sweet home alabama
It rained off and on today.
I woke up leisurely and then headed out to the BBQ place in Decatur. Alabama is so green with wide open spaces. Decatur had some beautiful big houses and lots of trees. It was very pretty there. The BBQ however was not as impressive as I had hoped - oh well. It was nice anyway. I’ve never had BBQ chicken with white sauce. It was pretty good. The ribs were ok as the beef and the pulled pork. I bought two pieces of pie - the chocolate and the lemon ice box. The chocolate was super thin with a large meringue top. It was funny to eat. I’m saving the lemon one.
Not feeling so hot. Must be all this goddamn BBQ.
I went to visit the Grandmother and 4 kids today. She was so bossy so I decided NOT to treat them to dinner tonight. Normally I’m hospitable to a fault but I can see why the Alabama social worker stopped supervision. Their house is in a nice quiet neighborhood. Everything is fine there and tomorrow morning she insists on driving me to the two schools. I should be done with it by noon hopefully and then be on my way to the shrine. I didn’t go today because of the thunderstorms.
Sigh.
It’s only a 2 hour difference but it feels like another continent entirely. I feel tired.
Early to bed, early to rise - makes an Annie rid herself of a controlling granny with a sweet guise.
Is it really “Sweet Home”?????? That’s interesting. Alex Hailey, the “Roots” author, wrote about “Sweet Home”, Alabama. It’s where one of his ancestors was enslaved on a plantation that she eventually ran from. In fact, I think it was the plantation itself that was called “Sweet Home” but I could be wrong. The book that he wrote about her is called “Queen”, if I remember correctly. A powerful book. I always find the pace of the deep south - and it’s “sweetness” and lushness - overshadowed by its history. It almost feels like something decaying to me. I remember spending a week one July in Atlanta visiting with some friends. It was so humid and hot that you could just barely get from your air conditioned car into an air conditioned building without passing out. It made me wonder how the slaves who built all those grand plantations and worked in those cotton and tobacco fields from dawn until dusk were able to survive it. They sure must’ve been strong and determined people, don’t you think?
Oh, and I don’t know if you ever saw the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes”, but I did, and that put me off barbecue for life!
Too bad you didn’t have some sort of home to investigate or visit to make in Boston - I would feed you some GOOD food, darlin’.
Hugs,
Z
I’m just loving reading your adventures in Alabama and laughed out loud at your description of eating BBQ in the sleazy motel room.
I HATE shopping with my daughter Poss. It’s soooo depressing. I go into those shops with her and the shop ladies look at me with this “you don’t belong here” look in their eyes and I go and quickly stand beside Poss and flash my credit card so they know why I’m there and I secretly look at all the clothes and think about how much I’d like to wear them.
Sometimes I do that as a reward, just look at clothes and pretend I can fit into them. I really want to not have to go into the “larger” section when I shop for clothes. The worst thing about that is when I see something that looks real nice and then read that it’s a “maternity” label.
OOOOOh just shoot me if ever I wear maternity again.
The South - I dont’t know how they live there with the rain, humidity, and the tornados. Being a spoiled California girl, I am sure they wonder how we can live in California. The South is so green because of all the damn moisture. I am surprised anyone there is overweight, you would think they would have sweated all of their fat right off their bodies.
I agree with Ellabella- Fried Green Tomoatoes made me not trust a southern bbq. But what a great way to get rid of a male pig! LOL!!!
I had watched Fried Green Tomatoes and read the book too. But have managed to forget most of it.
I need to revisit. Also the books Ella mentions sounds good and I will try them.
Anyway, the last line was killer Annie!
Made me laugh so much. Seriously, why dont you try for a humorous column on the local newspaper? 
Lots of love,
iniya
Wow Annie - to me, your Alabama trip sounds like a real adventure. So interesting. Yeah, I’d be a little nervous of bbq, but for no other reason than all that heat and humidity - maybe the spices may hide a multitude of sins! Nah, I’m sure it’s good. It’s cooked long enough.
Hope you enjoyed the rest of the day!
Ruby