Christmas in Dixie

CHRISTMAS AT HOME...

CARYN

MAMA (JO ANN)

YOURS TRULY...

BETH

Uncle Bob isn't too happy

with this gift. It's rated "T"

for Teen, and Caryn's only 11.

I gave Caryn a copy of Hairspray.



SUSAN

I gave Mama an Ole

Miss windbreaker.

My lovely sister again...

Uncle Bob also got the girls

lap desks. This was not

their favorite gift. :)

I thought my mother was

being a bit modest by

covering the model's

midsection. Later on you'll

understand her motive.

My attempt at free-hand

on Christmas Eve...

Hannah Montana...

"Wicked Awesome!"

Brother Bob's practical

but useful black scrubs for work...

Modesty revealed...

The Cheetah Girls...

Pet Shop Monopoly...

The best gift of the day:

CELL PHONES!!!

My treasure trove...

(including a heated cushion

and a $40 gift card to Chili's)

CHRISTMAS AT AUNT LOUISE'S...

Uncle Carlos is praying

that we will soon make our

way to the table.

AUNT LOUISE

UNCLE CARLOS:

"I hope it's not another

stupid flashlight!"

No, much better...a NY

Yankees cap!!!

COUSIN CINDY

(who is 40 years old...

Cindy is 2 1/2 months older

than me and always a year

older than me on Christmas

Day since my birthday in

January 2!)

BETH: "Great...clothes..."

LOUISE: "OOO-WEE!

Flannel sheets!"

Back home after a long day...

Visiting Friends and Family...

I saw so many friends while I

was home for the holidays.

I hate that I didn't take

photos of each and every

person, but the camera

can sometimes be a

nuisance.

Above are Em and I at her

mother's family's Christmas

in Senatobia, MS, on

December 23.

----------

Below is Caroline Beatse,

one of my former piano

students who was kind

enough to give me a

mini-recital when I

visited with her on

December 27.

Flanked by the girls,

Great Aunt Delphia Hood

is Daddy's daddy's sister.

I spent time with my cousin

Chris on December 23rd.

----------

I also saw Johnny Rufus van Horn

and Jimmy Stephens on December

26. Both Jimmy and Johnny made

photos, but neither have sent me

copies yet. When they do, I'll

edit this post and include their

smiling faces.

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Moreover, I visited Ione Katz and

Stella Davis on December 23rd

as well as on the 27th.

Additionally on the 27th,

I saw Jessica Benitone,

Darian Porter, and Daniel Mills.

----------

And I dropped by Uncle Donnie

and Aunt Nelda's on December 28th.

----------

Wish I'd made photos of everyone...

I'll do better next time...

Oak Grove Cemetery

Oak Grove is a tiny community in

extreme western Itawamba County, MS.

My grandmother on Mama's side was

reared about a half mile from the

cemetery where Daddy was laid to rest.

Most of Mama's kinfolk are buried

at Oak Grove, including her mother

Lorette. As you can see from the

photo above, Daddy's grave is very

close to his mother-in-law's. This

was no accident: he cared very

deeply for Mawmaw.

I helped design both MawMaw's

and Daddy's tombstones. I added the

scripture to the bottom of

MawMaw's tombstone: I picked

the fonts, middle heart content,

and verse at the bottom for

Daddy and Mama's stone.

Daddy's brother and best friend,

Uncle Donnie, has a concrete

finishing business. I was pleased

that he took Daddy's veteran plaque

and made it a little more sturdy

and impressive.

Mama doesn't know I took this

photo. I thought it was very

meaningful...