Tuesday, October 13, 2009

I reckun'...

I'm Back!!! I tell ya, North Carolina is one heckuva a place. I declare! (wish I had a soundbyte so ya'll could hear me talking now).

I love, love, love so much about North Carolina. I especially love the accents. My sister and I decided to adopt a few of the well used phrases and expressions so, "I declare" will be used quite a bit here because it really sounds cool to say it.

Since it's not Thursday, I've got a special edition of Things I've Learned...This one is "Things I've Learned in North Carolina...

1) I never saw so much pork in the stores in all my days. My sister and I ooed and ahhed over the stuff we'd never ever heard of like scrapple and souse and decided to buy some just to say we tasted it. Sorry but scrapple was nasty and it reminded me of dog food even though, I'm not even sure my dogs would eat it. Souse was interesting...not like hoghead cheese and after reading that there was spleen and liver and a few other organs, I lost my appetite.

2) The farmers market in Raleigh has got to be the most beautiful market I've ever seen. Their produce looks so artistically beautiful. I promise to share photos in the next couple of days but for now, take my word for it.

3) There should be an "I got dibs" law for deer roadkill. I was sure tempted to pick up poor Bambi and give her a proper burial.

4) Folks in NC (disclaimer...this is not an insult...just an observation) are a tad slow when it comes to my sense of humor. I swear the my sister and I laughed at my jokes while others sat for 20 seconds trying to process it all.

5) If I ate like the folks in North Carolina, I would've died from a heart attack a long time ago. I'm not much of a pork eater after being with Boo who doesn't eat pork at all. I nibbled on a pork skin, ate souse and my feet are both swollen like I'm 9 months pregnant. I declare, that cain't be good for you!!

6) They have honor systems out there. There was a beautiful home with pumpkins and mums for sale. You could literally pay in a mailbox contraption and just leave. Also, folks don't care much about locking their doors around there. I had to remind my parents that they need to lock their doors when they go to sleep at night.

7) There are some scary roads in NC and when driving with your mom who loves to rubber neck and point out things, I was popping rolaids when I got back to the house. I just knew that I was going to have to have my body shipped back to California.

8) I have never ever seen so many well behaved kids in my life. In North Carolina, at a Walmart, not once did I hear a kid scream or see a kid running between clothes racks. Every single kid was respectful, polite and quiet.

9) Cell phones are not all the rage there. In fact, I didn't see a single person walking and talking on a cellphone or texting while there. I was in total amazement!

10) I'm so glad to be back home. I missed my Boo and my puppies and my house and the birds and the flowers and the smell and the weather but North Carolina is beautiful. I could possible move down south...it may even be a consideration when it comes to finding a job. In the meantime, I'm missing my parents. I am trying to keep from crying when I think of my dad. I'm such a daddy's girl.

I'm going to continue this post because so many observations and so little time to post them. I can say that had I not gone with my twin sis, it would've been less than entertaining but we stayed up until almost 3 every night, laughing so hard that both of us almost wet ourselves quite a few times. Woowee, I declare it's good to be home.

PSS--If you were at the farmers market in North Carolina, you were possibly tape recorded by my twin. She brought along her pocket tape recorder so we could listen to the wonderful southern dialects and boy, was that fun!!

18 comments:

Deidra said...

Oh my I am laughing out loud! I miss living in the south. We lived in NC for five years. Did you get some sweet tea???

zunzun said...

We experienced the "honor system" in Canada at one point and all I kept thinking was "wow...I can't imagine doing that here in Cali" althought I'm not being fair as I do the "honor System" every Halloween and I've come back to some treats still in the bowl.

One thing I noticed about the South was that people seemed to dress more nicely...I remember once stepping out of our RV in our flip-flops and cargo pants (standard CA wear!LOL) only to hurry us all back when I noticed everyone seemed more put together!LOL

Ina in Alaska said...

I declare!! Welcome home! And who won the airline scavenger hunt?

Sherry said...

Ya'll had some good fun in NC!! I love North Carolina (was through there in August)...true, some scary little towns I must admit, and a different way of life in those little towns...but friendly people indeed. And I love the way they talk!!

Glad you had such a good time!!!

ethelmaepotter! said...

So many comments, so little space...
I declare, are you sure you weren't in Tennessee? The roads, the honor system, the many varieties of pork, the (sorry, Tennesseans) slow people...sounds like Tennessee to me! Or maybe that's just the South.
I do not want to step on anybody's toes, but the very first time I went to (an anonymous) northern state, I was absolutely APPALLED that people didn't chit-chat in line at the grocery store, that people didn't pull over to the side of the road for a funeral procession, and that nobody waved when going down the street in a residential neighborhood - all everyday Southern niceties.
Here in Pleasant View, even the hardware store is on the honor system. Of course, it's closed on Sunday, but if you need something that Van keeps stored outside, just get it and come in Monday to pay for it. If it's sold by weight, just use your best guess.
"I declare" and "I do declare" were the words that prefaced almost every one of my Grandmother's sentences.
TV Boo and Married Boo did a fabulous job for you while you were gone. You've passed on your creative talents quite successfully!

The Peach Tart said...

You know I'm a southern girl so I love me the South. Mr. Peach Tart is from Philly where scrapple originated. It's nasty. So are pig ears, pigs feet, etc. that I see in the local farmers market here. Give me a pork tenderloin or some thick cut pork chops and I'm happy. Otherwise, oh hell no.

Glad you enjoyed your trip. Are you getting excited about your wedding?

Angelj052@gmail.com said...

Oh my Gosh! You were so close to me!! I wish I had known we could have met! I about 5 hours from Raleigh! I am glad you enjoyed it!

Cinder Rail'lee said...

Aww Simone, I'm glad you had a wonderful time!

Miss ya girlie!

Kwana said...

Welcome home. I'm sure the food was real good. There are certain things you can only get in NC.

Lin said...

As for #4 and the slow joke-getters--my dear friend Fain says that we all talk too fast and she can't understand us. So, they are just trying to understand you at their own pace, which is a LOT slower than you and I. Cities make us move, talk, think, and act a lot faster than we should I guess. I love the South.

Anita said...

You gave us a good description of your trip!

I live just one state up from NC (VA) so we have some of what you talked about here too. It depends on where you are, i.e. rural, suburbs, city, mountains, beach, etc. The Yankees have mixed things up a little in some areas.

Even though I hear the southern accent all the time, it is still like music. I don't know what I use to sound like, but much of whatever it was is gone. I worked many years with New Yorkers and Jersey folks and they ruined it for me. :)

Welcome back! I'll be waiting to hear more stories.

Joanna Jenkins said...

WELCOME HOME!!!! It sounds like a fabulous time was had by all!!!!

When I read...."They have honor systems out there." I KNEW your were a looooonnnngggggg way from California. The honor system is amazing!

Can't wait to hear more about the trip.

Elle Bee said...

NC sounds like a wonderful place to visit and live! I especially like that there's polite children there. Can some of them come live here, please???
Glad to have you back, but I know you're missing your mom & dad. Hugs for you.
elle

Formerly known as Frau said...

Welcome back! NC sounds wonderful and lots of laughs with your sister can't beat that!Loved your guest post while you were gone!

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

I'm so glad your back and you had such a wonderful visit with your sis. It must be so very tough being so far from your twin. I love the southern culture.

Enjoy your Boo, critters and home having a wonderful day today!!!

Heart2Heart said...

Sounds like you had a wonderful time while you were there. I love visiting new places and seeing how life is for others. I am a people watcher more now than ever before and it just makes me smile at some of the things you listed here.

Lots of people lately seem to be heading to North Carolina! Might just have to take a gander some time.

Love and Hugs ~ Kat

Suz said...

Your trip sounded wonderful. Nothing like laughing with a sister, is there?

Out here in the midwest (NE), may family says "Land sakes." I have no idea what it means but appears to be an expression of surprise or amazement. I grew up in New York so I missed out on the language training!

jmt said...

Your words have SOUTH written all over their sounds. LOL I'm not sure I could hack it listening to that all day long.

 

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