John and Catherine were married in Cincinnati Ohio in 1853. Sometime before 1859, they moved to Iowa and opened Kempker’s Family Store in West Point, Iowa.
A virtual tabletop (VTT) is software on your computer. It connects to the Internet and allows you to play traditional tabletop games with people in other locations. A VTT provides a shared view of images, die rolls, and other game components (boards, cards, miniatures, etc.). It also provides a communication platform, generally a chat window but sometimes voice communication too.
Not to worry. We have a plan! No, really!
So far this blog has been a bit of a mishmash. Which shouldn’t be too surprising. After all, “a bit of a mishmash” would also describe our interests, our book collection, our home decor, etc. It isn’t exactly a shock that our blog would end up that way too.
But reaching the end of the Grand Tour posts gives us an opportunity to bring a bit of order to things. And we’re going to use it.
March 15, 1946
February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.
After we left Hannibal, we came straight home. Arrived March 15, 1946.
March 14, 1946
February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.
The next morning, we drove to Hannibal and stopped there to see the Mark Twain Museum. It was very interesting.
March 14, 1946
February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.
The next morning, we drove to Hannibal and stopped there to see the Mark Twain Museum. It was very interesting.
March 13, 1946
February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.
Stayed in a small town in southern Missouri that night and drove to Springfield the next day. From there we went to Bagnell Dam and through the Ozarks. It was just starting to be spring there – it was the day before the fishing season opened and the streams really looked inviting. Saw many magnolia trees blooming. Went through Jefferson City and stayed overnight at New London, Mo.
March 13, 1946
February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.
Stayed in a small town in southern Missouri that night and drove to Springfield the next day. From there we went to Bagnell Dam and through the Ozarks. It was just starting to be spring there – it was the day before the fishing season opened and the streams really looked inviting. Saw many magnolia trees blooming. Went through Jefferson City and stayed overnight at New London, Mo.
March 12, 1946
February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.
Stayed overnight in Oklahoma and drove into Arkansas the next day. Came through Ft. Smith and Van Buren, the home of Bob Burns. This was hill country. Stopped at Burns Gables and bought a pair of shell earrings..
March 12, 1946
February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.
Stayed overnight in Oklahoma and drove into Arkansas the next day. Came through Ft. Smith and Van Buren, the home of Bob Burns. This was hill country. Stopped at Burns Gables and bought a pair of shell earrings..
March 11, 1946
February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.
The next day we drove to Tucumcari and to Amarillo, Texas. Stopped there and bought as many bananas as we wanted for the first time since the war. Left a trail of banana skins on the Texas Panhandle. We didn’t especially care for what little we saw of Texas as the country was flat with nothing to see. Got a kick out of everyone’s Texas drawl.
March 11, 1946
February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.
The next day we drove to Tucumcari and to Amarillo, Texas. Stopped there and bought as many bananas as we wanted for the first time since the war. Left a trail of banana skins on the Texas Panhandle. We didn’t especially care for what little we saw of Texas as the country was flat with nothing to see. Got a kick out of everyone’s Texas drawl.
March 10, 1946
February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.
Jones himself had been an officer in the army and had been stationed in Europe. He had a huge gun collection – many of the guns he’d brought back from Europe. He had a machine gun – intact, dueling pistols, etc. Carl visited with him while Fran and I attended church the next morning which was Sunday. That was another unusual experience. The priest gave the sermon in Spanish, read the gospel and said the prayers after mass in Spanish. After the sermon, he came down from the altar and passed the collection plate himself.
March 10, 1946
February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.
Jones himself had been an officer in the army and had been stationed in Europe. He had a huge gun collection – many of the guns he’d brought back from Europe. He had a machine gun – intact, dueling pistols, etc. Carl visited with him while Fran and I attended church the next morning which was Sunday. That was another unusual experience. The priest gave the sermon in Spanish, read the gospel and said the prayers after mass in Spanish. After the sermon, he came down from the altar and passed the collection plate himself.
March 9, 1946
February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.
Left Gallup, N.M., the next morning and stopped at a trading post on the Continental Divide where I finally found a ring with a Nevada turquoise, something I’d been searching for the entire trip. Then we drove on to see the Chaco Canyon National Monument.
March 9, 1946
February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.
Left Gallup, N.M., the next morning and stopped at a trading post on the Continental Divide where I finally found a ring with a Nevada turquoise, something I’d been searching for the entire trip. Then we drove on to see the Chaco Canyon National Monument.