Montgomery Alabama

Friday May 18, 2018

We left by 9am this morning. We have a big day. We are going to the Greenleaf Cemetery near Coldwater, Mississippi to find the grave of my master's mother. She passed away 60 years ago when Bob was just 7. She was only 33. We took I240 to I22 South. We soon crossed into Mississippi since Memphis is in the very southwest corner of Tennessee. We exited the interstate and stopped at Darling Flowers in Olive Branch to buy two red roses for Bob to put on the grave for him and his sister Nanci. From there we headed south on County Road 305 South, west on Tate County Line Road and south on Palestine Road. It is a beautiful drive, gentle winding path with overhanging trees. The cemetery is across the road from the Greenleaf United Methodist Church.

We started looking for Polly Ann Sowden's gravestone. Her maiden name is Sowell. Bob remembered her grave being near a road so we started looking in the southwest nearest the road. We soon saw gravestones for various Sowells including some of relatives Bob met the summer he stayed in Coldwater. As we worked our way to the small entry road, we spotted many gravestones for Sowells. Then we saw the gravestone for Fred and Millie Sowell, her parents. Polly Ann's grave was to their left after her brother Standly. Her grave is by a road just as Bob remembered. Bob put the roses on her grave. He thought about how his mother had died so young. He wondered why he had waited so long to do this. They took pictures which Bob shared with his sister. Karen took pictures of the Sowell gravestones in case anyone in the family would ever want to trace their ancestry. The cemetery is very proetty and serene. We heard birds singing the entire time we were there.

After a time, we left the cemetery and plotted the course to our hotel in Montgomery, Alabama. After a series of back roads, we headed south on I22. We stopped in Tupelo, Mississippi so my masters could have lunch at the Neon Pig. They have the best burger in America according to Trillist. They both had the award winning Smash Burger. Karen enjoyed it very much; Bob not so much. Then we were back on the road headed southeast. The interstate is tree lined over rolling hills. We cross the state line entering Alabama. Bob spied a small teardrop going north. This makes 5 of the cute little campers seen on the trip.

Road construction slowed traffic to a near halt near Pelham, Alabama. I didn't mind because my master let me get some air time.

We fuel up before going to the hotel, arriving about 5pm. After my walk and kibble, my masters walk over to the Mexican restaurant. The food was good but nothing like what they had in Amarillo. They may be ruined for Mexican like they are for crab cakes. The margaritas were very good and huge. The hotel room has a couch and two comfy chairs and an ottoman. When my masters try to move the chairs side by side they find one is missing a leg. It makes a wacky spot for me.