OK, I admit it, I am an opinionated. citified Northern snob and I was afraid of going to Alabama and camping in a "real"campground. We were driving up from Tallahassee to Birmingham on Saturday, March 23. That Friday, I received an email from one of our best friends (in the whole, wide world), Tom, that he had his family were taking an impromptu trip to Birmingham to spend a couple days with his wife's sister. I completely freaked out! Another Jersey person coincidentally crosses our path! Tom and his family, JoAnne, Jessi and Jake are some of the most awesome people in the world. JoAnne's sister Laura and her husband Glenn very kindly invited us to dinner on Sunday. BTW, they are both celebrated pastry chefs, so dinner, especially dessert, was mouth-watering. We had met Laura and Glenn previously and knew that they were great people. It was really comforting to me to know that we would see people I felt comfortable with in this “foreign” state.
However, I was pleasantly surprised to revise my opinion within 3 minutes of arriving at our campsite. While we were looking for a site, this man came up and offered to hold our spot by the river for us while we registered. When registering, the clerk (Stephanie) at Tannehill was warm and welcoming. She made sure we had everything we needed and knew where everything was located. She invited me back to chat with her later in the week. It didn't hurt that Jeff was being particularly sweet and charming. I think he was as in love with this place as a grown man can be with land.
After we set up camp, Jeff left to find the man who held our site for us and to go get firewood. About an hour and a half later, I started wondering where he had gone. I looked out the window, and there he is, a few sites down, yapping up a storm and feeding his face. I wandered down and met the friendliest bunch of people I think I have ever encountered. I warned them that since they had fed Jeff, he would keep coming back like a stray dog. Ronnie was so funny and warm. His wife, Dawn, would’ve fed the whole campground if you let her, I think. They had several friends there, along with their daughter, Megan. When I thanked Ronnie, for holding our spot,his reply was, “It ain’t nothin’ darlin’. We’re all campers here.” It sticks in my mind clearly because this is the way he treated everything in his life.
Ronnie and his family only lived half an hour away, but spent half the year camping at Tannehill. They had such love and enthusiasm for the lifestyle, it was contagious. When we left, they all gave me a great big hug, and you all know how I love hugs!!!
Our best friends and our new friends, all in one place!!! Amazing!
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