Thanksgiving

Will Holly, me, Malissa Sanders, Shane Wright, Monica Danzey Locke, Natalie Woods and Shawn Baltzell (missing is Lori Sowell)

Kade and I just returned from a fun-filled Thanksgiving in Headland. We showed up at Lake Espy for the annual Vann Thanksgiving gathering. According to the tally provided by Aunt Marilyn, there were 89 Vann descendants celebrating at the cabin. Boy was it fun!

The photo above was taken at Lake Espy in the early 1960s. Standing beside my dad are his sisters, Marilyn and Mila. The two young girls are Emily and Beth Luttrel, who would be my first cousins once removed. At Thanksgiving this year, I had a fabulous time talking with the grown-up versions of Emily and Beth. They are also two of my Facebook buddies!

Thanksgiving evening, after eating some scrumptious leftovers at Mom's, Kade and I took Sarah Beth and Graeson to see This Is It, the highly-acclaimed Michael Jackson movie. I guess that would actually be a double-date with my niece and her boyfriend. How funny! Yes, that makes it twice that we have seen the movie.

Friday was football day. Auburn almost pulled out a victory over the Crimson Tide. We watched the game at my dad's. During halftime and after the game, we drove to cousin Natalie's for some salacious gossip and conscious-altering cupcakes. Valerie Smith (my cousin), Curry Woods and Lori Sowell were also in on the fun. Oh, and Maddy Smith was there for added joy and entertainment.

Friday evening was raw oyster night at legendary Hunts! Kade watched in amazement as I devoured 3 dozen salty ones!

Saturday evening was a return visit to Hunts. I had helped organize a lovely get-together with some former high school classmates (see photo above). Sometime after Hunts and then getting lost in the town of Taylor, I eventually made it to Barnes and Noble for my appointment with Tish Thomas. By the time we had finished our coffee beverages, we had mapped out plans to change the world.

Sunday afternoon Kade and I had very nice visits with Zona Baxter and Uncle Jim. And, before leaving town Sunday evening, we had a chance to swing by the First Baptist Cemetery to see where Uncle Watty was buried. All in all, the long weekend was rewarding.