Memphis, B. B. King's Blues Club, and Sweet Caroline!

With Sister Shirley's expert driving we arrived in Memphis at 5:20 p.m. on Monday, July 1.  Somehow we had forgotten we would be cutting through the corner of Arkansas from Missouri -- duh!  Now that's state 10 we will be traveling through (I was careful not to use a credit card -- forgot to add Arkansas to the list of "ok" states!)  And, we are considering an 11th state ...bet you can't guess which one and why!

Memphis weather is lovely.....but, home?    Not so much!

 

Whew!!!!!

We checked into the Hampton Inn, Downtown right next to Beale Street.  There is a trend developing here on Hampton Inn hotels!  And, off we went to explore Beale Street!  Stopped by A. Schwab's the oldest mercantile in Memphis....

 World's largest coveralls for sale........

A great assortment of "stuff".......

And, voila!  B. B. King's Blues Club appeared almost next door.  There was no contest...in we went.   Great group playing -- Memphis Jones and his band --- and he played hit after hit interspersed with great Memphis music history.  The band did a great rendition of Sweet Caroline written in the bar of The Peabody Hotel just two blocks from B. B. King's Club and performed first by Neil Diamond at the hotel.

Historical markers everywhere!

Yum!  Fried pickles!

This poster made me laugh out loud!

It was finally time to TRY to rest for the night.  We got into our first sister convoluted conversation and didn't get it sorted out until I was ready to press the button to buy tickets to tour Graceland, Elvis' home.  While we were planning this trip we had agreed that we wouldn't tour Graceland.  Our Memphis day was a travel day bonus rather than a destination site for one of our activities and it's been delightful -- surpassed our expectations.  But, of course, we got sucked into the ads on TV, the ads on the street and began hyperventilating about going to Graceland....AND we didn't ask each other if they REALLY wanted to go!  So we began accommodating each other without talking to each other.  Duh!  Just as I was about to push the button I asked Shirley "do you really want to do this?" and we burst into giggles when we realized we didn't.  Yes, we will drive by it.  Yes, we honor Elvis.  Yes, we think Memphis is wonderful.  And, yes, we now have time to go to a famous quilt shop in Franklin, TN on the way to Chattanooga!  

Stay tuned!

A little known secret about the Sisters on Wheels tours.....before each trip we gather small items and bring them to share.  Some things come in "twos"...some are items we know the other will like.  And, they mostly coordinate with the color theme of the trip.  This tradition came out of our Grandmother Harrison's practice of wrapping small items up in tissue paper and sending them on our family trips to be opened each day!  This year Shirley had just been to London celebrating her 35th wedding anniversary and we have some delightful things from Harrods and items with our Harrison family crest.

Tonight, Chattanooga and putting the finishing plans on an action packed two days touring Civil War battlefields!  Stay tuned

Mansfield, Missouri Rocky Ridge

We left Kansas this morning and headed to the state of Missouri and our second Little House museum Rocky Ridge. This lovely museum was the final home of Laura and Almanzo Wilder and the place where she wrote the books we all love so much. Kay's roommate from college, Alice Duwe and her husband Wes, joined us on the tour and as you can see in the pictures they both joined in wearing red, white, and blue.

After visiting the farmhouse and seeing Pa Ingall's violin we drove to a beautiful Rock home that was a gift from Rose Wilder Lane to her parents. This home was built in 1928 and was an excellent example of the love a child has for her parents as she shares her successes with them in the form of a house.

I was so excited to see this wonderful place and purchased many items for my class next year as we read the Little House books each year in second grade.

Thanks Wes and Alice for sharing this special visit with the Sisters on Wheels!

First Meetup with Prostate Cancer Forum for Ladies Only Member

Today was an awesome day...church in the morning (which Shirley is writing about), more visits with Burgis and my first of three meetups with fabulous "sisters" from the international on-line Prostate Cancer Forum for Ladies Only hosted by a wonderfully skilled moderator from Ireland.  This bulletin board with hosts from all the world literally saved my sanity when Dennis was sick and after he passed away.  They are a group of women from all over the world who freely share new research, experience and practice unconditional compassion.  I just finished as a host for the Forum for nearly 3 years.  It was a wonderful experience and I hope to be "back at it" some day.  

Note to all other "sisters" we are meeting on the trip --- join in the fun -- the color theme is Americana -- red, white and blue or red and white or blue and white or red and blue....oh, heck, you get the drift!!!  Suzann was the first...and she looked spectacular!

Sooo, the meetup first!  A few years ago I connected with Suzann (Molady) who lived in the Joplin area very near my father-in-law.  After almost two years in the Tulsa area, she is moving back and I will get to spend time with her each time I visit!!!  We met at Reddings Mill Candy House.  It just didn't  take us long when we first met to figure out that we BOTH loved the Candy House and it was part of our history.

The funny part was that we almost missed connections...she was waiting in the parking lot and we were waiting on the patio outside the ice cream shop.  Finally, finally we got connected and fast, happy chatter ensued.  Suzann took us on a great tour of the area so we could see her new house.  It's gorgeous and Suzann is a wonderful decorator so it will be in tip-top shape in no time.  Her husband is doing great and it was a happy visit that was too short!

Suzann and Kay:  I have no idea why I look like a pirate!

Part Two:

Staying at the Rose Cottage  Our dear friend, Karen, opened her Kansas home for our visit even though she was away.  It's a lovely, lovely cottage in the same village as Quaker Hill Manor.  She is making great improvements without touching the vintage nature of the cottage where she grew up.  Here are a couple of pictures of the new windows and the front door.   Thank you, Karen!  We loved it.

 New windows -- energy efficient and blends in with the vintage cottage...bedroom view of river bank

 Gorgeous bedroom with roses everywhere.....

 Front porch.....

 Ahhh - -we're here --- The Rose Cottage

 Sister Shirley starts taking artistic pictures like Niece Caroline --- keep working at it!!!!

Just sitting and talking and holding hands with my father-in-law...he's great!

Tomorrow: Mansfield, Missouri and the second Little House site...and on to Memphis!

Sunday at Lowell Friends Church

We arrived at church this morning and were astounded to see all of the red, white, and blue shirts on the people! Did they get a memo about the theme of our travels? AHH it is the Sunday before our country's Independence Day celebration I guess we should have known! Anyway we were able to hear a delightful group of children singing God Bless America and Sister Kay playing the piano with Lisa at the organ per Burgis' request. We asked Burgis what hymns he would like and he chose Trust and Obey and He Touched Me with Shirley singing and Kay at the piano. Kay spoke during Open Worship and shared meeting Burgis when she was 15 and I was 9. Meeting Dennis later and becoming a part of the Taber family was a bonus! Our morning sharing in the Lowell Friends Church was a warm reminder of how God's family is created. 

Visiting Burgis...the Mayor of Quaker Hill Manor!

Also on Day One, we visited Burgis (Dennis' dad) in Lowell, Kansas.  I had planned a surprise activity with him --- creating a medals shadowbox using his WWII medals and a couple of pieces of memorabilia.   We had a great time chatting about each one and he quickly began directing the process!  It was fun to see how many guests he had stopping by to say hello (pay homage to?) ....he clearly is the unofficial mayor here! Sister Shirley did a great job taking notes so we have his comments about the medals.  I did add in his Kansas Yearly Meeting nametag, his 1947 State of Kansas Chauffeur's Badge and his 20 year belt buckle from B. F. Goodrich (he worked there 38 years!)  And, a good time was had by all!

 Anybody for a big gulp?  This one is Shirley Jane's -- lemonade and sprite?  Really???

And, yes, I straightened the crooked pin at the bottom....sigh....

First Stop--- Little House on the Prairie Independence, Kansas

As part of our journey this summer we are going to visit four Little House museums. We traveled through Independence, Kansas and then the back roads to get to the Little House on the Prairie Museum. This museum has a replica cabin, a post office, and one room school house from the 1870's. The original hand dug well is there that was built by Pa Ingalls and Mr. Scott! If you have read the book this is where they would send down a candle every day before digging to be sure there weren't underground gases that would make them sick. One day Mr. Scott went down without checking and...... ( this is where you go find your Little House Book, look at chapter 12 and read what happens!)

We're Back!!

It is summer 2013 and time for the Sisters on Wheels to travel the United States sharing our journey on this blog. Come along for the ride and remember this year our theme is Americana and dressing in red white and blue!