Absence makes the heart grow fonder!!!
When we left St. Louis, the hubs and I went our separate ways for a week. He went on to Junction City, Kansas to see our middle son, Josh and girlfriend, Taylor. I went to Little Rock and then on to Helena (Birmingham) Alabama to visit my parents, brother, sister-in-law and niece. I had a lovely visit!
Montevallo, land of my dreams, boredom here exceeds all extremes!!!*
My mom, aunt and I drove to Montevallo which is just about 30 minutes south of Birmingham. I have a lot of history in Montevallo. My mother, her sister and brothers grew up in Montevallo and I met John at the University of Montevallo. 
The house where my mom and aunt grew up is still there and is now a bed and breakfast called the Fox and Pheasant Inn. I actually lived there as a baby and learned to walk on that sidewalk while my dad was in Guam in 1966. We always drive down that side of memory lane and they always comment that it never looks like it does in their memories 😊.
It takes 2 minutes to get from one side of town to the next!!!
We drove through downtown, past the church they were both married in and the drugstore that my grandparents owned from the 1930’s to the 1980’s. I always felt proud that my grandmother ran a business during that time period – it seemed surprising to me. We drove past their elementary and high schools which are still there serving the community and many professor’s children.
Montevallo!! Where the hell is Montevallo?!?!?*
And, my favorite part, the University of Montevallo. Montevallo was opened in 1896 as the Alabama Girls’ Industrial School. It was a women-only technical school that eventually added traditional college courses after 1919 and became Alabama College, a state College for women in 1923. Montevallo became co-ed in 1956 and was renamed the University of Montevallo in 1969. {ED. NOTE – The location for the school was determined by drawing an X through a map of the state – the intersection of those lines falls there}
The center of the campus is lined with cobblestone streets which are beautiful but wreaks havoc with your car’s tires and suspension! There are huge, old trees lining the streets, green grass on the quads, a fire escape “slide” (which my mom remembers sliding down even though she never attended school there) and the water tower (which the hubs and friends rappelled down in the middle of the night just because they could). {ED. NOTE – Not so much could as just did. I mean, there wasn’t a sign that said “Rappel me!” but you get the drift. The other guy always had to climb back up to untie the rope!!}
We drove past the two dorms I lived in, the latter of which I frequently entered from the side door because the front door was locked for the night. We also drove past the hubs old fraternity house where we first “met”. That first encounter is one that we share often with our children and friends – it still always makes me laugh 😊.
We did become friends, even after that, and were married less than 2 years later. {ED. NOTE – 1st impressions can be deceptive!!} (I believe YOUR first impression of me was quite good – MINE of you, hmmmmm, no comment) We even drove by the Grey Gables apartments – we lived in the upstairs apartment there after we got married.
It was probably just a touch smaller than the fifth wheel we’re living in now! {ED. NOTE – Not by much, though the bathroom was conveniently close to the fridge – so one could reach out, open the fridge, remove a frosty beverage and enjoy it while relaxing and without losing one’s seat!!!}
Montevallo holds a special place in my heart and has always been one of my favorite places. I love going back for visit! {ED. NOTE – ** – The song Montevallo! is copyright 1984/85 – words by Dabbs, music by Tanner}
