Sick

First, it was Joe. He called on Monday afternoon asking if I knew where he might could find a copy of his proof of insurance for his car. He had been rear-ended on Central Avenue, and could not find a copy in his car. Since he was on-duty, and to make sure any injuries were to be covered by workman's comp, he would have to go to the doctor for blood work and exam. While there, the Doctor diagnosed him with bronchitis.

By the time he got home, he could not speak and was delirious with sickness. On top of it all, he was sore from the auto incident, too. The bag of prescriptions that I fetched for him raised pharmacy staff eyebrows significantly, as it not only included narcotic cough medicine, but also vicodin and muscle relaxers for his muscles.

Needless to say, within an hour of arriving back at home with his meds... he was toasted.

Luckily for Joe, he was able to call-in sick for two days and was able to rest and heal. I, on the other hand, became ill the next day, and could not take off work at all. Apparently, the person that stands in for me when I am ill or on vacation was already filling-in for staff in our North Little Rock lab. In other words... I was shit out of luck.

"Just go home as soon as you get all your work done" says my boss. Seemed simple enough, but after having already gone to the doctor yesterday morning prior to work, my meds had kicked-in too... and I was doing good to complete my work at all without grinding off my fingertips with the dental drill.

So, yesterday I got to leave a whopping 5 minutes earlier than usual. Today was a bit better though. I got to leave much earlier. Much, much earlier! 2:00!!!!

Gee whiz, maybe I'm just pissy b/c I'm sick... or maybe I just want a new job.

I'm thinking it's both.

?1915?

Our neighbors, Ron and Leigh Linton, brought over this photocopied photo of The 602. I am thinking that it is probably around 1915.

The Black Friday fire of 1913 that destroyed much of downtown, the courthouse and the east side of the Quapaw-Prospect neighborhood also damaged The 602. When new(1887-1892), she was a grand Queen Anne Victorian covered in gingerbread trim, a tall hip roof, and I'm certain that the rondelle had a pointed turret, too.

Well, as evidenced by signs of fire in the attic, I'm thinking that the roof either burned off ... or was damaged to the point of being replaced. And the house underwent a total renovation, not only to repair the burn damage, but to also add indoor plumbing and electricity. It was at that time that (according to the version of the story we've been told) that Dr. Collings decided to make the house as fire-proof as possible. Hence... the stone facade & the Craftsman/Prairie inspired lines that she carries through to this day. Notice how prominently the large Frank Lloyd Wright inspired porch planter stands out on the corner of the front porch.

The lines of the Queen Anne aren't completely lost, though are toned down significantly. I can imagine lots of lattice work for the house's underpinning... lightning rods on the tips of the turret and hips... and lots of scroll cut trim work... all cut to perfection and painted 10 different colors. Can you see it??? Nevertheless, she's still a grand old home. A hybrid of sorts...

Perhaps a Craftsman Queen??????

Makes My Blood Boil

I know many of you have seen this already, but I thought it worthy of a post.

Think Cool Thoughts

It's July in Hot Springs, and it is indeed hot. Joe and I tag-teamed yard duty this morning, and even though we started just before 8:00 and finished just after 10:00, it wiped us out. Even the Scots are bushed after walking back with me from the groomers. As soon as we walked in the door, Wills laid himself out on the slate floor in the kitchen, where he still remains some 40 minutes later. He occasionally lets out a groan for us to hear. I totally understand what he means and how he feels.




The photos above were taken the day of our last snow this year. I made sure to capture it, as I knew it would not be around long. Snow in Hot Springs is not nearly as common as one might think. I've seen winter here pass without seeing a single flake. However 2008 gave us snow on two occasions. What made it even more uncommon was that both snowfalls occurred during the same week. March 3rd and March 7th. The first two photos are of home 'the 602'; then, looking up West Mountain; next, the tan Victorian on the next corner on Hawthorne St. (we don't know them very well, b/c they are assholes); and finally, our dear friends Danny and Janine-owners of Prospect_Place_Bed&Breakfast just around the corner from us.

Doesn't it look wonderful? I feel cooler already.

Neighborhood Elements

It Rained on Tuesday...

Proper timing is absolutely crucial when photographing nature...

Shirtless Yard Man

Sitting in my office, looking out my little window to the world...

I spot this across the street.

Two thoughts crossed my mind:

1. How much would he charge to mow our yard, and

2. Would Joe approve?

Uh, YEAH! And only if he works without his shirt all the time.

(I must have some kind of awesome camera, as this guy was not only across the street, but was down the block, too. I did not realize how tight I could close-in on subject matter:-)