Memorial Weekend:

Friday:
I took the day off as we were having our chimney repaired. That evening, my great niece, Tess came down to spend the weekend. We went to Vienna with Judy to watch Zach and Ashlyne play ball. Ashlyne came home with us.
Saturday:
April went to Vichy to be the "pig shooter". This is almost a sacred rite of who gets to shoot the pig each year. April was supposed to shoot it last year but big brother Todd thought April was scared so he took the gun from her. He's never heard the last of it from everyone so April got to do the honor again this year, only for real. Blake also helped with his "pig shooter gun".

April shooting the pig:


Dwayne and Blake lowering the pig to be scalded:
How many people does it take to scald a hog?
Dwayne and Blake taking the scalded pig across the field to the lake:
Dwayne, Blake, Dacoda and Zach:
Dwayne, Blake, Baby Nathan and Zach:
My favorite picture, Dwayne, Blake and Nathan:

After shooting the pig, April brought this little guy home with her.
We played with baby Nathan for awhile then Tess, Ashlyne and I went to Rolla to buy groceries for the Pig Roast. We then went and put flowers on our friends' graves at the Macedonia Cemetery. A bittersweet time.
We then went on to our lake in Vichy for the Pig Roast. I dropped the girls off there and went on home to make my dishes for the fish fry that night and the pig roast the next day.
April, Nathan and I went over to the lake for the Saturday evening annual fish fry.
As always, we had plenty of food and visiting with friends and family. Ashlyne went home with her Mom and Tess, Zach and Blake came home with me. Zach was filthy from camping, fishing and riding horses. I made him take a shower and I asked Blake if he was ready for me to give him a bath. It was so cute, he smelled of his arm (dirty from playing all day) and said, no, I don't smell so I don't need a bath. I was tired so I didn't push it. We couldn't find "his car sleeping bag" so I convinced him to sleep on a blanket. Took some convincing but he finally gave in after just staring at me with his "Blake look".
Sunday:
I had to go the Davis Church for the memorial service. I'm secretary for the Davis Cemetery so I really needed to make an appearance. It is a great service with the community coming out for the one day service and basket dinner. There is singing and for the worship service, Marvin Dablemont did the preaching. I didn't stay for the service as I needed to get home and finish up my food and go on over to Vichy.
The pig roast started in 1976 as the Deerhunter's Pig Roast of Tallahachie. (by Spring Creek) The founders were the parents of us and our friends. I am sad to say Loyd Workman and Jeff Hooker are the only ones left of the originals. It has been held at Spring Creek until 2007 when we started having it at our lake in Vichy. Dwayne's dad, Andy had planned the new location and was excited about it being on his land. Andy passed away January 9th of 2007 and didn't get to see the first pig roast at his land and of many more to come. It is so hard to attend these events without remembering the ones gone.

The Pig:
Taking the pig off the grill:
Notice the girl on the right in the blue shirt as I will mention her again later:
The Elrod's: Chad, Dustin, Todd, Dwayne, Andy and Cody:
April and Mike:

The kids playing on the rope swings:

Much Fun:

Blake swinging so high:

Fun for all ages:
Zach, Chad and Nathan:
First time on a horse in YEARS:
Uh, Chad, the reins are a little long:
Getting ready for the takeoff:
Off we go:
Yep, I'm actually doing this........
This is how we all felt at the end of the day:

The weather was perfect. We had a little shower mid-afternoon but it soon quit.
Dwayne's cousin, Mark Carroll, his friend Susie, his son Blaine and his girlfriend Julie, came out from IL for the weekend. We always have a good time around them.
Blaine's girlfriend was a surprise for all of us with her eating the cooked eyes from the pig!! She said they tasted like morel mushrooms!! We were all shocked, to say the least. I gagged just hearing about it. She also tried the brain and tongue!! Julie is a very nice young lady and we were all shocked to see her try eating the eyeballs!! I asked Mark if she thought just because we lived in the country we ate things like that. He didn't have a clue as to why she did it. I'm sure this story will be told year after year.
Monday:
Dwayne went back over for the cleanup and I stayed home and relaxed.

I am so grateful my family has continued the Deer Hunter's Pig Roast. Kids, big and old have a great time. We have some that play games, some that visit, some fish, etc.
Just a good old fashioned good time.