The ol' homestead

Well I am just popping in to say hello and that I have made it home and I am back -well physically anyway. Wow, it is always so hard to come home and unpack and get settled back to regular life. I am trying not to stress about the pile of laundry, dishes in the sink, getting April's school work caught up, the poison oak on my arm and the extra pounds I have put on, but the fact of the matter is....I AM! UGHHH.

We managed to fit in alot during our visit to Bentonville and I am sure I leave my SIL tired. Well, she managed to overfeed us once more (like we have no common sense to stop ourselves) with the most yummy eats too! She made an especially great mexican salad with jicama, and I really enjoyed it but think she rather did not. Well, it was all good and more than anything we are so grateful that we can laugh and visit with them like wonderful families should.

Randy and his daddy went through the building with some of the families keepsakes and he brought some home with him. Included with some is the thing he remembers shining like a mirror is his grandparents brass bed. Tarnished now from storage but it will once again shine like he remembers, for he is already at work to bring it back and get it in good repair. I sit now with it in the bedroom (reeking of Brasso!) but smile at his determination. Just wait he says "you'll see", and I know that I will.

Here's a thing... Parachuting Penguins. What does this mean to you? Well, it didn't mean a whole lot to us either but every night on our evening walk, there down the street and around the deli sits a business with this name. Every year I think what the tarnation is a parachuting penguin???? So this year I once again had the idea to look them up to see once and for all what those penguins are up to. Well, as it is, they are not real penguins and their site says to stop in and chat with them and they will give you the lowdown on the name. Hmmm, sooo... maybe Susie might stop in some time to ask but in the meantime, I now know they are a "full service Print and Copy establishment with much more" -they don't say what the much more is and we can assume it has something to do with the Wal-mart head offices shipping. So there you have it, if you are in northwest Arkansas and in need of some copying then you are in business! Funny, after 5 days I almost felt a kinship with them and felt rather odd leaving and not bidding them good-bye even though all we saw was their feet in the window and the doggie getting his treats. Ah well, I am sure they are just relieved that they are no longer on display.

The TITANIC museum was just grand and loved it all. They say you can tour in 90 minuted but Susie and I found we were hard pressed to get it done in 4 hours. I am sure the awaiting family at the end thought we could have done it a tad more timely.... but it was grand indeed! I could not begin to tell you all the interesting things we learned there..... Did you know there were 10 dogs on board Titanic? And did you know that 3 survived ?? (Imagine!!!)

Well, that will have to be all for now, I will have more to share with you and will get my menu posted up soon and I also have a kettle corn recipe you are gonna love!

Have a great day!