Monday, November 16, 2009

THE ADVENTURES OF PATTI AND JOYCE


When my friend from Florida was here recently we really had a good time. Have to admit that we probably ate more calories than we burned off unless laughing burns calories. For a couple of gals in our seventies, we do enjoy a giggle.

Joyce loves to shop the quaint stores in a nearby town and I don't tire of them either. Last time she was here we got those mood rings and had a ton of fun for $2.00. This time she wanted to get some presents for the two girls who were taking care of her animals.

I previously found some Magnet Stones in one of the stores which look for all the world like polished stones but are actual ferrite. She had picked up some of the stones last time and wanted more this time.
These are fairly strong, black shiny magnets and I use them to secure pictures and notes on my refrigerator but they are also fun to play with. I have yet to have company that didn't buy a bunch of them for their uniqueness. They would make great worry beads if I ever decide to take up worrying. Joyce got those for the two girls and a walking stick for her new walking buddy.

Since shopping works up an appetite, we went to lunch at a place that I hadn't tried yet. It was Cody's, which is in the town of Fifty Six. Not a very imaginative name for a town but I am not putting you on.

There we both stepped out of our comfort zone. Have any of you had fried green beans? I had never had them but now they are on my "last meal list." They are lightly battered and the beans are tender crisp. I know frying takes away from the health factor of green beans my gosh they were good.




Later we had dinner at a little place I had been wanting to try in a neighboring town. It is a tiny place on a hill across the highway from the only other store in a very small town not too far from here. In case you have not been to Arkansas, it is crawling with tiny towns with populations in the low hundreds.

It was called a Dairy Bar and I totally expected a local version of a Dairy Queen but it had been highly recommended. I wondered how such a place could survive in the middle of nowhere but surprisingly, the place was packed. They served everything from 16 oz steaks and prime rib to taco salad. Service was painfully slow but we later decided that slow must equate to good for the food was excellent. I had expected OK, excellent was a pleasant surprise.

The last night we went into town to listen to the musicians who come to town each weekend to play in the town park. It is free entertainment and one of my favorite things to do with house guests. We stopped at an ice cream parlor for dessert and that is when the fun began.

The parlor was also packed and we took a table in the corner. Two guys from Louisiana took the table nearest us and pretty soon one of them, a really cute codger with a nice stashe ( mustache), started talking to us. This guy was hilarious--- what a sense of humor. He forced me sharpening my own wit to enable trading banter with him.

Because Joyce was partially hidden behind his buddy, he directed his conversation to me. Now Joyce is a fairly recent widow and was content to observe as did cute-codgers buddy who seemed nice if quiet.

After a while of good natured joking between codger and I. Joyce got a big smile and leaned over to whisper, "Patti, that guy is hitting on you."

I was kind of thinking the same thing but it has been a while since I have been flirted with so it took her noticing also to make me recognize what was going on. I'll be darned. How cool was that?

It brought home a saying of mine that I tell all my older lady friends. "No matter how old you are, there is someone out there older who will think you are hot."

Fellows, I have a proposition for you as long as your wives agree. Feel free to harmlessly flirt with some nice little old lady every now and then. Let loose that twinkle in your eye. It won't go anywhere but you will make someone's day. You really do have the power.

Ladies, let it happen. It is really fun and will put a spring in you step and briefly. you may even totally forget your arthritis. Have fun. I know Joyce and I did.

27 comments :

  1. I had one of those surprisingly good meals at a combo cafe, bar and antiques place in Lead Hill. It also had a soda fountain, if some of you remember the corner drug store of your youth. Not sure if it was functioning as such or as a bar, as the place had several rooms.

    And in case any readers are in Arkansas I know of at least two functioning soda fountains In Marshall and Flippin, Arkansas.

    What fun with old friends, Patti. I never was good at flirting.

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  2. So fried green beans is now on your "last meal list" and a little innocent flirting is on your "bucket list" I guess, sounds like great things to experience Patti. :)

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  3. Sounds like you had a ball. It's nice to have friends you can go out with and enjoy yourselves.

    As for someone hitting on you, here's my story. Our one daughter and I about 10 years ago, went out looking at the Christmas lights a decorations, Abe didn't want to go along, he doesn't care a lot for that.

    We stopped in at a Cracker Barrel to get a bite of dinner. I've been wearing my hair shorter for some time, and our daughter has hers cut short also. When we were seated, I noticed a table of women sitting behind me. When they got up to leave, the one lady's chair bumped the back of mine. Not hard and it didn't bother me. Next thing I know, she's standing at our table, bent down, almost her face in mind, and was saying, I'm sorry hope that didn't jostle you too much. I told her no that was ok. Then the three of them, wearing leather motorcycle jackets left. My daughter said, Mom, she was hitting on you. I about fell off my chair and then we both got to laughing so hard. We assume she thought my daughter and I were gay and was wondering why I had picked such a young chick. LOL We still talk about that now and again, how Mom got hit on by a woman.

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  4. Way to go Patti! You are a hoot with your sharp wit and to see the two of you exchange playful banter would have been fun indeed! I am sure you added a skip in his step. : )

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  5. I just recently had fried green beans and you're right...they are yummy. Sounds like your time was well spent...good food, good company, and a little "twitter patting"...remember Thumper in Bambie?

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  6. Patti - I really enjoyed this post. It's wonderful that you take visitors to the local places. A few years ago I visited a friend in upstate NY and they took me out to a local hole-in-the-wall for Friday night fish fry. I would never have entered the place without them, but the food and the company was great once past the dead deer hanging from the porch and through the door. It may make a post on my blog someday.

    Let me preface the following comment by saying that I don't think of myself as all that good-looking. Never have.

    I have been getting my hair cut by the same woman since about 1982. She really made me crack up recently by e-mailing me to tell me that the customer who had come in to have her hair done after me talked about how handsome I was and various other compliments after I left the shop. She told me to not get too full of myself as this particular lady was in her 70s. Another time I was in there and had to wait a bit for her to finish up on another 50-something woman, so we chatted as per usual including her current hair client in the conversation. As the lady was departing she said her good-byes: "Bye Barb" and, as she hit the door, "Bye Handsome man". I think I turned a few shades of red. Keep it up, ladies. It works both ways. :)

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  7. Sounds like a really good time, all of it.

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  8. Patti,
    You crack me up. When we come back to Arkanas we will try to find this place of good food. When we were in Hot Springs a couple of years ago the tax rate was so confusing we asked how much it really was and nobody knew. They just let the cash register take care of it. It was pretty pricey to go out to eat there.

    Glad you had a good time and that some sweet fellow "hit on you". That makes a girl's day and puts a bounce in her step.

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  9. Those fried green beans look good to me. Gary told me last night there is now something called fried butter, now that is sick. You should have seen Gary's father when he was alive at 94 he hit on all the women and in less the one hour most were ready to marry him. Ha! He had dementia but never forgot how to hit on and flirt with all the ladies.

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  10. Nitwit,
    Don't ya just love a hole in the wall that turns out to be a treasure? Mountain View also has a functioning soda fountain. Not a ton of selections but enough to take you back.
    I love flirting and got in a lot of trouble during my life doing just that. However, it had been a while.

    Wanda,
    They are soooo good. May even try to make them myself. Hope there are a few more flirts left in my bucket list.

    Patty,
    Think that is just too, too funny. The way I look at it, any "hit" is a compliment. It means someone thinks you are attractive so enjoy. Now you know you are old enough to be your daughter's momma but you probably do not look it. That would make it even a better compliment. Maybe Abe needs to come along more often.

    Jewels,
    You know I only looked at it from my point of view but it probably took him back to his youth a bit to hit on a woman he had never seen before. It was fun.

    oklhdan,
    Aw gee, you are asking some one who is not sure what she had for breakfast about Bambi. Had to look it up. Yep, you are right :))

    Barry,
    You may not consider yourself handsome but remember, I have seen you running around your blog in your shorts (Ok,jogging gear). You are a cutie in my book.
    Good to know that the power of a little flirt goes both ways. Just remember, we older women have seen it all so we are better able to judge.

    Robin,
    Thanks so much and congrats big time on your 1000th post. I bow low to you and Roger.

    Amber Star,
    Thank you for stopping by and commenting. You are so right. I am always amazed at the purchase price and the price after taxes. Big difference. But all in all, I play less taxes here than I did in Florida.
    I really like your Giving Thanks Challenge. Great idea.

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  11. Just had a snack but your post made me hungry again!!!LOL

    Isn't girl time the best? Sounds like you had lots of fun as most of life should be.

    So...was the guy cute???????

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  12. Linda Starr,
    I saw fried butter along with other dreadful things when they talked about the Texas State fair on TV.
    That sounds awful. They even fry Coke.
    Gary's father sounded like a real winner. Way to go fellow. Somethings you never forget.

    Carol
    You know he was cute and his personality really made him cuter. It was great fun. GNO is always fun.

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  13. Yep, time for some girl time! It's always so great to get together with "old" (long lasting) friends.

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  14. Woohoo.....you've still it :-)

    I also love that you ate all the time while your friend was there....eating is a delicious past time and one most of us are good at.

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  15. Thanks for your 'positive' comments on my blog today, Patti. You truly are a very happy and positive person.. AND you live in one of my favorite states, Arkansas. I LOVE that little state. IF I had a chance to move again, I would choose Arkansas. Tennessee (even though we live in a rural area mostly) is still too comercialized--especially as you go near the Smokies.

    Love your story. And yes---we women do LOVE it when a man looks at us and flirts a little. I was single for 20 yrs--and when George and I met, he won me over in a couple of sentences. Such charm!!!!! LOVED it--and still do.

    Glad you and Joyce had a wonderful time --at some of the local 'joints'...
    That's the best food around you know!!!!
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  16. Olga
    Yeah, GNO allows us to let loose a bit more than we would normally. That is a good thing.

    Amanda,
    Perhaps we ate a bit too much but that is what walking is for. You are right, it really doesn't take any training to be a good eater.

    Betsy,
    Wow, now you have me curious what those few sentences were.
    I do know from reading your blog that he is a romantic devil.
    I see where I was pretty much alone in my views on your blog. I know, I am annoyingly positive but then living in Arkansas with wonderful people helps.

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  17. I need to turn mr. kenju loose on you! He is the biggest flirt I have ever known!

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  18. That was a jolly read !!!! :-)
    I want them magnets too. They look super cool. Joyce sounds like so much fun.

    So when are we gonna read 'The Escapades of Patti & cute-codger buddy'? ;-) Waiting waiting!!

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  19. Those green beans look good to me and they sound good too.

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  20. kenju,
    Bring him on Judy. Seriously, aren't you proud of him for all the happiness he brings the ladies? What a generous man.

    lostworld,
    Sure wish I had a good story there but afraid we were just too ships passing in the night that brought a bit of joy to each other via really fun conversation and flirtation. Sorry.

    Abe,
    You need to have Patty make you some. Paula Dean has a good receipe. They really are awesome.

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  21. What a great advice! You must have had a great time, worth to remember!
    The magnets might be nasty near creditcards. I got two of them ruined by magnets.
    The beans look delicious!

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  22. By the way, those green beans look delicious.

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  23. Reader wil,
    Great reminder Wil. They aren't good around any electronics either. Had not thought about credit cards. Thanks.

    Patty,
    They are wonderful. Everytime I look at them I am tempted to make the 20 mile trip. Perhaps I should learn to make them. One way to get veggies in a non-veggie eater like my brother.

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  24. What a wonderful post! Isn't it great to have friends and nice visits. Enjoyed your site
    Maggie

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  25. GYH,
    Welcome to TNS and thank you for your nice comment and for following. I checked out you site and really enjoyed it. Especially your account of wrestling with a drunk driver while off duty and in wedding clothes. Quite a story.

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  26. Fried green beans are yummy, and spending time with good friends is a delight.
    My dad at 86 is still a big flirt, and all the girls love'm. The twinkle in his eye and sharp dry wit can have you laughing your self silly in no time.
    Thanks for a small taste of Arkansas.

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  27. Brighid,
    Gosh, your dad wasn't in Arkansas a couple of weeks ago was he. My fellow sounded a lot like him.
    I am a firm believer that flirting keeps you young.

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