My "explorations" cont'd.

So I've been asked what all this is about?  You know, the whole "new explorations" part of my last post.  Well that was a sense of my dry humor.  I was being a bit sarcastic when i added the quotation marks... that's how I show dry humor and sarcasm...  ANYWAY.

Travels.

Yeah.  Are you getting a sense of the sarcasm of my "new explorations" in traveling?  Yep.  I recently drove to Muskogee, OK to teach a couple of food safety classes.

This was part of my morning class.  Small but great.  Teaching safe food handling classes is something that I totally love doing.  It's something that used to take up most of my day, back in the day.  Now I wish I were able to do it more.  So when this opportunity came to me, I jumped, said, "yes!" and celebrated within myself.  And no, I'm not being sarcastic.

So I taught a class in the morning, had a break for lunch, and then taught another class in the afternoon.  On my break between classes I decided to explore the town of Muskogee.  Boy was I surprised!  Especially since I had in my mind that I was going to Okmulgee...  All these Oklahoma towns have names that sound the same to me.... most people prolly say the same about Louisiana towns...

First stop:

I followed a sign that pointed to "Three Rivers Museum."  I'm assuming it was the old Midland Valley train depot, it looked kind of train depot'ish to me anyway.  It was a cool building and a beautiful day.  

Right across the street:

This is the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame Museum.  I wish I had more time and it wasn't the beginning of the week.  I'd like to come back here sometime.

Then I got back into the car because it was FREEZING outside and I had no gloves on...

And I got caught by a train....

haha... this old Muskogee Hotel was "fireproof" back in the day.  Of course these days it's boarded up... But I dig the old sign.  I like old signs...

So, I'm just meandering around and I see a street lined with large old houses.  I love old houses, and I especially love looking at ones that have been refurbished...

I'm guessing this street wasn't aware that it was 2 months after Christmas though...  There were a number of houses still sporting holiday decorations.  I wonder how much houses run for in Muskogee?  Because I saw some interesting ones on this street that would typically be more upper class...

This was parked (and probably still is) in front of the house across the street from the above house.  Please note the following:  Skulls and flames on old hearse, skulls on front porch, lighted Christmas tree decoration in front yard, lighted cross decoration on front porch, and last but certainly not least... the humongous string of christmas lights hanging on the privacy fence on the right.  Hey, no matter what holiday season they are prepared!  Thank God for that privacy fence....  

By this time it was time to eat, so I stopped at the Sonic where I inevitably parked at a spot where the red button didn't work.  So I had to drive around and find a parking spot that wasn't out of order.  Am I the only one that has had this happy a lot lately?  I mean, not that I eat at Sonic all the time or anything...

After my last class of the day I headed out of town.  I had one more stop to make.  

The Castle of Muskogee.  I've seen billboards for this place.  They apparently do a big medieval times thing and a haunted house deal at Halloween... I don't know, but now I've seen it.  

I hope my next traveling "exploration" includes mountains, hiking boots, and a tent.