Abelard Inn in Hot Springs

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T21:25:00.001-08:00

I hope you all are having a special Valentine's Day. I am celebrating with my guests and I am very happy they are here. We also had some beautiful snow today, large lacy flakes, like a special valentine. It won't stay, tomorrow will be sunny and in the 40's, but it was beautiful while it lasted.

The Hot Springs tourist season seems to have gotten off to a good start. There are a lot of visitors in town this weekend. Saturday was a busy day at Oaklawn. The big buzz at the track is about the Apple Blossom on April 9th and the Arkansas Derby on April 10th. I still have one suite available for that weekend. There are a lot of people still looking for accommodations, so don't wait if you want to be here for the big races.

I am reading the eighth book in the Riley Jensen Guardian Series, Bound to Shadows, by Keri Arthur. These are gritty urban paranormal stories with a great cast of characters, lots of magic, werewolves, vampires, fantasy and some sex. This series is the first I have read by her and I really enjoy them. The author is from Melbourne, Australia and the books are set there, which is fun. I am looking forward to the new release in May. And, the books she published with ImaJinn books are going to be released by Bantam, which will make them more accessible to her fans. This is a great author to look for if you like these kind of books.

It's a Winter Wonderland

2010-02-08T19:29:00.000-08:00

In my last blog, after the freeze, I hoped winter was about over. Well, NOT. I woke up this morning to snow and predictions of up to 8 inches. WOW Those were the biggest flakes I have ever seen. It snowed for a few hours then changed to rain. But, it is still cold so the snow is hanging around. Hopefully it won't freeze too badly tonight. At least, we didn't get 2-3 feet like the Baltimore-Washington area. But, it is supposed to warm up in the next couple of days. I have a full house coming for the Valentine's Day weekend, so it would be nice for them to be able to enjoy their visit to Hot Springs.

There are a lot of upcoming events in Hot Springs. Willie Nelson is doing a concert at the Summit Arena on February 21st. The Grand Marshall of the 2010 World's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade has been announced, Bo Derek. She joins an exclusive group of celebrities who have been Grand Marshall. You can see the list at www.hotsprings.org as well as the Calendar of Events for the city. You can make reservations now and avoid missing any of these great events.

There have been several birthdays among my family and friends. Dave Johnson in San Diego had a birthday last week, best wishes to him. And, two of my aunts, Susie in Kingwood, TX and Mahin in Richmond, Eng. both have birthdays this week. Many happy returns to all of you.

The book of the day is The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. It is his latest, with Professor Robert Langdon solving the mystery under a deadly time limit, again. This book takes place in Washington D.C. and involves the Capitol Building and the Masons. It is a fast paced thrill ride that takes place all over the capitol and makes the reader want to find out how many of the venues are real. I really enjoyed this book, like his previous ones Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code.

Brrrrrrr

2010-02-01T20:46:00.000-08:00

The past few days have been the coldest I have seen in Hot Springs in awhile, if ever. We had snow on Friday, with a temperature that night of 9 degrees! Let me just say, the plywood in my missing window does not provide much insullation from the cold. There wasn't a lot of snow but it stayed around until today, when the temps got above freezing, finally. The ice on everything, trees and and power lines, was really beautiful. My daughter Heather spent the last three nights with me because her power went out in Bismarck.

Live racing at Oaklawn Race Track was cancelled early on Friday and also on Saturday and Sunday. Hopefully, this was the last of our heavy winter weather and we will have a great season, starting now. And, hopefully, the heavy winter weather is over for all of you as well.

Let me tell you about a book that will lift your winter blues, Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich. These books make me laugh out loud, which can be embarrasing if you are in a crowd while reading it. But, remember, laughter is good for you. The main character is Stephanie Plum, who works as a bail bondsman in Trenton, NJ, though not very well. The thing that makes these books so appealing to me is her interaction with her family and friends, a very mixed group. So, do yourself a favor and read these books, starting with One for the Money, then Two for the Dough and so on. And, it is best to read them in order.

State of the Union

2010-01-27T20:55:00.001-08:00

I don't have any comments about the President's speech, that is for each person to decide on their own. However, I hope you are all engaged and are, in fact, listening and paying attention to what is going on in Washington. Our opinions and needs do matter. And, we can make a difference with our votes, our dollars and by emailing or calling our members of Congress. They do pay attention, even if only because they want to get re-elected.

I have not been good about posting this week. Things are kind of hectic around here right now. Our tourist season is just getting started, so I am not overwhelmed with guests. But, there is a lot going on here. I am diligently interviewing potential renters for my downstairs retail space. There is a lot of interest and, hopefully, I will have a new tenant soon. And, I am still getting estimates to have the window repaired that fell out on Christmas day. Who knew replacing a window could be such a challenge! Oh, the joys of living in an historic building. As most of you know, I have my B & B on the market and there has been some interest from buyers.

I have been knitting a lot, while I wait for phone calls and people to arrive. I am really enjoying it. I have 5 neck warmers to send to our troops in Afghanistan. And, I am now working on an afghan for my kitchen sitting area. It keeps my hands busy and I am being productive while it is too cold to work outside.

I have also been doing some reading, of course. I read the newest Laurell K. Hamilton book, Divine Misdemeanors, the latest installment in the Merry Gentry series. I love the concept of these books, a world where Faeries and Goblins and other supernatural creatures are living openly in the human world. Fun! This is one of my favorite in the series, more substance than some of them, lots of story. Now, anyone who is not familiar with Hamilton's writing should know, these are very sexually explicit books. So, if that offends you, don't read her books. But, if you like to read to be entertained and suspend belief, or just for escapism, these books are for you.

MLK Day

2010-01-18T21:53:00.000-08:00

This is a day to think about how things have progressed in our country since Dr. King "had a dream". I think we have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. I have great hope for our country, I know we can be the society Dr. King dreamed about.

And, there is Haiti, a place of such crushing poverty before the current devastation, and now unimaginable circumstances. Things are difficult for so many Americans right now, as we all know. But, the pictures and reports from Haiti can certainly put things in perspective. When $1 can provide clean water for a family of 4 for a month, we really must count our blessings. First, that we have clean water at our fingertips. And,second, that we are not so poor that $1 can make such a difference in our lives. We are very blessed and must share with those less fortunate, it doesn't take much to make a difference.

On a brighter note, Oaklawn started its live racing season on Friday. I worked on Opening Day, Friday, and on Saturday. We were very busy, and I was very tired. but the opening day was better than opening day last year. So, hopefully that is a good sign for Hot Springs' tourist season this year. We had beautiful weather for the weekend, which is one of the most special things about living in Hot Springs, the weather. I am sure we are not through with winter, but this weekend was like springtime.

I have still been knitting for The Ship's Project, because it is still very much winter in Afghanistan. So, I will be sending some items off soon.

I just finished reading "Kindred in Death" by J. D. Robb, the 35th in the series. I'm always so excited when a new Eve Dallas book comes out, it's always such a treat. I love the characters, the suspense is fantastic and the world is fun to imagine. One of the things my daughter Heather and I like to do is to pick the cast of actors that could play our favorite characters. We do this all the time with different books and characters. We have decided that Angie Harmon could play Eve Dallas, she has the right look and age. Of course, if they wait too long to make the movie she may have to be replaced. As for the very delicious Roarke, the current candidate is Gerard Butler, now that Pierce Brosnan has gotten so "mature". I just wish they would get on with making the movies! More info later on some of our other casting adventures.

Hibernation??

2010-01-11T13:46:00.000-08:00

I realized I haven't posted anything in a week, maybe I am like a bear and go into hiding when it gets too cold. It has certainly been cold here the last week. The fountain outside the Inn is frozen and looks like a skating rink. Maybe for lap skating, like a lap pool, since it is long and narrow? Anyway, at least we don't have comatose iguanas falling out of trees, like in Florida.

Oaklawn's thoroughbred race season starts this Friday, I will be working again this year as a Mutuel Teller. Let's hope for a great opening weekend. There were quite a few people in Hot Springs this last weekend, I think they were glad to be able to be outside without freezing.

My family is doing well. Malarie and Mary are starting back to school, which I am in favor of. Kevin is still in Iraq and seems to be fine and is also taking college classes. Thank goodness for the Internet.

The book I am reading right now is The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry. This is a fun book that revolves around an historical mystery concerning, you guessed it, Charlemagne. I really enjoy books with mysteries based on history and especially if they have an ancient book or manuscript in them as well. The main character is Cotton Malone, a rare book dealer and former American special agent, how much better could it be? There are a some European locations, with great descriptions, almost like a travelogue. And, some action takes place at the Biltmore Estate, which I just visited. This is a great read. This author has been a favorite for awhile, he has a new book out in hardback called The Paris Vendetta with the same main character. And, I can recommend all 6 of his previous books also. They revolve around some of my favorite historical "mysteries, from the Alexandria Library, to the Romanovs, the Templars and the prophesies at Fatima. Great fun!!

Happy New Year

2010-01-03T20:01:00.000-08:00

Happy 2010 to all of you, I hope this is a prosperous year for all of us. Or, at least, more than last year. I realize that is our goal every year, to better the previous one, but 2009 has been a challenge for most of us. So, let's hope our endeavors are better rewarded in 2010.

The Downtown Historic District is still looking festive at the moment, so if you haven't seen the decorations don't wait. All the downtown businesses are getting ready for our season to start and are looking forward to seeing you. Oaklawn Race Track begins live racing on January 15th. If you have never been to Oaklawn, it is not to be missed. This is their 106th thoroughbred racing season, and it is an exciting way to spend the day. Abelard Inn offers a "Day at the Races" package, to make your trip as pleasant as possible. The a capella singing group Six will be at the Summit Arena on January 16th. Abelard Inn is in walking distance of the arena, so book your room and enjoy a great concert.

I hope you had as enjoyable a New Year's weekend as I did. My aunt Susie and my cousin Natalie came for a visit from Kingwood, TX near Houston. We had a great time playing games and watching movies and catching up with our visiting. We played a great game called Carcassonne, a tile-based board game in which players build a medieval landscape with villages, fortresses and monasteries. It is great fun. We also started knitting some items for The Ships Project. This is a wonderful non-profit organization that sends "Handmade Hugs from Home" to our deployed troops, a cause near and dear to my heart. Even if you are not crafty, you can support them by sending money for postage, an ongoing cost to mail the packages to the soldiers.

The book I want to tell you about is 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. This is not a new book, but one I finally read earlier this year. (If you have ever seen my To Be Read pile of books, you will understand why it could take years for me to get to a particular book.) This is a touching and funny non-fiction read about Ms. Hanff's correspondence with a bookseller in London from 1949-1969. I loved it for lots of reasons. It reminded me of so many of the things I enjoyed about living in England for 7 years. And, there is a lot about books, so it is perfect for me. It is a quick read that really stayed with me. The sequel is The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street which chronicles her trip to London in 1971 to, finally, meet all the people she had corresponded with. A nice wrap-up to the story.

Happy Boxing Day

2009-12-26T21:52:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your families. We always call December 26th Boxing Day at our house, a hold over from living in England. This is traditionally a day of giving and charity. We should all remember that there are people who need our help, and that help doesn't have to be big. A single act of kindness can mean so much.

Christmas here at Abelard Inn was a quiet one. We had a beautiful clear, but cold day. There were some snow flurries on Christmas Eve, but no snow stayed on the ground. Heather and I cooked dinner for our friend David and then we played Uno. It was a nice day. Of course, the rest of the family were in our hearts and minds. Especially Kevin, who was not able to be with his family.

This is the last week to enjoy the holiday display "Lights on the Landscape" at Garvan Woodland Gardens. The display is magnificent, with 1.7 million lights in the gardens. This is an event you shouldn't miss.

I want to tell you about a book I am reading called Everyday Cheapskate's Greatest Tips by Mary Hunt. It is a great little book full of ways to save money everyday in a lot of small ways. It demonstrates the saying "Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves". There are a lot of suggestions for ways to "reduce, reuse and recycle", which I am a big fan of, as you all know. So, check the library or used bookstore and see if you can find this book, my copy came from my daughter Mary.

Back in Hot Springs

2009-12-23T18:51:00.000-08:00

I drove back from Columbus, GA on Monday. It was a great day for a drive. I really enjoy visiting with my family and grandchildren, but it is always nice to get back home. I am having a quiet time after all my traveling, there will be just 3 of us here for Christmas dinner. It is nice to watch all the holiday shows on TV and plan our meal.

Hot Springs is looking beautiful. I love the winter and especially the Christmas season. I hope you are all ready for the holidays and looking forward to spending time with your families.

I am also doing some reading, of course. I want to tell you about a book I read this year that I wish I could give everyone a copy of. It is In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honore'. This is a great book about slowing down and enjoying life. We all tend to race from one obligation or activity to another and forget to enjoy our families and to savor the moments. Mr. Honore' writes about the Slow Movement around the world, in all its forms. And, gives ways to incorporate the ideas into our lives. Please try to find this book and do you and your loved ones a favor and take it to heart.

Greetings from Columbus, GA

2009-12-19T20:58:00.000-08:00

I am writing from Columbus where I am visiting my daughter-in-law Malarie and my beautiful granddaughter Braelyn. Braelyn is 9 months old and just precious. I realize I am biased, but she really is a cutie. I left Clearwater, SC this afternoon, where I was visiting my daughter Mary and her family. We also celebrated her daughter Doneyce's birthday. I won't be with them when she turns 4 on New Year's Eve, so we had cake and presents early. She is also a beauty and very smart, which is, of course, my grandmotherly opinion. I leave here on Monday to return to Hot Springs. I hope you are all having a happy holiday season, so far.

My reading recommendation today is An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon, which came out in September. This is the seventh book in the Outlander series and I loved it, as I have all of them. This book was full of surprises and twists, and all the beloved characters from the series make an appearance. I can't wait for the next book so I can see what happens. When I am asked to recommend a fiction book, these are the books I think of first. The original book, Outlander, is a really remarkable first book from this author and I have read it at least 6 times. It begins with a WWII nurse traveling back in time to the 1700's and the Jacobite rebellion. The current book takes place in America during the American Revolution. A lot happens with all the characters, both in the 20th and the 18th century. The other books in the series are: Dragonfly in Amber, Voyageur, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes. I have my favorites among the books, but I enjoyed them all. And, as I have said before, I have a hard time letting go of characters, so this series is perfect for me.

Hello from Asheville, NC

2009-12-15T13:27:00.000-08:00

Abelard Inn is in the capable hands of my daughter, Heather, while I am out of town. She is also making sure Buster doesn't get lonely. And, I am happy to say the city cleaned the fountain next to the inn after someone put soap in it. It looked like snow mounds when we went out on Sunday morning.

I am visiting Biltmore Estate in NC with my daughter Mary, it is her Christmas present to me. It is an incredibly beautiful place. The grounds are very extensive, with a winery and an Inn and it is all decorated for Christmas. I lost count of how many Christmas trees we saw in the house. We are going back tonight for the Candlelight Christmas Tour with all the lights on after dark. If you have never been to see it, you definitely should.

The book I am reading right now is the second in a series, it is called Dawnkeepers by Jessica Andersen. The first is called Nightkeepers. The books are Fantasy Paranormal Romance, so if you like that kind of book, I can certainly recommend these. They focus on the ancient Mayan prophesy of the end of days on December 21, 2012. The characters are engaging, there is a lot of history, magic and action and they are a fun read. There is a third already published, Skykeepers, and I am sure there will be more. I love series books because I don't like to let go of characters. so these are my kind of books.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

2009-12-09T19:52:00.000-08:00

The Hot Springs Christmas Parade was Monday night, so I guess that means it really is Christmas time. I am embarrassed to say that I forgot the parade was going to happen, until I heard it outside on Central Ave. That is one of the nicest things about living at the Inn, being right in the middle of things in the downtown area. We are having ideal winter weather, cold and clear, and this is my favorite time of the year. You should come and enjoy it, we can put a fire in the chiminea in the courtyard.

I love the smells and flavors of this time of year. I am adding my favorite pumpkin pie recipe to the website this month. It is really good! Please, check it out.

My book recommendation today is a travelogue. I recently read North to the Orient, by Anne Morrow Lindberg, and quite enjoyed it. It was written in 1932 about the flight Charles Lindberg and Anne made across northern Canada, Alaska, Russia and Japan to China. It is full of great descriptions of the hardships of flight and conditions in far North America, at the time. We forget how much progess has been made in such a short amount of time in our history.

My First Post

2009-12-06T20:37:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking of starting a blog for a long time. I want to let you all know what is going on in Hot Springs and at Abelard Inn. I think this will be a great way to let my past and future guests, friends and family know what is going on here, and in my life. Hopefully you will be interested in the same things I am. And, I look forward to hearing from you, so let me know what you think. So, here goes.

The Christmas lights are on in Hot Springs. The downtown looks beautiful, I love looking out my door and seeing everything looking so festive. And, this is a great time to do some shopping in our great downtown shops. Garvan Gardens is also lit up for the holidays, so its also a great time to visit. It is cold, but mostly clear. Unlike Houston, where it snowed last Friday!

Anyone who has been to Abelard Inn knows that I am big reader! I am going to keep you updated on the good books I have been reading. I will try not to over load this info, because I so easily could. So, I will tell you about at least one book per post. My latest read is Middlesex by Jeffrey Eunides. This was an Oprah Book Club choice, and I don't always like her choices, because they tend to be heavy and/or dark. But this was a pretty good book. It is a saga about an immigrant family, told from the viewpoint of a second generation American, who is a hermaphrodite. There was a lot of info in this I didn't know, which I always like and it was well written, very readable. I can certainly recommend it.

The last thing I want to cover in this blog is an update about my family. As most of you know, my son Kevin is back in Iraq for his second deployment. So far he is well, so please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. I went to Houston for Thanksgiving and had a really good time visiting and playing games with the family. Thanks to Lynne and Greg for letting us all come to their beautiful home for Thanksgiving dinner.