The four years since we last visited Tallahassee mark the longest period since 1970 that I have been away from Tallahassee. It is quite an emotional thing to drive into this place after such a long absence. I feel keenly the absence of those who will not be with us.
I remember that first time I drove into Tallahassee and found my way out Buck Lake Road toward little dirt Highland Drive, wondering if this would be a frequent trip for the rest of my life. (I was already plotting to ask Sheila Matthews to share my life though it would be a few more weeks before that proposal was made.)
What a warm welcome I got from Sheila's Mom. I immediately fell in love with her family and with that beautiful little four acres of garden and tall pines and Spanish moss and ... azaleas! How I miss Mavis and Jay Matthews, Sheila's parents. I truly loved them. They would be 110 and 111 if they were still living; we lost them in 2002 and 2004.
So we remembered them today as we bowed around this beautiful and sumptuous table, along many others we miss so.
BUT how wonderful to be here again with these loved ones. Vada will be eleven next week! We enjoyed meeting Cliff, Nora's friend; he seems like a really good guy.
Sally -- despite medical problems recently -- put together monstrous and absolute delicious meal --
- turkey
- dressing/gravy
- green bean casserole
- scalloped potatoes
- mashed potatoes
- fresh cranberry relish
- Mac and cheese
- pineapple casserole
- biscuits
- pecan pie
- apple pie
- sweet tea
- coffee
- roasted/sugared pecans
- tea cakes
- ginger snaps
I probably left something out.
We've cleaned up the kitchen now and are sitting around looking at our electronic devices and talking and trying not to succumb to post feast stupor.
Sally asked me to tell a story so I told my Yellowtail tall tale. Then we all shared some stories for a while. Jimmy told about little Vada's eloquent commands at about 12 months when Jimmy couldn't find the diaper bag: "Doh!" We learned of several falls: from beds, chand=ging tables, and trees. We retold Jimmy's mistaking butterscotch pudding for salad dressing. We remembered Jay's first experience with fortune cookies -- he ate his fortune! And more.
I am a very thankful man. I have so much to be thankful for, but somewhere near the top of my list is the family I married into.
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| It was a beautiful table and it was loaded with wonderful foods. |
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| An added attraction was Sally beautiful African violets all descended from the same original cutting. |
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