Weekend Getaway

One of my favorite places to visit.

 Ever since watching the movie Bridges of Madison County I have wanted to see them.  Even if the leading man in the romantic movie was Clint Eastwood.  Go figure!  So Mr. Finn planned a trip up to one of those states with an "I" and an "O".  O.k, I know it is Iowa, but I was calling it Ohio for the longest time.  I guess I need to look at a map more often to know where I am.  I was surprised that they are 3 basic designs which was a bit disappointing, but they are romantic anyways.  Or maybe the movie made them that way for me.  At this time in their bridge life, you can't drive over them, but the kids were more than happy to escape the vehicle to climb and run all over them.

And then we moved on to Mr. Finn's choice of places to visit.

John Wayne's birthplace.  Did you know his mother was Irish?  I kind of did.  With a personality like his, who would think otherwise.  And... wasn't your favorite movie "The Quiet Man"?  No, sorry, that is mine.  But I can't imagine you not loving it for the mere fact that Maureen O'Hara plays his fiery irish love interest.  Truly one of his best.

Look at this amazing tower.  In the middle of nowhere nonetheless.  We drove forever and when we thought for sure we had missed it or it truly did not exist, we found this sight.

Exquisite.

I wish I knew who designed this in the middle of Iowa.

 Looking out over this valley.

Now I know the "why".

 I can almost see the memories forming in her mind of this "castle".

 When Mr. Finn asked her if she wanted to live in this house, her answer was;

"NOT SO MUCH!"
(Miss Boo says I need to change this to, "NOT EXACTLY" because it will be funnier.)

We are still laughing about her politically correct answer.

 We discovered that there are an infinite amount of Aviation Museums along the way.

Stopping at this one turned out to be the tour of a lifetime.

Go Iowa Air Force.

 Apparently the museum has a reduced attendance these days and so the nice lady fawned all over this excited young man and let him sit in some of the planes.

 Then he got to try out being a pilot for a while.  Yes!  Buzz Lightyear was a pilot too.  Maybe it was the shooting things coming out of his wrists that interested him the most.  But since I am his Mommy, I am going to pretend he is dreaming of being a pilot someday.

 But this one topped it all.  Literally, it was almost heavier than him.

"We have a bogie on our tail."

Mr. Finn and I always comment that we want to stop at the attractions you see on signs while barreling down the freeway at 70 miles per hour, but we are always in a hurry to get to point B.  This time...

We stopped.

And we are better off for it.  The best made plans are those that are waylaid.

More of the weekend tomorrow.