Ghosts of Xmas Past -- at Topsy's

 I think I'm finished with my childhood Christmases. Let's look at my grown-up (ish) holidays for a while. 

This was the first Xmas after I married Keith. We were at his mother's house, in the process of moving from our cute cottage in Fairhope to a dreary trailer park in Monroeville (the jumping-off-place at the ass end of the world). Well it seemed like a good idea (to Keith, anyway) at the time. His job at Greer's grocery store decided to give him a 'promotion' to produce manager at the Monroeville store. The pick-up truck in the background is the one we filled up with all our belongings - ON XMAS EVE -- and drove the 92 miles to Monroeville where our erstwhile landlord was to meet us to give us the keys to the trailer. Of course, he didn't show up. No cell phones back then, so we couldn't even call him. So... we drove all the way BACK to Fairhope, where we were welcomed with derision by all the other relatives gathered at Topsy's house for the holidays. (Was that an omen, a glimpse into my future of marital bliss? Definitely.)

Me and the other in-laws at Topsy's (Keith's mother) house for Xmas 1977.
L-R: Florence (Aubrey's wife), Garland (Sissy's husband), Lucia (Sonny's wife)

Topsy Carrigan (her real name was Annie Viola, but nobody ever called her anything but Topsy), with Casey and Christopher. This looks like it would have been about 1984. Not Xmas, but I included the picture because it's the closest thing I have to a picture of the outside of her house.

Topsy and Christopher, in the living room of her house. This would have been summer of 1981. We lived in Arkansas from 1978 to 1985, and twice a year we made the trip back to Fairhope for a week.

Summer 1981 again -- Christopher and Topsy and Keith -- in the kitchen of Topsy's house.