There’s been a change in downtown Hot Springs.
Now, don’t we all love to discover a new restaurant? Especially around here, where are choices other than fast food are somewhat slim. Especially when that new place has great food, and good service.
I’ve found one! The Jackson River Café recently opened in downtown Hot Springs. It’s open for breakfast, brunch and lunch, from 8-2, and – here’s something we’ve all longed for – it serves breakfast all day!
The Jackson River Café is about the most pleasant place one could hope to have a meal. Or – something else we’ve longed for – a decent cup of specialty coffee to grab and go, or enjoy at our table. It’s right in downtown Hot Springs where, for decades, our venerable Hot Springs Drug Store used to be.
While our scenery and recreation opportunities are rife here in the Highlands, there are things that are lacking, when it come to services, or having a choice to make.
Take handymen, for instance. Remember the old days, when there were several handymen one could call to take care of things around the house that we were unable, or unwilling, or untrained to do? Well, those days are gone. If – and it’s a big “if,” – you can find someone who agrees to do what you might need, getting them to show up and “get ‘er done” is another story.
Oh, the times I’ve wished for someone I call a “house husband.” Oddly, the best house husband I ever had was the friend, a woman, who cleaned my house. Shoot – this woman roofed her own house, and changed her own muffler. She once battled a nest of hornets without a stitch of fear on her face … in the daylight! Even I know that nighttime is the best time to spray the nasty things while they’re inside the nest. Was I dejected when this friend got another, great job somewhere else, doing something else? You betcha.
Speaking of husbands, they’re difficult to come by around here, too. I’m so glad I’m not one of those women who feels she must absolutely have one. The pickings are slim, as they say, and I’m really no prize anyway!
A good housekeeper is worth her weight in gold. I had two good ones, lost them to other jobs, and had a slipshod one who didn’t last long, to the relief of both of us. Now, I’ve got another good one; she’s a cheerful peach of a dynamo. Why would I need a housekeeper? I live alone, you know. Well, I’m getting too old to lug around a heavy vacuum, for one thing. And, housecleaning would interrupt my voracious reading habit. I consider a housekeeper every two weeks as my single extravagance.
Now, I must change out things with my friend and healthcare provider. She is leaving the local hospital. Today will be my last appointment with her there. I am distressed, again. I’ve decided that, no matter where she goes (and I hope it’s somewhere!), I will follow her there. That means driving probably 60 miles instead of five, but it’s worth it to have someone who knows you; who is competent, caring, and capable of trust. If I believe the word around town, I will not be the only one who’s deciding to drive farther to keep our trusted health care provider. Shoot – from what I’ve heard, we may actually be able to fill a van, or even a bus, with patients who love this woman.
Change: It’s a constant. Darn it. But, sometimes change is good. I guess we’ve gotta learn to adjust, and love it!