1629 Miles for Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving, we drove to Signal Mountain, just outside Chattanooga, Tennessee, to spend the holiday with my family. My parents still live on a farm there and my brother and his wife had their second child, a boy, the Thursday before Thanksgiving. I planned to cook the traditional Turkey, dressing and cranberry salad at my mother's then take dinner to my brother and his family in the valley.

Just before we left for the trip, my wife learned of her college roommate's mother's passing in Greenville, Tennessee, about 3 1/2 hours north of Chattanooga. Since we were also planning to drive to Durham, NC for the Duke v. Miami game, we made the detour for the funeral. This meant Four days of driving over a 6 day holiday weekend. We left Florida Tuesday evening and made it almost to Macon, Ga., before spending the night. Waking up in Cordell, we drove most of the morning to reach Tennessee; however, just before leaving Georgia, we stopped for lunch at my sister's house for lunch with her and her 3 wonderful children. Later that afternoon, we finally arrived at my Grandfather's farm on Signal Mountain. The evening centered on making the oyster dressing and cranberry salad with groceries brought from Florida.

Thanksgiving Day, I spent most of the morning walking around the farm after putting the turkey in the oven to roast. Mom, Dad and I surveyed the back fence lines and tried to find one corner so we could put the final fence up between my mom's property and that sold to a new owner. After we ate lunch, my brother finally arrived with his 2 year old son, so Andy and I walked the fence lines again to verify proper markings corresponded to the deeds issued by the probate court. After it got dark, Andy took dinner home to his wife and baby, and we planned to follow to get a look at the newest Ducker. Unfortunately, as we went to get in the car, I realized I did not have my keys. Fearing I had dropped them somewhere over the miles of fence line I had traversed today, all woodsy and briar filled, I was rather apoplectic. Thankfully my wife found the keys right where I had dropped them in our room.

On Friday morning, we left about sunup to drive to Greeneville for the funeral. My wife's college roommate's mother had been living in Greeneville, Tennessee, to be near one daughter who could take care of her to prevent having to go to an assisted living facility or nursing home. Ironically, the funeral occurred at Tusculum Baptist Church, across the street from Tusculum College, one of the schools my 17-year old is considering. We drove around before the funeral taking in the beautiful campus and sports facilities.

I'll have to write more tomorrow! If you need assistance in selecting an attorney in the Central Florida area for a Collaborative Divorce, Elder Law, Family Law, Guardianship or other question, please call me at 407-645-3297 or visit my website at www.aubreylaw.com

Thanks, Aubrey

Family Reunion in Tennessee

This past weekend, I drove 24 hours round trip to Tennessee to see my family. The family, distant relations, cousins and friends most of whom I had not seen since I last attended this reunion 25 years ago, was described by one of the 55 year 'friends' as the Nicest family she has ever known. What a Joy. Sharing stories of long ago loves, courtships, children, pranks, jokes, dances, murders, drunkeness, abandonment, the list grows longer, but the stories are told again. The family is described in two different books and its is likely that every person who traveled the Cumberland Gap road between 1796 and today has been impacted by the Snoderlies, Cranks, Bollingers, Onks, Eubanks and others who make up this delightful bunch.

This family has its share of unpleasant issues and complications. One Great-grandmother is cared for by a grandson, though her son or daughter could also provide the care. The family as a whole abhors nursing homes due to an incident of elder abuse in the 70's that proved no care is like family care.

Divorces are evident with second spouses and questions of first wives, children with differing last names, even one divorced couple that still attend because they both love all these people so much.

The Chidren were incredible. No fighting, just playful banter between long lost friends who have never met, but because their parents said they are cousins must be glad to see each other.

One family was restored many years ago after a newborn boy was given up for adoption. An ad in a geneological magazine led the family to find him and learn they had lived within 20 miles of each other for the past 40 years.

Pickin guitars, and singing songs late into the night while negotiating for just a taste of homemade peach wine, kept us up til all hours, but noone was too tired to be pleasant.

On the whole, and by all individual parts, I would not trade this weekend for anything.