I should be sleeping...

I should be sleeping but I am a little stressed. I have been preoccupied all week with my little weekend trip to New York City. And this week I have been cooking for people a bunch (Sunday, Wednesday and Friday). My husband decided he wanted to have the people that work with him over for a party. I should be sleeping because I will be so tired Saturday morning. I am the driver!

Kendall went to art camp everyday this week and loved it! But that meant I was up and ready earlier than usual. I should be sleeping.

I feel fat this week, too. I need to make a list like my friends, NYKAT and Cheryl, did. I need some goals so I feel like I have accomplished something this summer. Like reading and losing 5 to 8 pounds. And doing sit-ups. I'm disgusted with my almost 40 year old body. Where did the last decade go?

Enough rambling. Good night.

Random stuff

Our team lost tonight but it was still a fun game. We lost by two runs. And I scored a run , so that is probably why I had a good time.

The sun was setting around 8:30 and it was beautiful! I can't remember the last time I saw the sun so big and red-orange. I know it's best not to look at it, but I couldn't help myself.

And the count-down has started. Saturday morning, I am going to NYC with 5 other "haus fraus". (as my friend, Ronda, affectionately refers to us). We are very excited and are starting to talk about every detail! I'm guilty, too. "What are you going to wear to the show?" and "where do you want to eat?" It doesn't take much to make us happy! :-) We are going to see "Wicked". I've heard it's excellent!!!

I must go to bed now. Kendall is in art camp and it starts at 9 AM. (I mean, really, isn't that just a little early?)

Does this say summer or what?

Yesterday, we went with friends to an amusement park that is about 40 minutes away. It's perfect for little kids and we were there for at least 5 hours!

Top Chef is back!

Much to my amazement, I saw that the third season of Top Chef has started! Wednesday, I turned the TV on because I vaguely remembered someone talking about Top Chef last week. Anyway, I came back down stairs to see my son asleep and Top Chef on the TV! (Two really, really good surprises). It was the first episode from last week so I didn't miss anything! The hubby and I stayed up for the new one this week. (I do miss the time zone in Arkansas). Anyway, we love this show and can't wait to see what the chefs will make. This season, I like Hung. He is a little cocky, but can churn out the pretty food. I can only assume it tastes good, too. These people have attitudes! It is hilarious to watch.

We have hot water!

We woke up yesterday with a little surprise. NO HOT WATER. We've known it was coming. For a few years now, the second person that showered was sure to have a cold shower at the end. Or if you stayed in there a little too long, the water would slowly get cooler and cooler. It turns out the elements burned out. I think one element burned out a while ago, hence the second person taking the cold shower. So, we called our friend that used to be an electrician. Now, I have to say, this is the handiest friend we have. He came over after work and stayed here two hours to fix the water heater. Less than one hour after he left, we had hot water. I can't wait to take a hot shower this morning! Don't get me wrong, the very fast, cold shower that I had yesterday was invigorating, I just don't want to have to do that everyday!

Ahhhhh Summer!!!!

Today is the first day of summer around 6 pm or so. I love this season! Memories of going to the city pool with my neighbors, Robin and Renee, and playing softball in the summer league. I would swim all afternoon (get sunburned, of course) and then go to my game that evening! It amazing how much energy one has at 11! As a little kid, I can remember eating watermelon until you think you will puke and trying to see who could spit the seeds the farthest. And I learned to water ski the summer after 8th grade on Beaver Lake. I was "going with" a guy and his family had a couple of boats. His parents were so patient with me. And of course, I LOVE sleeping in and not having to be anywhere! I love wearing T-shirts, shorts and sandals everywhere I go. Ahhhhhh, Summer is finally here.

We won, but it was ugly...

Last night I played softball. The team we played was a team that isn't going to win any good sportsmanship awards anytime soon. I remember them from last year because of two people: The coach/pitcher* and a guy that hits a really hard line drive.

My memory served me correctly. And there was a third person this year. There was a girl that NEVER swung at a pitch. OK, she would swing, but, I kid you not, I threw at least 10 pitches every time she was up. This is a league with no walks, no strike-outs, so I don't know what the heck she was doing other than irritating me to no end. Oh, did I mention that I pitched last night because our regular pitcher is coaching his kids team? Yep, I'm the only one that is foolish to volunteer.

Back to the guy that hits a really hard line drive. When he was up the first time, he hit the ball so that it bounced really big. He didn't hit it really hard. But as the game progressed, he started hitting harder and harder. He also hits to 2nd base position and he hit both her knees last night. And then the last time I pitched to him he hit the ball straight to me. I luckily turned and the ball hit the outer part of my left heal. It flew way up in the air and the 2nd baseman (woman) fielded it and threw him out at 1st.

He does all this with a strange-serial murder-no expression -kind of face. He was the same last year. And not once did he apologize for hitting us like sitting ducks. This is, after all, coed, non-competitive softball. I don't what he is thinking.

The next time he got up to bat I said, "I am not pitching to this guy." I looked at his coach and said, "you can do it." Our 1st baseman switched with me. I told them (all from the mound) that he hits the ball hard and he tries to hit people. I said it was bad sportsmanship and I was p. o.'d. Maybe I was wrong in saying all of that, but I was really pissed.

I was feeling a tad guilty after the game. The guy didn't come out and say "good game" to us and one of my teammates thought he was embarrassed. Hell, he should have been. She thought I should apologize. At first, I said I wasn't in the mood to be that nice, but I thought about it in the car for a minute. I saw that he was walking up to the car behind me, so I got out and approached him. I said, "I'm sorry I wasn't so nice to you out on the field..." and his reply was, "get away from me." Um, yes, he may have been embarrassed, but I know he was mad. To me, that showed that he truly was a bad sport and was mad that I called him on it during the game.


*he was one of those old farts that had to have a pinch hitter every time he was up. And he heckled me when I was pitching. Good grief, I was tired from pitching to his horrible players that stood there like a flag pole.

Just call me Holly Homemaker...

OK, I guess that is what I do. But, not very well most days. So, today I mopped my kitchen floor and did the huge pile of laundry from vacation. And the kids got to finger paint! Wow! I'm giddy. And it gets better. This afternoon, we picked strawberries. We didn't last long--it's stinkin' hot here (I do love it, though) and the kids were thirsty. So, I paid my $3 and headed to our little local Post Office to pick up two weeks worth of mail. The little guy fell asleep and took about a two hour nap. Now, that makes it all worth it!!!

I did call the local hospital and, alas, they don't need me until July 5! I do miss the adult contact and using my brain.

The strawberries have been washed, cut and sprinkled with sugar. I can't wait to have a bowl of vanilla ice cream tonight with the berries on top. And God bless the migrant worker that does this kind of thing for a living (picking berries, etc). My back started hurting and the sweat was just rolling down my back this afternoon.

I'm back from Arkansas...

We made it back, safe and sound. The kids were great in the car. The trip was filled with all kinds of things: horseback riding, water skiing, touring caves, cat fishing, eating. I got to meet a blog friend, NY KAT. She is very nice but I didn't let her get a word in edge-wise. We met for coffee one of the days I was in Fayetteville and I just talked her head off. Oh, I hope to see her next time I'm down there so she can talk about herself some!!

It was so great to be back in Fayetteville. I'm more of a hippy than I realized because the town appealed to me more than ever. And the weather. It was hot! I'm sure when I'm back for my niece's wedding in July, I will be griping about the humidity and heat. But, for two weeks in June, I was in heaven. Um, Hog Heaven. Ha ha.

One of the best days was when we were out with my sister and her husband on Bull Shoals Lake. It is a reservoir near Harrison, Arkansas. We got to water ski. The kids had so much fun and Kendall even got out on the tube.

To see a few pictures you can click here.

Catfishing

We took the kids to a place where you can catfish. Guaranteed to get some.

Watch out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are Kendall and Clayton enjoying their jeep that stays down here with Pappaw and Mammaw. They were about to run over me!

Things I like about coming home:

dry, hot, sunny days

Ozark Mountains

boating on the lakes

Fried....catfish, okra, frog legs (OK-I haven't eaten any frog legs this time, but my son loves them)

words like "hey", "buddy" and "y'all". (i.e one person says "hi" and the other replies "hey")

big, loud thunderstorms that leave as fast as they rolled in

donuts

really good pork barbecue

sweet tea

pinto beans and cornbread on the menu

stuff going on...

Yesterday, my husband and I drove to Fayetteville for the day to visit a former colleague of my husband's that is now at the U of A. We looked at future research sites and had lunch at my favorite place, Hugo's.




Today, my parents, the husband, the kids and I went to a local cave that is about 4 miles from my parents' home. We had a good time. We are not spelunkers, by any means, but it was very interesting.

Here are some things that we have done since we arrived:

A Welcomed Sight..

For those of us that grew up west of the Mississippi river, the arch on the banks of the river in St. Louis, Missouri, is a great thing to see. It means that you are 'almost' home. The beginning of the Ozarks is not far away and things will start to seem a little more familiar.

Our journey started in central Pennsylvania, then West Virginia (briefly), then Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and finally Arkansas.

Pennsylvania travelers..,

well, we made it to Arkansas! The kids were the best little travelers and thank Goodness for portable DVD players. We drove over 12 hrs on Saturday with about 17 hours total. Needless to say, we are a little tired today.

photos to follow in the next few days.

"I'm no doctor, but he looked healthy...."

Reportedly, that is what the Homeland Security Agent said at Champlain, NY, when he let Andrew Speaker into the US despite a warning that came up on the computer when his passport was checked. Now, I ask you fellow Americans, do you think we are any better off than we were 6 years ago? This guy has shown just how easy it is to enter the US if you are a good-looking, young, white guy. And this guy has the most drug-resistant form of Tuberculosis. This case has fascinated me so I have been doing a little reading on the subject. (I have forgotten most of what I learned those many years ago in Medical Microbiology. )

Still, this guy knew he had TB when he flew trans-Atlantic for his wedding and honeymoon. This was a very selfish act and he had been warned by health officials not to fly. Plus, his now father-in-law is a researcher at the CDC on, all things, tuberculosis! So, you can't tell me this guy didn't know what he was dealing with. A little arrogant? No doubt. Just like those drunk drivers that "feel fine" and get behind the wheel in a car. He unnecessarily exposed people to something that can be deadly.