Sunny Days: Fall and the Holidays in Nashville 2018

Home for the fall in Nashville and we had temperate weather, reconnected with our friends and family and it made for a very fun time. There is something to be said for old friends. These are the people who helped us raise our kids, in Fitz's case it is the people he grew up with, and these were the people we worked and played with for the past 40 years. We worked in a trip the last week of September to Knoxville for a horrible football game against Florida (but fun tailgating with the Knoxville clan) and on to Charlotte for a NASCAR race. We chose to go to the ROVAL in Charlotte for the NASCAR race because it was the first of its kind. Both of us have lost our favorite drivers to retirement in the past couple of years so we were going more for the atmosphere and the unique race rather than supporting a driver. It was a cut race for the championship, meaning all the top drivers would be racing at their best-it did not disappoint. The track itself was modified to have the usual oval but in the middle they worked in a road track--just to make it more of a challenge. Sally and Steve Gilliam met us on Wed. before the race and we did all the usual tourist tours and since the RV park was right outside the main gate we could come and go as we felt.

At least the tailgate was fun

At the race, Germain Racing (Ty Dillion's team) served as our hosts

Great seats

We certainly were winners

Hendricks Motors had a great shop to go through (We had a Chad Knaus sighting as a bonus)

The NASCAR Hall of Fame was interesting (for Sally and me for about 20 minutes)

Marion and David Greenlee are our new neighbors at home and while we didn't get together for a meal or happy hour like we wanted, we did become co-parents of our new favorite cat. Iris is a pretty little black cat and has 3 brothers and sisters at home so while she sleeps and eats at the Greenlee's, first thing in the morning she would show up at the back door and demand entry. She would stay until dark or until we threw her out because we were leaving. What a great way to have a pet!!

Chris Petty and Blair Bramlett got married in Oxford, MS--beautiful MOG

The reception in Oxford was a wonderful party

Then the party in Nashville for the newly weds was really nice

Iris is a great cat (now a part of the family) and the kids love her

We had Thanksgiving at home for the first time in 6 years. I cooked a huge turkey and the Norris's and Nick came over to spend the day. We taught Leeton how to play the Leeton family card game-Idiots- and found her to be a natural (and the luckiest human alive). December saw Julie O'Donnell retire (must party with the newest inductee to our laidback group), KC and Ashton Fitzpatrick got married so they and their son, Tucker, came to the Fitzpatrick Christmas at Marie's along with, the rest of the Mississippi clan. The Leeton Christmas was the usual weekend event at Nancy's, our house. Christmas Eve at the Barksdales was the best! We haven't missed this party in 35 years and always a highlight of the holiday. Cookeville for Christmas morning where we were relieved to find that Santa had come to obviously VERY good children. What a great Christmas.