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Last week, the CozyBookNook family spent a few days in the Ozarks at a resort on the shores of beautiful TableRock Lake near Branson, Missouri.
No, it isn't the setting of a slasher film or Steven King novel! It is a pioneer themed amusement park!After overdosing on hair-raising rides, artisans, banjos and barbeque, our evenings were spent on nature walks and cooling off at the resort's Island Oasis.
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Perfect kingdom for a mer-mama and mer-boy! Plenty of unruly and unsuspecting subjects were transformed into sea cucumbers by the Neptune infused power of our trusty noodles!
Branson is mainly traffic and jam-packed touristy tackiness so only one day of our trip was devoted to town fun. Go-carts, Shrek and shopping! Wonderful wonderful shopping! Why am I so excited about shopping? Because sad to say, locally, I only have access to Walmart-- So getting to visit not one, but two, outlet malls made me quite dizzy with delight.
Can you guess my favorite store at the outlet mall?
What a disappointment that it is no longer in business! I have such fond memories of that store. The running special was always four paperbacks for ten dollars and I always took advantage of it... especially back in my historical romance reading days. I also discovered one of my favorite thriller authors, James Rollins, there. I read my copy of Subterranean several times before passing it on to DeLynne's hubby.
It is always sad when a bookstore closes but I'm actually quite perturbed. You see, I noticed on my last trip to Oklahoma City that the Half-Price Books I shop in while hubby visits Guitar Center is also out of business. Are your Half-Price bookstores closing down too? Or is it just mine? Have I offended the book gods? If my Half-Price Books in Texas has closed, I am going to get worried!
What a relief! I do have more bookish adventures and musings to share but my mind already feels better! So out I go to tie up tomato plants and rip weeds out by the roots... and add to my expanding chigger bite collection... over twenty at last count. If none of my bloggy friends have ever experienced chiggers, I am more than happy to share. ;o)
Glad to have you back! I missed your posts!
ReplyDeleteWe are going to Branson next week!
Half-Price Books is alive and well in Houston.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of Half Price books, but I am always sad and a little mad when book stores close.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you enjoyed the trip despite the set back. Nice to have you back.
+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteI'm thrilled to see you back, Lesa! I guessed you were having a wonderful time "wallowing in the mundane," as you put it in your last post; and of course I didn't begrudge you any of it . . . But now that I get to live your book adventures vicariously again, through your posts, I'm much happier! ;)
Anyway, the pictures look beautiful and fun! I have a friend who lives in St. Louis who is always talking about retiring in the Ozarks, but he never told me about an amusement park!!!
It's so sad about the bookstores closing, though. =( May the book gods be appeased by our commiserating comments!
Oh my goodness, I always have to have someone pull me away from Half-Price books. Haha. There's one 2 miles from my house, and they always have this "sale" part: 10 books for $5. That's crazy!!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you're having a great time this summer!
Hey,
ReplyDeleteHalf Price Books is still in Oklahoma City. We've never been in the Guitar Center strip mall (I think that was a 75% off books?). We're located at 6500 N. May Avenue, and we're opening a new one this summer at 240/Penn! So, take heart, we're here to stay. And we'll be guaranteed to stick around if y'all come shop us!
Thanks for caring and we hope to see you all soon. : )
Sincerely,
Rachel Lehrberger
Half Price Books
Store 110 Manager/
Oklahoma Market Manager
Thanks for the lovely comments-- it is nice to be missed!
ReplyDeleteKathy-- Will you be at SDC?-- we'll be back midweek for a couple of days of Kidfest-- we get'er done before it gets too hot and crowded then don't go back till Oct-Dec-- Wouldn't that be funny to run into each other!
Kim-- that is good news-- I checked their website and looks like the one in Plano is still kicking too!
Sari-- Hope you run across a half-price books-- you'd love it! Lots of stores listed on the website-- mainly in larger cities.
E- Yes, the mundane wallowing is good-- only funstuff so far--family/reading/gardening/cooking but I'm about to leap into action any day now and tackle long overdue bookkeeping and decluttering! Got to work up to that wallow!
I think lots of folks retire to the Ozarks-- I'd like to live there right now. I've been planning a series on my everything else blog about SDC-- the costumes, senior workers, artisans (bakers, candymakers, pottery, glass, iron, textiles). Such an unique theme park-- I love it. If you are interested, I'll let you know when I post about it.
Jillian-- You are so lucky! That is a crazy sale!
Rachel-- Thank you so much for the information! I will be in OKC Monday for an eye appt and will try to make it over to May-- I like to eat at Ted's Escondido over there.
ReplyDeleteNow that you mention it-- The 75% books is ringing a bell-- I wonder if that is the one that was in the outlet mall as well?! I'm all mixed up!
I should have checked the half-price website before I posted--then I wouldn't thought the company was kaput. I will add a link to my post so others can find their nearest stores.
thanks again Rachel! Hope to see you Monday!
:o)
Yes! We'll be arriving Monday afternoon and departing Thursday morning, so will probably be at SCD Tues and Wed. I am sending you an email!
ReplyDeleteMy family used to go to Silver Dollar City when I was very young. I remember a ride on an indoor roller coaster in which it appeared you and a train (light) where going to collide...for about 2.5 seconds I really though my short life was coming to an end, until of course, the coaster suddenly dropped. I must have been 5ish.
ReplyDeleteWe still have Half Priced Books in Des Moines, IA. I don't get over there much though.
You can keep the chiggers to yourself! Nasty buggers. Tis the price of a garden.
I found you at The Desert Book Chick's blog, BTW.
Welcome Chelle! Thanks for commenting!
ReplyDeleteThat ride is 'Fire in the Hole' and it is still there-- when you see the oncoming train light the speaker shouts "FIRE IN THE HOLE!' then there is a hill and a splash! Fun Fun Fun!