You guys, I have to tell you that I had the nicest weekend. It was a hectic week, starting out with a case of strep throat and continuing through to Friday, which has become back-to-back meeting day for me at the day job. I kicked the weekend off by doing one of the funnest of all fun things…having an eye exam.
Okay, maybe not such a blast, but it was a relief to have it done. I had an appointment back in February, but had to cancel due to an ice storm. Then, I was on the road most of March. I have no idea what happened to April, but I have been running on my last pair of contact lenses. It had to be done.
So there. I checked it off the list. Made the man get his peepers looked at too. Goose-gander, birds slain with a single stone….
Since we were already in chore mode, Fodder and I did the grocery shopping while we were out. That onerous task complete, I was able to retire to the recliner where I chatted with my girls and generally goofed off until it was time to crawl into bed.
Fodder and I had talked about having some type of getaway over the weekend. It’s been a stressful few weeks months year, and we just wanted to do something a little fun. We settled on spending a few hours just about 45 minutes up the road in Conway, AR, where the Toad Suck Daze festival was in full swing.
No, I did not just make up that name. It’s a thing. Here’s the website.
Sadly, to get to the festival, we had to pass through tornado-stricken Mayflower, AR. I won’t post pics or say anything more here because I can’t do justice to the utter devastation left in the path of that storm. I will simply ask you to please continue to support your own local Red Cross and other relief organizations.
The festival was fun, the day was beautiful, and the fair food? Well, let’s just say no one left hungry. We had toasted ravioli and cannelloni, jambalaya with sausage and chicken, kettle corn, and our new fair friend: deep fried cookie dough.
Yes, that is a hunk of frozen chocolate chip cookie dough (egg-free, we were told) deep-fried, dipped in chocolate, and rolled in pecans. Yeah…good times.
My handsome escort also won a prize for me at one of the many sucker magnets games of skill set up along the midway. Meet Colonel Corn – the latest and greatest weapon of spousal torment token of my love’s esteem and affection.
I’ll leave the ensuing conversations to your imagination. Now, multiply everything you just thought by ten, and you may have an inkling of what Fodder’s ride home from Toad Suck might have been like. I haven’t laughed that much or that hard in a while.
Back on the Ethridge Estate, we proceeded to nap in anticipation of another storm blowing through our neck of the woods. This tiny tempest was thoroughly enjoyable, though, and the path of destruction he wrought much more easily set to rights.
This morning, Fodder and I drove down to the Arkansas River to walk the lovely paths at Two Rivers Park.
While we were strolling we sighted a couple of does and a yearling not 100 yards from us. The sun was sparkling on the river, the sky was blue and cloudless, and the hills fresh and green with spring growth. It was the perfect way to start the day.
Later in the afternoon, I planted impatiens in the hanging baskets and spent a little time holding paws with my puppy dogs whilst my hero grilled steaks. And now, here I am in my chair – full, happy, and more relaxed than I’ve been in a long, long time.
I think we’re all caught up on my side now. Tell me what’s been happening in your world!
Oh! And don’t forget (like I almost did) about Love Finds A Way – the new boxed set that includes Contentment! It’s available now for only $0.99! Please tell all of your friends!
Sounds like the perfect rejuvenating weekend! So jealous of your Toad Suck loot, particularly the deep-fried cookie dough. I used to think that if I was ever on death row and had to choose one last meal, I’d take BBQd pork chops and apple sauce with a side of phyllo-wrapped salmon. You’ve inspired me to change my mind. My weekend involved tennis, getting the living daylights kissed out of me, sushi, cupcakes, cookies, reading, reading, and more reading. Oh, and I even did a little marking. Sometimes I work too. 😀 Have a fantabulous week, my dear!
There is nothing better than fair/festival food. Did you have lemonade or salty nuts. What are the salty nuts? My weekend was relaxing. Hubby when fishing which left the tv allll mine. Mwahaha. I watched the shows I wanted to. I capped it off by bouncing up and down on the couch as the pretty horse from California won the Kentucky Derby. Later it was dinner at our friends’ house.
Sunday was even better. Chinese food was eaten outside whole the munchkin splashed in her little pool. Later that afternoon it was pedicures with my friend. We got our feet pampered as we sipped half-priced Fraps. I got some chat time in as we laughed and joked around. I capped it off with Once Upon a Time watching with the family. Good weekend.
Ignore the incorrect words I used. Once again my brain and fingers aren’t communicating.
I am 100% behind the concept of deep-fried cookie dough. Sounds like a winner to me. I’m laughing over the difference between your idea of a nice relaxing weekend and mine. Yours: Go to a festival, do gardening, drive somewhere to take a walk, babysit a cutie-pie grandson. Me: Lay on the couch for 48 hours. Yep, we’re twinnies. Glad you had fun!
We usually do it after the wkoorut. Most people wait a little bit before starting. Once you start, it should not take extremely long. Some short rests are ok, but standing for too long with the weight on your shoulders between reps isn’t really want we encourage. We don’t have a time limit though.Yes, 5# is added each day you do it.
Superb site you have here but I was wondering if you knew of
any community forums that cover the same topics talked about in this
article? I’d really like to be a part of online community where I can get suggestions from other
experienced people that share the same interest. If you have any
suggestions, please let me know. Cheers!
I am so very sorry Ananyah My dad died last September after a long 8 year fight with kidney ccaner that had metastasized (spread) to his lungs and brain. He fought his ccaner with every bit of pissed off raging anger he had in him, until the very last moment when he left us.We took care of him like our baby in his final days. We had someone (a male nurse) to help us, but we his children and his wife -we took care of him ourselves in every way you by now already know about. We tried not to keep him at the hospital (he had had a bleeding stroke or cerebral hemorrhage a year before he died and was completely paralyzed on one side of his body, and thats how we found out the ccaner had finally spread to his brain) and we set up a room for him at home so he could be with us in his final days however long they were. So he could watch TV, be visited by his friends and family in a normal setting, so we could feed and clean him ourselves and so he could just be in his own home, the house he had built years ago, the house that his own mother had lived in a long time ago, the house his children all grew up in.I know you are now reeling in shock and pain from the reality of what you have been told of your grandfathers condition, and the idea that there may be no hope. But there always is. Always. It is a day to day thing with terminal ccaner. And even if the doctors happen to be right, I know you already understand that we are not meant to live forever, and even though it’s hard to accept that idea of dying when we ourselves are so caught up in our youthful life and its problems and grievances, life has a natural conclusion at some unknown point for us all. What counts more than anything, more than everything sweet Ananyah, is the love and strength we give each other when we face or witness our loved ones suddenly thrust into these painfully hard stages of life that we all will go through when our own time comes. How we love each other when we are suffering the most, when we face the very worst, when we are most terrified of what is to come. Sometimes we will do a good job of loving each other with all our hearts in these crises, sometimes we will suck at it. What counts is that we are there and we do not let go, and that our loved one knows it.If you disconnect from your pain at times and feel numb in order to deal psychologically ( you will witness many difficult things in the days to come and it will not be easy, trust me) it is ok and please forgive yourself. Sometimes this numbness is a blessing, a coping mechanism, a respite from reality. Don’t be angry with yourself if you do. Try to be as normal as you can with your grandfather when you can, talk to him, let him talk, try to carry out as normal a life as is possible somehow with him whether he stays in the hospital or comes home to be with you. The little normal boring routine things are a blessing in disguise.It really helps to talk to other families going through this as well, to hear of their coping strategies, their feelings, their experiences and stories. There will be this camaraderie between you, this instant connection. You will also find everyone will want to help and that there will be such an outpouring of love and care (from unexpected places and people strangers even). Count yourself blessed when you do. There will be so much good mixed in with the bad in the days to come.Prayers for you and your family sweetie. I am wishing you much love, strength and energy in the days to come for your whole family, and the blessing of having each other to hold onto.