I was able to resume all activities Sunday, with no restrictions.  Of course, the heart “thingy” is always at the back on one’s mind!  We were off to church and Sunday school, and had lunch with friends, Al and Gaye.  With lots of sunshine, we opted for a Lake Norfork visit, and invited friend Sandy along.  None of us got into the water, but we sure enjoyed the serenity and peacefulness, except for the jet skis!

Early Monday morning I swept off the road in front of our property, removing gravel and debris deposited recently from a neighbor “attempting” to grade the shoulders, which by the way, were already in great shape.  Chunks of “chip and seal” had been removed from the road, and along with chips, gravel, and dust, we had a mess.  Regrettably, just a few hours after this hard, sweaty work, the private party repeated the unauthorized work, and redeposited “chip and seal”, gravel, and dust.  Oh well, a problem for someone else—I don’t need the stress!  Kay had an appointment with the dentist for cosmetic work, and was off to Calico Rock.  A pair of twin fawns enjoyed nibbling away at parts of Kay’s plants, but we so enjoyed watching them play and cavort.  Also today we saw lots of birds, and several butterflies were taking advantage of the flowering shrubs and annuals; this is the most activity we’ve had since mid-April.  No unusual birds were observed, though we did see the following butterfly species:  Zebra Swallowtail, Great Spangled Fritillary, and Silvery Checkerspot; the Great Spangled Fritillary, shown in the photograph, was a lifer for me.  The afternoon proved to be the perfect time for a long nap, and we both partook.  Kay drove into Mountain Home for band practice, and I enjoyed a quiet evening at home.  The following photos show a Great-spangled Fritillary, American Lady, Pipevine Swallowtail, 

Tuesday was haircut day for me, and with what little hair there is, it didn’t take long.  After the clip, clip, snip, snip, and brush off, I drove to Big Creek to hit golf balls.  It was a bit strange and anxious returning to the scene of the heart “issue”, and that’s my excuse for not hitting the ball well!  And, I had made such progress—oh well, two steps forward, one and a half steps back.  With hot temps and sunny skies, we enjoyed a “swim” in Lake Norfork, wonderful at 86°.  A TV night followed dinner, catching up on recorded programs.

Friend Al Vekovius met me at the house Wednesday morning for fishing on the Norfork River.  We last fished together some 9 months ago in mid-October, 2013.  This trip proved to be less successful than the last, though we both had a great time and caught enough fish to make it interesting.  Our timing was impeccable as we barely made it to the bank before fast rising water consumed the river.  The clouds rolled in, and the skies darkened as a thunderstorm struck mid-afternoon, dropping about an inch of much needed rain, and bringing in cool temperatures once again.  An appointment with Dr. Robinson in late afternoon was uneventful, and he said to come back next year—excellent!  Perhaps because of the wading, I was very tired in the evening, mostly sleeping through a television program we were watching, and then went to bed at 8:30 PM.

Kay and I went into Mountain Home Thursday morning mainly to hit a bunch of golf balls.  I felt great—better than in a long time.  Perhaps the stents are making a noticeable difference!  Jenny called late afternoon to let us know they were visiting this weekend—what a great treat.  We had intended to travel to Memphis to wish Harper a happy 2nd birthday, but now we can do it at our house!  In the evening, Al and Gaye and Bruce and Joan came over and we all traveled to Lake Norfork for an evening on the water, watching the sunset and enjoying a great visit.

With an impending visit from Harper, Jenny, and Brian, we drove back into Mountain Home on Friday morning for food.  Back at  home, we unpacked and stored the groceries, and I began to feel sore and ache in the heart and chest area.  It was scary after last week, but the discomfort was much different.  In addition, a dry cough has developed.  Apparently, I overdid it at the golf course on Thursday morning, and the cough is a side affect of having the stents inserted.  The ache and soreness did not get better, and I continued to feel worse.  We had “new” butterflies visiting the Butterfly Bush and Lantana, and they presented themselves for a few photos.   Jenny, Harper, and Brian arrived just after 10 PM, and Kay had prepared them a scrumptious late dinner.  After eating and visiting, we all went to bed a little late.

Sleeping in was the order of the day on Saturday.  I was up first, then Harper, then Kay, then Jenny, and finally Brian.  I heard pitty patty footsteps on the stairs, looked around, and there was Harper.  She was smiling and said, “DD”.   Harper loves the out of doors, and was out the patio door and away so fast we could hardly keep up with her.  She’s a climber, and and adventurous little girl.  We all lounged around all morning, spending family time on the patio watching Harper try to blow bubbles, then went to Lake Norfork—this proved to be the hottest day of the year, so far.  After motoring to a quiet cove, Brian was off in the kayak exploring and free diving while the rest of us hung out in and around the pontoon.  Harper fell asleep to the rocking of the pontoon as we slowly motored around in circles, despite fighting nap time for about 30 minutes, and was soon followed by her mother.  After lots of sun and water, we ate dinner (grilled salmon, rice, vegetables, and salad).  Jenny and Brian had S’mores around a campfire, and Kay and I retired early. 

We were all up early Sunday, though not by choice.  Kay was off to church and I visited with Jenny, Harper, and Brian, saying goodbye about 10 AM.  Kay and I cleaned house, washed clothes, and rested.  Bill and Bootsie, next door neighbors, came by for a visit, and we enjoyed catching up.  A few butterflies posed for photos in the hot air, and we began getting ready for our next adventure.  This photo is a Silver-spotted Skipper.