Note: Pictures will be added to this post as soon as I have wireless internet access again.
The search for my roots continued on Day 62. I woke up to have a lovely breakfast with Joncille and Darryl, where I learned more about our family history. I was heading to Baton Rouge, Louisiana and planned to stop in Lake Charles on the way.
Lake Charles is where my nana’s family first settled in America when they came over from Lebanon. My grandfather had a store on Railroad Ave., and my Aunt Ann also owned a store in town. Sadly, their homes and stores are long gone, but Joncille did direct me to the Episcopal church where the family attended services right up until a few years ago, and where my Aunt Ann and one of her daughter’s ashes remain.
While I didn’t spend long there, Lake Charles seems to have a bit of a split personality. In one way it is a quaint old south town, but then there are a few scattered tall office buildings that almost seem lost. I would’ve liked to have spent more time there but had dawdled enough- I was due in Baton Rouge at 6 pm.
It was wonderful seeing my friend Shannon again after nearly six years. Shannon was one of my first ‘fellow mother’ friends in Blackstone. Her son Julian played soccer, baseball and of course basketball with Nick. They recently relocated to Baton Rouge after six years in Indiana. I couldn’t believe her son Jack is now 10- he was the little mascot, hanging around all the games from birth.
I was welcomed with a wonderful dinner and we enjoyed a relaxing evening trying to catch up on all that’s happened during the last few years. Now she’s bringing me on a swamp tour, which I’ll fill you in on tomorrow, so long as I don’t end up alligator food…
Amy's America 