Well a week ago Saturday morning my sis-in-law, niece and I headed south to Branson for my first vacation since Mike's and my last vacation September 2009. This was another first - my first vacation without Mike - and I had mixed emotions. I was excited to show and share Branson with Marcia and Chrissy but knew I would have some emotional times remembering when Mike and I had done this or done that as we drove around but I had a positive attitude that this would be a fun trip - little did I know how "wild" it would be at times but more on that later :) Below are some of the highlights of the week.
Saturday afternoon we checked in and checked out the two bedroom timeshare unit I had purchased last year. Mike and I bought our one bedroom timeshare unit at our resort in Branson in November of 1985 but the one bedroom wouldn't "work" if I took others with me, so the Lord provided an awesome opportunity for me to purchase a nice two bedroom unit in our resort that was the week after the one bedroom unit I also owned.
Sunday we were up-and-at 'em checking out Branson and riding the Ducks because the Ducks brochure made it sound that after Labor Day they might not run the Duck tours each day - and we definitely didn't want to miss riding the Ducks. I had bought a four-pack of small American flags that we had with us all day in memory of 9/11, that we took on the Duck ride with us too. That night back at the unit we watched a 9/11 tribute on tv.
Monday I did something on my bucket list - I ziplined with Chrissy. I am scared of heights but this is something I wanted to do and it was AWESOME!!! Someday soon (hopefully) I'll get the photos scanned in the place took to share in my blog. We zipped on seven ziplines and walked on 10 swinging bridges. I figured I would take about three steps out on the first swinging bridge and they would have to come and get me - nope - I walked right across (surprised the poop out of me). Then I wasn't sure about the first zip line but once you were seated in your harness gravity took over and there was no looking back. I'll definitely do that again at Branson Zipline.
Tuesday Chrissy and I took a great horseback ride at a place Mike and I had never rode before - so that was a neat experience. The guide had another horse at the stable that she let go with us without having it on a lead - so Magic the Appaloosa roamed free as we road the trail. Magic would stop periodically to eat but if my horse, who was next in line, would come up on Magic, Magic would take off to make sure he was the second horse right behind his "mommy" who was leading us. Oh ya - the temp got to 103 before the day was done too on Tuesday.
Wednesday we did some running around in the afternoon and then went to the Pierce Arrow show - Mike and I had never gone to that show. It was good and the comedian was a riot. We took the long way back to the resort to see the Branson strip at night lit up.
Thursday Chrissy and I went to Silver Dollar City. Along with watching the crafts people and go through several shops we road three of the roller coasters. The one that did the loops (Wildfire) I hadn't ridden for several years because the last time I had ridden it I got off the ride not feeling too well. As we went up the very steep hill I'm like "what have I gotten myself into and I can't get off this thing" but once we were over the first hill it was great.
Friday we did more running around and ended up at Inspiration Tower at Shepherd of the Hills where they have a new attraction connected to the tower - the Vigilante Zipline. It's like 230' in the air that is a gradual zipline that covers over 1/2 mile with you getting to speeds of 50 mph before you finally "land". Chrissy and I debated on doing it and then decided we would. Thank goodness there was a gate in front of you as you were sitting in the canvas seat and harness so you couldn't see how high up you were. The kid loading us on the ride told me to lean my knees on the gate and I told him three times I didn't want to as I clutched the gate in a death grip. Once he pushed the button to make the gate disappear (I'm not sure how it disappeared because I had my eyes closed :) and after the first couple of feet and screaming - the ride was actually pretty awesome.
I didn't have that many bittersweet moments - which I was glad. There were a couple of times on the balcony of my unit when I was eating breakfast that I'd think Mike should have been sitting there with me and then after we loaded up yesterday morning I took one last time on the balcony, and told Mike that he should have been there with me but I was able to have my first vacation without him. And he was there with me in my heart the whole week.
Dad had come up to stay at the house to watch Butler and I wasn't sure how Butler would do because this was his first time for him to be "alone" for a week without Milly. I didn't know if he'd even still be here when I got home - but thankfully he was. Dad said the two of them got along pretty good.
Now to get ready for work tomorrow :) And to any of you who got some "rabid" email from my old greyhound484 email address last week while I was gone I apologize. I no longer use that email so someone must have figured out my password to send that message.
