The Enterprise asked area residents their plans for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
“I’m going to my mother’s house and have Thanksgiving dinner with my sisters, friends and family. I’m going to enjoy the day, ” Uleasia Cooper of Bastrop said. She is a cook at a local restaurant, and although she will be off work, she will still be cooking. She plans to make potato salad, chicken-spaghetti casserole, sweet potato pie and several cakes. The family will have the usual turkey, dressing, green and ham, and the crowd should number somewhere between 10 and 20.

Jeanetta Vines of Bastrop is a cook at a local cafe, but with company coming to her house for Thanksgiving dinner, she will do her share of cooking even though has the day off from work.

“I’ll be cooking and enjoying myself with my family,” Vines said. “I’m thankful for my family. I’m expecting relatives from Wilmot, Ark. to join me for dinner. I’m praying they have a safe trip.” Vines will be serving the usual Thanksgiving fare, including a turkey.

“I’m going to spend Thanksgiving with family and friends. We’ll have a traditional Thanksgiving meal with turkey and all the trimmings,” said Buffy Goodson of Bastrop. “When we come back home after dinner, it’s become my tradition to put up my Christmas tree while I have a day off work. I look forward to decorating for Christmas.”

“Mike and I are going to Nashville, Tenn. for Thanksgiving,” said Nancy Doles. “We’re going to eat lunch at a restaurant at Montgomery Beal State Park outside Nashville. It’s a 3,000 acre park on a lake and it’s beautiful. Mike has aunts and his grandmother buried nearby; his mother was from there. We’ll take flowers to the cemetery.” She added, “We  spent time with the family this past Sunday and we’ve always wanted to go, so we’re going.”

“This will be our first holiday without Dad,” said Tia DeBlieux of Bastrop. Her father, David Sims, passed away in March. “I’ll be having Thanksgiving dinner at my brother and sister-in-law’s house. I’ll be taking a ham. My kids always insist I make a Four-Layer Dessert every time there’s a special occasion.” She laughed and added, “And even when there’s not. They love it.”

“We’ll be going to Mama’s” said Sonya Crymes Smith of Bonita. “There will be 30-plus people gathered together. It’s one of my favorite family times to get together. Thanksgiving reminds me how fortunate I am to have such a good and loving family. I’m thankful for God and for my family.” She said there is always  so much food, adding “We’ll have everything from turkey and dressing to every kind of dessert you can imagine.”