Reunions

It has been several months since I have written. Many things happened
during the interim. Now I am back and anxious to get back in the
blogging mode.

This past April my husband and I attended his 198th Tank Battalion
National GuardUnit that was activated during the Korean conflict
in the early 1950's. We attended last year's reunion and, at that time
they decided that since their numbers were so low-- many have died--
they would meet each year so they could have as much contact as
possible in the years left to them.

This event was held at Lake Tia-O-Khata (the spelling may not be
exactly correct), a beautiful lake located in Louisville, Mississippi.
I'm not sure whether I am writing about the reunion or about the
beautiful state of Mississippi. The state is beautiful and so are the
people.

Of course, I am a bit prejudiced because I was born and raised in
the Magnolia State. My roots go deep and I am always happy to
return.

As I sat at my table and looked at the weathered and aged
members of that special group of American veterans, I under-
stood what those men represented--an elite group of fighting
men enjoying the camaraderie just reminiscing
about the many things they had shared.

The commander of the group was the late G. V. Sonny Mont-
gomery from Meridian, Mississippi, who was also a member
of the United States House of Representatives for more than
thirty years. There were many others in that group who were
extremely successful individuals, educators, lawyers, college
administrators and others. I was simply a distaff member
of the group, as were all the other wives.

There were no female members of that company. Back then there
weren't too many ladies in the service. Today's armed services are
so very different.

For many years, the lake and its restaurant and hotel have been a vital
part of the life of the city of Louisville, pronounced Lewis-ville.
The city is a small country town where everyone knows everyone
else. It was difficult to find a recognizable city center, but
there were a number of businesses we could see as we drove around.

The first time I attended a reunion of this group, I met many folks
who knew my sister and brother-in-law. After that I felt like I fit in
fairly well. At most school reunions, the spouse of the "graduate" is
bored. In fact, my husband and I agreed several years ago to stay
home when one of us had a school reunion.

I graduated from Forest (Miss.) High School. There were only 37
of us, and now I think there are only about 16 left. I lost my best
friend from high school two years ago, and it hurts when I attend
the reunion now. Something is just missing and I can't find a way
to fill that void.

Lake Tia-O-Khata is very unusual in many ways. The people of
Mississippi are unusual. On the last day we were there, we left
the maids cleaning our room, so I just took my little jewelry
case with me to the dining room. Of course, being so absent
minded, I left it on the chair next to me in the dining room.
About half an hour later I missed it, walked across the street
and into the restaurant back to the table where I sat and there
was the little black case with my favorite jewelry in it on the
chair where I left it.

A little later, my husband and I were talking and I said, "Only in
Mississippi would that little case still be where I left it. I will
always have a good feeling about that place. Actually, I will always
have a good feeling about and love almost everything about
Mississippi. I am so glad I have relatives still there.