A Day in the Life of…Some People

Yesterday’s explorations began early, encouraged by the promise of a free promotional license plate and the allure of a pancake breakfast. We left the house around 6:15, two and a quarter hours after I got up, an unusually early start for my wife. After picking up my sister-in-law, we drove to Hot Springs and parked on Central Avenue, about half a block from The Pancake Shop, a Hot Springs institution since 1940.

The ambiance of the place speaks a different language than anything you could create from scratch today. Creaky wooden chairs with Naugahyde seat-covers, menus that look like they were printed in 1940, staff members who are absolutely comfortable with themselves and the place they work; it’s all a testament to a time gone by, but it works beautifully today. After a breakfast of buckwheat pancakes with maple syrup and a wonderful slab of ham (shared three ways with enough left to take some home), we continued on with our tasks.

First up was a visit to the convention center, where the front bumper of our car was adorned with a license plate promoting Hot Springs. Our car’s front bumper has been naked since we moved to Arkansas, so when my wife read about the give-away sponsored (I think) by the Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce, we jumped at it. The nice folks greeting freebie-seekers gladly gave an extra plate to my sister-in-law; the bumper on her much newer car, unlike ours, was not grotesquely disfigured by holes, but when she lived in Massachusetts she displayed front plates and, like us, missed having some sort of adornment on the bumper.

From there, we headed toward home but were waylaid when we saw a sign for Greenley Foods/Hot Springs Produce, just up the road from the Convention Center. It’s physical address is 105 Vine Street, Hot Springs, AR. We had passed the place by the time the sign registered with us, but after a convoluted set of turns and u-turns, we found our way. The people were extremely friendly and welcoming and quite helpful.  My wife and I left with a cantaloupe and a few tomatoes.  My SIL left with a cantaloupe and something in a jar; I can’t remember what, but I’m guessing she’s nice enough to let us sample it, whatever it is.

Thence, back home and a brief respite until the next calendar item called: strawberries at the Catholic church near the Coronado Center. Well, more than strawberries: we got strawberries and green beans…at least.  Maybe more.  After a quick trip home to drop our loot, we headed back to Coronado Center to partake in a hot-dog and chips meal generously given to users of the Hot Springs Village trails who had completed either the equivalent of a half-marathon (13.1 miles) or a full-marathon (26.2 miles) on designated trails during the entire month of April.  Yes, that’s right; either 13.1 miles or 26.2 miles walked during the entire month!  Well, my favorite spouse, being married to the slug I am, completed only the half-marathon (as did I, due to my slothful demeanor);  SIL, on the other hand, probably completed five full marathons, but claimed credit for just one. At any rate, we had a nice hot dog and chip lunch, with little interference from anyone asking for money or time (though it was clear either or both would be appreciated).

In between these events, we were accosted twice with a request to donate blood, which I would have happily done had our schedules not been so tight and glitchy.  Next month, I say now, I will.  I used to donate blood regularly, but stopped at some point due to being turned away because of my doctor-prescribed pharmaceutical cocktail. That’s no longer an issue, so it makes sense to donate again. I feel better about myself when I do.

We were to attend the Ouachita Speaker Series last night to hear a woman from Crystal Bridges (I’ve oohed and aahed over that before) talk about stuff, but my SIL was under the weather and I lost the mood of interest in driving over, so my favorite wife and I stayed home and nibbled on fruits and veggies (and I ate some left-over ham from the morning ventures) and watched (at least she did) mindless swill on television.

And that covers the riveting excitement that defined yesterday in The Village! Oh, we went to Wal-Mart and to the Post Office, but those don’t qualify as “events” worthy of telling.

I promise not to do another travelogue quite like this for another month or so. But, remember, I lie.

About John Swinburn

"Love not what you are but what you may become."― Miguel de Cervantes
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3 Responses to A Day in the Life of…Some People

  1. Juan says:

    Well, if it’s the mundane, then by the turn of your pen or keyboard, you have made it interesting to me. I am actually jealous of this line from you, my recursive man:

    “The nice folks greeting freebie-seekers gladly gave an extra plate to my sister-in-law; the bumper on her much newer car, unlike ours, was not grotesquely disfigured by holes, but when she lived in Massachusetts she displayed front plates and, like us, missed having some sort of adornment on the bumper.”

  2. Thank you, Juan. I sometimes feel guilty for posting the mundane things I love about my life!

  3. Juan says:

    I loved this travelogue!!! Well done!!!

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