Met My Wife; Changed My Life

Today is my wife, Paula's birthday. I always joke with people that the most important thing about that is it means mine is only 10 weeks away. 

But what I really want this post to be about is shining the spotlight on her and celebrate the miracle of having her in my life.  

I will share with you how she gives me the life I never thought I'd ever have in a bit. But first I want to expound on the one thing I admire the most about her, her resilience. 

All her life, no matter what circumstances she has gone through, Paula has survived and grown. Sometimes because of them but mostly in spite of them. 

She has and continues to have an amazing way of finding the positive aspects and finding ways to make life better every day. She survives and triumphs at the same time. 

I guess the best way to explain it is that to say she's a living example of the Serenity Prayer. She accepts and adapts to the things she can't change and does what she has to do get through them.  While also, having the courage and drive and insight to move forward and change in ways she can. 

Her fortitude has helped her succeed in a 30+ year career with the same company. Over that time she has risen from an entry level job to a position in upper management. 

The same thing is true with her personal life. She did what needed to be done to raise her two boys. They are both now young men in their 30s with lives of their own.
   
As her husband and someone who doesn't always handle life's issues very well, there is a sense of security and assurance in knowing that with Paula by my side, we will always make it through.  

I could write a book about events and circumstances we have survived since we've been together as well as those she over came before we met. Maybe one day I will. 

Let me summarize what I'm saying about her with this. In this day and age when women who overcome obstacles and come out on top are celebrated, Paula should be a headliner. She is the toughest person I know. Nothing beats her, she won't let it. Of the million things I love about her that probably tops the list. 

Recently, Paula has taken the next step in living her best life. She made the decision to follow a dream of owning her own business. She found a product she believes in and is sharing it with her world. 

It has been a pleasure seeing her go full force into this with all her skills and creativity. 

But not only that, it is taking her to places she has never been before.  She has had to learn a lot of about marketing. This includes getting deeply involved with social media. 

I never thought I'd ever see my wife go on Facebook live, once, but now she's going live every week. 

I have had things I've said I wanted to do for quite a while now. Seeing her following her dream has inspired me to finally stop hesitating and get em done. 

The next thing I want to share about my wife is how she has given me the gift of a life that I never would have ever had without her. 

Twenty years ago when I moved to Kentucky to be with her, I had no idea much better my life would become. 

Being married to Paula has taken me places I had only dreamt of going before I met her.   

In 20 years I have been to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee multiple times; Walt Disney World 5 times; St. Louis, Chicago 4 times; Chatanooga, Myrtle Beach, Cincinatti, Milwaukee, Destin, Florida and most recently Branson MO. 

But I'm not only talking about travel. Because of the encouragement, assurance and security Paula has given me, I have been able to do so many other things. 

I became a ventriloquist; was able to build my own home recording studio enabling me to create the music programs I love to write; taught myself to play the ukulele, and became a blogger. 

I have owned two brand new cars, been able to subscribe to XM radio which may not seem like a big deal but enjoying it is a big part of my life. 

I can't even begin to list the number of shows, plays, and entertainment events we have gone to over the years.  

And last but not in anyway the least, she has given me the blessing of being a father and a grandfather. Those two things are by far and away the best things she's ever given me. 

I realize that I have just written quite a bit about myself.  But it is all to illustrate the amazing things that being married to Paula has allowed me to do. Not only that she has always supported me through all of it.  

Now I know there's no way I could ever know what my life would have been like if I had not met and married Paula. (Actually, I really don't even like thinking about it) But based on where I was, in life, when we met, I can't ever imagine having a life close to the one she has enabled me to live. 

I want to close this post with a link to one of my favorite Ronnie Milsap songs that expresses the spirit of gratitude and love I want this post to convey to my wife on her birthday. 
What A Difference You've Made In My Life

To my soul mate, Paula Kaye Havens, the life changer God led me to over 20 years ago. I Love You Always And Forever. Happy Birthday Darlin. 

Disney Days Done????

It's been a rather quiet couple of weeks since we've been back from Branson. I've not done a whole lot of "out and about" stuff that I can write about. 

So instead this post is going to be about one of my favorite vacation places, Walt Disney World and how I just might stop going there. 

I must state up front that this subject is kind of a complex issue and has a lot of elements to it. Please understand that all must be presented to prove my point and yet it's not everything I have to say on the subject, just the highlights. Ok, let's get into it. 

I have been to Walt Disney World 5 times over the last 15 years. They have all been special and I have a heart full of treasured memories from each and every one of them. They include: our first family vacation with just Paula, me and our 2 sons; a 50th birthday trip, a 13th wedding anniversary trip; a solo 56th birthday trip, and my grand daughter's first trip where she met Minnie Mouse. 

Over the years the cost and complexity of visiting WDW has gotten higher and higher. Almost to the point where I am beginning to question if the price point has finally forced me to fold and walk away from the WDW vacation game. 

The factors that have become a part of every Walt Disney World trip have made me start to seriously ask the question that I ask when I see mountain climbers attempting to climb Mount Everest. Why would anyone want to go through or do that on their vacation? 

Even if you are not a WDW fanatic like I am, you have probably heard a lot of news about it over the last year and especially this past month.

Toy Story land opened at Disney's Hollywood Studios last summer and Star Wars Galaxy's Edge is set to open this coming August. Disney is promoting the heck out of this resort changing opening. There is also a new gondolier style lift transportation system opening late this year as well. 

There have been commercials for both of the new "lands" running on TV and the internet for quite a while. Disney wants everyone to know what's new and exciting to draw them to their parks. 

What the average person doesn't know is that Disney has been passing on the costs of these new things to their guests by increasing prices and adding fees.

It has become almost certain that at least twice a year park ticket prices will go up at least 5% to 10%. They crossed the $100 threshold back in 2015 and have never looked back. 

A couple of years ago, in addition to their already seasonally tiered hotel price structure, Disney tiered their park ticket prices based on the time of the year and park you wanted to visit. A single day ticket could cost you as much as $125. But the more days you pay for the less you pay. A 7 day pass for 1 park per day could cost as "little" as $61 per day. 

In the last couple of weeks WDW annual pass prices have increased an average of $200. 

Increasing parking fees at the theme parks and over night parking fees at the resorts is another way the cost of a trip to see Mickey and his friend in Florida has increased. Other incidental costs have been implemented too. I won't go into them but they are there. Disney has gained a reputation for "nickel and diming" their guests constantly.  

While Disney on-property hotel rates have been tiered for many years, over the last few years they have expanded to pricing tiers within the tiers. No longer is there deluxe, moderate, and value. There are several levels of each. Family suites at value resorts are closer to a moderate rate than the standard value hotel room. Same for the moderate and the deluxe. 

By the way, I must take a paragraph or two to rant over my feelings about deluxe resorts. How can anyone pay $500 or more for one night at a Disney Deluxe resort? During a WDW vacation all you basically do is shower and sleep at your hotel. Now I know it might be nice to stay at a deluxe a night or two but for an entire week? Yes there are outstanding amenities, views and privileges that come with a deluxe. But for me, I would be too busy making sure I get my money's worth for what I paid for my park ticket to take advantage of those amenities. I'd never feel like I'd gotten my money's worth.
Now I respect and understand the decision of those in my family who have stayed at a deluxe resort. I know you took advantage of the luxury if offered. But as far as I'm concerned, unless I win the lottery or come into some other windfall, I will NEVER pay for a deluxe resort. It's a waste of money. Rant over, now back to discussing the cost of a Disney World Vacation.    

Special events and privileges have also been swept up into the Disney income stream. There is more and more what's called "hard ticket" events including the Halloween and Christmas parties and early morning or late night access to the parks. 

While these aren't experiences you have to be a part of to enjoy the Disney World, they entice the guest with exclusive experiences (especially when it comes to access to characters) or the ability to avoid crowds or waiting in lines for attractions. Apparently you have to pay to feel special instead expecting it to be part of the guest experience.  

There's also indications and rumors swirling around the Disney Theme park fan community that the days of free Fast Passes (the ability to enjoy attractions without waiting in long lines) are numbered. 

I don't think that they will ever become something that will only be an add on expense. But I do think that access to them will become very limited unless you want to pay for the privilege.  

Also the complexity and amount of planning required to ensure you get "your money's worth" during your visit continues to increase as time goes on. 

The main reasons for having to plan are two sides of the same coin. Aiming to enjoy as many park experiences as possible while avoiding or managing your way through the constant crowds. 

There used to be a "slow" season at WDW at various times during the calendar year. But Disney's lust for creating things that feed into the constant demand for revenue has almost made those times a thing of the past. Crowds are constantly at a moderate to high level all year long. While that's only good business, it can diminish your enjoyment of the time in the parks. Navigating through them in can be very stressful. 

The process of setting up your trip on the "My Disney Experience" app can be extremely time consuming and confusing.

Navigating and working the afore mentioned Fast Pass Plus system on the app in order to get the FPs to the most popular attractions can be mind numbing and very frustrating. There are endless tips and tricks you have to learn about to maximize your Fast Pass privileges.  
  
There is an entire industry devoted to helping Disney World visitors plan their trips. Specialized travel agents, touring plan websites, trip planning podcasts and online videos are plenty. These ease the planning woes but don't totally eliminate the stress. 

When my family and I have discussed potential plans for going back to Disney World, a few of them mention that they would like the next trip to be more leisurely and less regimented. They want to take their time and not have to keep a schedule or rush from here to there. 
Unfortunately, if this is what you want on vacation, Disney World is no longer the place to go. If you aren't diligent and focused on what you want to do you will be consumed by crowds. You don't want to answer the question, "What did you do when you were at Disney World" with "we waited in line."

Now I must say in Disney's defense, that I do believe that they are making an effort to make the Disney World vacation experience better for their guests. 

The Disney theme park development teams are constantly creating new foods, experiences, attractions and making improvements throughout the entire resort (Disney Springs has been almost totally reinvented over the last few years) to make people want to come to WDW. But I believe they are caught up in a vicious loop where they have become addicted to revenue. The focus has become mostly about bringing in the $$$ and not on the guest experience as it has been in the past. 

There are also personal factors that have changed my views on a Walt Disney World vacation.These are things that have more to do with me than anything to do with the resort.   

As I get older, the amount of walking and physical effort a day in the parks requires is becoming prohibitive. I just can't exhaust myself on a daily basis for a week and enjoy myself. Vacation supposed to be a time to rest, relax, and recharge. But for reasons already stated, Disney World isn't the place for that. 

Because of the cost and expense I've already mentioned the only means of getting to Florida that is economically feasible is driving. The price of airfares and limited ability to take along things necessary to spend a week somewhere takes flying out of the equation.  

But driving 13 hours and almost 800 miles in one day has become increasingly unpleasant. Unless I want to arrive already tired and grumpy without much opportunity to recover because of the intensity of a Disney vacation, any future drives to Orlando will have to be over two days.This tacks an extra day onto each end of our vacation. This means either turning what once was a 7 day vacation into 9 days or spending less time on vacation and more traveling.  

While this may be a bit redundant, as my wife and I get closer and closer to retirement, it has become more and more important to get the most out of our vacation budget. Disney has made the cost of a stay at their Florida resort far above what we want to spend on a vacation. 

But having said all this there is no denying that all that is Disney, its movies, TV shows, and characters are part of the fabric of the American lifestyle. If you have younger children or grand children, there's no avoiding it.  Walt Disney World is a place where the wonderful world of Disney becomes tangible. It can be experienced and enhanced. Seeing a little one you care about meet their favorite Disney character is almost priceless. A visit to WDW is saturated with the potential for making outstanding life long memories with your family.  That it is an almost overwhelming compelling draw despite all the negative things I've just written about. 

Does the things I've just gone through mean I have already decided that I will never return to Walt Disney World? Do I plan on leaving my Disney fandom anytime soon? Just one look into my closet and seeing my more than 3 dozen Disney themed t-shirts (most of them with Goofy on them) will tell you the answer to that is a strong "No". 

I feel as though there is at least one more Walt Disney World trip left to take. I want to go so I can make memories with both my grand children.  

I also have the dream of one day visiting Disneyland park as well.  I'm not saying there won't be more than one more trip.  But as I look toward the future. I can see a day when know for sure, I've taken my last trip to Walt Disney World. As much as I am drawn to it (at times obsessed), I'm surprised that I've written those words. But I've got to face the facts. It's just gotten too expensive for us. 

What do you think? Are you a Disney Park fan like me? Do you think a trip to Disney World is close to being too expensive for you?  If you are not a Disney fan, do you have any desire to go, just once? Please write your comments on Facebook page. I'd love to know what you think. 

Thanks for letting me make my case and rant on and on. That's the blog posts for this week. We'll see you in the month of July. 

Destination Branson Pt 5: The Wrap Up

It's the start of another week of posts and the end of this series. I'm going to pick up where I left off in our long weekend trip to southwest Missouri. Then I'm going to share what I think of Branson as a vacation destination.   

It was Sunday; the day of the wedding we had traveled to Branson to attend. In the middle of the afternoon Paula and I drove to a small chapel in the woods in the nearby area called "Saddlebrook" to witness Amy & Larry's marriage ceremony and be guests at their reception. 
I feel the story, memories, and pictures of that day are theirs. So I don't feel that it's my place to share them here. However, here are a couple of pics of us from that fun party. 

 I will say that it was a beautiful wedding and a wonderful day. 

As you would expect, the parents of the bride, were immersed in wedding prep. Paula was busy helping, Renee, another wedding guest apply her Color Street nail strips. (check out her Color Street FB group for more info:
Paula's Nail Haven) 

So I was on my own til lunch. I decided to go on a photography tour. I wanted to get some pics of the icons along Country Blvd. 

The big chicken outside the Great American Steak and Chicken House was first. 

Just like Pigeon Forge, Orlando, and Myrtle Beach, one of the most visible attractions in the Branson sky is the Ferris Wheel. I took plenty of pictures. 

I don't know why but at the time I decided not to ride it. Now I wish I did.
Across the street from the Ferris Wheel was the all too common sling shot ride whose sign said it was "The Ejector Seat". Tell me, would you ride this? 

 This is an interesting attention grabber for a miniature golf course. 

One of the things I saw that seemed out of place was a giant bust statue of President Ronald Reagan. 

It sits in the parking lot the "T-shirt Shack" store right next to the Jim Stafford Theater. 
I did a little research and found out that it's was brought to Branson from a place called "Presidents Park" in South Dakota by a company selling time shares. When the company went out of business it simply left statue. 

I captured shots of two attraction whose facades I really like. 
Ripley's Believe It Or Not 

Look at the left side of the building. It's constructed to look like its split apart from an earthquake. 

I know I included a picture of the outside of the Hollywood Wax Museum in my first series post.  But I had to get some better ones because I absolutely like the King Kong icon so much. 

Those are the pictures I want to share from my Sunday morning sight seeing tour down Country Blvd. 

We spent Sunday night in Branson and headed home early Monday morning. 

I have to mention that on the way back home, I bought a $5 "I Love Lucy" themed lottery scratch off at a Minit Mart and won $100. 

The two days we were actually in Branson went quickly. We really didn't have the luxury of taking our time to enjoy a lot of the area. But I do have some things I want to share with you in regard to what did/didn't impress me about Branson. If you ever decide to visit this popular tourist destination these may help. 

Now I'm not a travel expert so take these for what their worth. Also remember these are based on a very limited time spent there. 

Plan Ahead: With the number of theaters, restaurants and attractions in the area you need to have a general idea of what you want to do before you arrive. I guess this is true with any vacation destination. But when it comes to Branson, it's important to know if the show you want to see will be running when you are there. A lot of them are seasonal. Online tourist websites are a good resource for this.   

When it comes to restaurants (and there are plenty) you can take your choice of going to those unique to the area or those national chains you are familiar with. You need to have a general idea of what's available so you can avoid the "I don't know where do you want to eat" dilema as much as possible. 
Over the course of our stay, we only ate a one restaurant worth mentioning. That was "Shorty Smalls".

Geography:The footprint of the "things to do" in Branson is pretty large. You could draw a circle with a 20 mile radius and not include all of them. 

A lot of the places and things you will want to do or see are within an area surrounded by 2 main roads: Rt 76 Country Boulevard and Shepherd of the Hills Expressway. But please be advised that the area these 2 roads border is a large area and have lots of traffic. They are not walking routes. A car is required to get around.

One of the things that surprised me about Branson is how many hills there are. If you are going to park along Country Blvd with the intention of exploring the area, be prepared to walk up and down some rather steep hills. This was something that was very prohibitive for us. Because of my physical limitations (I have a drop foot condition on my left side and have to walk with a cane) it is very difficult for me to walk up and down hills. If you or your family don't have any problems with hills then it won't be an issue for you. But approach your Branson vacation by expecting everything to be at the top, bottom in the middle of a hill. 

There are a lot of amusements up and down Country Blvd. Go carts, miniature golf courses, paddle boats, arcades and other kinds of family friendly activities. If you have to worry about entertaining young ones or teenagers, you shouldn't have a problem. 

Museums: In the 2nd post of this series I shared with you our day at the World's Largest Toy Museum complex. But that was just one of the museums that Branson offers. 
There's the big attraction museums like: Ripley's Believe It Or Not, The Titanic Museum, and The Hollywood Wax Museum. But in addition there are others. I don't want to list them because I may miss something you'd enjoy. They feature and focus on some rather unique and interesting subjects. Here again is where pre-visit information is important.  

I haven't even mentioned the things to do in regard to animal encounters, historic tours, nature walks, and water based activities. 
There are so many things to do and see in Branson that if you are within a day's drive it would be worth spending some time there. 

I actually enjoyed most of our time in Branson. It really has the potential to be a fun vacation spot.  But unless you live within a relatively short drive (4 hours or less) it requires more than a weekend visit. A week long stay would probably be a little more rewarding. To be honest, I don't know if we will ever make the 8 hour drive again. I might but Paula probably wouldn't be interested.

For us, the Smoky Mountains are close enough and offer enough things we enjoy (many are similar to those in Branson) that its more rewarding for us to go back there again and again.    

So there you have my series on our weekend in Branson, MO. If you have any questions, comments or experiences that you would like to share with me please feel free to do so on my Facebook page or through Facebook messenger. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy post and series. Come back again on Friday and I will share with you more on what life has to offer a Yankee Near Nashville.  

Destination Branson Pt 4: An Evening With Jim Stafford

This is the next to last post in my series about my trip to Branson earlier this month. I am going to share how my wife and I spent our Saturday night in the Ozarks.  

Branson is probably best known for offering close to 50 theaters and shows. There's magic, variety, comedy, dinner shows and more. A lot of them are tributes to singers and entertainers of the past. There's even some entertainers, best known from days gone by, who have settled in Branson and are performing in their own theaters. A lot of them are seasonal and weren't scheduled during our weekend visit. 

On our own on Saturday night, Paula and I wanted to go a show but couldn't decide which one.

In the past few years when the idea of going on vacation in Branson was mentioned I set my sights on doing two things. One was spending a day at Silver Dollar City amusement park but that wasn't going to happen on this trip. The other was, seeing Jim Stafford, one of my favorite entertainers from the 1970s, perform.
After his six top 40 hits and hosting his own summer replacement TV show, back in the mid 70s Stafford went on to write songs for movies (several for Disney's "The Fox and The Hound), co-host the ABC video show, Those Amazing Animals and 3 seasons of the Nashville Network's Nashville On The Road show. 

Since 1990 he's been performing shows in his Branson theater. 

I was so excited when I checked the online schedule and realized there was a show that night. After I discovered this, there was no doubt where we would spend our Saturday night. 

About 6:45 we arrived at the theater. 

 The show started at 7:30 so we made sure we in our aisle seats in the 3rd row of the right section of the auditorium by 7:10. They were great seats and the theater wasn't crowded at all. We had the row to ourselves. 

From the opening song, the 75 year old singer put on an amazing performance. He sang all his hits and some funny songs I'd never heard before.

He was very friendly and enjoyed interacting with the audience. At one point he came down from the stage and shook hands of the people sitting front row center and on the left. I was a little disappointed when he didn't come over our way. 

Although he was a bit older than the last time I saw him on TV, Stafford was still the same guy I remembered. He's one of those entertainers who connects with his audience by sharing his humor with them not throwing it at them. He makes you feel like you're watching an old friend up on stage and that you are both in on the joke. I call it "wink wink comedy." 

From the moment he came on stage I was overjoyed. I quickly realized that I was going to enjoy this show on a much more than I'd anticipated. 

I was being entertained by a guy who's "Greatest Hits" album I'd owned and listened to since my late teens; a guy I'd always thought of as being very likable. It was somewhat surreal. I was so excited that at times got a little over exuberant in my reactions to the show. 

The first of his hits he performed was "Wildwood Weed". When he started playing the introduction, of course, I recognized it and started clapping. The only thing was, I was the only one clapping. I felt a little embarrassed until Jim looked my way and nodded his head in my direction.  He joked, "Ah you're the one who bought that record." That recognition made me feel better. 

In between songs he told some jokes and stories about his life in music. He told how his first single got recorded and released thanks to Kent LaVoie, better known as the pop ballad singer, Lobo. 

He went on to do that spoken word hit, Swamp Witch, which was my favorite moment of the night. 

My dad and I both liked that record and talked about it all the time. With Father's Day about a week away, sitting there listening to it being performed live made me feel like dad was right there with me. For the umpteenth time in the last 20 years I was experiencing something I knew he would have loved. I wished he could have been there with us.  

After about 45 minutes, it was time for an intermission. Before leaving the stage Stafford announced that he would be over in the corner at a small merchandise counter greeting guests, signing autographs and posing for pictures. 

 I didn't think it possible but I was even more excited than I had been with the a opportunity to get a picture with and talk with him.  

The line formed a lot faster than I thought it would, but I only had to wait a few minutes before I got to the front. It may not seem like a big deal but the fact that I actually got to meet Jim Stafford, is one of the coolest thing I'd done all year. 

I shook his hand and made small talk with him. I mentioned the song "I Stoned And I Missed It" which was his last top 40 hit (#37) back in 1975. 

I asked him if he ever met the song-writer, Shel Silverstein. 

He said he never did but that Silverstein had sued him over that song because he changed some of its lyrics on the record. 

When I heard this I cringed inside. I thought I had just messed up. I immediately apologized saying I didn't mean to bring up a sore subject. He graciously assured me that it was alright. It had all turned out okay. 

I then got my picture taken with him. 

I went back to my seat a very "happy camper." A few minutes later, I returned to the counter to buy a CD and a jump drive with lots of Jim's music on it. While there I helped out by taking pictures for a couple of fellow fans. Jim thanked me for helping out. 

He was friendly and kind to everyone who came up to meet him. He expressed gratitude to each and everyone for coming out to the show.  

The 2nd half of the show was just as good if not better than the first. Jim showcased his abilities on the guitar, banjo and harmonica. He is an amazingly talented musician. I can't even begin to describe how amazing he was. He also impressed the crowd with his version of Johnny Cash's hit, "I've Been Everywhere." 

All too soon the show was over. It was 2 hours that I totally enjoyed. I wish he had played longer. 

As we left, I was still on cloud nine. That "joy" would stay with me for the rest of our trip. The music I brought home will help keep the memory of that night at the theater alive for years to come. 

As far as entertainment is concerned, seeing Jim Stafford's show is probably one of my all time top 10 experiences. 

If you're a babyboomer, are a fan of 70s music, like me, and are ever in Branson on a Thursday or Saturday night, I highly recommend you go to see Jim Stafford. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. In the 5th and final installment in this series, I will share with you what I did on our last full day in Branson. I will also give you what I thought of my first trip to the Ozarks. See you next time. 

Destination Branson Pt 3: More Museums

Happy Monday everyone. It's the start of a new and busy week for me. It includes trips to western Kentucky, a return to Nashville as well as a ventriloquist performance. More on all of those coming up in future posts. 

Time now to return to that beautiful place in the Ozarks, Branson, MO. When I ended my last post, my wife and I were in the middle of our day at the museum. 

After an "all's well that ends well" lunch experience at a not-so-nearby Pizza Hut (I'll tell you the details if you ask) we returned to the Toy Museum complex to continue our tour of some of the other museums.  

When we walked in the door of building #2 the very enthusiastic lady at the front desk pointed us to the BB Gun museum to our right. We decided to skip it and headed down the hall to start the 2nd leg of our tour. 

Although I was ready to see the stuffed bears and the checkers, I was not ready for the additional toys we encountered. But I really enjoyed them. 

First up was a section of popular si-fi toys. I'm talking Star Trek and Star Wars. The amount of toys and collectibles on display from these two iconic franchises, especially Star Wars, was almost over whelming. 

Here are just a few of the display cases. Can you find something you had as a kid or is now in your collection?

 

 

 

Next we found a room devoted entirely to Barbie and doll houses. Paula found a couple of dolls that she used to have. 

I didn't get any pictures of the Sterns bears. But I do have pictures of the World of Checkers room. 

The Paul Harvey Jr. Museum was a series of small room dioramas that recreated a typical life of a kid growing up in the 50s. 

I was surprised to see a children's version of a type of lamp that my mom used to have in our living room when I was growing up. 

I don't know what the actual name of this lamp but I have been searching for one for a while. It uses the heat of the light inside to spin the cylinder on a spindle. If you know what they are called or where I can find some please let me know. 

Other than the toy museum, my favorite display of the day was the model railroad exhibit. Created and managed by the Roak Valley Modular Railroad Club this layout has some wonderful scenery, buildings and, of course running trains. The mural on the back wall really enhances the whole platform. Here are some pictures and videos.

 This video gives you an overview of the whole layout. 

Just two trains that pass on the line

This one really shows a close up of the detail of the wall mural which really accents the whole platform. 

After we spent some time enjoying the model railroad, our tour and day of exploring Branson came to an end. 

We went back to our hotel, hung out with Mark & Patty and their other guests. 

Our evening plans were to go to one of Branson's many theaters to see a performance of one of my favorite singers from the 1970. 

While I had anticipated spending the evening enjoying an entertaining show, it turned out to mean so much more than I expected. More about that in my next post as I continue my recollections of my first visit to Branson. Come back Friday for Part 3.