotia last July (please see http://rvcruisinglifestyle.blogspot.com/2012/07/joining-unbearable-reunion-nova-scotia.html). Most of my friends are back in the Philippines but I have met a whole new world of people after migrating to the US and, especially, after marrying Bill. Our cruising lifestyle gave me a few new friends. But most of them we don’t see again. The wonder of Facebook allows me to keep my connections to friends and family elsewhere around America and the world, but most especially in the Philippines which ranks among the most avid users of social media. So celebrations of friendship are much awaited events!

the ladies showing off all their rings
after Terry gave me that humongous cetrine ring!

having fun with the dancing witch's broom!

The Reunion was a major success and the ‘Afterglow’, the party of the hardworking organizers after the event was itself a great celebration. The Simpsons hosted the affair at their lovely home literally filled with fall décor. As a matter of fact, a dancing witch’s broom contributed immensely to the pre-Halloween spirit. After the numbers report, a reading of emails shared congratulations and expressions of gratitude from many. As a matter of fact, the blog I posted on the event counted almost 300 page views, ranking today as one of my top 10 most popular posts. For me, the highlight of the evening was when Terry Simpson took the chunky citrine (alternative to topaz as my birthstone) ring she was wearing so gloriously on her finger all night and gave it to me without hesitation. I was so touched. So what got to me was this…these were Bill’s high school classmates but they made me feel part of the group, even though I contributed very little to the work. 

friends gathered at our Dock!

the Unbearables at the Docks

During a 2-hour hiatus from the many reunion events (there were 6), the we held a small gathering at the Docks’ home for a little tete-a-tete with a few high school friends.We served light appetizers (dimsum, fruits, cheese, crackers, and brownies) since we expected everyone to be full after a lunch event and before the Gala Night.  After the last event on Sunday, the brunch at Corner Bistro, we were also invited to a late lunch of smoked salmon and grilled burgers at the lovely home of Peggy Harth at the classy part of Pittsburg, Kansas.  Bill’s very first girlfriend, Carol (who strikes some resemblance to Elizabeth Taylor), was also there. As you all know his last may also be another Carol. Then, at last, Bill's life will have  become bookended by two pretty Carols with two pretty Judys in between! 

the group at Peggy Harth's deck

the colors of Kris' table

And then Oliver Becker, Bill’s college fraternity (Sigma Chi) brother messaged and commented on our status updates of blog and album posts on Facebook. He invited us to lunch at his lovely home in Kansas City. Wow, I got to meet Kris, his lovely wife who prepared a gourmet lunch with all the colors of a painter’s palette (special chicken salad with corn in large deliciously red tomato bowls and a special green salad with a great tasting dressing. No wonder…Kris majored in art and previously taught it. We had lunch at the gorgeous sun room that Ollie himself built upon retirement. They had just returned from a 2-month stay in Europe and I marveled at the coffee table book of their photos fashioned out of a software. I should be able to do that with our photos, too! Then I found out that the friendship will definitely continue since she is also a WWF (Words with Friends) fan-'atic'. 

  

Bill, Kris, and Ollie

the happy group of Sigma Chi

Ollie didn’t forget to invite us to the OctoberFest they hosted in their home. We were supposed to return to Pittsburg on the 7^th but we came a day earlier to attend this party of former college fraternity brothers of Bill. There were all kinds of bratwursts, coded with little toothpicks of different colors, yellow for garlic, red for cheese, etc. And the beer and wine flowed. This was all Kris’ handiwork again! And her sister made the irresistible trifles for a very ‘German’ dessert. Many of the fraternity brothers married their college sweethearts most of whom were also members of a sorority, Sigma Sigma Sigma. I didn’t drink a drop but as the night progressed, I felt so comfortable with the group that we had quadrupled the required 700 laughs a day. Every line from any one was followed by giddy laughter. It was like college all over again. I felt young…and accepted…as a friend!

the frat brothers meet again after 45 years! 

After all, what is friendship without good-natured humor? And, although I still regularly miss my longtime ‘barkada’ (gang of friends, not thieves) in Manila, I enjoyed myself thoroughly that night. We are bound to find many ‘barkadas’ wherever we go as long as our hearts are open to the joy of friendship. For what are friendships but cultivated gardens bursting with celebratory harvests of fun? Life is certainly a series of cultivating and celebrating friendships!

OLA: Dockin' with the Docks, Pittsburg, Kansas!

the cowboy couples having brunch at Fort Scott near Pittsburg, Kansas

From August 18 (and possibly until the end of October), the home of the Docks, Bill’s sister Rosemary and her husband Jack, has been our base.  Our first reason for going, besides visiting, is to attend Bill’s 50^th high school reunion (please see the post http://rvcruisinglifestyle.blogspot.com/2012/09/having-blast-at-phs-class-62s-50th-ola.html). The second reason was for me to see Jack’s family doctors for my chronic hives, their dentist for a problem tooth, and their optometrist to upgrade my prescription glasses. In short some ‘Carol(house)keeping’.

our RV parked right on the Dock driveway

Our rig fit exactly into one side of their driveway, up to their 2-acre property line, just past the old maple tree, and right in front of the carport.  Jack hooked us up to 15-amp power, potable water, AND their cable system! The only thing we did not have was our own sewer system and Jack did not want us to hold our breath about this one! So we had meals and showers at their house. I loved our bed which had been installed with a wedge for my GERD. So we used it mainly for sleeping. But their kitchen island and den with the large picture window became favorite places for hanging out. And Rosemary had regular subscriptions to the magazines I like to read…Time and People, the latter frowned upon by Bill!

Rosemary and I, cooking together!

Bill and Jack, grilling together, with Rosemary looking on

We alternated cooking dinners, although I must admit hers were always better than mine (since I have only been cooking for 8 years)! And Bill and Jack alternated doing the dishes, of course.  She helped me find a seamstress to shorten my dress for the Reunion Gala Night.  And Susie, their 13-year old Yorkie, though blind, seemed to recognize me as time went on.  I felt ‘at home’ and began to wish we had a place of our own to settle in to whenever we wished. Bill and I have already talked about looking for a place in the southwest this winter when we finish our North American cruise.

can you spot little froggie?

A cute story was about a little tree frog that 'inhabited' Rosemary's hanging spider plant. She brought it in to the RV to show us but little froggie jumped out of the planter when Bill clicked his camera several times to take his picture. That night we slept with a frog leaping around the rig. But in the morning, he was back in the planter which Rosemary smartly left inside the RV for him to go home to!

Becky, Pittsburg's tough pretty cop!

the couple over pizza at the Docks' dinner table!

The youngest of Rosemary’s children, Becky, 39, is a tough but pretty Pittsburg cop. We met her and her fiancée Tommy (they’re getting married in April next year), another cop but at nearby Frontenac. If ever there was a couple that fit to a ‘t’, then they are it. Although he is 6’4’ and she is 5’2’, their sense of humor is the same and they seem to look at the world with the same lens! They brought pizzas one night, we visited them (with their 3 dogs, Dakota, Huck, and Gauge, at their home one day, and we went to a seafood buffet at Downstream Casino one night.  

the Dark Knights...Bill with Tommy of the Frontenac Police

Joe and Susan with the Docks and us and, of course, Bella

The oldest of the three is Joe, 48, a project manager at Accenture in Kansas City and is married to Susan, 46, a busy events manager at Fiserv (where Bill used to be a business unit CEO) who travels about 60% of the time. Their home is a 3,500 sq. ft. 2-level beauty designed with exceptional classy taste. Though Susan had to meet with a friend, Joe went to a favorite local pizza chain, The Bronx, for more visit time with us.  Like his mother, Joe and Susan have a yorkie named Bella.

Bill and Joe with the Docks at the Bronx, a great pizza place in Kansas City

Bill and Kevin with the Docks and us at First Watch

The middle son is Bill, who graduated summa cum laude (4.0 GPA) from Pittsburg State University where he was also ASB president and president of his fraternity. His work with a major textbook book publisher/distributor includes a lot of traveling. Kevin, his partner, manages at ‘Wild about Harry’, a classy men’s boutique near the presidential library and museum of Truman, known for haberdashery, in Independence, Missouri.

Bill and Kevin at 'Wild About Harry'

Kevin and Bill with Franklin and Suede and,,,me

They live in a pretty bungalow filled with Kevin’s works of art, some of which had been featured in magazines, and aptly decorated for the season.  Kevin also takes great pride in the landscaping which he has been developing for over 10 years…and their 3 lovely cats, Suede, Franklin, and Ginger are a delight to have around. They are a lively couple, so much fun to be with! After our one night stay over, we had brunch at First Watch, a wonderful place for delicious and healthful dishes! And, when we left, I almost, but not quite, cried when Kevin plucked the best rose from his garden and gave it to me!

lying with all the pumpkis in the world

the Docks' great grandkids with their grandma and dad

But before we left for New Mexico we had the unique experience of the pumpkin patch Halloween Weekend. The Woods Farm was just 5 minutes from the Docks' home. Rosemary and Jack's greatgrandkids, Ethan, 5, who was celebrating his birthday, and Trinity, 3, by BJ, Laurie's (Jack's only daughter) son. It was one big children's party even if kids' admission fees were at $5 while the adults were at $2! There were animals (alpacas, steer, shetland ponies)  to pet, a corn crib to swim in, a slide between bales of hay, an orange train, a corn maze, and a hay ride through trees with hanging skulls, ghosts, spooky bats, and gigantic spiders. And, of course, there were thousands of pumpkins (and I found a yellow one!).    

fine dining at the Downstream Casino

Susie meets up with friend Ally at Rosemary's pretty garden

Jack and Rosemary and Bill and I took turns treating each other out at Harry’s and Fat Daddy, both local favorites for bountiful breakfast, Chicken Mary (since we went to Chicken Annie for the reunion), a nice Italian lunch at a local Italian restaurant, Napoli’s. But I wanted to go back to that wonderful steak dinner we had at Downstream Casino when I first visited Pittsburg in 2007. It is the only casino located at the intersection of three states: Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma!  The dinner was excellent but we could not have done any better docking with the Docks!      

Jammin' with 'Jimi C' n Family in Boise

proud father with his cool son at the RadioBoise studio

the Temple

We left Denver for Boise and decided to pass through Salt Lake City, Utah. We hadn’t been in the city on the Great Salt Lake. When we were in Utah in 2009 we meandered through its wondrous national parks such as Arches in Moab. This time around I wanted to visit Temple Square, the seat of the Mormon faith, considering that we might have a Mormon President come November. There were many missionaries milling around looking to inform/educate anyone who had the time. But we were simply interested in the monolithic Tabernacle with the great organ of 11,600+ pipes, the golden Gabriel the Archangel blowing his horn atop the magnificent Temple, and the statue of Brigham Young, the one who led his people west. It was a short sweet stop. 

The following day we reached Boise and were glad we were in time for jamming at Audio Outpost, Jimi C’s (no relation to Jimi Hendrix) radio program at the community radio station Radio Boise @89.9 KRBX FM, with live streaming at radioboise.org.  His blog reads ‘Providing refuge from the musical wilderness of commercial radio to bring you the best indie rock, pop and more. Thursdays 6-8 p.m. MST. Knock the trail dust from your boots and relax. You're safe here‘. 

Jim, Bill’s eldest and only son, is a managing member of a real estate law firm in Boise but his passion is alternative music. He and wife Anna, a smart and bubbly lady who gave up working to ensure the best care of and education for their two darling kids, Madeline, 8, and Ben, 5, have lived in the city for almost 10 years. They worked in Seattle before that. 

Madeline is a natural in soccer

Then it was another whirlwind weekend. Jim took a day off from work and he and Bill shopped for the ingredients for the fishermen’s spaghetti, one of Bill’s famous dishes (from late wife Judy).  The kids were in school and Ben had a party after but we got to play with them a little. Saturday was supposed to be THE BIG DAY! Madeline and Ben both had scheduled soccer games. The two are ace soccer players. But air quality, monitored by the state, reached 150 early on the second half of Madeline’s game and all games were cancelled for the day. Too bad we were not able to see Ben’s fighter stance. We were able to see why Madeline’s team depended a lot on her, though! If the Harpers are a tennis family, the Colborns are a soccer family!

Ben at home with the Balloon Lady!

But we found an exquisite Ezekiel bread (gluten-free with 4 beans), quite expensive at $7 for a small loaf, at the Saturday farmer’s market which was a nice alternative activity. But the highlight of the day was dinner! Jim is an expert pizza maker (one of his high school jobs at a local pizza company in Gig Harbor, Washington). It was a thrill to watch the little kids help their dad whip up pizza dough with spices, top them with pepperoni, Canadian bacon, mushrooms, bell pepper, onions, and tons of mozarella shreds. Italian scent filled the house and soon we had all the breadsticks and pizzas we could carry in our bellies. But not until we took a special trip to Ben and Jerry’s (yes, there was an outlet in Boise!) and I had another scoop of my chocolate therapy while the others had their own faves.

the great pizza makers!

family walk around the neighborhood

Ana and Madeline went to Sunday mass with us at the Cathedral. But the afternoon was a nice little hike around their neighborhood, the old historic district, right beside downtown, where their home just had a new 300 sq. ft. addition (making it a comfy 2000+). Well Bill got his free monthly rental at Redbox and so Lorax on BluRay was enjoyed by everybody (but I slumped into a short nap, wiped out by the nearly one mile walk which I had not done for quite some time!). Dinner was a special chicken curry, complete with condiments coconut shreds and peanut chips, a favorite of Bill and Madeline. 

Bill getting the free mvie rental for the family!

lots going on every time!

While Ana was cooking and Bill and Jim were out for errands, I was amazed by how smart Ben maneuvered an internet search to complete the ZhuZhu Hamster City (the core of which was Suzanne’s ‘pasalubong’).  Madeline got art/craft supplies. Then he and Madeline came to an instant grasp of Words with Friends to play with me! That makes them my other BPPs! Then the rest of the evening was spent with some Kinect sports games and the frenzied chase to finish a difficult 550-piece puzzle without borders (we were obviously not successful)!

breakfast at iHop, where else???

But Monday morning, after everyone (except me who overslept) walked the kids to school, the grownups had a continuation of their last evening’s tete-a-tete about places to visit and people to vote for. Then Ana took off to volunteer at the kids’ school, Jim went to his law office, and we headed on to go back to Pittsburg, Kansas for reasons I will talk about in my next post!