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Can you just smell the turkey in the oven? Can you just taste the waldorf salad, sweet potato casserole,cornbread dressing with oysters, and a glazed pecan pie? Don't you love it when the family gathers at the table for the carving of the cranberry sauce in the shape of a can? Are you not looking forward to dad falling asleep on the sofa watching the Detroit Lions on television? I think the offensive line of the Motor City team has been asleep since September 2008. I am so ready for Thanksgiving because this will be the first one I have spent in Tallapoosa since college. One of my favorite Tallapoosa Thanksgiving memories was from my freshman year in college and my Aunt Agnes had come up from High Springs, Florida to spend the feasting holiday with us. She brought with her a smoked sugar cured ham the size of a John Deere tractor tire. I remember listening to Aunt Agnes, my mother and grandmother talking about days gone by in our town. There was a lot of laughter and the spirit of family was warmly felt. I look forward to going to Allen's Florist on Head Avenue and experience the ushering in of the Christmas season with their open house that for years draws people from far and wide. Tommy Allen has been to the Atlanta Merchandise Mart and has some real treasures for the holidays. Tommy and his staff have been working day and night for many weeks preparing for the open house on Thanksgiving Day. One thing I need to tip my hat to is the museum on Bowdon Street. The museum houses so many great artifacts from our area. I remember taking the girls there a couple of years ago and Bud Jones had built a dinosaur for display. Presley and Callie were so impressed. They were far more impressed with Bud's artistry than in my broadcast career. The only thing they though was cool about dad's radio career was that I knew the guys with Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, and Billy Ray Cyrus. They were kind of disappointed that I didn't know Miley though and that I wouldn't shell out two grand to see her last appearance in Atlanta. The museum has the first dentist chair that I ever sat in when Dr. Hill was the town's dentist over 50 years ago. His office was up a flight of stairs at a building on Head Avenue and Dr. Hill reminded me of a shorter in stature version of actor John Carradine who played mad scientists in a few movies I saw as a kid. Dr. Hill's dental tools included a coal shovel, a miner's pick, a machete, and a set of channellocks. I was glad when Dr. Burgess and his family moved to Tallapoosa from Atlanta in the 60's. Dr. Burgess was a great dentist in that he didn't try to pull my teeth by way of a nostril and his drills did not say "Craftsman" on the side of them. His son Max is one of the most gifted guitar players I've ever known. Max taught me about blues, jazz, and the artistry of Les Paul and Wes Montgomery. Max is retired from being being a physician's assistant down in Florida. His mother Sarah who taught for years in the county school system told me that Max goes fishing 5 days a week but has weekends off. The museum also has a great variety of things from our part of the world that is sure to please everyone. A drug store soda fountain can be seen at the very counter that many of us ordered lemon sours and oranges smashes from Mr. Hucheson at Robert's Pharmacy. The Museum of West Georgia is a place that I like to take visitors who visit Tallapoosa. When is the last time you have visited the museum? Catherine McElroy and the museum committee have done a wonderful job in preserving our history. It is something we all should be proud of. I want to give a special acknowledgement to Ruth Brooks who sent sweet comments on our columns. I also want to thank the many of you that emailed, called, and wrote about how much you enjoyed last week's tribute to Jess Newman. It was the most correspondence I ever had in the two years of writing for the Tallapoosa Journal. I've never seen a passing touch so many of you as when Jess left us. The visitation at Miller Funeral Home the Friday night before the funeral rivaled the many people that came to that of House Speaker Thomas B. Murphy's. Both men touched the lives of many of us. Jessie Lee's funeral was one of the most meaningful s I've ever attended. His flag draped casket, the military honor guard, the playing of "Taps", and the 21 gun salute were fitting tributes to a true patriot.