The red-eye flights from SeaTac to DFW to Little Rock were uneventful, each arriving on time. Pam (thank you) picked us up at the airport, and with luggage in hand we made the 45-minute drive home. There, everything was in order thanks to Sue who house sits for us; we are ever so grateful. After semi unpacking, we both took naps in hopes of overcoming jet lag, though it only partially worked.

Our days that last week of September and first week of October were filled with catching up: flu shots, medical appointments, haircuts, golf, etc., and we were fortunate to spend time with two of the kids and two of the grandkids via dinner with Ron and Cheryl (for Kay’s birthday) and Ridge’s soccer game on Saturday (Karyn, Ridge, and Aker). It rained so hard at the soccer game that the kids were playing soccer in pools of water and mud. In fact, Sunday’s game was called off after central Arkansas received over 6 inches of rain on that Saturday and early Sunday morning!

I spent several days catching up on preparing journal/blog entries, and sorting and backing up several hundred photographs from the last few weeks. It was so nice to have fast internet! Pickleball in Hot Springs Village restarted after an absence of several weeks for resurfacing the courts; it will take some time to regain our timing and finesse. The motorhome received its annual maintenance and chassis check; it’s ready for another season, its eleventh. Oh, and by the way, it’s still hot and humid in Arkansas with temps in the low 90s.

A bright spot was the few butterflies, despite being a bit bedraggled, that could be seen nectaring on the still blooming Lantana, offering up a photograph here and there.

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And, even a couple of dragonflies made an appearance. Here are a male and female Eastern Pondhawk.

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