Before New Orleans, the Tallahassee Trip.

I have posted this picture before on my blog.

That is Mother sitting on the ground.

Behind her on the left is her friend, Jean Soule, and on the right, is her younger sister, 

Florence Northcutt.

None of them were married.

Look at Mother's Saddle Oxfords on the ground in front of her.

This was in the forties.

They were "goofing" off - hanging out - taking pictures - posing in mock situations -  probably on a Sunday afternoon - 

because they all worked during the week.

I think Florence was the first to marry, and then Jean, and then Mother.

And here is Florence again - appearing to "shake" a bottle - mixing it - for her baby, Rachel.

I think this is my 2 year birthday party - I think - my head behind the cake.

That's Mary Ann standing there, talking to me.

Next picture - 1955
 - Florence with the towel around her shoulders.
Mother with the long, print skirt on.
Rachel with her back to the camers.  Florence now lives with Rachel in Tallahassee.
Mary Ann with her bare shoulders and side to the camera.

Same day, and a lineup of some of us.

I'm on the left and Rachel is on the right.

Suzanne, Florence's oldest daugher, is in the back.

Rusty, Florence's son, is third from the back and third from the front.

Mary Ann is right below Rusty.

And below are some of our pictures from our Tallahassee trip.
We visited Florence who is living with Rachel now.
Her son, Rusty, lives in Tallahassee.
Her oldest daughter, Suzanne, lives in Gulf Shores.

This is Mary and Florence, sitting next to each other.
I caught Florence's eyes squinting in a facial expression.

Florence has suffered through a late in life heart attack, then 2 serious falls on 2 separate occasions.
Both put her in the hospital.  The last one broke her jaw, and she had to have surgery which left her with her jaws wired together until they healed.  She then was in rehab and now is back at home with her daughter, Rachel.  On this trip Rachel was at work, so we were unable to see her.

Here are Rusty and Mary Ann, 

55 years after that black and white photo 

of the cousin lineup in 1955.

The goodbye was tough.  But Florence and Mary have walked through trials tougher

than saying goodbye to each other. I love them both.

When we first walked in the door to see Florence, after our hello hugs,

she said,

"I wish ya'll  had brought Edith and Lucille with you!"

She said it so naturally, but of course was teasing, but meant it.

Mother and Lucille are in heaven.

We wished we could have brought them, too.

It was a good visit.  None of us wanted to say goodbye.