Home for the Holidays

I have arrived. Vicksburg is a quaint little town, and I have found that the public library is my friend. (Guess who's dependent on the Internet for survival?) But the library is on the top of the hill and has windows all the way across overlooking the Mississippi River, so at least I have a great view of outdoors.

Highlights of holiday traveling:
* Listening to Murrell Ewing’s “For the Good Times” cassette three times through before getting to Arkansas. (I didn't get Theresa's advice in time.)
* $1.95 gas just north of Sikeston, MO
* Billboard: “104.1 FM Southern Gospeltality” (I can’t make this up.)

The Deer Camp
* Mud - everywhere.
* Guns - everywhere.
* Men with guns wanting to kill deer - everywhere.
* Deer - nowhere. (So far, the deer are winning.)

Christmas Trivia
You won’t believe this but did you know the rest of the world doesn’t shoot firecrackers on Christmas Eve? I thought it was a worldwide trend, but apparently it’s just a Southern thing. Every Christmas for as long as I can remember, firework tents pop up on every corner long about the last week of November. Then on Christmas Eve, everybody lights up the sky like the fourth of July.

In fact, rumor has it (I can't seem to find any research online) that Christmas fireworks are historically a Southern alternative to celebrating Independence Day. Since Vicksburg and Gettysburg both fell on July 4, for years southerners wouldn’t participate and shot fireworks at Christmas instead. That trend grew into a tradition with most folks unaware of its historical roots. Who knew?

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!