Hot Springs, AR …and Wait, You Mean We Could've Had Comfort Food?

Hey my peeps! How’s that cup?

We’re chillin’ in Arkansas. The HB and I dropped off the RV in downtown Hot Springs early yesterday morning hoping to get some minor issues repaired. Uh, nope. No parts available. Ugh. Wish us luck when we get to Louisiana.

We had some breakfast at Granny’s Kitchen. Our server asked, “Are y’all from up north?” and “Do y’all think I talk funny?” Uh, no. You talk like everyone else we’ve met in Arkansas. Actually she probably thought we talked funny.

Breakfast was pretty tasty. We ate, and then cruised back to the RV sites to grab up the Professor & Yoko and Dr. Francois & Samantha, so that we could drive back downtown. Bis Bro & Big Bro left yesterday morning. Big Bro was feeling a bit under the weather and felt they better get closer to the Ponderosa to have things looked at. We miss them already.

Who here knows what Hot Springs, Arkansas is famous for? Any guesses? Hot Springs? Why, yes. That was a good guess. How did you come up with that? It’s in the name? Well, you’re more observant than first glance.

I have a few fun facts for ya; Hot Springs was the first National Park. It was a very popular place for people to come in the late 1800s to the early 1900s. It was believed that the hot springs had healing powers. It was also a very popular vacation spot for gangsters. It was considered Switzerland and they didn’t fight amongst themselves here. From the late-1800s through the mid-1900s, especially in the 1930s, Hot Springs was a popular hangout for Al Capone, Frank Costello, Bugs Moran, Lucky Luciano, and other infamous mobsters.

And some, not so famous. Who’s heard of Owney Madden? Not I. Owney was the Big Dog in Hot Springs. He was the one who held it down. He made sure that everybody kept it cool while in town.

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After our visit to the big city, we all headed back to Yoko’s aunt’s for dinner. You remember, of course, that I mentioned that she was a good cook, right? Well, I was looking forward to some good eating …and it was; we had salad, rice pilaf, and kabobs.

While we were sitting around the table, talking and noshing, Uncle Melvin was sitting across the room, with a sullen look. I was to learn why during conversation when it made a turn toward the meal and how good it was.

“I wanted greens and Mississippi Pot Roast.” Uncle Melvin muttered to ono one in particular from his easy chair.

It got so quiet, that you could’ve heard a mouse pass gas (I just love the way they talk down here, it is so descriptive).

Someone had to ask, so I broke the glass, “what do you mean, Uncle Melvin?”

“Yeah, Gloria could’ve whipped up some cream corn, cornbread, Mississippi Pot Roast, some greens, and ham hocks…” he trailed off as my mouth watered at the thought of some good, southern comfort food.

And apparently I wasn’t the only one, because the Professor piped in, “Well, what happened to that?”

Uncle Melvin started to explain, “Well, we’ve been following Neicey (meaning Yoko) on the FaceBook. And every morning we see her take one of them self-like pictures with her big ol’ toothy smile.” Then he continued, “...and then she’ll write about how she’s walkin’ here and walkin’ there and how many miles she’s walkin’ and runnin’, and then she always ends it with ‘Heart Healthy’.”

At this point, the Professor, Dr. Francois and I exchange glances, and then all simultaneously look at Yoko. More of a glare, I would describe it as, thinking back

And before I could say it, Dr. Francois chimed in, fork half way between his plate and his mouth and mouthful of pilaf, “Wait, what’s that got to do with us?”

The ride back to the RVs was a quiet one. I think we were all contemplating what could have been.

Drink ‘em if you got ‘em!

One band, one sound.

#coffeehousechronicles