If you miss the train I'm on,
You will know that I am gone,
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles,
a hundred miles, a hundred miles,
a hundred miles, a hundred miles,
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.
("Five Hundred Miles", Peter, Paul & Mary)
*
*
On Sunday, Blaine took me to Union Station in the wee hours of the morning to catch Amtrak's "Missouri River Runner" train to St. Louis, Missouri, for the first leg of my trip to Texas. The train station was decorated beautifully for Christmas.
When I got settled and the train began chugging along, I bid Kansas City adieu....
Most of the stops between Kansas City and Missouri are charmingly small, podunky little towns.
Sometimes the train stopped or slowed to allow a freight train to go by.
And as the scenery went by, I knitted. And I found out that it is possible to follow a fair-isle chart and drink tea while knitting on a bumpy train ride...
I love how the train travels along the Mighty Missouri River, but some of the other scenery is breathtaking as well.
The Mighty Missouri River, in all her glory....
After a 7-hour layover in St. Louis (where I stayed in the First Class Lounge for what seemed like an eternity), I boarded Amtrak's "Texas Eagle" train, which is the overnight portion of the trip. After I ate dinner in the dining car (the daily fish selection, since I'm on a diet), I sacked out in my little room. The porter had kindly made my bed for me. He put my suitcases on the bunk above me.
And then finally, Monday, after a lot more stops, I arrived at my own stop---where my mother awaited on the train platform. And then we went to her gorgeous home, where I immediately headed for my bedroom---which I dearly love--- and I took a much needed nap. (I never sleep very well on the train, for some reason.)
I love my bedroom. (And guess what? I found some yarn in my closet that I didn't even know I had, yahoo!)
Next stop: The Louisiana swamp, to my uncle's place, where we'll celebrate Thanksgiving, yahoo again! (Which we'll only be able to access by 2 separate boats, down the alligator-laden river, since his place is under water from the river flooding.) (But have no fear, his home is built on 20-foot pylons for just that reason, since the river floods every year.)
P.S. Here's the Christmas "stocking stuffer" necklaces I made for my mother, my sister, and my niece. Hope they like them.
*
*
11 comments:
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
And Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, Meezermeowmy!!
That looked like a wonderful trip!
Thanks for taking us along!
Bo you are so bad to have a yarn stash at your mom's...giggle.
First I would like to apologize for a less than charitable comment I left on your blog a few weeks ago,anonymously. I was having a bad day, but that is no excuse. I really enjoy your blog and your funky projects. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family.
Heh...and what Blaine doesn't know won't hurt him!
Thank you, Terri---no hard feelings. And I hope that you and yours, too, have a very Happy Thanksgiving!
I am envious of your train ride. It sounds like fun, and relaxing too.
I want to go on a train ride too!
Have a great holiday visit with your family.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I love this post. Amtrak is one of my favorite ways to travel. I usually take the California Zephyr. It takes me to Denver where my SIL meets me and them we head for Cheyenne. You see country that is rarely seen except by train as it is so rugged and steep. You go right through the Rocky Mountains.
I'm glad your trip went well. Have fun at your Uncle's.
Wow. Between the luxury train ride and the kasbah bedroom, you really had the royal treatment. Now I *really* want to take a train trip...to anywhere!
Post a Comment