Return of the Jedi

I don't even know what a Jedi is. Is it plural? Is it one Jed, two Jedi? As in there are three Jedi at this party and I can't tell them apart? Half the students in my classes are Jedi.

But I myself have returned to the cool climes of New England. I must say it feels good after the sweltering jungle weather of Arkansas.

If you make the unlikely choice of shopping outside, you must duck into a store every few seconds or wilt right there on the sidewalk. It doesn't matter what is for sale. You must go in and feign interest.

Well sure I want to browse and peruse toilets, why wouldn't I? We're always being told how much time we spend sleeping--is it one third of our lives? How much of our time do we spend using a toilet? I'll bet it's a high percentage (and for some I've known a VERY high percentage). I'll bet this store owner can tell me about it. Until I cool off and step outside again.

Bath House Row in Hot Springs, Arkansas, is a sight worth seeing.


It evokes an earlier time, one of style and opulence (though now dulled). You can sense the babes from long ago wearing their white gloves as they stroll with their gangster boyfriends. Hot Springs used to be the getaway resort of preference for Al Capone and many of his buddies.

The Arlington Hotel presides over the whole setting.

And if it's a little frayed at the edges, no one is noticing. I must say we did notice a huge cockroach crawling around outside the front door, though, rather a deterrent perhaps. The fun part was watching an outdoor wedding across the street as we stood comfortably inside the front door of the Arlington. The bride looked pissed off, the guests were fanning themselves madly, and all concerned seemed pretty miserable.

It was a great trip and I got to see my niece get married. When she walked down the aisle on the arm of my brother, it was a weepy moment for me and very gratifying.

Worst airline? Possibly US Air. No thunderstorms, no weather of any kind for hundreds of miles in every direction, but you know what? We're going to delay this flight anyway. And then we're going to delay your connecting flight, so you can feel hopeful, so you can clutch on to the possibility of making it, and have that heartstopping OJ Simpson run through the airport that everyone so loves. And then miss the flight anyway. All travel in the US is miserable. You heard it here first, dear reader. Hmm, maybe not first.

Anyway, I'm glad to be home and am reading GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO.
love,
becky