Today is Amy's birthday. Paul and I went to Memphis to take her to lunch and take her a birthday gift. I told her about this time (12:30 p.m.) 38 years ago I was counting her little fingers and toes. There is not another feeling like it - unless you have other fingers and toes to count, which we didn't. So hers were extra special and I'll never forget what that felt like. No mother does, I'm sure.
We had a good lunch at the Sidecar Cafe once again, but this time the service was fast. Amy had brought me and Paul two Christmas stockings with ornaments in them - little pet frames (I'll put Oscar, Lucy and Tommy's pictures in them) and three little ornament dolls representing her, me and Paul - the whole family. Sweet. And I can use the stockings on the mantel to see if Santa will leave anything in a few weeks!
It rained on us from about Highway 385 on to Germantown and same coming back. We stopped in Corinth and got a pre-lit Christmas tree at Walmart, plus some ornaments since we don't know where our tree is. Later on the way home I told Paul I remembered the tree from last year (Amy's) was in the box it came in at the foot of Mama Nick's bed for a long time. After that, I don't know what we did with it.
Yesterday I helped with the kids' Christmas party at the library. Fredda had it so well organized and it went great. There were kids and parents lined up to get in when I got there around 8:30. She said last year they had about 150; I think there were more this year. My game station was finding Santa's reindeer. Each child got a sheet of paper with pictures of the nine reindeer and then had to find matching pictures with numbers, write the number beside it's match, and return the sheet to me. Then their prize was a little bottle of bubbles. The sign said "Ages 7-12" but a lot of parents joined in the fun and helped wee ones. Great way to let children use the library or see it for the first time. Many Friends of the Library volunteers. Great Santa, too - I didn't even realize who it was till Paul told me - one of the men from the men's breakfast who left early to fulfill his Santa "helper" duties!
Friday night Paul and I went to the old Courthouse Museum to wait for the parade with Brenda, Cindy, Austin, Andrew and others, which turns south just past the courthouse, down by Mineral Springs Park, for judging. Naturally, I didn't get good night pictures, but some turned out okay. We met the son of one of Paul's classmates (nephew of one of mine). To think of Terry with grandkids! Like Rip Van Winkle - you move away, you move back, other people have gotten "old" or "mature" and you wonder how it happened these kids have grandkids! When the parade was within sight of the courthouse the kids rang the enclosed brass bell which still hangs inside, and rang it again when it was over. Great tradition! I asked Bren wonder how long it had been since we'd seen a parade together?
Looks as if Santa's reindeer have run amok... Car and street lights as we drove east on 72.
Old Tishomingo Courthouse Museum entrance. Paul...
On display at the museum.
Upstairs in the old court room. Paul and Dustin Lambert. The old coal stove is one from Oldham Baptist Church. May be the very one I remember warming to on Sunday mornings. Herbert Robinson faithfully started the fire before we got there on winter mornings.
On display at the museum...Sitting on the steps leading up to the court room. Very Best Friends since high school.
Bren and her oldest grandson Austin whose birthday it was Friday. He was 14 and is at least 6 feet tall already! This old safe weighs over a ton. The tall door behind Bren was from the old McDonald home which used to be located near our old high school.
Ring the bell! The parade has begun! Andrew, Bren's second grandson and Terry's granddaughters.The bell was also rung in the old days when a jury had reached its verdict.
One of the better night pictures, have no idea what the camera setting was. Just lots of lights on this float, I guess. Music was from Beverly Hillbillies; Granny looked like Granny!
One of the antique tractors. Alas, not Jim or David's (Bren's husband and son). My battery went kaput just after this. Alex, the youngest grandson rode with his dad. Most were antique John Deere. The boys love the JDs!
So those have been my last three days. This week is already booked except for tomorrow and I need to put that tree up, get some of my old ornaments from the attic, return the wrong window candles (cords and I meant to get battery-powered), figure out finger foods for two different occasions this week, deliver a plant to Mama Nick (a beautiful pink Christmas cactus for her room), do laundry and clean the bathrooms, make Sher's Christmas gift. At this moment those are the most pressing things. Tomorrow it'll be something else. I'm just thankful I have the time, health and enough energy to do them. I've loved it all. It's been fun having time to have fun.
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