6/23/17
I'm so tired I almost put off writing this, but I know if I do I'll regret it. Today was amazing - it was also exhausting. We got up, ate breakfast at the hotel, packed up and headed out.
The first thing (after Walmart and the ATM) was Hot Springs AK. We visited the visitor center, walked around the bath exhibits and then went for it. A bath/massage in Hot Springs. I was expecting to go into a room, get undressed, put on a robe, go to another room, get in bath, etc... This is not what happened. You go into a room - get undressed - then a lady helps you put a sheet on, while you are naked - your butt is facing her! Yep, she gets to see it in all it's glory.
Then she takes you to another room, where another lady, takes your sheet and helps you get into the bath - she then runs more water, and hands you water to drink. All while you are naked as a jaybird. Now the lady doing this for me, her name was Mattie, was extremely nice. She made you so comfortable and it was obvious she didn't give a dang about my lady parts so I was ok with her... but she saw more of me than even my Drs. Both of my nieces and Mama also had this experience... we weren't together so we didn't see each other (Thank God), but I would love to have seen just their faces - it would have been priceless.
You sit in this tub, in water that is 100 degrees, with a jet that is super powered churning the water. It was relaxing, but after a while I was ready to get out -it just got to be too much... I was ready to remove myself about 2 minutes before Mattie came back into help me, so good timing. She helps you out of the tub, wraps another sheet around you and takes you to a bench. You lay on this bench, drinking ice water, with a hot towel behind you and a cool one on your head. It was amazing!
After this experience, I think I'm done, but NO. I then go and sit in this steam box - I didn't let her close the door on my face, but everything else was in a metal box, full of steam. And yes I'm still naked as the day I was born. After the steam box, she puts my sheet back on and I sit in a tub with just my butt. It was odd, but it soothed my lower back so no complaints.
I then am taken to a shower where I rinse off before going back to wait for my massage. I then get a full body massage (which was amazing) before getting dressed and calling it an experience. I'm not sure I'd do the whole thing again as getting that hot really takes it out of you, but it was a fabulous time and something I will remember for ever!
After the bath we were all hungry. So we went to a local burger joint and ate burgers while regaining our energy. Once done there, we bought some souvenirs in a shop and left Hot Springs behind.
Next on our agenda was Crater Diamond Mine State Park. This one was something Mama wanted to do... so we did. It was an adventure. I brought buckets and shovels with us as I could get them for a $1 and they wanted $4 to rent them... So we go down with our buckets to this park. I had a feeling going in I was going to skip out early and take a nap in the truck, but I expected the others to have a good time....
Let me preface this to see it was hot - I mean really hot. We went down and everyone started digging in this field of nothing but churned up dirt... tons of churned up dirt, that is all it was. I took some pictures of the girls and Mama digging and then I went back to the truck. I got the air on, got all settled in and was about to take my nap when the girls come up. They were hot and wanted in, Mama on the other hand decided to stay- so I let them in and we are all taking a nap. I tell them to check on Mama in 10 or so minutes as it is really hot and she doesn't do well in the heat.
It hadn't been no more than 10 minutes as Kaylee was just stepping out to go check on her and here comes a golf cart with a woman on it and Mama. She had almost passed out in the field due to heat - and here I am laying in the A/C truck looking like an ass to this woman I'm sure. She is fine, it was just too hot, but geesh... I should have stayed down there. I guess it's OK given everyone is OK, but aaaah.
So I get her and her rocks settled in the truck and then we head to Marshall/Longview where the family is. We are here for 3 days to visit and rest. We checked in and I was getting luggage in when Mama found our room was not good. The carpet was wet from the A/C, so I went to the front desk and was upgraded to a suite. The room is awesome and we will enjoy it for the next bit.
After we settled in and I got a shower we went over to Sandra's to see Meryl and the family. It was a good visit and the homemade pie was excellent. I am tired though and glad to be back in my bed. Tomorrow we will get to visit more which will be good.
Sleep well blogland - I'm calling it a night!
PS: I forgot to say that on the way to Longview we ended up going into Hallsville. We stopped and saw where my Aunt Jenner and several people Mama knew are buried. We also stopped at the church where she was a baptized and took a picture.
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