Friday, July 02, 2010

Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor’easter (copy)

Leelee and Baker Satterfield had a good life. They had a beautiful home in Chickasaw Gardens, Memphis. A home that took Leelee five years to paint, wallpaper and decorate in her signature peach color. An older home her girlfriends felt worthy of a five page spread in Southern Living. Their garden with all the major southern plantings including mature azaleas and camellias made her neighbors green with envy. They even had a lush backyard her toddlers took every advantage of during the spring, summer and fall seasons.

Baker worked for his father in the family insurance business. It was a steady income and one day it would be all his. He also enjoyed a membership in the Country Club thanks to his father-in-law. Since Baker was an ex-football star who loved all outdoor activities he spent every weekend out on the greens or up at the courts. When in the house, he kept the television tuned to any sports event and actively watched.

Leelee thought their life was picture perfect. She had a major crush on Baker from the moment she laid eyes on him in elementary school. It took tenth grade and Mother Nature before Baker began to notice her. Other boys noticed too, but it was Baker she set her sights on to marry. When did he become unhappy with his job, his home, his wife and his life?

Baker was harboring a dream. He was thumbing through North American Inns magazine when an advertisement caught his eye. The ad displayed a beautiful old inn with flowers and butterflies encircling an ornate wooden porch. The print read, “Located in a village setting near two major ski resorts, Vermont’s premier restaurant/inn is for sale. Circa 1700s, the Vermont Haus Inn has nine guest rooms, most with private bath, seven fireplaces, gracious lawns, twenty-acres and historic stone walls.”

He showed it proudly to Leelee and then showed her some books of picturesque Vermont he checked out from the library. His plan, move to Vermont and run the Vermont Haus Inn! He was asking his Ole Miss educated, southern belle Leelee to move north and become a Yankee! How absurd!

Memphis native, Lisa Patton, has written a fun romp akin to a modern day The Egg and I titled Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor’easter. This fish-out-of-water story will have you rolling with the unbelievable situations and northern character quirks. As Alice would say, “Pure-dee-fun.”

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

This has been on my tbr list for a long time. I'll get to it eventually :)
Have a great holiday weekend, Maggie!

maggie moran said...

Ha! Mary, move it up! Have a great holiday, too!!! :D

Nan said...

I'd be interested to see how Vermont is portrayed. The 'northern character quirks' make me nervous. :<)

maggie moran said...

There are the woodchucks, snow, mud seasons, black flies, roof rakes, ect., Nan! Lots of fun! :D

maggie moran said...

*etc.*

Tiffany Norris said...

Ooh, this one looks great! Especially for my transplanted sis-in-law (a Georgia peach in Yankee Connecticut).

maggie moran said...

Very funny in parts Tiffany! :D