Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things I Did Over Thanksgiving

OK. I'm a week late, but I said I would share. By the way- we have run out of Himalayan Pink Salt. Must. Order. Now.

1. Rode in the car while listening to a Spongebob movie. Great entertainment to keep the kids busy, but let me give you some advice. Don't buy the movie that has the "Spongebob loses his laugh box" episode because before he loses his laugh box he laughs about 1000 times. You will suffer from ringing in the ears or possibly a stroke before the trip is over.

2. Arrived at Mama and Daddy's on Wednesday and started cooking. I was in charge of a pumpkin pie, sweet potato souffle, and helping with the dressing. I ended up making the dressing- HUGE responsibility. Almost as important as cooking the turkey. Mama made the cornbread and I did the rest.

3. Drove 2 hours to my Aunt Barbara's house in the "one red light town" where folks drive the hearse of the dearly beloved who have passed on. BIG news- The number of red lights has doubled. They have two now. I think it made it in the paper.

4. Ate. Ate. Ate. Aunt Barbara said my dressing tasted just like how my Granny made it. I nearly cried right there at the table. You have no idea what kind of compliment that was. I felt like I should walk up to a podium and give a speech.

5. Caught up on the small town news, like the BIG red light advancements, the number of lanes on HWY 82 and the fact that THE BBQ place was "ready" for the increase in lanes.

6. Rode around town and looked at the new lanes on HWY 82. Oh, yes we did. We live on the edge.

7. Visited family graves... sniff sniff... then we dried our tears, piled back in the car and drove around the cemetery. And talked about whose funeral tent was still up, whose huge tacky monument that was, who needs to pull weeds, who owns that plot, and who had some really pretty poinsettas already out- cause we still had spring roses on our family's graves and we feel just awful about it because it is FALL and nearly Christmas! Other families probably drove through the cemetery and commented about it. I am quite sure.

8. While in the cemetery, we discussed which plot my parents may buy, the pros and cons of said plot and the fact that they better act quickly. You know, the good ones are almost gone and they don't want to be "buried way over there where water stands when it rains", or "over there because it is too far away from the current family plot", or "over there in the new addition." OH! THE DECISIONS!

9. Drove around town and looked at old family homes, land where my Papa grew tobacco to make extra money for a down payment on a house, and the school where my uncle once jumped out the window and tried to run home. He slapped the teacher when she tried to catch him.

10. Rode through the epicenter of town- the one block where it is "happening!" They now have a French Market where a few ladies have opened up some cute booths. Aunt Barbara's friend thought they were selling pastries.

11. Discussed the recent Walking Tour where the town made a huge sum of $500 which will go towards downtown improvements. There was an overwhelming response; twenty people participated. It's a wonder that they didn't run out of refreshments. (This DID make it in the paper.)

12. Went back to Aunt Barbara's house. Looked for the cat. Ate. Looked for the cat. Drank a lot of sweet tea. My daughter finally saw the cat. She was happy. ( my daughter, not the cat.)

13. Drove back to Mama's house and looked at all the small town Christmas lights along the way. They are the same lights I saw as a child, on this same drive. Memories. Memories. And no Spongebob movie.