Welcome to Hollyville

OK, you’d probably call it Nashville. Last weekend Mike and I made the trek up to Nashville to visit nieces Robin and Marcy. Robin has lived there for a few years now, and Marcy flew in from San Francisco for a visit bringing along boyfriend Rory and best friend Molly and her precious baby Noah.
Saturday was spent hanging out with Robin, Marcy and Rory and featured a driving tour of Nashville’s lively downtown. To attest to the city’s diversity, we drove past both the Ryman Theater, original home of the Grand Ol’ Opry, and the beautiful, new symphony hall. Lotsa stars in N’ville, but they might be wearing denim.

Hollyville II

Sunday took us down to “the farm” to spend the day with Molly and son, her sister and her mom and step-dad. The “farm” south of N’ville has been in dad Ralph’s family for generations, eventually passing to him. He and Molly’s mom, who currently live in Baltimore, have been going down there for about six years making improvements. Now they’re about to enlarge the family house, built in 1885, and then retire to that little piece of heaven.

We had a fun, relaxing day. Margaritas in the shade of ancient trees. The men took off exploring in the ATV. And a very competitive croquet game which allowed me to snuggle Noah for a long time. The day culminated with a delicious dinner. And all of it really, really made Mike and I want to start looking for a weekend place in the country.

Hollyville III

On Monday, we turned back to the southwest to head home, but first made a stop at Loretta Lynn's plantation home and museum. It was great fun. We'd seen a piece on Discovery Channel some time ago on haunted Southern homes, and the LL house had been included. The 14-room house was built in 1810 and miraculously survived the Civil War (the War of Northern Aggression). Unfortunately, the tour only takes guests through the main floor and the ghosts seem to hang out upstairs, so we had no spook sightings.

Something I found quite interesting was that virtually everywhere that there was an explanatory placard, it was an enlargement of a handwritten note from Loretta Lynn -- including her signature. Even the "please use other door for exiting" at Loretta's Kitchen restaurant was signed and in her handwriting. Every item in the gift boutique carried her signature as well. This is certainly a lady who knows the value of branding!

She's done a brilliant job with the complex. There's a performance venue so that someone just drives her down the road to perform, and there are cabins for rent and an RV camp ground so that the folks attending concerts can stay right on the property. And pay her instead of someone else. She's got it all covered . . . proving that she's a great businesswoman as well as performer!

It's For You!

Once upon a time, Mike played with a group at a good ol' boy, trucker bar called Bad Bob's. The drummer with the band was named Bubba Pinkham. One night as they had just gone to break, the person working the door received a telephone call for the drummer. He picked up the mike for the loudspeaker and said, "Bubba, phone call for you." Twenty guys stood up.

And that's the truth.

Yankee Sighting

There are several ways that Southerners spot yankees and deal with them accordingly. Around these parts, if you ask for directions to Grenada, MS and pronounce it Gre-NAH-da, a local is going to snicker and give you directions to who-knows-where. Likewise, no Southerner goes down to the Gulf to visit Biloxi (pronounced like lox & bagels). We travel to Bi-LUX-ee.

Yesterday, we found a new way to weed out the yankees. (Pamela, this is for you.) Cousin Bill is visiting so we took him yesterday down to the river to a great Mississippi River museum. On the return tram, we chatted with some ladies who were visiting from Maine. Finally, she asked if she could pose a question.

"We were walking yesterday and there were all these trees with shiney leaves and the biggest white flowers. Do you know what they are?"

In unison, Mike and I said, "Magnolias!" Who knew that was a mystery plant!?

It's a Holiday, Ya'll!

Yesterday I happened to call a medical facility operated by the state. When I asked for the person I was calling, I was told -- as if I were from Mars or maybe just California -- that she was not in. "It's a holiday."

I was embarrassed and got off the phone quickly. Called Mike. Asked what holiday we were missing out on. He said April 30???? No idea. But he called back later to report that the parking area for the office next door to the tax service, which is a satellite office for a state agency, had virtually no cars present. Hmmmm

I went online. Found the State of Mississippi web site and ended my ignorance. April 30 in Mississippi is Confederate Memorial Day. State offices are closed. Who knew? I noted on their list of holidays that the *other* Memorial Day is listed as National Memorial Day. I also noticed that there's a slash after the title for Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday holiday. Also being celebrated that day is the birthday of Robert E. Lee.

Now don't you feel smarter?