I’m headed to Waycross, GA this evening with the family for a weekend get away to visit some of my mom’s side of the family. We are going to celebrate yy Uncle Charles’ birthday. He is getting up in age and is the last of my Grandma’s siblings alive. My Grandma died in 1997 and since her death, we have not seen much of her family.
When I think of going to Waycross, a lot of memories come rushing back to me. We visited there often when I was younger and some things just happen to be a big deal when you are a child. Here are some of those precious memories of mine:
- The first thing I think of when I think of Waycross is the Holiday Inn Motel. Back in the 1980’s Waycross was much smaller than it is now
and the Holiday Inn was the nicest motel you could stay in. Typically, I would fall asleep in the car and as we arrived I would wake up and see the big green sign and palm trees at the edge of the parking lot with a marquee sign advertising free HBO. I didn’t care about HBO, because this Holiday Inn had the Magic Fingers Vibrating Bed (in some rooms) and all my sister and I could ever wish for was to get the room with the ‘vibrating bed.’ Although we loved our family very much, the vibrating bed was the highlight of our trip! - Seafood – We always went and ate seafood with the family when we visited.
- Golden Corral – And for another meal, we would go to the Golden Corral. I remember everyone’s excitement that the whole family was going to the Corral. This was pre-5 buffet stations. Golden Corral was still a buffet style restaurant, but not as it is today. For Waycross the Golden Corral was their Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.
- Dirt Roads – My Great Grandparents and My Great Uncle all lived on the same road…it was dirt. It had a set of train tracks that ran beside it. I knew when we turned at the railroad tracks and onto the dirt road, we were close to Grandma Wells’ house.
- Ants – They were everywhere in my Grandma’s yard. If we didn’t watch it, we would be eaten up by them because there were ant beds all over the place. I never saw ants crawling up trees, except in Waycross. Crazy ants!
- Uncle Charles – I love that guy! I saw him mostly when I was younger, but there was just something about him I liked. One of the best memories I have of him is when he took us to the secret hole in his floor where he hides his guns. He had a special edition Colt 45, a semi-automatic 9mm that looked like a machine gun. I always remember him saying that if the Government tried to take his guns away, they’d have to find ’em 🙂 He’s my Grandma’s only sibling still alive.
- Chuck – He’s one of the funniest guy’s I know. He is my second cousin. I went and stayed at his house when I was a teenager with a couple of my other cousins. We had a blast. I still have the scar on my knee to remind me of our 4-Wheelin’ Adventures where I burned my knee on the muffler and I sunk one of his 4 Wheelers in the river, haha, great times! Chuck is definitely one of the family favorites. You are sure to have a great time when he is around.
All that to say, I can’t wait to go and visit with the family. I hope my kids have as much fun visiting Waycross as we did when I was younger!
Let’s not forget the rubber grapes on Grandma’s coffee table!