Beyond working those couple of summers in Georgia, we . . . me, mom and my sister . . . spent a lot of time visiting family there after we moved to Tennessee. Somewhere around 1978 Dad had started his own business, so he was working long hours. Most trips he didn't have the time to go with us, and more often than not, he accompanied us on the visits to Savannah rather than Lyons.
I don't really recall many family vacations that didn't involve visiting family. Dad took that 30 day leave in Spain, so we could travel around Europe. There was a trip or two to Disney World, but we either traveled with family or visited with Aunt Paige, Uncle Jim, and Brandy in Orlando. We rented a houseboat for a week in Chattanooga but shared that with Uncle Bud, Aunt Robbie and their crew.
I never minded visiting family . . .
. . . there were usually tons of kids, mostly cousins . . .
. . . and we pretty much had free reign during those visits!
Greg and Karl . . . raised a little more polished in Savannah . . . were full blown country boys by the time I was a teenager. I loved hanging out with them because motorcycles, four wheelers, fast cars, and guns were usually involved! Both had mean streaks, Karl's a little more evident than Greg's, but I didn't mind . . . well, except for the time Karl shoved a wad of chewing tobacco into my mouth . . .
. . . and Greg shoving my nose into his armpit!
There was usually a family reunion or church homecoming going on. There is no food better than the food that shows up at these events: fried chicken was usually cold because it was made that morning BEFORE coming to church, but it was always so good . . . deviled eggs in a dozen varieties because sister Sue's recipe was better than sister Martha's . . . five different flavors of potato salad because Hellman's, Kraft, and Blue Plate mayonnaise are personal choices and that old sister Sarah uses {{{GASP}}} Miracle Whip in hers . . . homemade macaroni and cheese baked with bread crumbs on top . . . ham always made an appearance, cut into thick slices, cold and brown sugar coated . . . those flat, country green beans always cooked with bacon . . . field peas too, soaking in their "likker," a ham hock half buried . . . cornbread, there was always cornbread, sweet delicious cornbread! SO. MUCH. FOOD.
By far, however, Michael was my favorite. He belonged to Aunt Teen, a gentle woman who fed your spirit, soul . . . and your stomach. Michael was quite a bit older than I, but whenever he appeared, I was dead on his heels. He took me fishing a couple of times; he was a fishing genius. I have no idea how he managed it, but almost every time he sunk a hook, he'd pull a fish! I could stand right next to him and never get a bite . . . he'd be pulling them in no matter where he cast . . . I'd be drowning worms!
Michael died at a young age . . . I'm pretty sure he was in his 30's. Sometimes when I go down to Georgia, I drive by his house . . . it's still there . . .
. . . I miss Michael.
We lost Aunt Teen a few years ago. You would have loved her!! A visit to her house nearly always guaranteed a fish fry . . . fish caught by both Michael and Maynard (one of her other sons) . . . sometimes by Aunt Teen herself! She had a secret fishing hole . . . baited her hooks with squished up white bread balls. I always thought that was the funniest thing! I popped as many bread balls into my mouth as I put on hooks. Catfish love bread balls . . . at least the ones in her secret fishing hole did!
We'd visit Aunt Mary and Uncle Robert on Sunday's sometimes . . . they had plastic covers on the furniture in the living room . . . something I thought odd. . . but I sure loved my aunt and uncle!
Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Wendell owned a dry cleaning business . . . he'd buy us a Coke, the tiny 6 ounce bottle, and peanuts from the vending machine . . . my sister and I would sit on the sidewalk outside to drink that ice cold soda and snack. Mom told us she always put her peanuts in her Coke, but we never developed a taste for that.
We'd stop in to see Granny Page . . . she always seemed to be more than 100 years old . . . tiny and stout and the same time . . . an apron around her waist since I'm pretty sure she was ALWAYS cooking something in the kitchen. She had these black rimmed glasses and a gold tooth . . . and the best hugs! Mom would let us walk down to the store a couple of blocks from her house . . . I can still taste the Slurpees we used to get!
Uncle Sam and Aunt Rosalind were generally on our route . . . just a little out of the way since they lived in the "big city" of Vidalia. Sam was really my mom's uncle, but they were so close in age, they were more like cousins . . . sometimes acting like brother and sister. Uncle Sam always had a smile on his face! Their kids, Craig and Keely were several years younger than me . . . Craig was at least 5 or 6 years behind me, and Keely was a toddler . . . but we still played . . . both of them were so cute!
We rarely missed a visit with Aunt Olivene and Aunt Minnie V . . . the hugs!! I wish I could remember all of their names. I just know we never stopped visiting!!
I miss visitin' (no "g" on the end in the south).
"Our family is a circle of strength of love; with every birth and every union, the circle grows."
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