Hello! Whew! My son and I just returned yesterday from Branson, where we stayed in the Branson Windmill Inn four nights. We chose it despite the negative reviews because it fit our (narrow) requirements - indoor pool, less than $50 a night, two beds. Plus, we had stayed in the Cobblestone Inn, which is now part of this motel, in 2005, so were familiar with the place.

In my opinion, the good outweighed the bad, but it depends on what is important to you. The room was clean, except the carpet could've used a thorough shampoo, and the maid service was early, so that the room was always made up when we returned. We went to White Water each day, and spent the hot afternoon hours in our room. We only wanted to swim in the pool one night, and it turns out it was closed, so we used the outdoor pool, for a while.

The good, to me, included the fact that there were very few people staying there. Three of the four nights we were there, the rooms on each side of us - and below and above us - were unoccupied, so there was no TV at midnight, no doors slamming, no sounds like someone is moving furniture above us, and no jockeying for a parking spot. Access was good as well, with access to Tanger Boulevard to Wildwood to Gretna, as well as to 76 between the Track and Kids Kountry, which are next to the motel.

As mentioned, we went to White Water each morning for a couple or three hours, till it got good and hot; then we would return to our motel room for the afternoon, going out and about again about 5:00. We did mostly shopping. And as for food, alas, we did the fast food tour of Branson - McDonald's, Wendy's, A&W in the Factory Merchants Mall, Domino's pizza at White Water. We did eat on Wednesday night at Ruby Tuesday, but there was no local flavor on this trip. Comes with traveling with an 11-year-old who is quite set in his ways...

By Friday, he was quite tired of the same things in Branson, so we took the short trip north 35 miles to Springfield. There, we visited Toys R Us and the Battlefield Mall, before heading on home, down Highway 60. We stopped for gas and then in Monett, MO, at Wal-Mart for foodstuffs needed when we got home, and were home by the evening.

Now it's the weekend, and time to think about school starting next week. He's starting sixth grade, so that means middle school and all things new. Well, except for his friends, and that's something he's definitely looking forward to.