Sunday, December 29, 2013, 7:50am CST

Today we are taking a trip. We are headed south to Navarre, Florida, and we have been up since 3:45 am. We are headed south to take in some beach time, even if it’s chilly, and to celebrate New Year’s away from home. It will be the first time I have ever been anywhere but home for this particular holiday. I’m looking forward to it greatly, as its something I have wanted to do for a long time.

Driving through Mississippi on 78, a different route than we typically take on I-55, we passed through some of my old haunts from bygone years. Byhalia, Senatobia, Oxford, Olive Branch. I haven’t traveled this way in almost 20 years, having been here in 1994 for the Oxford Conference on the Book, starring both Stephen King and Oxford’ s own John Grisham. What a wonderful experience that was!  I loved the town of Oxford as well, with its quaint downtown and beautiful college campus. There is really just nothing like a good college town like Oxford, or Fayetteville, or Raleigh.

We are 37 miles from Tupelo. No, we aren’t stopping to visit Elvis’ birthplace. But, seeing the rolling hills of this part of the state is pretty cool. Unexpected, even. More pine trees than one could count in a month. This highway is so unlike its busier cousin 55, with much less traffic and far fewer semi trucks. I like it.

As we journey on yet another adventure, I am excited for the fun ans the new year ahead. I hope it will bring joy and fun. I hope it will be good for so many of my friends for whom 2013 was not so good. I hope, as I always do, for peace and joy.

More to come on th journey. Stay tuned. For now, I’d like to give a shout out to some old friends in Senatobia. They know who they are.