Thanksgiving 2008, Part One

We headed for Kansas City on Wednesday. Two daughters live there with their families. Above is Roman Lewis (2 years old) I-64 is moving along---here is the last light in Lake St. Louis area---it won't be long before we have no lights.

I-70 still needs some improvements---this stretch of highway is pretty scary with trucks and turns. Note the Christmas tree truck on our right.

We arrived save and sound at the Lewises where we met up with my brother Jim and his wife Deb. I'd brought a "goody bag" for Jim of items I'd found in Mother's stuff in our basement. It included Dad's hat which Jim put on at a jaunty angle like Dad wore it.

After Roman got up from his nap, Jim and I took him to the creek down the street. Jim wasn't being the best example going IN the creek for rocks, but. . .
He tried giving Roman one of the rocks he pulled out of the creek, but Roman declared the rock "ucky." (it was wet)
Later, I caught Roman trying to copy his Great-Uncle Jim.
The next day, I had my legs propped on a wall and my granddaughter Libby copied me. Maybe Jim and I need to be more careful what the little ones watch us doing. :-)

Go Mizzou!

This is NOT a simple sports rivalry, but a rivalry going back to brutality on both sides around the Civil War. Click here for more information. Here's another one--click here.

"Freedom From Want" vs. "Freedom to Be US"

This started out as my tribute to Thanksgiving---I was just looking for the iconic Norman Rockwell painting "Freedom from Want." But, it evolved into something I never get tired of---parodies of great art. I used to collect parodies of "Mona Lisa" and "American Gothic"---I think I trashed them long ago, though.

One of the reasons I LOVE Thanksgiving is that All Americans regardless of race, country of origin or religion can celebrate it because we are all immigrants (yes, even the Native Americans came from Asia). So, instead of my celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday---this will be a tribute to all Americans!






I love the one above---America is not just the Mid-West or New England . . .
The one below are CNN correspondents I believe---found it on an Anderson Cooper web-site.
This one is one of my favorites---took some planning, is reverent and speaks volumes about the family. So, Lewis, Morgan, Long, Twenters? Do you think we can pull one off?



But, of course, I have to end on a note dear to my family's heart---Missouri University vs. Kansas University football rivalry. May the best (MU) win! Go Tigers!

Over the River and Through the Woods

Thanksgiving, 1980's

Most of these photos are from 1987---Lake Sherwood, Mo. L-R Ron Long, Jaclyn Long Morgan, Louise Long, James Long. Below Louise Long, James Long, Grover Morgan As the song below says . . .
We had to go over the Missouri river, up and down the hills of St. Charles County and through the woods at Lake Sherwood. Note the "pineapple turkey" in front of me. Below: Rebecca Morgan and Lynn Provost---note the place cards made by the kids.
(We did make a few changes to the traditional song below---one year we slid down the hills in the snow---sideways!)

Over the River and
Through the Woods

Over the river and thru the wood,
To grandfather's house we go;
The van knows the way
To carry family,
Thru the white and drifted snow, oh!
Over the river and thru the wood,
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes,
And bites the nose,
As over the road we go.

Jane Long Provost and Harry Provost above. LeRoy Long below.

This photo is from 1980---Leah looks about 1 year old. Note the frilly "socks" on the turkey---made by a grandchild, I'm sure. L-R Rebecca Morgan, Leah Morgan, Lynn Provost, Rachel Morgan (where is Doug in all of these photos---probably downstairs with Grandpa's trains)

Rebecca's "Life with Rachel"

We have saved a lot of our children's artwork, letters and books. This is a book that Rebecca made about her sister Rachel. For some reason, I detect a "love-hate" relationship.

New Carpet, New Look

I'd been putting off getting new carpet because I was afraid I'd need a whole new floor to be level with the tile which would cause a problem with the sliding glass door---not to mention the expense. But, we had a very small ramp installed tying the two floors together which works great and greatly reduced the costs.

After the new carpet, we had a massive job ahead of us. Thankfully, Rachel and Libby came to our rescue. Yes, I ran out of boxes and had to use coolers and shopping bags to pack books.

When I thought of doing this with Roman, Eli, Brett or Davis, I just shuddered. Libby was the perfect grandchild to help. See, Eli, Libby is pushing swizzle sticks on the trolley, not standing on it and tearing chunks out with her teeth.

Although Libby was exactly the right grandchild, it didn't take me long to wonder if Rachel and I were a good team. At one point, we had chaos in 5 rooms. Too much ADD with the two of us! Meanwhile Libby was still hard at work cleaning out Grandma's sock drawer!
Finally, Rachel and I got all of the rooms back together---here's a change in one of the rooms.

The little cabinet sitting on the chest of drawers once had casters and was on the floor. Rachel suggested we pull the casters off and put it on the chest---it looks so nice and was made from my grandmother's sewing cabinet.

Thanks Rachel and Libby for coming to help. Thanks to Kyle, Rebecca, Jason, Leah and Todd for not bringing the boys---it was definitely a girl job. We'll be in touch when there's a job needing hammers, measuring tapes, screwdrivers, flashlights and teeth!

Old Carpet: I Have Stories to Tell

I can remember when the Morgans purchased me. They decided that a cream colored carpet was just what they needed to lighten up the family room. It seemed like a good idea because the "children" were teen-agers and wouldn't be as destructive. HA!
This spot is over 10 years old---it has been professionally cleaned many times and keeps coming back---that's what happens when a pitcher of orange juice spills on carpet and Mom isn't home to clean it up. Even the puppy they bought when I was still new made messes that could be cleaned up.

Several years ago, the Morgans put in a ceramic tile floor on top of the old floor. This made the transition from me to the tile a little hazardous. Lately, the strip had to be duct-taped down because the nails no longer held the strip in place. The blue mark was made by Leah a few months ago when Eli's applesauce was leaking in her dumped backpack.

Lately, Mom has been pretty destructive. First, she ground in a chocolate chip.
Then, Mom and Dad had a little "routine" worthy of any slap-stick comedy. Let's just say it involved spilled coffee and Mom falling over backwards in her rocker---of course SHE wasn't hurt---just me with another stain!
Since Dad has retired, he's spent a lot of time in recliners in this spot. He hasn't quite worn a spot in the carpet, but I'm definitely feeling worn out!
OMG---I feel I fell so. . . .dirty!

Springfield, Illinois

Our school district has wonderful day trips. We have been on four: Beer and Baseball; Amish in Arthur, IL; Mormons in Nauvoo, IL; Springfield, IL. We were warned ahead of time that Dave would not be able to see the entire Dana-Thomas house pictured above, but there would be no problem with the Lincoln Museum.

After our bus drive where Linda Koenig gave us background information on where we were going (She gave us a synopsis on the lives of Frank Lloyd Wright and Susan Lawrence Dana), we arrived at the Dana-Thomas House---the most complete of Frank Lloyd Wright home. Click here for photos--we weren't allowed to take any of the interior. It is magnificent--much larger than the other Frank Lloyd Wright houses we have been to. It has 5 "butterfly chandaliers" which are worth $1 million dollars EACH!

The visitor's center below was the carriage house. The steps going down to the gravel actually go to the train tracks. Susan Dana was quite the social butterfly and had many friends travel from Chicago to attend her parties.


Don't be fooled by the handicapped entrance into the visitor's center---this house was not handicap accessible by any means! Dave did get into the visitor's center and the gift shop, but when we began the tour. . .Dave was able to get this far and had to turn around---through this gate were about 5 steps with no handrailings. I can understand about the integrity of the house, but this was outside! It was also about this time, the docent discovered I had a camera and said I wasn't to have one AT ALL! I think she was in a bad mood because the house is being closed Nov. 30.
In her later years, Susan Dana moved across the railroad tracks to this smaller house and sold the mansion to Thomas Printing Company who owned it until the State of Illinois purchased it.


If you google "Dana-Thomas House", you'll mostly get blogs about the closing of the house. The state of Illinois will be closing it November 30th. I noticed there's even a Facebook group called, "Save the Dana-Thomas House"

After that tour, we came here, an old farm house called Chesapeake Bay Seafood Company, for a delicious buffet of seafood, catfish, meatloaf and pork.
The Lincolns welcomed us---they are dressed to go to the White House which is behind them--at the Lincoln Museum.



The man in the grey suit leaning on the pillar is John Wilkes Boothe. Behind the White House doors are wonderful exhibits (which I wasn't allowed to photograph) and several theaters with presentations that were similar to Epcot. Click here for more information and photos.
There is quite a bit to see in Springfield, IL---this was right across the street from the Lincoln exhibit. Have I mentioned that I love trains and train stations?


On our way home---at Clayton and Woods Mill, we saw this car. I understand "imitation is a form of flattery", but this is ONEUPMANship when it's in my own neighborhood!