On the lookout.

While Claire and Hannah were at school, the rest of us decided to go to a local coffee shop and go for a walk by the lake and lighthouse. 

Here are the condos that we saw last time we were here.

Look at the view!

I've always wanted to live by the sea.  I grew up in a harbour town.  This isn't the ocean, but we could never afford an ocean home.  But it is by water!!  As we get closer to retirement - could still be a few years away - we are wondering where to land.  

Do we stay put?  We have lots of friends here. Or do we move close to one of the kids?   Or get small homes in 3 different states and spend a few months in each?  A different season in each and maybe the winters in a home by the gulf of Mexico!  Maybe we could afford a mobile home in each!  Ha!  Or get an RV like Al's brother and wife?  Could I live in something small like that?

Here is a dream home I have though of before.  It is so sweet!

Or we could land in the Home at Pretty Prairie where Al grew up?  Well, we keep looking to the Lord and He will one day lead us in the way we are to go.  We can be on the lookout and seek guidance from our kids and from others who have had to make decisions like this, but we don't move until He says when and where.

School was soon out and we went to pick up Claire.  

We took her to her ballet and tap lessons.

While she was doing that, we went to the grocery store to get a few items.  We like how they treat older people!

After Claire's class, we took her out to eat.  Her choice of place is this drive-in.

Adam and Jill had left to celebrate their anniversary.  And the girls had left for camp where they were serving for the weekend.  

Sophia had cooking duty.

Emeri had dish duty.

The next day, Claire went to a birthday party and Jill took us on a country drive.

We could possibly purchase a home with a "dawdy haus".  Al often talks to the kids about having 2 houses with an atrium between them.  Would any of our kids go for it?  

Leaves are turning!

We saw a most unusual vehicle.  Homemade put-together job.

Sunday was church day.  We like their "cafe" area where people can mingle and have refreshments.  

This day they had rootbeer floats!  They had pop and ice-cream left over from a western round-up picnic day that they had had recently.

At home we watched the Packers, of course!

And we made chocolate chip cookies to send to Hannah at college.  College kids love care packages!

Hannah calls these "Nana's cookies".  I got the recipe from a friend of mine.  They are soooooo good!

The girls came home from camp late in the evening. 

Al's birthday celebration.

Followed by a show for us.

 And that was our weekend in Wisconsin!

The Arch

 The next morning, Emeri and we left for Wisconsin.

We made a stop for some coffee and breakfast sandwiches.  There were 2 tables of men having a Bible study.  Cool.

I hinted we should stop.  Al didn't take the hint.

Emeri told us that the DQ had 85 cents blizzards on their app.  So, we had to stop!

Drove by Cuba.

A rather sad sign if you ask me.  

We happened to be driving by the arch so decided to take Emeri up it!  The road takes you right by this stadium.

"During a nationwide competition in 1947-48, architect Eero Saarinen's inspired design for a 630-foot stainless steel arch was chosen as a perfect monument to the spirit of the western pioneers.  Construction of the Arch began in 1963, and was completed on October 28 1965 for a total cost of less than $15 million."

Riding up the arch. 4 minutes up, 3 minutes down.

"The Memorial marks St. Louis' role in the westward expansion of the United States during the nineteenth century. It commemorates Thomas Jefferson, whose vision opened the West; the inhabitants of the West who helped shape its history; and Dred and Harriet Scott who sued for their freedom in the Old Courthouse."

If you want, there are river boats to take you on the Mississippi River or helicopter rides over the city.   

I remember as a kid saying M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I and being so proud I could spell that word.  There was actually a joke about it.

 "Mississippi has 4 s's and 4 i's.  Can you spell it?"  

And they'd spell MISSISSIPPI. But the answer really is "IT". 

They gave us about 10 minutes up at the top.

Continuing on to Wisconsin over the river.

We arrived at Jill's at 9:40 pm.  Jill and Claire were already in bed, but Adam and Sophia waited up for us!

Continuation about our time in Wisconsin next...