I went on an adventure to the Lake of the Ozarks on Monday. No, I didn't go there for the water sports; I met my sister and aunt for a shopping spree at the
outlet mall. I haven't been to the lake in years and I was surprised at how the roads have changed. What used to be narrow twisting blacktop roads are now 4-lane expressways with 70 mph speed limits. (My dad used to drive 70 mph on the twisting backroads, but it felt more like a dare-devil roller coaster ride when I was a kid, especially from the back seat of a station wagon.) We had lunch at the
Wobbly Boots Roadhouse, known by locals for their barbeque. The food was good, but I was irritated with the lady at the table next to us - it's been a long time since I've had to sit through a meal with someone's cigarette smoke blowing in my face. I drove past the outlet mall twice before I realized what it was. It looks like an upscale residential community with elaborate landscaping and brick facades. My sister and aunt immediately found tons of bargains. I'm the more conservative shopper who has trouble embracing the latest styles, especially when they seem to be a re-make of something we wore in the 70's (maybe I should have saved all my old clothes). I went through the usual 3-way mirror trauma in the dressing room (oh my, do I really look like THAT from behind???), but I did finally manage to find a t-shirt and summer sweater that I liked, and my aunt was proud of me, because it even had a little bling on it. I'll have to see if my engineering friends even notice the bling when I head to the Pacific northwest for my upcoming consultants' meeting.
