LAST WEEKEND WE CELEBRATED OUR 38TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. While we ate breakfast Saturday morning Pat asked me what I wanted to do to celebrate. I had been thinking long and hard about this and I said, with some trepidation, "I'm almost afraid to say because you might want to go for it." Then I told her I had been thinking that we should go back at last to Cottonwood, Alabama; back to where we got married in 1972 at a place called Sealy's Hot Mineral Springs in Cottonwood, near Dothan, Alabama.
She brightened and smiled real big and I knew we were going to do it. Finally. We had made plans a few times in recent years to go back there, even though the place was destroyed by fire several years ago. We wanted to see what remained and look across the small lake to the very place where Dave, Dana and the other nine folks who were traveling with us made a large peace sign out of pine-cones on the ground and stood around it while we exchanged our vows and rings.
But each time we made plans to go there something went awry. One time I had a heart attack and had bypass surgery. This time, after having a third heart attack, I was six weeks post-op from having a defibrillator implanted to prevent further heart attacks. I felt great!
Within an hour we had our SUV loaded with everything we needed for two days, including our seven-month-old dachshund, Doxie and her carrier and supplies. I packed some 'road-rations' including two of my home-made super-muffins and a cooler full of healthy munchies. By 12:30 we were out the driveway and headed west. Only 300 miles to Cottonwood.
Within an hour we had our SUV loaded with everything we needed for two days, including our seven-month-old dachshund, Doxie and her carrier and supplies. I packed some 'road-rations' including two of my home-made super-muffins and a cooler full of healthy munchies. By 12:30 we were out the driveway and headed west. Only 300 miles to Cottonwood.
We took the road less traveled and went through Stark, Lake city, and Lulu avoiding the interstate as much as possible. Pat drove, making great time, so we wound up in Dothan by 6:00 PM. We checked in at the HoJo's express and went to Cracker Barrel for a quick but wholesome dinner. Then back to the motel and to bed so we could get an early start in the morning.
After a quick breakfast Sunday morning we headed on to Cottonwood.
When we found The Hot Springs, not named Sealy's anymore, it was a bittersweet sight. The big iron gate out front was chained and locked, the big building was a burned-out hulk and the place was deserted, overgrown. Closed for good.
With some misgivings I stepped over the fence and slowly made my way around to the rear of the burned out building. I could see the lake that we rowed across and the opposite shore where we exchanged our vows. It was still there. Still the same.
As I rounded the corner at the back of the building and walked behind it, I saw the old swimming pool, still full of water. When I got to where I could see through the weeds, I stopped short and saw that the huge pipe was still spewing out hot water exactly as it did 38 years ago. I shouted to Pat to come around and join me. Then we both stood there and watched the springwater flow with a mixed bag of emotions from joy to saddened reverie, realizing what was and what is gone.
With some misgivings I stepped over the fence and slowly made my way around to the rear of the burned out building. I could see the lake that we rowed across and the opposite shore where we exchanged our vows. It was still there. Still the same.
As I rounded the corner at the back of the building and walked behind it, I saw the old swimming pool, still full of water. When I got to where I could see through the weeds, I stopped short and saw that the huge pipe was still spewing out hot water exactly as it did 38 years ago. I shouted to Pat to come around and join me. Then we both stood there and watched the springwater flow with a mixed bag of emotions from joy to saddened reverie, realizing what was and what is gone.
What a rush it was to stand there watching the warm water flow and flash back on the moments we shared there with our friends and each other 38 years ago. It brought tears to our eyes. We kissed. I took a few more pictures of the place and of Pat standing there.
Then we turned and left, reversing our trip to head home, 300 miles back to St. Augustine. On the way home we stopped at two very interesting places and I'll report on those in the next post.
