Lake Ozark for the Holiday

It was another travel day! But it seemed simple, since we only needed ourselves and the clothes and food. All the rest of the normal junk that is needed for an outing is already at the lake place.

Over the years, we have slowly accumulated a double set of everything. We have all the household items here at the lake that we have at home. If we ever went full time, we would have to get rid of two households of stuff! And yes the junk accumulates in two places twice as fast, it seems.

But that means we don’t have to take near as much, ….but we do. Since we were bringing the trailer, some of the stuff that came out of the Travel Trailer, that was no longer needed for the Motor Home went back to the lake place.

Originally we outfitted the travel trailer out of stuff from the lake home. Let me explain, when we get a new toaster, we never throw out the old one, it goes to the lake! So the inventory of old stuff is here. So that inventory of stuff, provided sheets and pillows and so forth for the trailer. Some of it came back here today.

We entertain more guests here than in KC. Like almost never in KC, so extra anything is here. This weekend, we will have both sons, and their wives and all 5 kids. That will be eleven folks. A zoo, if you will. If everyone gets two pillows, that’s 22, well you get the idea.

We take the trip for granted on the way down here even though it takes three hours. We have made it ooodles of times. So you get so you see nothing, unless it is out of place. Today, the Chevy dealership in the small German town of Cole Camp, Mo was out of place. It was almost totally closed.

Last year when we were buying and selling cars, at the auctions in KC, the guy from this dealership would be in the lanes, buying stuff and always beating your price, getting the car you wanted. He had quite the bravado, as he negotiated or bid. His lot was empty today, not a used car anywhere. The little shoebox office in the back was empty.

Up town, the dealership still had the goodwrench sign in the window, but the doors were closed. There were only 4 cars left with new stickers on them in the lot to the West. Nothing in the showroom. You will remember that GM had to promise to close all these little town dealerships as a part of their bail out money.

This was the largest employer in the community, and I am sure they don’t feel like they have been bailed out! This scene has to be repeated many times in small town America, as they closed several hundred. Both Chevy and Chrysler.

I knew and commented months ago that they would be on the list of dealerships killed, but it was still disheartening to see it come true. Still, I am at fault too since I haven’t purchased a new GM product since 1981. I began buying foreign in 84. The GM quality was so lacking, I couldn’t keep them on the road. As an accountant, I had to be able to travel every week on the road, and the cars would break down, and not be usable the following week. I went to Volvo, and they never failed to proceed.

Later I moved to Ford vans, and never had a bad experience with any of them. Perhaps it was the dealers, since they did break, but I was always back on the road by Monday. How did I get off on this?

We have our “about to be three year old” Delany with us tonight, as she was so broken hearted last night that we were leaving without her. Picked her up from her daycare school, after lunch. She was wound up like a top, and sang and played in the car on the way down here, until she all of a sudden crashed in her seat. She slept for over an hour.

She helped me empty the trailer, and kept saying Motor Cycle, as I unloaded the scooter. She had to push the back of the mattress to help me scoot it along the carpet, as we brought it in from the garage. After supper, she had a bath, and again crashed in her bed. She is in the very terrible two’s, and tries your patients, but is so cute doing it that we can’t be mad at her. NO! is always her answer.

Tomorrow will be the adventure of cleaning the dock and pontoon boat. She will have to wear her life vest out on the dock, as that is grandpa’s rule!

Retired Rod