The Rock Wall

It’s the time of year when people traditionally count their blessings. We really should thank Him every day.

– I was surprised to hear about the death of Eugene Johnson. As kids we ran a lot of miles in church yards playing tag before the music started.

And we just went to the funeral for my slightly younger cousin, Carl, on Friday.

Monday, I called Conservation and asked to speak to Lana Wilson as I have for years. I learned that Lana retired about a month ago after only 38 years on the job. And I rode the school bus with her and her sisters.

Folks, there is something  going on here.

– I hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving even if it’s just you and your cat or dog or just you and your memories.

We had our Thanksgiving family get-together Sunday because some of us won’t be available Thursday. I wasn’t feeling well and took some aspirin and slept a little while before everybody arrived. Monday morning about 5 a.m. when I activated my cell phone, up popped a text from my sister, Margaret, sent at 1:07 p.m. Sunday: “Are you home?”

I gave her a straight reply, “Yes, I just got up. I’m here.”

I called her Monday evening and she had figured it out.

Now back to our Thanksgiving feast Kimball prepared lump crabmeat casserole (which was too hot to handle), hot rolls that spread all over the baking pan, hot ham end pineapple, Brussel sprouts browned in butter and brown sugar, roasted asparagus, classic cole slaw, twice baked potatoes, black olives, radishes, celery, tea, blueberry pie with ice cream (Tom’s favorite – his birthday was Nov. 8 and we missed it.)

Our 8-month-old-granddaughter, Reese, had a ball. Her high chair was between her grandmother, Kimball, and her mother, Erica. Big brother, Ben was on the othr side of their mother, kind of out of the line of fire. Then her daddy, Davis, was at the end of that side of the table. Uncle Tom was on  the other side of the end of the table making faces at her which had her giggling, laughing out loud, squealing and bobbing I guess you’d call it.. Margaret and I sat next to each other tending to the serious business of eating.

I have never seen a happy baby put on such a show. When Davis got up and picked her up out of the high chair and put her on his shoulder, Reese exploded with body weaving and arm waiving.

Margaret said, “I’ll fly away.”

Before lunch, Tom, Davis and I had been watching the Saints and the Panthers football game. They watched the rest of the game while Erica coaxed a somewhat unwilling Reese into a nap.

When I woke up in the middle of the night, I watched the last few minutes of the game to see the Panthers alleged place kicker miss one from the three yard line. Then the Saints kicker booted the winner through…barely.

Tom said it was good to see Drew Brees taking snaps and doing his pinpoint passing. We agreed.

-Adrian said Van had a high fever all weekend. She said Snider smiles all the time. Looking forward to Christmas when they are supposed to be up here.

-Thanksgiving used to be a day, in alternate years, when we got together at Grandpa Long’s and went quail hunting.   I guess I’m the only one left of that bunch including the quail.          KL