Last week on Thursday, I headed off to see Brittany in Little Rock. I really hope I never have a reason to go back there. Not my favorite place.
I arrived on Thrusday night and hung out with Jeremy and Jack for a bit until Brittany got home. Then we hung out some more after Jack went to bed. Then we went to bed...around 10. Such a wild and crazy bunch.
Lucky me, they were expecting record breaking high temps while I was there. I probably should have checked the weather before I bought my ticket. 97 degrees is not my favorite.
Friday morning we went to the zoo. It's a nice place to be outside (before it gets too hot) and animals are usually entertaining...except when it's 5,000 degrees out. We visited with all the animals we could find (including the saddest excuse for a brown bear I have ever seen...but I suppose my standards are slightly high), and I made friends with the crocodile.
After the zoo, we headed downtown for lunch and had planned to walk around a bit, but lots of streets were closed as they prepared for a festival that started that night - Riverfest...and apparently had we planned ahead we could have seen many good musical acts...Snoop Dogg, Neon Trees, Boyz II Men, Third Eye Blind, B.o.B, just to name a few, although there we several shootings in the area, so it's probably better we stayed home (see...Little Rock has so much going for it besides the heat, there were at least three shootings over the weekend that made the news).
Saturday morning we got up (rather late) and went running. Probably not the best idea, I don't think we got out the door until after 10:30 or so and it was already 80 degrees. I'm pretty sure by the time we were done it was closer to 90. After showers and nap time, we grabbed some lunch and did some grocery shopping at Whole Foods. There was a sign out front advertising Copper River salmon...upon further investigation we discovered it was $25/lb...not that I was surprised.
After grocery shopping we went back home and hid from the heat. Seriously. 96+ degrees is pretty much incompatible with life. Walking outside feels like getting blasted in the face with a hairdryer and then being suffocated. We ate chips and guacamole for dinner (Jack had something more nutritious...we don't want him to have bad eating habits like us) and then delicious Key Lime pie for dessert (highly recommended, from Whole Foods, very limey and not terribly sweet).
Sunday morning, we got up at a more reasonable hour for running (probably out the door by 8ish), and it was cooler, but about 1,000 times more humid. Probably the hottest and most painful three miles I have ever run. Gross.
This photo does not do the sweatiness justice. It was literally pouring off of me. Ick.
After coffee, breakfast, and nap time, Jack was excited to learn that it was pool time.
Sunday night we had barbecue for dinner. It was tasty! Probably not good for my arteries, but yummy nonetheless.
Monday morning, Jeremy had to head home, after Brittany and Jack took him to the airport we spent some time hanging out at home and then went to Panera for lunch and to Target to tackle Brittany's shopping list. After errands, naps, and dinner prep, it was time to go pick up Anita (Jeremy's mom) from the airport. She came to take over for Brittany's mom (who had left the week before) as baby wrangler while Brittany finishes up her pilot training.
Tuesday morning I headed to the airport to make my way home. I got there with plenty of time before my flight (an hour and half) and was greeted with a huge line at the American Airlines counter. There were two people working the counter (very slowly, I might add) and it took me almost 45 minutes to get through the line, and another 30 minutes to get through security. I boarded my 11:45am flight at 11:40am. I'm glad I made it. I figured I would have had to drive myself to Seattle in order to get home if I missed that flight. Luckily I made it home relatively on time and with my bag.
Thankfully, I did not see any snakes while I was there, but I did kill at least four cockroaches and several spiders. Anita wins the prize for killing the biggest spider. It was huge...and fast...and scary.
So, I sure hope Arkansas gives me my friend back, because I really don't want to have to go back there. But in the event that she needs to be rescued, I'd make an exception.