Hello friends from Little Rock's University Avenue Hilton
Hotel. December 26th finds Barbara and
me uprooted from our Pleasant Valley rental home which lies without electricity
under a 9 inch blanket of snow and ice.
This Christmas blizzard is, according to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette,
the city's first measurable snow accumulation in 86 years...what I'd call a
quite unnatural occurrence in this most beautiful Natural State.
Yes, Arkansas calls itself the Natural State. For good
reason too. The state's land area is
large and it's population is small. There are the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains
with their state and national forests.
There are unspoiled rivers and lakes--the Arkansas, Buffalo, Red and
White--perfect for canoeing and fishing.
There are vast wooded tracts for the state's male population to go deer
hunting every fall and winter weekend. An hour south of Little Rock are perhaps
the finest flooded timbers in the world, playgrounds for duck hunters who pay
upwards of 100 grand to join exclusive clubs where they wake up at 4 AM, wear
insulated camouflage booted waders, venture out in boats to duck blinds, shoot
their quota and spend the rest of the day and night in a double wide trailer
lodge, sobriety not required.
We two Yankees, with neither rod nor rifle, have been
immersing ourselves in nature. Ten minutes from our home is Pinnacle Mountain,
a rocky topped volcano shaped peak that rewards the climb up with great views
of Lake Maumelle, the Arkansas River and downtown Little Rock in the
distance. When I bike down to the river,
I can take the bike path left ten miles to Pinnacle, or right ten miles to the
Clinton Presidential Library downtown.
Unlike one quarter of the state's population that is on welfare and two
thirds that are obese, a large segment of Little Rock residents are well to do
and very health conscious (and voted for Obama too). There are 3 pedestrian bridges across the
river with parks on both sides that teem with walkers, joggers and bikers on
weekends.
The photos we've posted on Facebook don't do justice to
the breathtakingly beautiful views from the trails of Mount Magazine at peak
leaf season. Closer to home is Petit Jean's Mather Lodge where last weekend we
and Brad had lunch after a 5 mile hike.
Our view out the window was a mountain notch opening to the river with
hundreds of hawks riding the thermals seemingly just for our entertainment. We haven't made it yet to the Fayetteville
corner of the state with the University and Walmart daughter's Crystal Bridges
American art museum. Museum curators
call it the #2 collection of American art anywhere. Locals say to go for the spectacular
architecture, gardens and walking trails. We're going this spring. Anyone care
to join us?
Work here is as promised.
I am busy which is what I wanted.
It feels good to be fully employed.
Patients come to see me from all over the state. They don't think twice about driving 2 hours
for a colonoscopy. They all ask,
"Why Arkansas?"...I seem to recall all of you asking that same
question. BV has her computer, the Internet and an easy
access airport--all she needs to keep her Tox consulting business buzzing. We joined a health club with indoor/outdoor
swim and tennis. We joined a reform
temple. Barb has a swim & lunch buddy and a friend or two from her grad
student days 25 years ago. I'm going to bed too early to allow a poker game.
I'll just have to crash my old game this spring when we're back east for Brad's
graduation. Tradition dictates that returning sons are allowed to win enough to
cover air fare.
Bottom line, we are doing fine. We miss y'all, but not
all the time. We're still settling in,
exploring and trying to fit in while holding on to our northeastern, liberal,
Jewish identity. In Stamford, I don't
think we'd be spending tonight in a hotel.
We'd rough it or stay with family.
No big deal. We are, to
paraphrase Johnny Cash, keeping the ends out, waiting for some new ties that
bind. I guess I'm gonna hafta larn fishin' afta all. Oops..that line might get me tumpt.
Wishing you a healthy, happy, prosperous and Natural New
Year!
