Last Week's Travels

 Well, I really mean to post more often than I do, but it just doesn't seem to happen. So here is what I have been doing this past week or so.

Jeffrey had a business meeting in McAlester, OK on Thursday morning, so I suggested we take a road trip and see the fall foliage between Talihina, OK and Mena, AR.   So we headed out Thursday morning for another road trip.  It started raining as soon as we hit the highway and rained the whole way to McAlester.  We ate at the Whistlestop Bistro in the old part of McAlester. Delicious sandwiches and soup are served there.  Across the street was an antique store and I just had to make a quick walk thru it.  I came out with a 2-ft paper mache St. Nick and a box full of old quilt blocks for $10.  We headed down the road to Talihina with the rain. I think the rain clouds  were following us, but I guess it was ok 'cause we surely need the rain.


As we drove into Talihina, I saw a sign for an old fashion soda fountain and suggested we stop and check it out.

 
After a plate of french fries, a hot fudge sundae and a raspberry flavored soda float, we headed back to the car.  It  was 4:30 and still raining so we decided to stay in Talihina for the night.  The drive thru the mountains would be better seen with the sun shining and the weather man said the rain would be gone on Friday. 

Hootie Creek House Bed & Breakfast

I had also noticed a sign for a bed and breakfast as we were driving, so we decided that we would find it and see if they had a room available.  It was just around the corner from the soda fountain. Hootie Creek House Bed & Breakfast   is an old hotel building that was purchased by Essex and Carolyn Webb. She did have a room available, so we checked in and decided we would let our ice cream settle before thinking about supper. About 7:30pm we decided to find somewhere to eat for supper.  This being a small town we were hoping something would be open late.  Carolyn recommended a place called "Pam's Hateful Hussy" that stayed open until 9pm.
 
A strange name for an eating establishment but not much else to choose from.  I had chicken fried steak, salad, and baked potato.  Jeffrey saw fried chicken livers on the menu and just had to have them. The food was delicious!  We left stuffed and ready to retire for the evening.

Carolyn had the place decorated for Halloween and I couldn't resist taking some pictures.

Got up the next morning to a wonderful breakfast prepared by Carolyn. Essex gave us a tour of the rest of the building that they were working on. It was a wonderful place to stay and I would recommend it highly.  We left around 10am to start our drive across the Ouachita Mountains.The sun was shining and it was going to be a beautiful drive. We drove thru clouds as we got higher up into the mountains.  The trees had started changing colors, but I think there will be more color in the next few weeks.  

It was a nice, relaxing drive, and we were glad we waited until Friday. There was not much traffic and so we took our time and stopped at several of the turnouts to look out across the valleys.   We arrived in Mena, AR about 2pm.  We checked out a couple of antique stores. I found an old fruit box, an old crock, and an old cabinet door panel.  We headed back to Oklahoma on a different highway which turned out to be just as scenic.  We arrived back in Talihina about 5:30pm and ate at Pam's again.  This time we had old-fashioned hamburgers and the best homemade coconut pie I have had in a long time. So this was another get-away road trip we took in October.

And now for some Emma pics....

Thinking about getting into the sprinkler again

Breakfast at Nanna & Poppy's

Sitting with the pumpkins

Emma carrying her jack-o-lantern

Riding in her carriage

She was Princess Belle from Disney

And here is a picture of my grandsons in Puerto Rico....

Andres is Boba Fett & Carlos is Thomas the Tank Engine

Well, I see that this is my 100th post. Wow, can't believe I have written that much.  So my next post will be a giveaway to celebrate.  I will post on Friday so be sure and come back and enter. I will let you know then what I am planning to give away.  


Hope you are having a good week. I am looking forward to the weekend.  


Blessings.....patijane