Time has it's way with you as you get older. We have checked off 1st grade as of 12:30 today. Its a welcome moment as we have struggled a little with Sam and his hair trigger temper this year. Needless to say, Sam and his parents are glad we get to take a break for the summer.
This summer is going to be a big one for us and in the same fashion of last year, we get to kick it off with the 2016 St. Louis Rib Fest that also happens to be in our back yard. It is an awesome way to start the summer.
This Sunday we depart for 4 nights of peace and quiet at Rend Lake in Illinois. A celebratory trip for the end of the school year and honestly I need a break from the same old thing. On tap for early June is Kentucky Lake and the Smoky Mountains. Summer has just started and its already 1/2 way booked.
Below are some the going's on over the last few weeks.
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| Sam's last day of 1st Grade!!! |
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| Homemade Pastrami Sandwich with House Smoked Corned Beef!!!! |
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| Scored a Portable Ice Maker on a Buy/Sell Facebook Site. |
Our first trip of the season was to Johnson's Shut In's Near Acadia MO. It has become one of our favorite spots in Spring. Zero cell service, Zero TV. Get outside, Ride bikes and enjoy fresh air. We even stayed in the same spot as last season. My parents also went with us having never seen this part of the state. This place has a certain feel that makes it special. The weather was warm enough that getting your feet in the Black River was a welcome treat.
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| RTIC 20 Qt |
RTIC Coolers.....I have always been intrigued by the YETI Cooler guys and how they justify pending $400-1K for a cooler. Truth be told as I have learned, it is more of a status symbol for those folks in the Midwest. If you are a offshore fisherman, or sport hunter that needs to keep your catch on ice for possible days with out replenishment, I get it completely. Up until recently Spending YETI money for a flipping cooler seemed ridiculous for the benefit of a colder beer. RTIC Seemed to have Clued into this and made the YETI Type cooler more cost effective for every day folks. As a Rv'er we use coolers and really beat them to hell. My current two Coleman's have had the hinges replaced, They are stained and beat up but they work well. I have been seeing the RTIC brand out for a while, their slogan is "1/2 the price, holds more ice!" The lack of really any real feedback on the coolers from consumers initially made me think it was a scam or a joke early on. Then I ended up springing for one of their Yeti Like Tumblers and It was solid value. Think Less expensive than a Tervis Cup. Then they popped up as sponsor for a NASCAR team and it became pretty easy to see that they were a legit company. I ended up purchasing a 20 and 45 qt coolers. I did not really need them but I gave in to the hype and went for it. They Rock. There is a definite difference in the Cold factor these coolers have over the typical. The Coleman Extreme Coolers that we have had for almost 10 years are good and work well, but there really is not a comparison.
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| Roaming the Neighborhood |
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| More work on the Cart, New Batt's. Did not really want to do this, but I am glad I did. Night and Day difference. The old ones would have not made it through the season. |
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| Winding down a Wednesday Night at the lake. |
