In Hillbillyland

The Presley's and the Atkinson said good bye to the beach and Texas and headed for Arkansas. Of course the two days we had to load our U-Hauls were the two hottest and most humid days in the last three weeks. Despite the loss in water weight we managed to load and leave by Tuesday. We made the trip in two days and even though we thought we had a good short cut, we actually took quite a bit longer than it was supposed to take...then again, if you know me you know that I had to stop a time or twelve to use the bathroom. Candi followed Jamie and I in my truck with her two cats.

We did find out that there were pretty parts of Texas and that trees can grow in that state. I got excited when I saw a thirteen foot raise in the elevation, but it was all spoiled by a nose bleed, after all I haven't been above twenty in elevation in months. The trip went smoothly and I was glad to make it out of the Gulf Coast without experiencing a hurricane. It wasn't about five hours after that though that the radio stated that we were headed straight for a tornado. Luckily all we got was some wind and rain for about fifty miles.

I was not disappointed when the first local I saw after crossing the state line was wearing overalls. The people are, for the most part, very nice around here. Most of them have a pretty noticeable accent, which I am sure is due to the lack of teeth. I know one profession around here that can't pay the bills and that is dentists. Just imagine a good people-watching day at your local Wal-Mart...triple that...and you have Arkansas. Candi seems to think the accent is cute and is trying to duplicate it. I think she should pull her teeth out, rip her sleeves off, and grab three half naked kids to make it complete. I make fun of it to play the part, but it really isn't that bad.

Arkansas itself is beautiful. The weather (other than the day we arrived) has been high 70s and low 80s and not a cloud in the sky. The best part is the humidity is completely gone.

Downtown Little Rock

Arkansas River that runs through Little Rock

Another shot of Arkansas River just outside downtown

Little Rock Central High School (one of the first to desegregate with great opposition, forcing Presidential intervention)

As far as the house hunting goes...well, we haven't had the luck we did in Corpus. We eliminate 75% of the available homes just because we have to have a place that will take pets. We think we have found a place, but we are waiting for the property management company to approve us, which could take a few days...not to mention the person who could approve us was out of the office Friday. The place we found was, of course, the most expensive, but it seems to be in the best location (ten minutes from the base on the north side, fifteen minutes from downtown Little Rock on the south side). Hopefully, we get this house or we just wasted the last few days with this whole process.

Other than that, not a lot going on. We have been getting a little tired of being couped up in a motel room with three animals, but somehow we have survived so far. Candi has been working from the motel room while Jamie and I have been house hunting. She did take a break on Saturday and we all went into Little Rock to see the downtown and all the sites. It takes a lot to put up with me...and three animals in a confined space. I appreciate her patience...something I don't exactly have.

Chillin' in the motel