Some brief highlights of last weeks trip to Missouri.
It was a trip to be able to be in attendance of my fathers 50th wedding anniversary celebration. Unfortunately Stacy couldn't be there with me due to work issues this time, everybody said how much they would have liked to see her, I would have liked her to have been there too!!
I really enjoy flying, just not in airliners. Were I really wealthy I'd have my own plane and fly myself on trips such as these, we're not that well off though and private aircraft rental is so expensive now you could fly back and forth several times via airliners at the cost of renting a small plane for one round trip.
But even with all the changes to my flights and schedules, it got me there. Due to changes, Mike and Brenda arrived well before I did instead of the within a half an hour of each other. They were able to meet up with old friends and have dinner with them before I got to Kansas City. They picked me up and we made the over hour drive to Darrel and Connie's home. That was day 1.
It's all kind of a blur now, but day 2, as all four days really there were, was very busy. It was really nice to see and visit with Darrel and Connie again, it had been over three years since the last time I'd seen them. They open their home up to us and let us stay there. They also are very entertaining and have great senses of humor. Since they were really the ones to set this all up they'd have too! Everybody came over to their house and we visited and caught up on family events, again it was nice to visit with people I hadn't seen in several years. That afternoon it was back to Kansas City for a photo session with a photographer Connie had lined up. It was interesting, and I enjoyed talking cameras, equipment and photography with the photographer. I also took photos, some with people posed for 'the shot', and also some of the fall colors at the park in the late afternoon. Made me decide I need to get a accessory flash for my camera, and I found out I don't like 'posing' on the ground, blanket or not. I posted 57 photos from my trip on my Picasa Web Albums.
After two hours there we all piled back in the cars and went back to Darrel's for a Bar-Be-Que. Great food and conversation, a late night, with jet lag, of 11:00 pm.
Day 3, starts as day 2 did with Connie working on food for the anniversary party the next day. Decorations get loaded into their truck and I go with Darrel and Connie to help set up for the party. Mike's GPS had got him lost on the way there (his story and he was sticking to it!) so we were pretty well done before they arrived. Still, it looked good and after fine tuning we left knowing things were pretty ready to go the next day. Another great BBQ at Darrel's that evening and visiting with everybody there, then after some left for the evening we watched "Ice Age 2". Actually not as bad as I thought it would be, since I hadn't 'loved' the first one.
Day4, the reason for the trip, started with getting all the punch and food loaded up to take for the party. We all got there way early to finalize the set up and display of mementos for the event. As expected some people started to arrive early so it was good all was set up early. There was a good turn out, got to see many relatives I hadn't seen in several years. So I enjoyed it! Actually I think pretty much everybody did. I didn't hear any complaints about anything. Over by 4 and cleaned up by 4:30, back to Darrel and Connie's to unload some of the stuff and then get ready to go back to Kansas City and dinner at a restaurant in the Union Station downtown. What wasn't expected, a Marine Corps ball was taking place that Saturday night and the entire Union Station was packed. After everybody finally found parking we got in and were taken to a semi private room for dinning. The menu choices were a little 'different', like Muscovy Duck, Fillet of Skate (looks like a Sting Ray), kind of odd things to me in the land of beef in Kansas. In addition to the general dinner conversation it was interesting seeing Brenda G. get a little tipsy on the wine that came with her dinner, and Stacy said she thinks I should have been the designated driver for our car load since Mike had the same amounts of wines as Brenda. Wasn't though, if ever a next time I'll insist. Better safe than sorry! But Mike got us back in one piece, even after going the wrong way on the wrong side of separated road! Well, in his defense he actually did follow another car that went the wrong way first, it wasn't his fault! At the meal several people tried different things since the menu had a just entree or 3 or 4 course options, I found some beef hidden at the top of the menu and had the Rib-Eye steak, let me say right here that Darrel's BBQ was better than the "pro" chef prepared steak and garlic mashers. And I know Stacy does better with garlic mashers since we first had them back in Victorville at the "Road House" restaurant and she got the recipe. So, how would I rate it? Let's say 3 out of 5 stars for the food. 5 of 5 for the conversation and entertainment.
So now I'm up to last Sunday, the 8th. Last day there. We had to get up a little earlier than we had been because it had been planned to all meet at an area smorgasbord for breakfast. We all got to the place, Ryan's, I'm guessing a small chain since I'd never heard of them before, but a great value for the money! The place was pretty packed and I'm sure they usually are since the prices are much lower than most per-person eating at a McDonald's. Even was good food too!
While on this trip I was also checking out my travel ability with various things for the upcoming Germany trip. Our new JVC HD-camcorder records on dual SD cards only, so how easy was it to save content on the laptop, clear the cards and record again. It all worked great although the process to take the downloaded footage and save it from the laptop to a DVD took over 4 hours for a hour and a half long of recorded scenes. But it worked! We can't record in true HD though since I don't yet have a Blue Ray recorder/player for any of our computers, still too expensive, but the image when reduced for DVD quality on the DVD playback is still superior to the mini DVD camcorder or the digital camcorder we've been using the last few years.
Also, could I get by with only my camera bag and one carry on for a trip. Yes, although I had more cool weather clothes for Missouri than I needed due to the warmer than normal temps for the area, it still worked. The goal, per all the 'expert' travel advice, is not to have to drag around too much luggage in Germany. Sandy doesn't want to rent a car so we'll probably be doing a lot of walking, bus, and train travel so less to drag sounds good right now!
Overall a good trip and it was really great to see everybody again!
Tad
It was a trip to be able to be in attendance of my fathers 50th wedding anniversary celebration. Unfortunately Stacy couldn't be there with me due to work issues this time, everybody said how much they would have liked to see her, I would have liked her to have been there too!!
I really enjoy flying, just not in airliners. Were I really wealthy I'd have my own plane and fly myself on trips such as these, we're not that well off though and private aircraft rental is so expensive now you could fly back and forth several times via airliners at the cost of renting a small plane for one round trip.
But even with all the changes to my flights and schedules, it got me there. Due to changes, Mike and Brenda arrived well before I did instead of the within a half an hour of each other. They were able to meet up with old friends and have dinner with them before I got to Kansas City. They picked me up and we made the over hour drive to Darrel and Connie's home. That was day 1.
It's all kind of a blur now, but day 2, as all four days really there were, was very busy. It was really nice to see and visit with Darrel and Connie again, it had been over three years since the last time I'd seen them. They open their home up to us and let us stay there. They also are very entertaining and have great senses of humor. Since they were really the ones to set this all up they'd have too! Everybody came over to their house and we visited and caught up on family events, again it was nice to visit with people I hadn't seen in several years. That afternoon it was back to Kansas City for a photo session with a photographer Connie had lined up. It was interesting, and I enjoyed talking cameras, equipment and photography with the photographer. I also took photos, some with people posed for 'the shot', and also some of the fall colors at the park in the late afternoon. Made me decide I need to get a accessory flash for my camera, and I found out I don't like 'posing' on the ground, blanket or not. I posted 57 photos from my trip on my Picasa Web Albums.
After two hours there we all piled back in the cars and went back to Darrel's for a Bar-Be-Que. Great food and conversation, a late night, with jet lag, of 11:00 pm.
Day 3, starts as day 2 did with Connie working on food for the anniversary party the next day. Decorations get loaded into their truck and I go with Darrel and Connie to help set up for the party. Mike's GPS had got him lost on the way there (his story and he was sticking to it!) so we were pretty well done before they arrived. Still, it looked good and after fine tuning we left knowing things were pretty ready to go the next day. Another great BBQ at Darrel's that evening and visiting with everybody there, then after some left for the evening we watched "Ice Age 2". Actually not as bad as I thought it would be, since I hadn't 'loved' the first one.
Day4, the reason for the trip, started with getting all the punch and food loaded up to take for the party. We all got there way early to finalize the set up and display of mementos for the event. As expected some people started to arrive early so it was good all was set up early. There was a good turn out, got to see many relatives I hadn't seen in several years. So I enjoyed it! Actually I think pretty much everybody did. I didn't hear any complaints about anything. Over by 4 and cleaned up by 4:30, back to Darrel and Connie's to unload some of the stuff and then get ready to go back to Kansas City and dinner at a restaurant in the Union Station downtown. What wasn't expected, a Marine Corps ball was taking place that Saturday night and the entire Union Station was packed. After everybody finally found parking we got in and were taken to a semi private room for dinning. The menu choices were a little 'different', like Muscovy Duck, Fillet of Skate (looks like a Sting Ray), kind of odd things to me in the land of beef in Kansas. In addition to the general dinner conversation it was interesting seeing Brenda G. get a little tipsy on the wine that came with her dinner, and Stacy said she thinks I should have been the designated driver for our car load since Mike had the same amounts of wines as Brenda. Wasn't though, if ever a next time I'll insist. Better safe than sorry! But Mike got us back in one piece, even after going the wrong way on the wrong side of separated road! Well, in his defense he actually did follow another car that went the wrong way first, it wasn't his fault! At the meal several people tried different things since the menu had a just entree or 3 or 4 course options, I found some beef hidden at the top of the menu and had the Rib-Eye steak, let me say right here that Darrel's BBQ was better than the "pro" chef prepared steak and garlic mashers. And I know Stacy does better with garlic mashers since we first had them back in Victorville at the "Road House" restaurant and she got the recipe. So, how would I rate it? Let's say 3 out of 5 stars for the food. 5 of 5 for the conversation and entertainment.
So now I'm up to last Sunday, the 8th. Last day there. We had to get up a little earlier than we had been because it had been planned to all meet at an area smorgasbord for breakfast. We all got to the place, Ryan's, I'm guessing a small chain since I'd never heard of them before, but a great value for the money! The place was pretty packed and I'm sure they usually are since the prices are much lower than most per-person eating at a McDonald's. Even was good food too!
While on this trip I was also checking out my travel ability with various things for the upcoming Germany trip. Our new JVC HD-camcorder records on dual SD cards only, so how easy was it to save content on the laptop, clear the cards and record again. It all worked great although the process to take the downloaded footage and save it from the laptop to a DVD took over 4 hours for a hour and a half long of recorded scenes. But it worked! We can't record in true HD though since I don't yet have a Blue Ray recorder/player for any of our computers, still too expensive, but the image when reduced for DVD quality on the DVD playback is still superior to the mini DVD camcorder or the digital camcorder we've been using the last few years.
Also, could I get by with only my camera bag and one carry on for a trip. Yes, although I had more cool weather clothes for Missouri than I needed due to the warmer than normal temps for the area, it still worked. The goal, per all the 'expert' travel advice, is not to have to drag around too much luggage in Germany. Sandy doesn't want to rent a car so we'll probably be doing a lot of walking, bus, and train travel so less to drag sounds good right now!
Overall a good trip and it was really great to see everybody again!
Tad
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