I have arrived...

I have arrived in the natural state...and it has been a whirlwind since I arrived. I already feel that I have experienced much of what northwest Arkansas has to offer...but I am sure that there is only more to come.

Here are some highlights...
* arriving in the airport I was greeted by three smiling faces, two in boat shoes - Sperry's to be exact, and a bright sign that said "Welcome Karen". It was the warmest welcome that I ever received at the airport, even after two years of traveling.
* They tried to convince me on the way home from the airport that this tiny town we drove through was Fayetteville. I am talking a one street town with a hardware store on the corner. I tried hard to appear excited about it considering a summer in a town so small. They loved that I fell for it.
* Snow cones in Arkansas are serious business. The flavors are amazing and like nothing I have ever experienced in 24 summers. My first snow cone of the summer was strawberry cheese cake...and it tasted shockingly close
* Walmart has their headquarters close to Fayetteville and I have been warned that in a few weeks the "walmartians", as they are so lovingly called, will take over town and campus. Personally I can not wait for this invasion becuase I am sure that it will make for some wonderful stories, and I get to reap the benefits of a free concert for the shareholders and the whole town including such headliners as Brad Paisley, Sugarland, and Aerosmith.
* I took a walk the other night and saw a precious Chi Omega visiting the chapter house here at the University of Arkansas. Her family was taking pictures of her in front of the house in her letters. I smiled to myself, feeling fortunate to understand how excited she was to be in Fayetteville. I wished that I had gone to talk to her...
* Getting a tour of campus and a history lesson via golf cart
* also on the subject of golf carts...getting my golf cart license
* Legally Blond the musical is coming to Fayetteville! I want to go
* My walking tour of town in the 80-something degree heat that was too much for me, but I did love seeing the town square with farmers market, "famous" Dickson street full of fun shops and incredible looking restaurants
*going to southern church which serves soda and doughnuts
* Eating a Buffalo Wild Wings (now I know that we have these out west...but I had never eaten at one before...)
* Drinking lemonade out of a mason jar served at a restaurant that did not do it just for a good theme item, but legitimately. Also at Mama Deans I discovered the glory of corn nuggets, some fried corn ball of goodness - different from hush puppies, and super sweet banana pudding - possibly best that I have ever had. The menu was written on a dry erase board and when something was out, they just erase it.
* Learning what catfish noodling is and watching a video on UTube. Look it up...it is a crazy strange way of "fishing"

Oh ya...and work has been good too...

Overall Fayetteville is pretty great. It is much hillier and greener than I expected, they seem to recycle for the most part :), they have a target and even thai food and sushi...

I will keep you updated...Until next time