I only had a brief South, but my South is green and rolling. It's sitting on a hillside watching thunderstorms tumble in across the Smokies. Pipe smoke curling up into the evening sky as we sway on the porch swing. Lying languidly across the bridge, dreaming and watching the willow branches sweep across the surface of the creek. Splashing & playing in the swimming hole, trying to see how deep it was.

My South was the backdrop for my courtship. Long walks hand in hand under blazingly starry skies. Hiking up Roan Mountain and holding each other tight as the fog curled 'round us until we were in complete whiteout. Music ringing out into the open air everywhere. Love.

I forgot boiled peanuts and fried okra

Goodness! Me, too! And, fried catfish or crappie that was caught that day (and if it's a good-sized crappie, it's called "titty crappie" because you have to hold it against your titty to get the hook out...or so says my dad). Moonpies. RC Cola.

This joke is funny in the South: How can you tell the difference between a Baptist and a Methodist? The Methodist will speak to you when you run into him at the liquor store.

Oh, yes. I have heard that joke often.

My South is tainted with the shock of seeing it for the first time as an adult. And being an outsider Yankee. Let's just say if I had only seen the Buffista South it would be a better place for me.

Maria, playing with Daisy in Dallas is the best!

Oh yeah, the boys were watching SpongeBob last night and I thought about poor ND. That voice gets old real quick.

The list of Southern foods does not appeal at all, except grits. Had them the first time in my 20s and it was love at first taste.

My South is tainted with the shock of seeing it for the first time as an adult.

Heh. I don't think I could ever live anywhere else. Which is funny because it often makes me want to give myself a lobotomy by way of brick wall, but what're you gonna do?

It's like, I imagine, Allyson feels about fandom.

And I don't think I could ever live there again. I get regular visits when I see my family and that's enough.

Oh yeah, the boys were watching SpongeBob last night and I thought about poor ND. That voice gets old real quick.

The upside is that yesterday I was done by 4 PM, and today I didn't start until 10:30 AM and I'll be done by 5 PM.

Sweet hours. Shame it's too hot in Orlando to do much.

I think I'm going to see a movie tonight.

Couldn't this get LESS complicated rather than MORE? Salvation Army won't take my furniture (Goodwill wouldn't even be able to come until next week), and my plan for my nearly-new futon fell through. Maybe I just have to stay here?