The Day in Plains

It's quite unfortunate that when you get older, you only see your extended family at funerals. I love the town of Plains. My Great Aunt Virginia died this past Friday. I typed "passed away" instead of died, but I remember the pastor at her funeral today saying that it annoyed Aunt Virginia when people said that. So there. Aunt Virginia died.  I rode with Mama and Daddy down to Plains for the funeral. Although it was a sad occasion, Aunt Virginia lived a long and full life. So it's hard to be sad really. I think her house was the most beautiful house in Plains.  My Daddy remodeled it when I was just a wee one.

I was happy to see President Carter and Rosalyn at Aunt Virginia's funeral. President Carter and Aunt Virginia went to high school together and their families were good friends growing up. I was able to shake the President's hand. I don't care who you are, it will give you chills to say "It's nice to meet you, Mr. President". Please don't inject your politics here because A) It would show a lack of class and B) I don't really care. Anyway, I thought it was too funny that President Carter told my daddy today that he and Aunt Virginia used to be sweethearts. I don't think the former First Lady thought that was particularly funny. She shot him a look and walked off! Classic. I'm glad they made the effort to come, just as they did to Uncle Frank's funeral a few years ago.  It was good to see the Secret Service actually protecting a former president rather than what many of them are in the news for right now! 

While we were in Plains, I took some pictures that I've wanted to take for some time. 

When Jimmy Carter announced his campaign for President, I was just a tiny baby. My daddy was holding me in the crowd right outside this train station. Jimmy Carter reached out into the crowd and rubbed my head and said he'd heard it was good luck to rub a redheaded baby's head. Mama has that picture in a box somewhere!

Plains is the cutest little town. Mama and I went through a few antique shops while we were there. We visited Aunt Christine and had lunch with Daddy's cousin, Jaqueline. 

It was a long day but a good walk down memory lane. Hopefully it won't take another death in the family for me to get back there. Going to try to talk Pete and the girls into a couple nights at the Plains Inn this summer!