Centerview, MO - 3,700 Miles

Seven's parents and brother live in Centerview. Her parents operate a 320 acre farm there, raising cattle and horses. They bought the farm back in the 1950's just in time for the drought of 1953-4. They struggled to make a go of it during Seven's childhood. Remember the old joke? Know how to make a million dollars farming? Start with ten million. That was almost true for them at that time. Of course things got better.

We spent 7 days at the farm. We waited a couple of days for Seven's brother and sister-in-law to get back from a trip to Florida before leaving. We set a new record, 14 days, for going without water or sewer hookups. We had to go over to Knob Noster Park to dump our tanks several days after we got there.

We lived in Centerview and nearby Warrensburg when we were first married. We had a small apartment in Centerview, right across the street from the grain elevator, then we bought a 40 acre farm next to Seven's parent's place, lived in a garage converted into an apartment on Pine Street in Warrensburg, and finally in a small brick house on Broad Street in Warrensburg.

Central Missouri State University is changing its name again. When Seven and I went there it was Central Missouri State College then it changed to its present name and now it will be the University of Central Missouri. Big whoop. So all the clothing in the Student Union with CMSU on it is on sale. I got 20% off a nice sweat shirt for Seven with Central Missouri State University on it. I wear Chiefs, KU and In and Out clothing. CMSU used to have a nice little campus. Now it looks like a big parking lot with parking lots on every piece of vacant land around the campus.

Seven's parents do not cook much any more so we ate out almost everyday we were there. We ate at all the local places it seems.

We got to visit our son's 1972 Dodge Charger while we were there. It is parked at Seven's parent's farm. It is slowly rusting away. I made several attempts to sell it for him without success. Great looking car. Has new transmission that is 8 years old with less than 100 miles on it.

Knob Noster State Park, where we went to dump, looked beautiful. Lots of nice camping spots with electrical and water hookups. The park is east of Warrensburg on Road BB near Whiteman AFB.