The Honeymoon 1993

Kelvin's sister, Michelle, came through the line to "congratulate me". She whispered in my ear," I feel sorry for you." She knew of Kelvin's temper first hand when he didn't get his way what a little 2 year old he turned into. Finally the line got shorter and for the most part everyone was happy. The crowd thinned and his father Larry gathered everyone who was in the wedding party together for pictures. He kept hurrying us along because he thought it was going to rain any minute as it had been for the last 2 1/2 months. " Hurry, before it rains." and "lets get these pictures taken , it's hot out here". Over and over he took the pictures with Kelvin and I on a Harley Davidson motorcycle that one of his friends brought per Kelvin's request, in front of the fountain, in front of the cake, which Kelvin shoved into my mouth with a little more force than I thought was needed. When all was said and done it was time to take that last walk down the paved pathway to the teal Probe to make our getaway to Letterman's. When I looked up, everyone was gone and Kelvin was giving me orders to help pick up stereo equipment. Everyone had left us. Here I was in my white wedding dress and veil with stereo speakers under each arm, trying to not to get dirty. I asked why we, the bride and groom had to do this and he said because everyone else had left. There was no one to wish us off or throw birdseed, or clap as we got into the car. After the equipment was loaded into Grant's car, we finally were on our way.
We got to Letterman's and the party was starting. We set ourselves down in the back in the corner above the dance floor. The tables were aligned together so that they made two long tables. We danced with each other and apart with friends. When we left it was midnight and the rain came in sheets, slowly at first then harder and harder until it slanted sideways. We headed home to grab our suitcases and change clothes for the trip to Branson. The rain beat steadily on the windshield while the wiper blades frantically made an attempt to whisk it away. By the time we had arrived in Kansas City, the visability was nil and we had to pull over. He had seen a vacancy sign from I29, he pulled over and got us a room in one of the shabbiest motels I'd ever seen. It was an emergency so he paid and we were led out to the parking lot to a row of doors under an awning. It was not the ideal room for a bride and groom to spend their wedding night but it was dry and it had a bed. The mattress was lumpy and had springs popping up everywhere. That was where we spent the night and the next morning we rose and headed south for Branson. It had been a long time since I had been there. I don't think Kelvin had ever been there. His mother, Wanda, and his father Larry were staying at the Cloud Nine motel at the same time. His mother's cousin Janet and her husband Grant also were coming. Michelle and her boyfriend Larry had headed back to California after the wedding.
The cabin we chose was cabin number 5. His mom and step dad chose number 9 and Grant and Janet were up the hill from them. Cabin number 5 was on the banks of Lake Tanneycomo. There were men fishing including Larry, I saw a boat called the "Queen" sailing up and down the lake with tourists standing on the upper decks waving at the tourists on the banks. I told Kelvin I wanted to go for a ride too. After we put our things away and Kelvin served me breakfast in bed of bacon and eggs, orange juice and biscuits with strawberry jam, we headed into town. There were many antique shops and gift shops downtown. The whole town had an early 1900's feel. The shop owners dressed for the part! We found our way to the edge of the lake to where the "Queen" was docked and bought our tickets. While we waited for the ride I bought a captain's hat and other souvenirs to take home. We were very happy, and Kelvin kept his cool.
On the way back to the car there was a man with a horse and buggy giving rides up and down the street along the lake shore, so we took a carriage ride and Kelvin took my picture and I his before, during and after the ride.
We visited with his mother, Wanda and his step dad, Larry. We even visited with his cousin Bill who owned the resort. There was a swimming pool, so we went swimming and lazed around until dinner time. We went to the outskirts of Branson to a super market there and bought necessities we needed. We cooked in the kitchen and ate on the deck watching the lake lap the sides of the bank, the occasional fish jumping and splashing in the distance.
The following day we went to an amusement park called , Silver Dollar City. The same park that Charles and I had spent our last 20.00 in 1977 after wrecking the car and getting food poisoning, spending several hours in the hospital etc..The place had changed considerably since then. The rides were more of the World's of Fun type with roller coasters, log rides, haunted mansions etc. The old mine ride was gone. That had always been my favorite. They still had the train with the fake train robbery and story line. When we left we headed for a 100 ft tower that Kelvin wanted to climb. I had told him in no uncertain terms that I had a fear of heights and could no way climb up and see the "scenery from up there" as he had put it. I got half way to show him I would try but froze and couldn't get back down. He rescued me and laughed at me and teased me all the way back to the cabin.
When we talked to his mother she and Larry had decided to go to a trailer sales park to buy a double wide trailer to park on property they had bought down there to retire on. They took us to show us the property where they were going to put it, where the plumbing and sewer lines were to be set up and which direction it would face. Grant, Janet and Larry and Wanda left to go get the trailer while Kelvin and I stayed home and enjoyed the rest of our honeymoon.
On Sunday afternoon we packed everything and put the suitcases in the little red Geo wagon to make the trip back to St Joseph.