McDonald’s Drive thru problems!

A word to the wise. Check your purchases carefully if you do the drive through at McDonald’s in Forsyth. My order of a cheese burger and fries turned into two crispy chicken wraps in a drive through that had just three cars in the drive thru. This isn’t the first time this has happened either. I feel bad for the people that got my order instead of what they had ordered and even worst for anyone else out there that have also been subjected to such poor treatment.

There was a reason why I stopped going to this chain some years ago. Now I remember what it was very clearly. But, I'll also admit that their Corporate followup to my complaint was nothing less than superb!

Followup: After making somewhat of a fool of myself - with all the poor comments and all, I did get a letter from McDonald's Corporate that contained an apology and two coupons good for extra value meals. That was nice! Also, to their credit, I was asked to fill in a through questionnaire that explored the problem and the manner in which it was resolved. Most impressive!

River Run in January 2013!

New water outlets at each site!

While it’s no secret that I’m far from being a big fan of the government, I will give credit where its due. The Army Corps of Engineers have done a stellar job in their efforts to rejuvenate the River Run Park area and get it ready for the 2013 season. This park which offers 32 long and level RV sites has been overhauled from pretty near one end to the other. Improvements include; new water and electrical outlets, a clean flush toilet house with hot showers, a boat ramp, dump station and play ground that are now in excellent condition. In addition, the Corps has planted new trees to replace the ones lost to past flooding. The address of this park is 138 River Run Road, Forsyth MO 65653 and during the season the Park Attendant can be reached at 417-546-3626. Additional information can be had at http://www.recreation.gov/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=71386

Finding ‘good’ firewood in Forsyth at a decent price!

Not only can finding a reliable firewood supplier be a challenge down here in southwest Missouri, but other factors can really muck up the works. Like everything else, before you buy, do your research first!

I recently decided that I would need about a face cord of firewood to have on hand just ‘in case’. Around this part of the Ozarks, you just never know when an ice storm is going to knock out the power and if you have a fireplace, good wood to burn can be a lifesaver.

However, when looking around, I quickly discovered that you need to know the right questions to ask. For instance, right now some local suppliers are asking $45 per rick. What’s a rick? That’s a good question. Some people will say it’s the same as a face cord which is a pile that is four feet high by eight foot long comprised of logs of some length. This generally works out to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 48 cubic feet (4x8x1.5). Other people, however, think of a rick as a truckload or pile of wood and so you really don’t know how much you have until it gets stacked. Another way to look at it is you shouldn't be paying much over a dollar per cubic feet in this part of the country. The bottom line however, is that it pays to ask all your questions ahead of time.

Another aspect of firewood buying is the type of wood and how seasoned that wood is. Ideally the wood you’re getting is a ‘hard’ wood variety like an oak of some type although almost any properly seasoned wood can burn well. ‘Seasoning’ refers to how much time has elapsed since the wood was cut or split. In order to burn well, wood must have spent some time in a well aerated location where the moisture content becomes much reduced (20% moisture or less). This generally takes about a full year with two years considered the ideal length of time according to some people I’ve talked to. However, the type of wood, how it’s stacked and how well it’s aerated all play a role.

The supply of the wood pictured above was from a gentleman by the name of Joe who sells wood by the pickup full for $45 at the time of this post (prices subject to change of course). You can reach him at 417-251-1205 for a current quote on cost and wood availability. I performed a rough measurement of the wood he left and came up with about 45 cubic feet. I'd also like to remark that, after burning some of this wood, I had no trouble with excess smoke like you might see in an unseasoned product!

Tree work in this cold?

I noticed that for the past couple of days, area workers have been out in my neighborhood trimming and shredding trees, even though the weather was less than ideal.

When I went over and inquired as to the reason, I was informed by one worker that they were expecting ‘sleet’ by the coming evening. I wondered, ‘do they know something the rest of us don’t?’  True the weather service has been ‘hinting’ at possible freezing drizzle for the Thursday night to Friday time frame, but even they don’t seem to give it that much play.

Well, it’s good to know these guys are around anyway. In the event we do ever get hit with an ice storm, I’ll definitely remember their efforts today!

The Junction Bar and Grill thriving!

After being away for more than a month, I stopped in at a favorite watering hole called the Junction Bar and Grill to see how this fledgling, yet growing establishment was making out. Once inside, I ran into the owner Mike Osterday who served me a nice cold beer while filling me in with all the latest gossip. And, even though it was mid afternoon, customers had begun to file in, so our gossip session was short lived.

The Junction, which first opened it doors back in April of 2012, has grown into a really nice place to visit. Mike has installed pool tables, video games, TV’s, Keno and all the sorts of the things you’d expect in a first class establishment. In addition to great beverages, The Junction also serves up a full selection of food items as this menu illustrates.

The Junction is located in Kissee Mills Missouri near the intersection of highway 160-76. They can also be reached by calling 417-546-2550. They're hours are Tuesday thru Saturday 11AM to midnight at this time. Be sure and stop in and enjoy this establishment’s fine hospitality!

Disclaimer: Menu items and prices are subject to change without notice. All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.

 

The Kookoos Nest in Forsyth Missouri

Perhaps it's a coincidence, but I swear there seems to be more and more flea markets springing up in and around the Forsyth Missouri area. Whether by luck or in response to tough economic times, these 'emporiums of nicknacks' provide a valuable service. With many residents looking for bargains due to restricted budgets, many of this stores offerings would make wonderful gifts at a fraction of the cost if they were purchased in a retail chain!

After I had a chance to talk with the owners of the Kookoos Nest, I had a chance to wander around and to look at all sorts of collectibles. They have a little bit of everything to offer and one of the owners, Dino, told me that he was always on the lookout to buy stuff for resale from individuals in the community.

If you get a chance, please stop by and look around. The store also maintain a web site at www.kookoosnest.weebly.com for anyone who's interested. Update: This location is closed!

River Run’s Facelift!

I'm guessing the pipes are for electric cables...

I’m not sure if the term ‘facelift’ defines what’s going on in this small federal park located close to Forsyth Missouri. It’s the best I can come up with after witnessing recent improvements such as new park site electrical junction boxes, new tree starts and even stop and yield signs at select locations! I’m not sure who authorized these improvements, but I’ll applaud them for these efforts none the less. (River Run Park has had its share of problems in recent years, not the least of which has been repeated episodes of flooding. Now, in the midst of a drought, it looks as though the likelihood of too much water will be replaced with the local river known as Bull Shoals drying up)!

During a walk I took earlier today, I’ve spied a pile of pipes, re-bar and what looks to be a water drainage pipe along with a backhoe and an equipment trailer parked by one of the camping sites. There are also some spray painted blue and red lines going this way and that with weird symbols. I’ve no idea of what these are for but will post something if and when I find out. One thing that's for sure is that I've witnessed more 'work' going on in this park this past fall than I ever remember seeing in the past. Does this mean that the chances of the park flooding again are over? Or perhaps it means that now the park will be better able to stand whatever Mother nature might think to throw at it.

Update: Apparently there was more work that had to be done on the electrical outlets at some of the sites as I noted a number of areas near the outlets had been dug up and the power cables exposed. I'm still not sure if this work qualifies as 'repair' or 'improvements.  Whatever the case, it's good to see the work being done.