Sunday, October 9, it is bright and sunny and 42 degrees. We had quick breakfast tacos and left for the Tappels at 9:30. I spend a half an hour on the Internet. It was my last chance for email, uploading my journal and banking. I left Bob there surfing. Patti and took Brady and Alex to Hartsburg, between Jeff City and Columbia on Hwy 63, for the Pumpkin Festival. There was a big crowd on this gorgeous day. We met Sarah and her friend Nicky (from Madison, WI). We squeezed the double stroller on the hay ride wagon to get to the main streets of the festival. We went straight to Lori's funnel cake booth. She got her camera from the car and we backtracked to a big pumpkin patch she had scoped out for photos. We were not the only people with that idea. Kids were swarming over those huge pumpkins. You had to vie for a spot. Lori headed back to work her stand. We wandered from booth to booth. We spotted Larraine in line for a diet Coke.
We got a Corn Dog for the boys, kettle corn for me and farther down the road we found a cool marshmallow gun for Brady. Then we saw a pen full of black puppies (only $100 each.) Brady got spooked at the Moon Jump but both of the boys loved the fish pond. On the way back up Main Street I snapped this photo of Brutus the Bulldog who was posing by a concrete statue of himself!
We stopped for chicken kabobs and French fries for lunch. An older couple from Columbia, MO, was next to us. They came for the Brats. They said they have a grandson in Austin with a dance troupe there. They were blown away by the traffic and road construction in Austin. They went to Big Bend in April and couldn't get over the beautiful blooming cactus.
Sarah bought a pumpkin and Kettle Corn on the way out and we headed back to Patti's for Carrot Cake and Pumpkin Spice Cappuccinos. We were both glad to sit down. Especially Patti after pushing that stroller full of two hefty boys all day. We got back down to The Cabin by 5:30. They guys had a big bonfire going. Bernie gave Brady and Alex 4-Wheeler rides after he reassembled Brady's new marshmallow gun. Larraine and Amber came with leftover fried chicken, corn, green beans, and rolls from last night's wedding they attended and set up for their neighbor. We ate like kings. Then we said our sad goodbyes. Bob and I were home by 9:00. We had showers once the water was hot.
It's 9:58 p.m. and 53.3 degrees.