We went different directions Friday morning as I drove to northern take care of some business, with a full check list of things to do like paying property taxes; after taking care of business in Mountain Home, I filled deer feeders, bird feeders, and hummingbird feeders, welcoming back our wild creatures.  Meanwhile, Kay and some lady friends drove to O’Fallon, Illinois, to have an “old girls” outing.  This group of former educators at Northside Junior High School in Pulaski County get together annually to do what “old girls” do, mostly visit and eat. 

Back at home on Saturday, it was good to have unlimited internet, which allowed updating the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook, as well as the Windows based computers, taking several hours because the Centurytel internet is painfully slow.  The down time was used to return to Mountain Home to buy a couple of needed items not on yesterday’s list.  After returning, I spent considerable time outside working on the grounds, weed eating around the rock steps, blowing debris off the “dry” stream surrounding the back of the house, and filling holes in the drive.  Wayne loaned his tractor and driveway leveler and it did a fabulous job of smoothing the gravel driveway, and filling in the few remaining holes left from last week’s 4 1/2 inch deluge.

With Kay absent Sunday morning, I opted to go to the early “traditional” church at home, and really enjoyed the quietness and contemplativeness compared to the contemporary service we normally attend.  Rodney talked about Paul’s letter to the Romans, the spiritual gifts each of us receive, and how it takes the sum of these individual gifts to fulfill God’s team.  I couldn’t help but think of all the leadership training, team building, and synergy, not realizing back then that it was in the Bible the whole time—amazing what we can learn by reading the Word!  After church, I picked up a couple things at Walmart, and returned home to enjoy the US Amateur Golf Championship.  Regrettably, it was rain delayed, and shortly after the delay was announced, a fierce thunderstorm struck near and around the house, with over an inch of rain falling in just a few minutes.  Kay and the “old girls” returned to Arkansas after a long drive through thunderstorms, having had a great time.

Another cool front is making its way into northern Arkansas, helping make this the coolest summer we’ve experienced at home.  Nevertheless, Monday was warm, even hot, and brought butterflies to the Lantana, Marigolds, and Butterfly Bushes—more than we’ve had since mid-April. The photos at the bottom of this paragraph show a Monarch, a Spicebush Swallowtail, and a couple of Skippers.  In addition, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are passing through on their migration south in large numbers, and quickly emptying the many feeders hanging along the house; other bird species are increasing in numbers as well, quickly consuming the suet cakes and tube feeders filled with sunflower seeds.  In what is almost an annual occurrence because of the few miles driven, the Explorer went in for an “annual” oil change today; an appointment was impossible forcing us to drop it off for the day.  We drove back into town in the late afternoon to retrieve it, making it 4 roundtrips to Mountain Home today.  On the way home, I stopped by Quarry Marina and covered the pontoon; we sure enjoyed leaving it uncovered for the month as it seemed much more convenient.  We watched a couple hours of recorded television to end the day.

An office visit to the cardiologist was one of the big ticket items Tuesday.  With Kay in tow, I was quickly ushered in to complete patient paperwork, then into a waiting room for an EKG.  After the EKG, an RNP (Registered Nurse Practioner) made the office call; I was quite shocked, expecting to see Dr. Camp instead.  The RNP listened to my heart and breathing, answered a few questions, and made some general recommendations—without the benefit of any baseline data except the photos and drawings of the stent insertion a few days ago.  He recommended a weight loss of 20 pounds, exercise, diet with less red meat and animal fat, and a daily dose of cholesterol lowering meds.  Well, I had just had a visit with Dr. Robinson, my primary care physician, who strongly recommended the DASH diet and exercise in lieu of cholesterol lowering meds.  I know it is the way of the future to be seen by RNPs, but I still prefer medical doctors to RNPs—did I say I don’t like change.  Anyway, I got a clean bill of health and an appointment for another office visit in late October.  After returning home, we left to “check” on our property in Hot Springs Village—maybe playing a little golf and bridge while there.  After picking up the keys to the rental house and unpacking, it was too late for a round of golf, so we hit balls instead.  Clouds began moving in in the early evening, bringing yet another period of wet weather.

Happy 2nd birthday, Harper.  Jim and Ginny Passe invited us to spend Wednesday with them on Lake Quachita, along with their out-of-town family guests.  Of course it started sprinkling once we were on the water, forcing us to return to the marina where their grandsons enjoyed the pontoon-mounted water slide, and we all had great “get to know one another” conversation about jobs, culture, and great television programs.  One interested fact that emerged was that of the 7 adults present, 4 of us were strong OCD personalities and another was a part-time OCD personality (I suspect Jim is pretty OCD as well, though he would not likely admit it, leaving Kay as the only non-OCD personality among the bunch).  Consequently, the various OCD habits of each of us were normal—at least as far as this group was concerned!  After returning to the Village, we relaxed for the afternoon before returning to the Passes for adult beverages, more great conversation, and pizza.  We immensely enjoyed getting to know Jim’s daughter and her family, and his sister.  As we read the day’s emails, we received word than yet another 60+ year old friend of ours had been diagnosed with probable terminal cancer.  Kay and I looked at each other and agreed that we can no longer put off doing the things we want to do as there may be no tomorrow, at least on this earth.  Neither of us is afraid to die, but we don’t want to go through the process.  This may sound like a contradiction, but think about it.

Happy birthday, Matt.  This is Thursday, the last day of the month; where has July gone?  It is still raining, wet, and cool by July standards.  Kay is off to exercise class at the Methodist church as this is being written.  The quiet down time is much needed, and welcomed!  As the rain slackened, I headed to the driving range and “short game” practice area at Magellan Golf Course for a couple hours practice—still not hitting the ball as well as before the heart “issue”—guess that’s golf!  After a quiet late afternoon, friend Jim Morris joined us for dinner at our new favorite Mexican restaurant in the Village.  Kay and I split the Ranchero Shrimp dinner, and we all enjoyed the live Mexican music.  With little to watch on television, Kay read and I went to bed early.

While we spent the month of July at home, there was still plenty of excitement to go around.  After returning home from a month in Hot Springs Village, we were faced with heavy-duty weeding of the various beds and gardens, a quiet Independence Day celebration, time with family and friends including a big announcement of another grand baby due in January 2015, house repairs, fly fishing, more than a few doctors’ appointments, time on Lake Norfork, a “mild” heart attack, a return of birds and butterflies, and finally a return to normal, whatever that is.  A number of butterfly species visited the back garden early this week including Great Spangled Fritillary, American Lady, Pipevine Swallowtail, Spicebush Swallowtail, Monarch, several species of Sulphurs, Eastern Tailed-Blue, and several species of Skippers; along with the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, they are all flying south for the winter!

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.

After all the “excitement” the past several days, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were pretty low key.  There had been lots of plans for doing work around the house as we were experiencing record cool weather for July, but these obviously got postponed since I could not lift anything over 5 pounds.   The painter did finish drywall repair and painting in the great room and master bedroom, and it looks great.  Kay had another wellness checkup Thursday.  We resumed the DASH diet, and sure enough, my blood pressure is dropping like a rock, and we’ve both lost weight.  Otherwise, not a lot happened around our place in the woods!

P.S.  The reality has begun to set in as to the seriousness of the heart “issue”, and how blessed I was to survive with little to no damage.  The good Lord just burdened me to go to the ER, and great medical staff and docs were available to monitor and act—nothing in the ER indicated a heart attack or problem, rather enzymes from blood taken at 3 AM Tuesday morning indicated potential for blockage and Dr. Robinson, my super primary care doc, texted Dr. Camp, my cardiologist, who quickly cancelled stress tests in lieu of performing heart catherization and then inserting stents.  One of the few advantages of living in this area is that everyone knows everyone, particularly in the medical community.  And Kay had known Dr. Robinson’s parents before he was born, and Dr. Camp and his family go to our church, and were in a Sunday school class we taught.  So, it wasn’t like perfect strangers were caring for me.  Thank you, Lord.

The weeds have been temporarily tamed, bird and deer feeders are filled, and a sense of normality has returned, at least for the time being.

Kay and I began the DASH ( Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Monday.  This diet, named the No. 1 diet by US News and World Report the last 4 years was advised by my doctor to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure.  We’re going one step further using the DASH weight loss diet, an hope to drop a few pounds as well as lower the two metrics mentioned above; thus far, I’ve been medicine free for the last couple of years, and this should greatly facility this trend.  Starting the diet proved to be difficult as I fished with long time fishing buddies, Ed and John.  This was my first time to fish in 2014.  We fished the reach from Lower Rim Shoals to above Ranchette Access.  We began fishing near the power lines, drifting downstream, and I was into fish immediately, catching the first 3 for the day. And then John struck, with a large 18+ inch brown.  I caught a couple more fish, as did John.  Ed and I switched off, as I was suffering from an overbearing headache that began early morning.  Ed and John proceeded to catch fish—lots of fish—the rest of the day, with several browns being brought to the net.  Kay spent part of the day in Mountain Home for her annual physical.  We both are relatively healthy, particularly for our ages, and we thank the good Lord for that.  With warm temperatures and the lake at 83°, we uncovered the pontoon and stowed the cover for the next few weeks, enjoying a couple of hours of floating in Lake Norfork.

Kay visited Dr. Lane in Calico Rock on Tuesday morning for a dental appointment; she has had a sensitive tooth for several months.  He applied a topical treatment, and she should be in good shape in a few days.  Lake Norfork beckoned us again in Tuesday afternoon, and we invited John and Sandy, but John had hurt his back a few days ago, and they could not make it.  The water was deliciously refreshing.  Kay received a surprise call from Lynn Charlesworth, one of our neighbors in the RGV.  Lynn and Clint live in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and we’ve known them for 3 years now.  They are an integral part of Circle 3, and lead and assist with a lot of our activities—they are good folks!  Kay and Lynn caught up on all of the “goings on” of folks who enjoy our daily 4 PM palapa time in the Valley.

Kay again visited the medical clinic on Wednesday morning for a blood workup, and stayed in town for a haircut.  The morning found me fishing the Norfork River for the first time in over 9 months.  After walking in and fishing briefly near the private access, I connected with neighbor, John Igleheart.  Fish were “midging” at Mill Dam Eddy, but hard to catch, with only 4 bing taken.  John and I opted to walk upstream to the riffle above the island.  Fish were sipping on the surface of the tailout, and we both caught lots of fish.  We enjoyed a phone conversation with Regi and Jim Miles of Fredricton, New Brunswick Wednesday evening before heading off the the lake.  Regi and Jim are our next door neighbors for 4 months at Bentsen Palm Village RV Park in the Rio Grande Valley.  Our Canadian friends mean so much to us, and it’s quite nice to communicate with them in the summer.  John accompanied us to the lake, and we all enjoyed the refreshing water and conversation.

John Igleheart and I fished again Thursday.  Fog hung over the river for an extending period of time this morning.  It was not a repeat of yesterday, but we both caught fish, mine mostly using dry flies.  Kay and I hit golf balls in the late afternoon, and she is hitting the ball remarkably well, and spending quite a bit of time working on pitching and chipping—now, she’ll beat me even worse.

About mid-morning Friday, the doorbell rang, and Ridge came up the stairs hollering for DD and KK.  We had not expected them until Friday evening, but welcomed the early arrival.  We sat on the patio while Ridge played, and spotted a rare Baltimore Oriole near the bird feeding station.  This was our second “rare” bird to visit Dunnhill this week, including the immature male Summer Tanager earlier.  After a brief visit, his dad drove up the hill to meet up with his dad from Illinois and some friends for White River boat fishing.  Ridge, Karyn, Kay, and I suited up and drove to Lake Norfork for some great time floating and mostly splashing in the refreshing water.  Ridge was reluctant to come into the water, but once in, he splashed and kicked for about an hour straight.  He especially liked being towed under the anchored pontoon boat by his KK.  We returned to the house for the rest of the afternoon, until he and Karyn left to visit with Ridge’s other grandfather.  They returned about 9 PM and we all retired for the evening.

Up early Saturday morning, Kay, Karyn, and Ridge were off to Mountain Home for the Farmer’s Market and other shopping while I prepared for a few hours’ fly fishing with Karyn.  Upon their return, Karyn and I donned wading gear and walked in at Mill Dam Eddy.  A slight flog hung over the water resulting in few hatches and fish not rising.  These conditions persisted most of the morning.  We waded upstream along the left descending bank of the island, and fished the riffle below the plunge pool along the island with no success.  Wading further upstream, we fished the riffle formed by the plunge pool, and Karyn succeeded in a half dozen hook-ups and long distance releases, including a couple really nice browns.  Further upstream, in the tailout of the riffle above the island, fish were occasionally rising, but wouldn’t take the Pink Cockleburr.  We waded back downstream and fished the plunge pool again, with limited success.   Ridge took a 3-hour nap, awaking mid-afternoon full of energy among 3 tired adults!  We lounged around the house, staying out of the oppressing heat.  Karyn made monkey bread for the guys (her hubby, his father, and her hubby’s friends) up the hill, we had dinner, and she and Ridge drove off to visit them for a short while.  We received shocking news late in the evening from Sandy who texted that KTLO reported the death of Dennis Charbonneau as a result of a motorcycle accident—he hit a deer—on Push Mountain Road.  Dennis and his wife, Debbie, were our builders, and the most ethical, honest contractor with whom I have ever dealt (40+ years of construction)!  Dennis was 66, and an overall great guy.  His accident and death really shook us to the bone and we went to bed very unsettled by this tragedy.

After a restless night, we were up early Sunday; Ridge slept in.  This proved to be a busy day for us.  We said goodbye to Karyn and Ridge, and were off to church.  Back home for a brief breakfast, we drove to central Arkansas for my niece’s wedding.  She raised an outstanding son and Down-syndrome daughter as a single parent, making the necessary relationship sacrifices along the way.  As the younger of the two reached adulthood, she began dating again and met the love of her life—well deserved!  We arrive back home late afternoon, and Kay took food to Debbie Charbonneau and I tidied up the house before hitting the sack just before dark.  Maybe when the house sells, we’ll have a normal week!

We arrived home yesterday, Sunday, to find the house in great shape thanks to housekeeper Louann, but the deer and bird feeders were empty and weeds had overtaken the place.  Consequently, the first order of business was to fill the feeders, and then eliminate as many of the weeds as possible without impacting the shrubs and flowers.  A healthy dose of Roundup combined with weed eating and pulling and hoeing Monday and Tuesday did the trick.  Deer, turkeys, and birds immediately began feeding, and we saw our first Summer Tanager at our place.  We drove to Springfield via Branson on Wednesday for shopping at the outlet mall in Branson and to have scheduled maintenance performed on the Honda in Springfield.  Of course, the trip to Springfield included a visit to Sam’s Club.  We returned to performing chores on Thursday, and we celebrated Independence Day quietly at home, just the two of us—no fireworks, hamburgers, or hot dogs, just recuperating from all the soreness!  With unseasonably cool weather, Saturday provided a great opportunity to wash the motorhome, and begin the two-day waxing job.  At least, the roof got a much needed wax job; the rest of the motorhome awaits.  Now that the weeds are mostly gone, and the motorhome washed and partially waxed, maybe we can “play” a little.  During the course of the week, in between all the homework, Kay and I went to Big Creek Golf and Country Club (we’re not members) for Kay to hit a few golf balls and practice her short game and me just to hit golf balls.  It’s a very nice golf course, rated among the nation’s best under 25,000 rounds, but we got spoiled last month in Hot Springs Village where the courses and practice facilities are superb.  As for “practice”, Kay constantly reminds me that improving one’s golf game is a process, not an event.  We returned to our “home” church Sunday morning, glad to see everyone for a few weeks before our next trip to the Village.  After spending a quiet, restful afternoon at home, we were dinner guests on John and Sandy, along with Ed.  Laughter and great food were in plentiful supply. 

This week completes our last week in Hot Springs Village; we have immensely enjoyed our month here, renewing many old acquaintances and making many new ones.  We have hosted two of our three kids and their families, and good friends, the Simanks.  Many books have been read, and hundreds of golf balls have been hit—some good, some bad.  Several rounds of golf have been played.   Yes, it has been a great month, indeed.

I played golf on Magellan Golf Course Monday, and played fair until it began raining on hole #14, stopping, and starting again shortly thereafter, accompanied by thunder.  It’s truly amazing how superb the maintenance folks keep this and the other courses.  Jim and Jackie Morris came over in the evening for bridge, and neither Jackie nor I had decent hands the entire evening.

Kay and Pam exercised at the Coronado Aquatic Center Tuesday morning, followed by lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant.  I played golf with Jim Morris on Balboa; Kay and Pam had a great lunch, while Jim and I had a lousy golf game as neither of us hit the ball well.  I sort of expected it as I woke up in the morning with a scratchy throat, and hit pretty inconsistently on the driving range.  We would be remiss if we failed to mention that Pam followed up lunch with a winning evening at the casino at Oaklawn Park.

Wednesday, I hit golf balls early in the morning, and Kay got a hair cut and color.  Our good friends the Simanks arrived at lunch, and after unpacking, we drove to Granada Golf Course overlooking the waterfall, where Kay met us for lunch.  The food was good, though the waitress was a bit on the weird side.  We explored the Village the rest of the afternoon, showing the Simanks our lot, a house being built with a floor plan we like, and most of the lakes and golf courses.  After a brief rest and adult beverages, we had dinner at the Last Chance, our now regular Wednesday evening hangout for dinner.  The food was very good, and the service excellent.

After coffee on Thursday morning, we drove to and walked around the farmers’ market at Grove Park.  The vegetables, baked goods, and other wares sold there are genuine, and sold by genuine farmers.  It is such a pleasure to eat tasty fresh vegetables, and the fried pies are to die for!  Back at the rental house, we ate breakfast before Kay and Sandy headed out for a sightseeing/shopping trip to Hot Springs while John and I caught up on a lot of IT work on iPhones, iPads, and computers.  We all drove back to Hot Springs for dinner at the Salty Oyster Grill for their catfish and “taters and onions.” 

After egg sandwiches for breakfast Friday morning, John and Sandy left for Norfork, and Kay and I drove the short distance to Magellan Golf Course to hit golf balls.  We “chilled” the rest of the day, and both of us took afternoon naps; now, Kay is developing a scratchy throat; time for the Zicam.   With time running out, we scheduled a mid-afternoon tee time for Coronado Golf Course for Saturday afternoon.  The Passes hosted us for adult beverages and pizza and a great visit Friday evening, but we didn’t get to go out on Lake Balboa because of high winds.  However, we always laugh a lot during our visits with them.

With nothing scheduled, we enjoyed a quiet morning Saturday, packed, and loaded the kayaks for the trip home on Sunday after church.  We sure enjoyed our month in Hot Springs Village, and learned a few things regarding our move here in the coming months.  First, we really enjoyed the sunroom, and have added it to a list of our “must haves” in the house we buy or build in the Village, and second, we both really enjoy the social life and amenities available in the Village.  The costs in the Village and surrounding area appear to be 15 to 20% less than in Baxter County, though this was no surprise to us as Baxter County businesses have a captive “audience” and make us pay through the nose for goods and services—shameful!  And finally, a butterfly settled in the oak tree just off the deck and posed for a photograph.  We were able to tee off early at Coronado, and Kay hit like an experienced golfer, particularly on her drives and fairway shots; the short game still eludes her, but she’s working on it!  We got hit by thunder, rain, and then lightening on the 9th hole and took a rain check—actually, a refund—for the back nine, and it continued to rain for most of the rest of the evening, making our decision a good one.

Sunday morning, we finished packing, except for the refrigerated and frozen foods, and attended the 10:10 AM traditional worship service.  The folks at the church have really made us feel welcome.  Afterwards, we packed and loaded the refrigerated and frozen foods, tied the kayaks down front and rear, and left within a few minutes of noon—I drove towards our house and Kay drove to Maumelle for a last visit with Ridge for a few days.  I arrived at the house at 3:30 PM, unpacked, and washed the Expedition, and Kay arrived a few hours later.  It’s always good to return to the place we call home, whether it’s the house or the RV.

This week proved to be our busiest week yet with Kay hosting her book club, two rounds of golf, and hosting Harper and her parents over the weekend.

Monday was our quietest day of the week as we hit a few golf balls and hung out at the rental house, as Kay made preparations (food) for book club.  

Kay exercised Tuesday morning, now a regular routine on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with other ladies at the Christ of the Hills United Methodist Church.  I played golf with what’s becoming a regular foursome, including Jim Morris, Fred Douglas, and Bill; we played DeSoto Golf Course, the first to be built in the Village and just refurbished last year.  The greens were lightning fast, and it was difficult to make a putt; to date, it is my least favorite of the courses at Hot Springs Village.  Jim and I ate at a great Mexican restaurant in the Village, with the coldest beer around.  While we played golf, drank, and dined, the book club ladies went to Oaklawn Race Track in Hot Springs, and tried their luck at the casino.

Kay hosted book club Wednesday, with the ladies arriving around 11 AM.  They dined on quiche, grape salad, corn dip, broccoli salad, Harry and David’s onion dip, tortilla rolls and salsa, fresh fruit, ice cream frozen dessert, chased down with Mimosas.  It was a great time to exit stage left, hit a few golf balls, and join others in the foursome to play Balboa.  Another course I haven’t played, it proved to be a well groomed course, but requires one to stay in the “short grass” to make a good score; I had a fair game, certainly better than some shot the last few weeks.

Karyn, Kay’s daughter, received a major award at the Little Rock District, US Army Corps of Engineers annual Engineer Day picnic in central Arkansas on Thursday.  Kay traveled there to honor Karyn as she received Project Manager of the Year award, while I remained behind for yet another golf lesson.  Today’s lesson was about keeping the right shoulder down through impact, and rotating the body toward the target after impact—two small, but essential  elements in improving ball contact.  As for the lessons as a whole, it is a slow process, but improvement is being made week by week.  One of the most difficult things is remembering that the ball doesn’t go quite as far (and the body doesn’t flex near as much) when hit by a person in their mid-60s compared to a person in their 40s or even 50s.  We chilled Thursday evening.

After receiving confirmation of a visit from our youngest grand baby and her parents, Kay and I drove to Walmart Friday morning for a few groceries and gasoline.  The Walmart store is across the Village a couple of miles outside the West Gate (the original main entrance).  Harper, Jenny, and Brian arrived late Friday evening, and we visited a bit before retiring for the evening.  Harper is recovering from tonsillitis and Jenny is still fighting this viral malady.

We were all up pretty early Saturday morning, but Jenny was definitely sleep deprived.  Brian, Harper, Kay, and I spent a good portion of the morning riding around various parts of the Village while Jenny napped.  Of course, Harper fell asleep, and slept almost the entire time we were riding.  Back at the rental house, we all loaded up in the Expedition in our swimsuits, and drove to Balboa Beach for a couple of hours of lake and beach time.  We all had a good time, throwing a Frisbee, and just lounging about in the lake.  The sound of thunder signaled time to depart, and we just beat the light rain that began to fall.  After the rain, we drove to the Family Area where Harper, Jenny, and Brian enjoyed playing on the slides and climbing areas.  Harper is a real climber, and knows no fear.  She has tremendous upper body strength, and is quite fast, and will escape your grasp before you know it, though we could tell she still didn’t feel well, despite a pleasant attitude and healthy appetite.  Back at the rental, Jenny and Brian went for a long walk, Kay entertained Harper, and I prepared dinner.  Afterwards, we all collapsed on the sofa and love seat, falling asleep about 9 PM—no last man standing in this crowd.

After breakfast Sunday, Jenny and Brian packed their car, and we all went for a ride around Hot Springs, driving down Bath House Row, and checking out the locations of Mid-America Museum and Magic Springs Amusement Park.  They departed for Memphis upon our return, Kay went shopping in Benton/Bryant with a girlfriend, and I washed clothes, cleaned house, and hit a bunch of golf balls—my best practice yet.  We watched television a short while in the evening before I cried “uncle” and went to bed—I sure am sleeping a lot!