News from Meridian

Hello world, It is Wednesday in Meridian. I am filling in for the local guy here while he is away on vacation. I hope to be back Thursday night, but it may be Friday before I get to return. We had a nice weekend at Tannehill with Alissa and Emily. Gayla and her bunch were there also. We couldn't get next to each other but it worked out ok. Friday night we grilled hamburgers and ate together. Saturday was the Civil war reinactment. I went to it around 1pm to look around and the battle started at 2. I watched from behind the cannon battery. It was great when they started firing the cannons. You could feel the shock wave even standing behind them. Before the battle started, the Union forces marched across the field to thier position, they were naturally booed. Then the Confederates marched across, they were cheered. I noticed that the Union had better uniforms that matched, and looked in better shape. The South was a little ragtag, but still put up a good fight. This is really like the War was, the South just wasn't quite ready for it to start. It was interesting to see the campsites that were set up. Most were just like they were then. Large cotten tents, campfires with pots to cook on and uncomfortable matteress. not at all like the air conditioned soft set-up that we use. I went back before the battle was over so I don't know who won. I keep hoping that the South would eventually win this war. Later on Saturday, we fixed some chicken. Tim and Myra and some of Gayla's cousins and April and Jason came up. April was suppoosed to get Alissa, but she didn't. We had a pretty good crowd. Sunday we got up and went to Church then stayed home to get ready to go off for the week. Phyllis decided to stay with April and play with Alissa while I was out of town. We went back to the camp after Church and found ourselves all alone. Emily went home with Alissa and we had the camper all to ourselves. I believe this is the only second time we have spent the night alone since we started camping. It was different. Monday we were going to fix hamburgers and eat with Gayla, but when we started packing we all decided to leave early. We got home around 12 and I met Jerry in the drive way. He told me that Peggy Snider had just passed away. Peggy and James had been our neighbors for about 40 years. She had been fighting cancer in one form or another for about as long as I have known her. The past few months, it got the best of her and she is now gone. Before we left, they were not expecting her to survive the weekend. I will not be able to go to the funeral because I am here in Meridian, but I will remember her. When I saw Jerry, I knew what had happened. It reminded me of Daddy, we had gone to Florida and I was backing the camper in the yard when James came over to tell me that Daddy was in the hospital. We got there just before he passed away. I think next time I come home and see someone in the driveway I will just keep on going. Enough of that. Back to Meridian. this hospital is a little smaller and only has one person here. I had 2 phone calls yesterday and both were from people in Birmingham. Not much going on here. I am going to find the Northside Church this evening and visit them. Hope to see everyone on Sunday.