Warmer weather is welcome

Scott Loftis

I felt more than a twinge of sympathy for local students and educators a couple of weeks ago when their spring break coincided with several days of rainy, cold weather.

I’m not a fan of the cold. It makes me want to stay indoors all winter, and while it’s fun to spend a Sunday afternoon on the couch in front of the big-screen TV and the (faux) fireplace, eventually I start to get a little bit of cabin fever. It’s even more irritating for my wife, Lisa, who likes to get out and go as much as she can.

Now, though, it finally feels as if we turning the corner toward springtime. We’ve been able to get out and fish a couple of times already — I actually caught more fish than Lisa on one recent outing, for the first time ever! — and we’re looking for ward to chasing some trout next weekend at Roaring River. Lisa, by the way, is a trout-fishing whiz, so I’m sure my bragging rights will be short-lived. The following weekend, we’re headed to Hot Springs for a little rest and relaxation. We’ll enjoy a delicious meal at Rolando’s and watch our daughter-in-law Christi perform with a dance troupe.

We spent the afternoon of Easter Sunday relaxing with Lisa’s sister and her husband along with Lisa’s mom and other relatives. The weather was absolutely gorgeous on the patio and I even managed to come away with a bit of a sunburn — which I didn’t notice until Monday morning’s shower stung the top of my head; I should have worn a hat.

Soon, it will be warm enough to take in a Northwest Arkansas Naturals game. Hopefully, we’ll get to watch our grandsons play baseball and soccer in the near future, too. And I’d love to squeeze in a trip to Baum Stadium in Fayetteville for a Razorbacks baseball game.

We have a family trip planned to Wrigley Field on Memorial Day weekend and in June we’ll take our annual road trip to Florida. The only downside is that trip will coincide with Berryville’s annual Ice Cream Social. We’ll do some offshore fishing on that trip and once again, Lisa will land more than me.

In July, there’s a family reunion, the Arkansas Press Association convention and a graduation ceremony for the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy in Springdale. We’ll be there to support our youngest son, Ryan, who’s now an officer with the Gentry Police Department.

It’s going to be a busy spring and summer. Just the way I like it!

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Scott Loftis is editor and publisher of Carroll County News. His email address is SLoftis@CarrollCoNews.com.