Adventures for the Autumnal Equinox

The day dawned bright and cloudless so what else were we to do but get on the Harley and start exploring part of our beautiful state?  Bestie made me breakfast and we ate on the patio and reveled in the excellent weather after such a horrid last few weeks with hell-like heat and humidity.  If we had weather like today all year it would make everyone want to live in Arkansas, so I am glad we have some days of heat and humidity just to keep those Yankees out.

Bestie always looks at the road map before we start but doesn't usually have a set plan.  We generally just head in a direction and see where the road leads.  This time he decided to head southwest and maybe end up in Hot Springs or somewhere near the lake.  I didn't care.  I had a warm jacket and my cell phone had a full charge so I would be fine no matter how long we were out or the destination Bestie would finally choose.

 

Now getting ready for a road trip usually takes me 10 - 15 minutes.  If the road beckons, I put on jeans and a t-shirt, grab my cell phone, credit card, helmet, jacket and boots and am out the door.  Bestie takes a little longer to prepare.  As with most everything, Bestie can take an action that should be easy and turn it into a full production. From dressing in the right "tough biker outfit" to polishing and packing the Harley, it can be 30 minutes to a hour before Bestie actually starts the bike and it moves toward the road.

About 45 minutes after I was ready to go, Bestie was finally ready to hit the road  and we were off.

After an hour or so of  riding we ended up at Lake Ouachita State Park and Bestie had to scope out the marina. Like most men, Bestie is just an overgrown boy who loves looking at "toys" (boats, bikes, motorcycles, planes - you get the idea).  The lake is fairly low right now but this part of the lake does have a lot of fluctuation in depth.

Now, I'm not confirming that we skinny-dipped at this point, but the lake here is very secluded and the weather was just about perfect.......

Dry and back on the bike and down the road, Bestie assured me he was dodging the potholes, but I was beginning to wonder.  The weather was perfect and Bestie promised the road wouldn't be this rough the whole way so I settled in with Twitter and waited to see our next destination.

Lo and behold, we did end up in Hot Springs . With Bikes, Blues, and BBQ in Fayetteville this weekend I didn't expect to see tons of bikers out in this part of the state, but I was mistaken.  There were tons of bikes out and lots of people strolling just enjoying the weather.  Hot Springs is such a great town to visit.  I always feel like I should be wearing a flapper dress and looking for Al Capone or Bugsy Malone and perhaps even carrying a Tommy Gun.  Like Eureka Springs, Hot Springs has such a great history and visiting is like taking a step back in time.

 

Bestie was ready for grub so we wandered Central Avenue looking for some place cool to eat and boy, did we find it!  The Ohio Club has great food, excellent staff and a fabulous history.  The bar is lovely and the pressed tin ceiling adds a great feel to the place.  It was a gambling hall until 1968 when it was finally closed down and now is a bar/restaurant where some fantastic bands play on the weekends.

(Steve Hester and DeJaVooDoo is there September 27-28 and they are WONDERFUL!)

 

 

Bestie had to try out some of the micro-brewery flavor but I don't have that much of an adventurous streak in me.

 

We just absorbed the local flavor (and an Ohio Sampler Platter) and marveled at how wonderful it is to spend time together not just because we are married, but also because we are best friends.  I know Bestie loves riding motorcycles so I go with him and we have a great time.  He knows I love junk shopping so he goes with me sometimes and - guess what - we have a great time doing that too.  Whatever you do with your partner, make a point of enjoying it because you are together.  Even work is fun when done with someone you enjoy so imagine how fun it is when you are with the one you love!

I hope you all enjoyed the beautiful weekend.  Make it a goal to do something this week with YOUR Bestie and let me know about it.  Empty Nesters or not, make time for each other and have a great life! YOLO.

Arkansas Football Means Tailgating With Style

I have long operated under the delusion that I am the "hostess with the mostest".  I have hosted charity dinners at my house, had ladies club meetings in my home and served 'high tea', participated in home tours where I served heavy hors d'oeuvres and coordinated catered events attended by over 800 people. All this should make me well prepared for tailgating and provide me the opportunity to show off this self-proclaimed title, but setting up and hosting a tailgate has a whole catalog of challenges.  I have battled insane heat, plagues of insects, torrential rain, blistering cold, high winds, unruly tailgating neighbors and even thieves.

We didn't tailgate the first Razorback game this year.  With predicted temperatures in the upper 90's, it just was not feasible for food preparation and bodily health to be out in the heat for 6-8 hours or more.  Instead, I shopped in air conditioned stores and let the rest of the fans enjoy the game at the boiling hot stadium.  (As I have mentioned in previous posts, I do not attend the games with Bestie because he has a tendency to misbehave - seriously misbehave.  I send the kiddos with him!)

The second game was in Little Rock and we "tailgated" at our house.  Can you tell where we live?  I usually just tell people to look for the house with the Razorback stuff.

 

It was lovely to just set up the party in the house and backyard, have a refrigerator with plenty of ice, clean flush toilets and AIR CONDITIONING.  Yes, the second game was still HOT and I do NOT enjoy sweating.  Being old enough to have an empty nest means also being old enough to have hot flashes so I am never too far from an air conditioner or a fan of some kind.

The third game was set for an 11:00 a.m. kick off.  I decided not to tailgate with my excuse being that it was too early to have to set up a tent in Fayetteville and no one wants to get up early - right?  WRONG.  I was over-ruled by kiddos and Bestie and a tailgating we did go.

We are in a new parking lot this year so we left kiddo #1's apartment to set up early (before 7:00 a.m.).  We also wanted to scope out the 'best' spot to set up the tent.  I think we found a pretty good spot.

This spot stayed in the shade all day long, is near a small creek, is level and has trees that will be perfect for a hammock.  It is also near the Campus Police Department where there are clean flush toilets.

Tailgate creator in training - Kiddo #1

For the breakfast of the tailgate we had Mississippi Monkey Bread, bacon wrapped sausages with brown sugar glaze, hashbrown casserole and Bloody Marys or Fuzzy Navels to drink.  Delicious.  I don't like to cook, but I can when the Hogs truly need me to be there for them.

Mississippi Monkey Bread with a honey glaze

Is it considered 'drinking' when it contains vitamin rich juice? I don't think so!

The after game meal was an enchilada casserole (baked in an electric skillet - imagine that!) with picante cheese sauce and chips with salsa.  The kiddos brought by their friends and they made short work of the food that was left.  College kids do hunger for home cooking.

Bestie likes to set a fashion trend at the games so he chose to wear his custom designed pants.  We met the designer at a bar in the River Market area about 2 years ago.  The designer (Chris Hess of Hess Clothing) had on these pants and Bestie fell in love with them so Hess created a pair just for Bestie.  

Fashionista Bestie!

The first "real" tailgate of the season was a success.  Everyone had good conversation, good food and lots of fun.  On top of that - the Razorbacks won which means Bestie was in a good mood so we could all be in a good mood.

Perhaps "Hostess with the Mostest" is a fitting title after all.  I am already planning out the menu for the next game.  Thinking of trying something completely different from anything I have done as a tailgater before.  I'll be sure to let you know how it turns out or you can just stop by.  Look for us in the Plaza parking lot (aka Lot 47N) between the Campus Police Station and Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. We will be opposite the outdoor track and field facility.  Ours will be the tailgate in the tree area (perhaps we will be sporting red balloons).  Look forward to seeing you at the tailgating party where we celebrate (or mourn) with style!

100 miles and counting

In May, I heard about the Dirt in Your Skirt 100 Mile Challenge.  The premise of the Challenge was to run/jog/walk 100 miles between Memorial Day and Labor Day.  Since that time frame was three months long and I am putting in miles anyway to keep from being HUGELY overweight, I decided to take the plunge and make the commitment.  Since going it alone can be daunting, I drafted my cousin to participate with me.  She and I have done a few 5K races together and are planning on being in the Disney Princess 10K and Half Marathon in February 2014.  We do a pretty good job keeping each other going when the going can get tough.

Michelle and I at the Color Run earlier in the running season

We started the challenge by participating in the Riverfest Rock and Stroll 5K. In this race, participants are encouraged to dress in costumes showing favorite rock stars.  Michelle dressed as Elvis and I HAD to go as Cyndi Lauper.  After all, girls just wanna have fun.

This pic also shows our running kids - Robby from The Saw, Claire and Sabrina as mini Elvises.

Michelle went home to Missouri, but we still stayed in contact and posted our mileage on the Dirt In Your Skirt Facebook page weekly.  I did feel obligated to keep my mileage up, even when I was tired or it was hot.  Having a partner who challenged me was a definite asset.

It was mid July when I realized I would need new shoes. Bestie had been telling me to get new shoes for weeks.  My old shoes had done several 5K races and trained and run a half marathon and were starting to show the wear and tear of it all.  And, let's just face it, they were developing an odor.  Shoes can only do the whole wet, dry, wet, dry cycle so many times before they become too foul to deal with any longer.  I found these BRIGHT pink shoes and could not resist.  I have gotten more comments on them than I have on any other shoes I have ever owned.

My new shoes.  They don't glow in the dark but they look like they could!

I got to within one mile of finishing the 100 miles and decided I wanted to finish up with Bestie Boy by my side. He had been behind me 100% and cracked jokes all along to keep me motivated and on track. Bestie doesn't run with me because of a bone injury, but he does ride his bike along side me and make smart aleck comments about my pace. It only seemed fitting that Bestie would finish this by my side since Michelle and I would be unable to finish together.

Bestie mixed a celebratory cocktail for us in a thermos and we headed to Knopp Park which overlooks the city.  This was the location where Michelle and I made the commitment to each other that we WOULD finish the Challenge.  I had to hum the Rocky tune as I closed in on the final mile and, yes, I even threw a few Rocky like punches and showed off my muscles.

Check out those guns!

It may not seem like a big deal to have 3 months to cover 100 miles and for the really serious runner it is not a tough challenge.  I am not a 'serious' runner. I will never look like a world class runner with a great stride and a lean body. I run/jog because I have to in order to keep from being 500 pounds and being fit will help me live longer.  The main reason I do races is because I love bling.  I won't break any land speed records and I won't be on the podium at any races, but I WILL finish because I have more stubborness than I have sense sometimes and because I want that finishers medal. Yes, it is a sickness.

When Bestie and I got home from the first football game, lo and behold there was a package for me on the front porch and it contained my first "belt buckle" medal.  It is a beauty.

BLING !!!!  Now I just need a belt with my name on the back......

My cousin, Michelle, finished the Challenge the week after I did and now has her medal too.  We are now looking forward to racing together in Disney World in February as we continue our quest to collect the bling.  Hopefully I can get Bestie to be our paparazzi during the race!  My one man fan club!

The House Restaurant in Hillcrest - Losing More Than Meets The Eye

Bestie Boy took me out to eat this week at a Hillcrest staple - The House.  Located at 722 N. Palm near the Hillcrest Kroger, The House opened in 2009 as a self-proclaimed 'Burger Joint'.  Josh Blevins, owner of The House, uses almost exclusively Arkansas produce to prepare some pretty delicious meals.  The burgers and other sandwiches come on fresh rolls and stand a mile high.  There is no way you are going to put these babies in your mouth for a true bite.

We had been to The House once before and found the burgers to be good.  This week, Blevins announced that The House would close its doors for good at the end of August.  "Restaurants operate on the slimmest of margins, The House exceptionally so.  I've always been able to find ways to make us scrape by, but in the past month, our revenues have dropped considerably, to a degree that for a small operation like ours it is simply unsustainable." says Blevins.

We had to go for one last meal - one last hurrah.  Since we are back to the empty nest (see previous posts about moving the kiddos back to college), we could just decide to go out for dinner and go - no checking with kiddos, no wondering what to feed them, no listening to complaints because the menu didn't have what they wanted.  In other words, bliss.

I decided to have the 'world famous' macaroni and cheese.  I was disappointed.  It was dry and sticky. After talking with our waitress, we have decided most of the employees have already left for new jobs (Blevins even said in an interview he was helping to get his employees placed elsewhere) so that might explain the slow service, only standard drinks and my macaroni disappointment.  But really, how do you live up to 'world famous'?  This gave me an excuse to drink my mojito is big gulps and ask for another, thank you.

Bestie had the chicken sandwich with sriracha fries.  Wow.  The sandwich was good and the fries SPICY. Glad he had leftovers because this became my lunch the next day.  Again, the sandwich was so tall he had to cut it up in order to even get it to fit in his mouth.  Yes, I know.....Bestie does have a big mouth so it should have been able to fit......ha ha.

So, getting to eat at The House one last time was nice overall.  The best part was not the food or the atmosphere of the restaurant, but the time I got to spend with Bestie during which I had his full attention and he had mine.  Even on the stinking hot walk from home and back, we were able to hold hands, linger at interesting points along the way, and relax as best friends do.  Miss both kids already, but I am so glad to have back my husband who is also my lover and my best friend.

Moving the Kiddos back to the University of Arkansas - Go Hogs Go

I was in Fayetteville this past week moving both kiddos back to college.  Kiddo #1 was returning Sunday morning after 3 months in Alaska and needed her apartment set up so she could start back to work on Monday.  Did I mention her plane didn't land in Little Rock until Sunday morning?  Well, who do you think got to set up the apartment for her? Right, Mom.  Just another day in the life of a Mom (I did enjoy getting to play decorator so it wasn't all bad.)

I found this little gem at a flea market for only $45!

The dining area is ready for her first dinner guests.

Found this painted bedside table at another flea market for a steal.

This picture is by an artist in Fayetteville and was at the Painted Pig in Farmington for $12.

The mirror and table came from flea markets in Rogers.  I WILL be back to shop on Walnut Street in Rogers.  The flea markets there are FANTASTIC.

Kiddo #2 moved into a dorm room.  Where it took 4 days to move, unpack, and set up the apartment for kiddo #1, it took 15 minutes to set up dorm room for kiddo #2.  At this point you can probably tell kiddo #1 is a girl and kiddo #2 is a boy.  If not, you don't have kids or at least do not have one of each for the comparison.  When I took kiddo #2 to Wal Mart to get the "necessities" we hadn't already purchased he began to fill the cart with Nutty Bars, Swiss Cake Rolls, Chips, Honey Buns, etc.  The only non-junk food item we purchased was a pillow.  My children are like night and day.

Notice how few clothes are in the closet?  Robby said there were plenty!

The bed is made up only because I nagged him about it.  The walls and bulletin board are still empty.

The most important part of the room - two TVs and two gaming systems.

I had a wonderful time with both kiddos getting their room/apartment ready.  When I think I will miss them I just look at the football schedule and see how many times we will be together this fall.  I just hope the Razorbacks win a few games so we will have happy times together instead of insane fussing about the Hogs losing - again!

Phi Mu Bid Day - Fall 2013

 

I joined Phi Mu sorority at University of Arkansas in 1984.  I had three wonderful years at U of A and being in a sorority was part of what made those years so great.  Having a built in support system and feeling a part of such a great group of girls was wonderful then and is still wonderful today.  That is what made Bid Day 2013 so nice - getting to see old friends and making new ones all in our bond of Phi Mu.

After a long week for the PNMs (Potential New Members) and all the sorority members, Bid Day was upon us.  It was the first Phi Mu Bid Day in years and we were all excited to see the new members get their bids.  This is the second year for Phi Mu to be back on the campus of University of Arkansas.  The girls looked fantastic in their Bid Day T-Shirts and we got a full class of new Phis - 160 girls!!!  So excited to see the Chapter growing by leaps and bounds and really making a positive name for themselves on campus.

Members are in smokey blue shirts and Phis are in yellow

The "Sir Fidel"

NWA Alumnae and Friends

The Phi Mu Pledge Class of 2013

My Phi Mu "Daughter" - Kaitlyn Carson

As an added bonus, the Arkansas Democrat Gazette had a picture about students heading back to school at U of A and the pic showed Phi Mu girls in their Bid Day t-shirts!!  Great PR for a great year.

When you see a great girl, don't as 'Who?'  Know she is probably a member of Phi Mu!