Saturday, January 24, 2009

Clue #3

The 09-10 Reunion Committee has decided to adopt a new Christmas gift policy for this year's reunion. The Goals: 1) to spice things up a bit; 2) cut down on the things people need to pack; and 3) recognize that the most important gift we are all giving one another is coming together.

So, this is how it will work. Each one of us will receive an envelope in the mail containing the name of a TFM sometime in the late spring. This name is for you and you alone to know. That TFM is the ONE person that you will be responsible for buying a gift for and brining it to the reunion. So, for example, Granny could get an envelope in the mail containing a card that says "ELLIE"... therefore, Granny will bring ONE gift to the reunion for Ellie. Ellie, on the other hand, could receive an envelope in the mail, with a card that says "DON"... therefore, Ellie will bring ONE gift to the reunion for Don. In the end, each one of us will have ONE special gift to open from our secret TFM Christmas buddy on New Years--and we can enjoy guessing who each
of us were matched with.

Here's the catch: All secret TFM Christmas buddies are asked to buy a gift that is associated with a pre-determined theme. Interpret it how you want, but please stick to it.

Additional details:
1) Even the Planning Committee will not know who everyone has. A system has been created so that all secret TFM Christmas buddies remain anonymous.
2) There is not a price limit on the gifts, but Secret TFM Christmas buddies are strongly encouraged to limit what they spend. The association to the theme and the story behind the gift are more important than the value.
3) As in past reunion years, the gift exchange in person replaces the gifts that are sent between families during non-reunion years.

SO... (drum roll please)...The theme for the 09-10 TFR Gift Exchange is "Below the Mason-Dixon Line"!

34 comments:

  1. Shazam! Just today I was looking at a really cool Grits of the Month Club. DT in TC

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  2. Speaking as one of the only TFMs living below the M-D line, I can assure you that they sell lots of diamonds down here. Hint hint, for whoever gets me... ; )

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  3. And we LOVE the gift exchange idea. Great job, guys!

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  4. Grits and Diamonds... sounds like a good country song to me :)

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  5. What was the clue in the post? Is the reunion below the Mason-Dixon Line?

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  6. Is "below the Mason-Dixon line" slang for anything?
    I have to keep up with the lingo these days!
    DT

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  7. Hmmmmm, below the M-D line???
    Where could we be going????

    Is this a trick or a diversion, or a clue?

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  8. "All I want for Christmas is a
    Nash Trash tour
    A
    Nash Trash tour
    A
    Nash Trash tour..."
    oxoxoxoxo

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  9. For Clue#2, is the reference to "43" the same "43" that appears in the following?

    39° 43′ 19.92216″ N

    Uncle Larry

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  10. South of the Mason-Dixon line....will we have to push the button to see if our luggage passes when we arrive in Mexico?? Love the gift swap idea! Way to go TFR planning committee!

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  11. Holy cow, Uncle Larry! Such a specific question deserves a specific answer. No, not the same 43, but good guess.

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  12. Is Mexico east of Stephanie, east of the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _?

    Is Below M-D slang for anything? We did consider that. Doesn't seem so, but again, interpret the theme as you wish;-)

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  13. All together now.......

    ....Dark and Dusty painted on the sky, misty taste of moonshine,teardrop in my eye.

    Country Roads, Take Me home, to the place, I belong.......

    The big quesetion is, Who is our Mountain Momma?

    DT in TC

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  14. Erin and Katie,
    Lisa, Ellie and I wonder if you are stonewalling us on the answer?

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  15. I stand by my guess that it's in West Virginia somewhere . . . CJS

    Who is our Mountain Momma? Niki is one - I know that . . .

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  16. Is Below the Mason-Dixon Line" just the theme for the gift exchange or actually Clue #3 relating to the location of the gathering?

    If it is Clue #3, then is below referencing a location technically below the actual Mason-Dixon Line or referencing the generic general reference to the South in the War between the States? If that is true, then the location can be anywhere from the Atlantic to the Pacific, below what is generically referred to as the Mason-Dixon Line, and of course would then include a resort location in a town just "outside" of Santa Fe, NM. Just checking.

    Uncle Larry

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  17. Ahem . . . that's the War of Northern Agression to those of us below the Mason-Dixon.

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  18. An off-blog comment from DWS:
    Hi Erin -
    We need to know if Clue 2 is accurately solved....
    East of Stephanie
    East of the Mississippi
    South of 43
    South of Corey.

    Mississippi is correct! Corey was not the TFM we had in mind for the second blank...but he did have the correct guess.

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  19. There are likely some country roads where we are going, although they probably aren't the same country roads you are referring to. However, regardless of where we are going, we think Granny can be our Mountain Momma :)

    "Stonewall"ing or stonewalling you are the answer? We don't think so.

    -ET and KT

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  20. The clues build on one another so review what you likely know:-)
    -Planning Committee

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  21. "Below the Mason-Dixon Line" is both theme and clue.

    More to come in the next couple days.

    -ET and KT

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  22. So, it's south of Ellie? How about south of Katie?

    Dad - how about the longitude for your guess above?

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  23. Done. We have it. We are going to Charleston South Carolina. That is our guess.

    ET and KT - Stephanie and I will take the presidential suite since we were the first to guess correctly! Of course, if Corey is right on his guess, that he will naturally get the presidential double wide.

    DW

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  24. Hey now, Hot Dish Don!

    Niki and I have a question. Has Aunt Lisa ever been thrown out of a restaurant in this state?

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  25. Slow down there General Lee, only Stephanie is allowed to call me Hot Dish Don ....come to think of it, how did you know?!

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  26. Aunt Lisa's been thrown out of a restaurant somewhere and for some reason Stephanie calls Don "Hot Dish"... there's TFM trivia questions #1 and #2:-)

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  27. Kayla told us. She has big ears, you know.

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  28. Only I'M allowed to call Corey "General Lee"! I love the idea of Charleston, South Carolina. I love that city. There are also beautiful places in North Carolina, like Wilmington! Maybe I'll change my guess to Wilmington, North Carolina.

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  29. Too late! You and Mr. Moonshiner down there already picked WV! Can you tow your house that far? Crappers Full Clark! JK!

    Don

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  30. Okay family here goes: I think we are going to Asheville, North Carolina to see the Biltmore Estate. George Washington Vanderbilt II did sleep here!! Aunt Barb

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  31. All very good guesses but all very wrong. Stay tuned for another clue later in the week... which we think will be a big help!

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  32. I LOVE THIS!!!!!
    AUNT MARTHA :) MILES OF SMILES!!!!!

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  33. Kentucky, Tennesee, North Carolina. Alabama. Georgia, South Carolina. Mississippi or Florida;Wherever--We will have a great time with you all.

    G&G

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