DeadpanAnn (old blogger version)

The Husband and I are trying to plan a little getaway this summer. We're thinking about renting a cabin on a lake or a river where we would be able to relax, fish, swim, relax, fish, swim, and fish. And possibly drive to a nearby town one night for dinner or something. I suggested Hot Springs, Arkansas, because I have been there before. We also found this place, which looks fabulous. One of the cabins has a waterfall and a natural pool right outside of it, and it's all private. Also, it's built into a natural cave, and one of the rooms has a wall that's formed by the outside of the cave. It's awesome. Of course, that one isn't available again until August, and we're trying to find something for the week of July 23-27. Our anniversary is July 22, but TH is working that day, so we're planning to leave the next day.

Another cabin available through them features bald eagles that nest around it, and a room with a glass ceiling where you can watch dozens of them flying around. But you learn something new every day, and today we learned that bald eagles are migratory and that it's extremely rare to see them in the summer months. So that cabin just became a lot less attractive, especially since it doesn't have any water within walking distance.

I want to have a place where we can have some access to water without being in plain view of too many people. TH is embarrassed of his lack of swimming skills, and I want to get him in the water without him feeling like everyone is watching him flail about. That's why I thought the private little pool would've been perfect. And the waterfall....how nice would that be??

About eight years ago, I went with a group to some place in Arkansas. I can't remember which river it was, but we rented a couple of cabins right by it. The cabins were nothing special-- just a one room deal with a queen size bed and a bunk bed and a window unit air conditioner. You had to walk to a bath house to shower and use the toilet, which wasn't fun, but we were roughing it so whatever. The great thing was that the river was right outside our door. We had a little sandy beach area, and a grill. We fished and swam, and we cooked burgers on the grill. Everything else we ate came out of a can or a cooler. It was great. One day we rented canoes and went down the river, which actually turned out to be a little on the boring side that time. In my experience, canoeing is never just right. It's always like the water is so rough that you can't keep from flipping over ever five minutse and someone nearly drowns, or it's really slow and lame and you basically sit in a canoe for four hours and watch yourselves turn into lobsters. I don't think I would have much success getting TH into a canoe, so fishing is his primary interest. Swimming and playing in the water is mine.

TH says he doesn't want to go to Arkansas. I keep telling him that north AR is great-- it's pretty, and very scenic. But he's got this Arkansas stigma in his head that he can't get past. Missouri might have some suitable places for us. As I've mentioned, I have family in MO-- mostly around Poplar Bluff or Piedmont (?), and have been up there several times for reunions and so forth. There's some river there that we visit every time. I once saved a drowning boy there, and was a hero for a day. I also have a friend who lives in Dexter who says that there are lots of places to rent canoes and camp. Perhaps Hillbilly Mom knows of a place. Everything I can find in and around Branson is very resort-like and "sleeps up to twelve." We ain't that high-fallutin', you know. Besides, only one place says they're by a river. The James River?

Flood me with suggestions, people. All two of you.

The lady who interviewed me at the alt. school told me to call her back yesterday, so I did. The lady who answered the phone said she was busy doing an interview. She said, "I'll tell her you called, but I know she is still interviewing people for that job." Since she had asked me to call her back, I called her again today, and finally talked to her. NOW she says she'll still be interviewing through next week.

Maybe I was a bit presumptuous in saying they would probably offer me the job. There are apparently more people interested in it than I would've guessed. That doesn't bother me as much as being told to call back and then being treated like I'm bothering them. I wish people would just be straight with me. Dream High School hasn't even given me the courtesy of a phone call, even though it has been over a month since they interviewed me, they showed a strong interest on the day of the interview, and I have called back twice to follow up.

So unprofessional!

If something doesn't happen, I'll have to change the name of my blog again. That would also make me the only person I know who made a sincere effort to enter the teaching profession and completely failed.