Thursday, November 11
I was on the road by 9 am, psyched for the 500 mile trip and hoping to avoid severe weather. I was anticipating encountering a strong storm from somewhere around Birmingham. True to predictions, I had a couple of very bad patches of heavy rain and wind between Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, the kind where I could do nothing but follow the white line and pray no one ran into me. Fortunately, the squalls didn't last too long and were over before I reached the heavier traffic of Tuscaloosa.
Shortly after crossing the Mississippi state line, I hit a traffic slowdown caused by a wreck. While it is frustrating to creep along, I always try to remember that someone else is experiencing a life-shattering event, while I'm merely inconvenienced. With weather and traffic delays, it took me almost 9 hours to make the trip.
Melanie's grandsons Leo and Orion were still at her house (she picks them up and keeps them a couple of hours after school). I was glad to get reacquainted with them. First grader Orion read me a book and Leo told me about having fun in math class today.
It was just Melanie and me for supper. Nathaniel and Jayna were at Park & Cindy's on a painting job. Melanie had bought some Tony's tamales and had a delicious salad, so we didn't have to go out again. We ate and talked and laughed until bedtime (early) and time for me to go to Brenda's where I was spending the night. Of course, Brenda and I stayed up late talking and drinking wine. I fell into bed, exhausted, at about midnight. I never seem to get an photos when I'm with Melanie and Brenda.
Today was Veteran's Day: 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th day marking the Armistice between Germany and the Allies ending World War I. Today it honors all who have served in the armed forces. Bill never likes to be "honored for his service." He served honorably in SE Asia, in Vietnam, Okinawa, and Korea during the height of the Vietnam War, working behind the lines in aircraft radio repair. He does not have the PSD nightmares that many vets suffer, but he has a keen interest in the history of that troubling time. It was, as he has said, the war of his generation. He has read all the book and watched all the movies. As painful as it is to end a war without victory, knowing allies have been left behind and objectives unfulfilled, I am glad that the present generational war is over. I pray that we can keep the peace for a many years to come.
"Isaiah 2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. "
The war I worry about for my children and children's children is civil war. The division within our nation are deep and bitter and we have a portion of the population that is heavily armed. There can be no such thing as a civil, Civil War.
Friday, November 12
Brenda offered me several self-serve breakfast options (She is not a morning person), even though I told her I would just like a cup of coffee before going to Melanie's for breakfast. We set up the coffee before going to bed. When I woke up, I was greets by Maybee, Brenda's sweet companion dog. I had coffee and couldn't resist a bagel and cream cheese to go with it while I read my morning mail and devotion. Then off to Melanie's for a real breakfast.
Melanie and I had a good day together. We talked and talked. I set up a free Open Office word processing program on her old laptop. She needed a good word processor to make writing easy. I hope she will write about some of the family history stories that only she knows or remembers. She has a huge repository of family stories, especially from the Farrar side, stored in her memory bank. We went to Walmart and then out to lunch at her favorite Mexican restaurant.
After lunch, we took Charlie, her little Chiweenie (chihuahua/dachshund) to a nearby arboretum where they regularly walk. It is a shady, half-mile, paved loop that passes a couple of ponds. We made 3 laps.
After we got back and recouped a bit, I left for a visit with Deborah Clifford while Melanie cared for her grandsons. Deborah and George are renting a house north of Jackson near their daughter after their house in Hollandale burned to the ground - the same week as our Home Place. George was in Orange Beach working on that house. They are not fully recovered from the 2020 Hurricane Ida. They are thinking about selling it and relocating permanently to the Jackson area.
Friendships that have endured as long as ours, since elementary school, are precious. She is that friend that whether I saw her last week or more than two years ago, we pick right up where we left off. Our parents were good friends, so our connections are deep.
I left Deborah's house in time to get to Brenda's by 6 (35 min drive). Melanie was already there and supper was in the oven. We were just settling in for a drink when Melanie got a call from Nathaniel. He and Jayna were broken down at Flora on their way back from Wolf Lake. There was no choice but to go and get them. I was a hour drive in the dark and rush hour traffic!
By the time we got them settled and made it back to Brenda's, it was almost 9 pm. She had eaten (of course) and was in her pjs. She kept supper warm for us, a delicious barbeque pork roast. We talked and laughed and shared stories. Brenda and I continued even after Melanie left for home and bed. It was another late night for me, but worth the effort.
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