OPINION | MIKE MASTERSON: For wedded bliss


I'd forgotten how much fun a wedding and reception can be until last week when Kenda Leigh McCroskey, Jeanetta's middle of three daughters, tied the knot with Brian Cubic in front of 50 shivering guests on the yuletide-decorated outdoor veranda at the historic Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs.

After their handwritten vows were recited on a cold mid-December Monday night aglow in sparkling Christmas lights, Jeanetta and I joined others inside on the adjacent conservatory dance floor. Enjoying a festive evening for the first time in eight months almost brought me back to feeling normal again and took my mind off everything else.

The 10-minute service was held in temperatures hovering just above 40 degrees, forcing everyone deeper inside their coats, except Kenda, who radiated in her ivory bridal gown as she glided down the aisle to the classic strains of Felix Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" played on a violin by a talented Eureka resident.

Inside, Brian and his young sons Chad and Tyler shed their coats and took to the floor to twist and spin as the crowd howled and applauded. No inhibitions this night. I suspected Brian's enviable moves were fueled by at least an ounce of an unspecified liquid warming agent, while the boys were just being boys.

The hotel's amiable bartender Amanda spent portions of the evening quietly osmosing in the room teeming with joy and fun. "I just love being part of this," she told me. "I feel like I'm actually part of the rejoicing rather than just some stranger serving drinks."

Since I'm finally able to consume some solid foods (not a lot), a small slice of vanilla wedding cake and a chocolate chip cookie were enough to make me feel like I'd joined others who were eating like I did eight months ago (before squamous-cell hell). The sweets were plenty to satisfy my desire to chew on some real food.

Brian and Kenda, both career members of the National Guard in Springfield, held each other to dance for the first time as husband and wife before she joined her mother and sisters Kellie and Kara on the floor.

Then, as a stepfather, it was my turn to two-step and twirl with my daughter in a moment that brought a tear to my eye and a smile to both our faces. Once again I reflected on how such moments endure over a lifetime, adding so much enrichment to our lives. And how such moments should be remembered and treasured.

Many invited guests were friends of the bride and groom who had come from as far way as Joplin, which showed just how close as friends they are to this couple. Their happiness for the two was palpable.

As the evening wound down, Jeanetta and I took turns around the floor. After all, she was the mother of the bride and looked every bit the part in a shimmering golden top, with her bright blue eyes continually smiling. Wait a minute, this lady couldn't possibly be 73, could she?

When the music stopped and lights dimmed after two hours, we bid our farewells and returned to what over two days had become our new favorite place to lay our heads at night: All Seasons Inn on Spring Street near downtown.

We could walk around the corner to favorite Eureka restaurants Grotto Wood-Fired Grill and Wine Cave and Rogue's Manor, and it was handy to have parking (which is at a premium in downtown Eureka).

The king-sized bed was what we agreed was likely the most comfortable we'd slept on in any hotel or bed and breakfast. And our tasteful room with blackout drapes was carpeted throughout and offered a large Jacuzzi tub and shower.

Pat Fitzsimmons, the inn's congenial owner, said she's spent 32 years perfecting each of its 23 rooms with different motifs. She also owns the town's All Seasons Treehouse Village. Not content with the status quo, she's now busy building a campsite and luxury lodging on nearby Arkansas 23.

"I enjoy all the people who come to stay with me," she said. "This place has become part of people's best times, from engagements to anniversaries and weddings. They will come back year after year to celebrate.

"For me, that makes it a great business."

Before checking out, I asked Pat what was the most challenging aspect to operating a lodging business in Eureka Springs. Without hesitating, she responded,"Finding and keeping a staff. That's generally true for much of Eureka Springs."

I'd say that problem applies to most businesses nowadays.

So we reloaded bags into our car and headed back to Harrison on an overcast day, happy to have gained a new family member and find a new place to lay our heads when we need a quirky and enjoyable "Eureka fix" just 45 minutes from our front door.

Now go out into the world and treat everyone you meet exactly like you want them to treat you.


Mike Masterson is a longtime Arkansas journalist, was editor of three Arkansas dailies and headed the master's journalism program at Ohio State University. Email him at [email protected].


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