Nice morning in Manhatten, perfect weather, clear and cool, in such a beautiful university town. We visited the Alumni Center where I saw photos of Bill in the original Willie the Wildcat outfit he wore as the university mascot and another photo of him as he served as the Attorney General of the KSU tribunal. Students who violated the university honor code, as well as election results, were tried by the tribunal. A little foreshadowing four decades back?

We also took a walk around town dropping in on the bookstore where he worked and several of the hangouts which, of course, have been enlarged and updated and bear little resemblance to their former selves. Had breakfast in the old downtown cafe where he and frat brothers would often have those 2 AM breakfasts, visited the original football field where he cheered crowds on as Willie (now there is a massive new football stadium), and toured the KSU art museum. Watched a little prairie dog from the car window as we sat at the last red light leaving town.

Made the 6 hour drive from Manhatten to Branson, Missouri. Stopped to eat at a restaurant in Clinton to discover that Missouri still has smoking sections in restaurants! Jim and I made a short trip here about 15 years ago when it was just a couple of long streets with concert venues and a couple of lakes. As we drove in this evening, we saw beautiful hotels, restaurants, family amusement areas, golf courses, and entertainment facilities spread out over miles here in the Ozark Mountains. Again with the pleasant cool weather and clear skies. So far we've had perfect weather every day, well, once we left the unbearable heat in Texas.

I always think of Branson as a place entertainers come to finish out their careers so you see folks like Moe Bandy, the Oak Ridge Boys (who put on a fabulous show), Mel Tillis, Mickey Gilley, Paul Revere and the Raiders, and so on. I think we begin tomorrow morning with the Platters concert.