VETERAN'S WEEK IN BRANSON

When we checked in at the Holister Escapee's Park on Friday, the gal told us it was Veteran's week. (Hollister is a suburb of Branson, just across the river.) Anyway, we went and signed up yesterday, at the new convention center, in the new Hilton, by the fairly new shopping center called Branson Landing. (We were here two years ago, and already, they have new buildings.) They have free lunches every day, free tickets to many of the shows, sales in the stores, a parade, and exhibits for the Vets to enjoy. Your spouse gets in at reduced rates at all the activities. We have tickets to have breakfast with Ollie North on Tuesday morning, on Veteran's Day. Yesterday, we went to lunch in the tent, and about froze our hot dog buns! It was about 45 degrees and windy, and the sides of the tent kept blowing. I completely blew my efforts at Weight Watchers, even though I only took 5 potato chips and no cookies-but I was a "true patriot" for my husband's sake! You'll see how "classy" this event was-it even had entertainment while we ate. First there was a group of young people singing patriotic songs, and then Penny Gilley performed. She's logged 300,000 miles entertaining the troops. Good on her! So, Mulert had a good day-between a free lunch and Iowa beating Penn State! "What a country!" (I couldn't help that comment, since I'm in the same town as Yokov Smirnoff!)