Branson 2007

I was thrilled in 2007 to go to Branson to work at America's Best Campground. I was a little apprehensive as this would be my first time to work at a campground. While I had visited Branson a few times over the years I had not had the chance to spend more than a few days there.


On my way to Branson I spent my first night at Lori & Brad's house in Whitehouse. It is always nice to be able to spend time with my family. There is not room in their driveway for my RV so I have to park in the street. Thankfully they live on a pretty quite street. I left Whitehouse early in the morning. I took US271 up to Mt Pleasant and then I-30 Out of Texas. I spent the night at the Hot Springs KOA. Then I took Hwy 7 up to Harrison Arkansas. This highway is very very twisty turny! I loved driving it! It is very beautiful country. I stopped at a roadside park and took a few pictures of the redbuds in bloom.

Most likely I will not travel this road again as there are other roads through the area that are not as challenging. However on this beautiful spring day I really enjoyed it.

I made Branson by the middle of the afternoon. The sign out in front of the America's Best Campground park said welcome Joy Ethridge. I was excited to be at my new home for the season. When I walked in the door I said " I am Home". Michelle and Ruthie were at the front desk. They welcomed me with open arms! I had stayed at this RV park once before on my trip home from Adventureland. It was nice coming to a place I was somewhat familiar with. Ruthie called Dennis to come and help me get into my site. I was glad he offered to park my rig as it had to be backed down a road. He did an excellent job getting it in. Well after he almost put it in the wrong site the first time!  Bless his heart I gave him a hard time about that but he took it well.

My home in Branson.

While he was parking the RV I had a chance to meet Judy and David.  I would be working in the office with Judy for the season.  She was great at teaching me everything I needed to know working an RV park front desk. Between her and Ruthie I picked up on the computer system fairly quickly. 

 All of the people working at America's Best will always have a special place in my heart.  They still feel like family and any time I can get to the area I will stop in to stay a few days.  This is a very busy park and holds a lot of RV rallies.  Michelle is the rally co-ordinator.  She does a great job!  There is a lot to do in Branson and Michelle makes sure all the rally people have the opportunity to see and do the best.  They also hold pancake breakfasts and have hillbilly parties. 

Jim working hard!

Sue (no she is not really that big!)

Ruthie, guest & Michelle

Aren't they cute?                            

Jim & Sue own the park and they are very  hands on with the breakfast and parties.  Jim heads up the cooking.  This park does not have a huge staff and everyone helps out where needed.  Ruth and Dennis live on site and wow do they go above and beyond in providing service to the guest.  This park has won the Welcome mat award from Good Sam every year.  There is a good reason for that!  Making sure the guest have a great stay in Branson is job 1 for all the staff.  We sold show tickets at the front desk as well as regular RV park duties.  Most of the tickets were discounted and selling the tickets on site was a great benefit for the guest.  One of the perks of working there was we got to go to most shows for free!  We usually were able to take one guest with us for free also.  Ruthie & Dennis's daughter Denise started working at the park in May.  While there was a big generation gap, Denise and I really enjoyed going to shows and working together.  Sometimes Denise's husband Trevor was able to join us but most times it was just the 2 of us.  We had some fun times visiting shows....most we really enjoyed however a few we left at intermission.  I will always have fond memories of the times I spent with Denise. 

One of the good things about being in Branson is some of my family came to visit me!  Johnny & Carol came several times and I managed to get them in all but a few of the shows totally free. They planned their visits so they were there on my days off and we managed to get 3 shows in per day most days they were there.  Add a little shopping to the visit and some good eating and we had grand times together!

Lori, Brad & Garrett also came to visit.  They rented one of the cabins in the RV park.  It was just perfect for the 3 of them. 

They were a little concerned that Garrett would not behave in the shows.  But he was great I never saw him sit so still before.  People around us even said he was the best behaved little guy.  He was a little ansy before the show started but once it started he said as still as a statue!  It was great having them visit.  I love it when my family comes to see me!

I will always have fond memories of Branson and my time there.  My favorite show was Clay Cooper's Country Music Express.  Hmmm that was strange as I am not that great a country fan.  I must say Clay and Tina Cooper have good hearts and it shows!  Any time I am in Branson I will return to see their show again.  Bob, Vicki, Rosalie and Larry (Adventureland friends) visited me at different times and I took them to the show and they all loved it.  It was also one of the shows I took Johnny and Carol to see.  Everyone was delighted.  Bob and Vicki had never been to a show in Branson and they weren't sure they wanted to go.  I insisited they had to see it and they were glad they went. Here is a link to the website www.claycooper.biz/

There are lots of other great shows in Branson that one was just my favorite.  There are also great places to eat.  One of my favorites was Mel's Hard Luck Diner.  All of the wait staff sings!  It is one of those places everyone should go.  The food is good and you get entertained while you eat.  They opened the Titanic exhibit the year I was there.  While I did not expect to enjoy it I did!  It was very interesting.  Of course no stay in Branson is complete without a trip out to Silver Dollar City.  It is a very unique park.  Nothing like your typical amusement park.  This is the only place I have ever been on a rollercoaster and rode sitting backwards!  Lisa made me do it!  It was fun!

I had such a good time working and living in Branson you might ask why did I leave.  Well, the answer is there are still new places and faces to see!  Someday I might go back to work in Branson but for now there are just too many new adventures to have.  God is still leading my travels and when he says it is time to return to Branson I will be ready! Until then I will keep traveling where he leads!

Until next time God Bless!

End of 2006

I spent the last couple of months in 2006 working for See's once again. This time I worked at the Vista Ridge Mall in Lewisville, Texas.  I stayed at the Sandy Lake RV park in Carrollton.  I planned my trip up to Carrollton for a Saturday thinking the traffic would not be so bad.  I did not take the direct route on I45 to I35.  I used  I20 over to 12 and then hit I35 north of Dallas.
I had no problems with heavy traffic until I hit I35.  I don't know where all those people came from but as I made the merge I was surrounded!  I only had to go a couple of miles before my exit and believe me I had a death grip on the wheel. The Sandy Lake RV park is in a fairly quite area.  About have of the park is mobile homes and the other half RV's.  While it was nothing fancy it served the purpose.  I was happy to be only 4 miles from the mall and the trip was an easy one on back streets.  One thing I really enjoyed about being at Sandy Lake is I got to visit a lot with Lisa's family.  I even got to keep the girls while Lisa and Butchie had a night out to go Christmas shopping.  Several times I met Lisa and the girls at the Grapevine mall which was almost half way between her house and my rv park.  They even met me and took me to Chuckie Cheese to celebrate my birthday.  We had a wonderful time....I really have not had to many chances to celebrate birthdays.  Well, I have had plenty of Birthdays just no celebrations.

I worked with Lois and Carroll that year.  A wonderful couple.  I had met Carroll at Adventureland but don't remember ever meeting Lois.  It was a pleasure working with them.  We had a really good kiosk location right in the middle of the mall.  The only downside to our location was that your store room was a good distance from the Kiosk. I discovered Panera Bread near our Kiosk.  I had a lot of wonderful Potato soup there!  All and all it was a wonderful season. 
We had Christmas at Lisa's house that year so I did not have to go far to be with my family.  It sure is nice to spend Christmas with everyone.
I planned my trip out of the Dallas area for New Years day.  One of the best days of the year to travel.  There was no one on the roads early on New Years day!  I spent the next couple of months sitting in Johnny & Carol's driveway.
Then it was on to Branson!