Missouri Shows me... a good time (so far)

I woke to a heavy rain that came down relentlessly through the night. The neighbor in the motel room next door was having a drama of some kind...dare I make a guess, a marital dysfunction? A beautiful young girl of about 30 kept arriving in a red van at his room, sitting in the parking lot and crying, then going in, then leaving again, over and over again through the night. He would then get agitated, get on his cell phone and pace back in front of his (and my) door talking in loud tones that I made effort not to listen to. By morning with the rain it was a somber night and morning of melodrama.

Sean and I traveled on with coffee and rain and a bleak prospect of anything today but travels. "What would I write about tonight?" I wondered. Surely nothing adventurous can happen in such cold damp conditions, and it being mid July that seems hardly a fair deal on the weather end of it. I spoke a bit harshly with God about all the rain. Sorry God, as usual I failed to see the big picture.

We stopped off about 11:30 to eat lunch at a country café and had the best meal I have eaten in days. The waitress was friendly and I had time to read the local add magazine for the Southern Missouri farming community. Quite enlightening things could be found there such as the price of tractors, what farms were up for auction and the cost of a gallon of hand picked blackberries.

On a lark, based only on a sign from the freeway we decided to seek out an antique shop we saw advertised in a small town called Hermann, about 15 miles south of I 70. I was expecting some dusty little shop between fruit and vegetable stands but instead discovered the most unusual little town I never expected to see.

This is the Hamlet of Hermann, with German Immigrant ancestors on the banks of the Missouri River, it is a hub of  cultural activities including live music, breweries, wineries, sausage makers, and many antique shops. We were blown away by the out of place looking European style architectures, the quaint decorations and best of all, on street free parking with no pesky meters.

Sean and I entered several shops finding a wealth in curiosities, some quite affordable. I resisted the temptation to buy very much and settled on a wooden duck covered in brass

 and copper that went for $7. Sean bought a belt buckle that had a pro Gun message. He is turning in to quite the enthusiast for redneck philosophies. He will fit in well in the Ozarks.

 We toured the town and I was most impressed by the courthouse which had it's own dome like a State Capital and sat imposingly on the highest hill like a castle overlooking it's serfdom. Finishing off the trip we made it to Columbia where we met Susan, my Nephew Noah, Susan's partner Bob and others to begin phase II of the trip, actual relocation. Sean put in applications on Saturday and Sunday, and I have an interview this Monday at a local nursery that grows tomatoes. I will keep you informed as to the progress. So far things have all fallen into place. Lord, please keep my luck running good.