Karen and I got to go to the Missouri Ozarks to spend Thanksgiving 2022 with Dad. We rented an Airbnb cabin in the boondocks outside of Cabool. We experienced spotty phone service and no WiFi. I’ve never gotten better sleep or felt freer from unsolicited bother.
Each morning, began with fetching Dad from his apartment in Willow Springs and bringing him to our country hideaway. After a home-cooked lunch, we gabbed or took him to run errands. We also enjoyed back-road drives through the beautiful Ozarks countryside.
One of our errands was an appointment for a routine checkup and to meet Dad’s new heart doctor, who was pleased with his EKG and even reduced his heart medication. Karen snapped this father and son picture, while we sat in a West Plains waiting room.
Dad was getting around with just a cane and the heart doctor did not like the lack of stability the cane offered to prevent falls. Above, I’m following Dad in Walmart pushing his sleek, new four-wheeler with breaks and a seat for rest stops. His choice of an electric cart in Walmart on Black Friday was wise.
Karen and I prepared quite the spread for our Thanksgiving feast. The cabin on 40-acres of a working ranch was the perfect setting for our meal.
We took a break from Smoked Turkey leftovers and ate burgers at the Twin Bridges Bar and Grill on the Current River. Jack Lyon’s favorite here is the “Billy Bob Burger” with lots of jalapeño peppers.
Grandma Lyon was born in Willow Springs, Mo and Dad still lives there. We visited some of Dad’s friends at the Good Graces Pharmacy and captured this old and newer picture of the town’s main drag they hod displayed on a tribute wall.
Karen loved this picture of Willow Springs’ bridge across the railroad tracks, prior to the current replacement.
Dad had to be home at 6:00 pm for his nightly vitals checkup by the staff at Willow Care. Karen and I could not remember the last time we went bowling, so the Cabool Bowl’s Friday date-night special lured us in. Shoe rental was a buck each and games $2.50 per round. We arrived at opening time and were the only bowlers in the place.
The building was formerly a Greyhound Bus Station, then roller rink, before it was outfitted for bowling in 1963. We talked to Darrel Neher, who bought the place in 1997 and runs it with Donna Mitchell. I asked them not to laugh too loud at us and then proceeded to bowl a strike on my first roll.
We are blessed to have Jack Lyon in our lives. His mind is sharp, as is his wit and he still gets around pretty good for 89, even if he wouldn’t go bowling with us. Love you, Pa!