Just call her Nanny

When I moved to Limestone County, one of the first people I met was a woman I only knew as Nanny. I soon learned that if this woman called Nanny was at a function, there was a good chance I would get a slice of Elvis Presley cake.

As I started to learn to make family connections in the community, I finally realized Nanny was Margaret McElyea, mother of Debbie Blakely and mother-in-law of Sheriff Mike Blakely.

I also learned she is kin to 3/4 of the people I go to church with, the Smith clan at Coxey Church of Christ. The Smith clan adopted me as one of their family, so Nanny in turn has adopted me as well.

On Thursday, she celebrated her 80th birthday, a surprise Debbie was able to pull off despite the fact gossip here can run from mouth to mouth faster than an SEC wide receiver can run for the end zone.

The party was not the only surprise for Nanny. Gov. Robert Bentley had lunch with with her at the party and gave her a state of Alabama pin, shown in the picture Jonathan Hinton shared with me.

Nanny, a well-known Democrat, told me having her picture made with a Republican governor was not so bad, and that the party was a wonderful surprise.

"I thought we were going to Pizza Hut," she said.

That an 80-year-old local icon can have a surprise birthday attended by the governor and half the county is a reason I'm Lovin it in Limestone.

I love it even more that a rookie resident - like I was in 1997 - could know a woman only by the name Nanny and her Elvis Presley cake and feel at home.