Our first morning in Mississippi was spent having coffee on the patio while Mary fixed a breakfast fit for a king. We plowed through everything she had on the table which was akin to a Shoney’s breakfast bar. I can assure you….it tasted much better. We got ready for an afternoon to look at the sights around Vicksburg and our first stop was the Civil War Battlefield and Museum. We watched a mock firing of the cannon from the parapet by Reb soldiers dressed in the uniform of that day and time.

The site was extremely interesting. The men only spoke of matters concerning the era and their camp was realistic to a fault. Relics were everywhere to authenticate the experience. I will never forget the cannon firing. We were told to cover our ears because the volley would be loud. I thought it was silly and almost didn’t comply…when I noticed everyone else had done so, I covered mine at the last minute. Good thing. The volley landed over on a hill with a charge that shook the ground and sounded like a jet crash. (Not that I’ve ever heard one.) I have learned to respect instructions and old cannons.

We heard a narration how the North had starved out the residents of Vicksburg and when they tried to surrender, at the whim of the North’s General they had to wait several days until the fourth of July, to make a point. More women and children died during those days and it isn’t one of the finest military conquests by the North. I was exposed to information I hadn’t read in text books as a girl in school and I was better able to understand the deep emotions on each side of the war.

That evening Bob announced he was treating us to a Southern catfish dinner at a restaurant called “Top of the River.” As you can imagine it was on a high hill overlooking the Mississippi and very scenic. The food lived up to Bob’s description as we were treated to fried catfish, served home-style on tin pie plates. He ordered side dishes of turnip greens, slaw, fries, hush puppies and fried dill pickles. Fried dill pickles? I’d never heard of them. Bob just laughed and said…. “Try one.” I’m sure my eyes lit up with the taste. Yum, yum….wish I had some right now. They were wonderfully delicious.

Mom, who loved fresh fried fish, enjoyed the meal more than anyone. It was a real treat to see her enjoy food like that. She immediately decided Bob sure knew what he was talking about in that good ole Southern drawl of his. I think mom would have gladly stayed with the Bryant’s forever if she had the chance. They were so good to make sure she was included and most considerate of her physical limitations.

One thing I remember about that evening….when we got back home from the dinner, we got Bob’s giant piggy bank out and started counting all of his pennies. Once seeing it when we arrived…I couldn’t stand it….I had to get those pennies out and make rolls of them. Mary helped me on the last half….it took us four hours to do it. Between us we found 40-wheat pennies, 5-Canadian pennies and some nickles and dimes. There were about 15,000 pennies when we finished. Now THAT is some piggy bank.

We had a good Sunday with them…attended their church, visited with Lisa (Barb’s sister) and did a little mall shopping in the afternoon. John and Barb called and we had a nice round robin visit with them on the phone. I know they would have loved being with us all. We left the next morning and certainly hated to go….it was such an enjoyable week-end that would live on long after the miles took us North……

Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther