What Are Little Girls Made Of?

Today's Highlights:  Having spent my entire career in education, the term “seniors” always catches my eye.  Now, when I see the word Senior, I quickly look to see if the word “Discount” follows it.

Today, the USofA deposited what I hope will be the first of many Social Security checks.  To celebrate, I took a motor trip down Hwy 49 to a little adventure at the Escape: Nails Spa and Salon.  True to their brochure, they welcomed me to a calm and relaxing environment ready to cater to my every need with a pedicure or manicure or facial.  On the window was a list of everything I could get waxed.  The only thing, let me say, not listed was the car!

The manicure was very enjoyable and administered for a competitive price almost identical to Best Nails in Bartlett with special attention by Amy, one of the 3 sisters there.  The Escape on Hwy 49 is new and has all the latest gadgets and décor including multiple well-appointed stations,  tile backsplash with an amber glass basin and individual nail brushes for hand-washing, single-use folded cloth towels for drying hands, and a drying table for complete polish finishing.  It was quite nice and came recommended by female associates in Rector.

However, while I waited for Marvin to pick me up (he’d gone shopping….at Lowe’s!), I walked 2 suites down to the Orschelin’s Farm Supply Store.  How crazy is that?  I do enjoy going into this store as that’s where I buy Hershey’s dog food and my bird feeder supplies.  Today I saw camouflage “lounge wear” and flirty pink camouflage shorty pjs (or undies, I could not be sure) with black lace trim, no less .  You have got to smile.  No one would be camouflaged in those outfits!

Either several planets are about to collide or there is a familiar symmetry from Nursery Rhyme days: sugar, spice and everything nice; frogs, snails and puppy dog tails. I shall have to add “hair, nails, and camouflage pj sales.”

From Steel Magnolias:  Clairee Belcher: The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize. »

Snow Days Rule!

In the past several days, I have worked little, read much, followed the weather forecast, and worn my PJs backward and inside out.  Though the ritual for snowfall did not work for Shelby County, it worked for me in NE Arkansas.  I did not have to go to work.  I did not have to go to work, for any reason or non-reason!
Self-indulgent laziness has beset me and I may not recover.  I stay up late, sleep in (past the morning announcements) enjoy coffee and read the paper, and then go about some daily doings.  Not much of anything lately.  I struggled through Stephen King's 11/22/63 and have attached my take on the book under Book Reviews to the right.  It's entitled "Every Messy Morning."  I play Words with Friends with Richard and he has beaten me twice, so I played Hangman with no one!  Spider Solitaire is fun while listening to Otis Redding through my earbuds.  David gave me a case for the Kindle Fire for Birthday, Retirement, and Valentine's Day.  That thing is the coolest - the Kindle Fire, that is. Today, in an email, I received a great photo of Dennis Smith posing with a fish that had on a UT hat.  Thanks, Dennis.  Ya'll have to keep in touch.

Lowe's Has No Starbucks Kiosk

Yes, Gina!  There is a Starbucks!

While small towns have a number of positive shopping possibilities including "secret diva shoppes," hometown shop owners, and a local style flavour,  they usually do not have a Starbucks.  But where there are college students, connecting highways,  and trendy hot spots, there you'll find that coffee haven of known civilization.
In addition to a Starbucks, I have found Best Buy, Chico's, Bath and Body Works, Target, and Barnes and Noble (for how long bookstores will remain, is only for we who like to feel the pages to determine.)
My cousin and I "motored to Jonesboro" the other day for some Girl Shopping. ( Lowes Home Improvement does not sell Honeysuckle Pleasures Body Lotion, nor do they offer a "skinny late'" to their shopping customers, in case you thought otherwise .)  One must break free from PVC pipe and Shop Vac Accessories to find other avenues for "shopping." 
The Mall at Turtle Creek is great - both large enough and small enough to meet any shopping need.  Bartlett Connections:  Becky Bowers and Joel Conley and others familiar with Jonesboro can attest to that.  (For you who remember John Cooke, he teaches and has the Band program at Valley View, a suburb in the north area, outside Jonesboro.)  Jonesboro is about 45 minutes south of Rector.
One of the great pleasures for this trip was that the road was "straight" so we did not have to worry about talking too much and missing our exit.  Hwy 49 leads directly to the Mall!  Who Knew!  Also, stores are open on days other than Saturday - again, who knew.  We shopped on ~  Thursday!  We drove home, reheated the Taco Soup (Brenda Pilant's recipe), and prepared for an exciting evening at home. 
I'll share later about the book I am reading.  I did not use the Kindle Fire (thank you again, FL Dept) this time because I checked it out from the Rector Library (Culture knows no boundaries).  Getting a library card was very important to me (old person) so I got 11/22/63 by Stephen King and have just begun it.
 I'll watch the forecast with interest tonight for I hear that S N O W may be in the prediction for Monday.  Maybe we will all have a much needed Snow Day.
A small town is a place where there's no place to go where you shouldn't.
Burt Bacharach

Passport To Paradise Begins at the Post Office

No, your passport does not have to be updated to enter Arkansas, or more specifically, Rector. 
But, just in case you wondered, there are places where you can get your US Passport paperwork turned in without being rudely addressed or standing in a line that weaves throughout the US Post Office Lobby.   
    We had called the Post Office (in Paragould) to check on times when Passport services were available  and payment options (check or debit/credit card). We spoke with a friendly (yes!) postal worker whose name is Sam.  He saw us enter the Lobby area and, as there were only 2 other people in the office, he pretended to be the Johnny Carson of Paragould and became "Karnak the Magnificent" divining the fact that we were there for Passport Services.  He called the lady in charge of that area, and she came very pleasantly to the front.  She invited us into her office (don't faint) and indicated that we should be seated (oh, yes, she did).  In the time of 20 minutes, we visited and talked about various kinds of interests.  We got everything processed, stamped, signed, and finalized.  That morning at the Paragould Post Office provided a most pleasant experience, perhaps the most pleasant I have ever experienced at a United States Post Office.
    Perhaps I had come to think of the other Post Office in another city as the norm.  My previous local Post Office is notorious for the longest lines, the most ineffeicient service, the most often broken stamp machines, and some very rude employees.
     It is so very refreshing to have common courtesy and friendliness combine to deliver customer service at - the Post Office in Paragould, AR.
    And, our passports should arrive within 3 weeks!  I'll be ready to find another slice of Paradise.

It's passionately interesting for me that the things that I learned in a small town, in a very modest home, are just the things that I believe have won the election.
Margaret Thatcher

Heart of the Community

Rector Schools - the Heart of this small community.
The Rector School System is small as is the town.  In contrast however, is the spirit.  Just as civic pride is thriving, so is school pride and school spirit. As the heart of the community, it is also the entertainment mecca:  football, basketball, fund-raising events, shows, and family events.
Just 7 miles south of town is another small town, a rival in basketball and Dollar General stores!  We attended the girls' game between the Lady Greyhounds from visiting Marmaduke and the Lady Cougars.
     The game was played in the AFG (translates Absolutely Fabulous High School Gym) that boasts theatre seating on the home side and mixed bleacher/theatre steating on the visitor side. Trophy cases, lobby areas, plenty of seating, really, really nice restrooms, and with a full concession stand and classrooms at the rear of the building make it the best gym in this area of the state. The gym was filled with Greyhound Red and Cougar Blue.  The game came down to an errant final shot by the Lady Cougars and the visiting team won by 2, but that was not the jaw-dropping observation I wish to share.
     Prior to the tip-off, the school pep band/ varsity band played the National Anthem.  The concession stand went dark, people stopped where they stood, rose from their seats, turned to the hoisted American flag, and removed caps and placed hands over hearts or simply stood at respectful attention throughout the playing of the Star Spangled Banner.  You ask why I am surprised?  It's because I have seen the lack of decorum in other high school gyms and college arenas reach a sad low where disrespect of traditional patriotic ceremonies seems the norm rather than the exception.  Not so at the Rector Cougars Gym.
    At the conclusion of the game, both teams voluntarily met at center court, joined hands, and shared a time of prayer, all legal in that it was organized voluntarily by students with no school authority figures, no coaches organizing any such display of spiritual acknowledgement to God most High.
     All in all, I'd say this community wins big!

“I wish I could show you the little village where I was born. It's so lovely there...I used to think it too small to spend a life in, but now I'm not so sure.”
― Mary Kelly

Relax, Refresh, Rector, AR - Weekend Retreat becomes Home

Introducing you to this tiny town that is now heralded as"home" ~
      Rector, AR is a town of about 2000 people, located in the upper and easternmost county in Arkansas, Clay County.  Adjacent to the familiar "Missouri Bootheel," Clay County / Rector is 15 miles west of Kennett, Missouri.  The St. Francis River is an eastern landmark and Crowley's Ridge is a mid-county landmark. On Hwy 49 N/ Hwy 90 N, Rector is named for one of Arkansas' first governors and was a major railroad town, a hub of cotton growing, ginning, and transporting.  One Main Street with several businesses and no traffic lights includes the Rector Flower Shop and the Rector Downtown Drug Store. The downtown area, with its Downtown Park, is on the Historic Register as is the First United Methodist Church building.  Rector Memorial Park is well kept with picnic facilities and is adjacent to the Community Center.  The Veteran's Park is newly constructed, and is on the same property as the Chamber of Commerce/Welcome Center which is housed in the revitalized/repurposed vintage City Jail Building.  The economy focuses on farming:  cotton, corn, soybeans, wheat, rice to name a few.  Employment also centers around the farming community with the school and city government being two of the other major employers.  Families in this region have lived here for a generations and the annual Labor Day Picnic brings them all home for the weekend celebrations.  Where a person lives in town is described in relationship to "the family name house."
      Being raised in a small town in south Arkansas, I am no stranger to small towns, but this community is tiny.  Nonetheless, it is a great place to live and certainly a great place to retire. 
      Watch for future articles and blog notices regarding life in this small town that carries this mantra:  Relax ~ Refresh ~ Rector. This link is to the City of Rector website:  Rector Retirement Retreat