Best of Mississippi and a Farewell Kiss Goodbye
I did a best and worst of Iowa series while visiting my sister up north, so I figured I’d attempt to recapture that again in my final blog post from deep down in Dixie. I’ll be heading out of town next week to continue on my “Pike’s Peak or Bust” Mystery Tour. I’ll refrain from a “worst of” entry for Mississippi since there’s entirely too much of that on display in mainstream media already.
Special Thanks to Mike Parker
Bandit and I have been staying with a long-time and dear friend in the suburbs. We’ve been extremely well cared for by my good buddy Mike Parker. Mike is a successful restauranteur here in Jackson. Mike and his late partner Larry were highlighted in a local magazine article in 2012 as a Jackson area “Power Couple” and as the article above notes, their pizza business has received multiple awards since it’s opening in 2006. Sadly, Larry passed away of cancer a couple years before my wife Rita followed him to the great beyond. Mike has since found a new and loving partner to help him pick up the pieces of his life. I’m not ready for that kind of commitment again at this point in my life since I’m still mourning the more recent passing of my beloved mate (and best friend). Even though Mike has remarried, I know there’s still a void in his soul from the passing of Larry that will never be filled. It’s good to be staying in a house with such love and understanding of what I’ve been through in the last six months. I cannot say enough good things about the quality of support my friends here in the South have provided for both myself and my furry travel companion. Such blessings are hard to come by.
Fond Memories of Mississippi
Below is a slideshow of some of the highlights my hairy beast and I enjoyed here in Dixie during the last several months. Even as we make our way forward and on to new and exciting adventures, I will always cling to the pleasant memories of my stay here in Mississippi. There are others in my sphere who have also been essential in keeping our spirits high and our bellies full. I shall respect the anonymity I know they desire but I shall not fail to make note of them here in passing.
Enjoy.
The Tim Channel 