Stormy Night---Windy Day

I heard a coyote crossing our property sometime before midnight. He yipped all the way across behind the house. I started to get up to take a look out the window...but was too lazy. We woke in the wee hours to lightning and thunder. And I mean it was just right outside our window. I looked out the bedroom window to make certain the two big oaks out back were still standing and not ablaze.

I stopped at a couple of estate sales this morning on the way to the grocery store. Okay...big detour around the grocery store. ;o) The sales were as different as night and day. One had some wonderful stuff! Franciscan dishes. Pottery. Silver as well as silverplate. Some crystal. Tablecloths and napkins. I purchased a nice (probably not crystal but still nice) two tiered serving piece $8, three tablecloths without a single spot on them...one with eight matching napkins all for $10!!, three dainty lady's hankies $5, and an American Fostoria cruet $15...I'll have to watch Carol's bag next time she visits or it may walk out the door with her!!!

I bought the crystal/glass serving piece and the tablecloths and napkins for our library's Friends group. We've been doing a little catering and providing our own items chancing that something gets broken or stained.

The hankies and cruet (as mentioned) are mine to keep.

Then...the other estate sale. I did not see one interesting thing. Wait! Yes I did. A Brother zig-zag sewing machine. If I needed yet another machine I would have seriously considered this. But, with three machines already...;o) The poor lady had the 'blue goose' or duck or whatever everywhere. I would've considered the dishes until I saw the goose/duck. Shudder. Reminds me of when we were house hunting. Someone younger than me had completely redecorated her in-law's home before moving in. Blue...blue...BLUE carpet and those blasted blue geese everywhere! And this was in 2003...not 1995!!! I told Sam that if we bought the house the blue carpet would have to go. His statement? "But it's new!" I didn't care. The couple who did buy it were retirees from the Dallas area. First thing they did? Ripped out the new blue carpet. I rest my case!

Not necessarily these...but similar.

Enough of that. Now for some fun.

I am a Southern woman. This proves it. Changes to fit me are in italics.

Southern women appreciate their natural assets:

Clean skin.

A winning smile.

That unforgettable Southern drawl.

Southern women know their manners:

"Yes, ma'am."

"Yes, sir."

"Why, no! I'm not that kind of girl!"

Southern women have a distinct way with fond expressions:

"Y'all come back!"

"Well, bless your heart."

"Drop by when you can."

"How's your Mama?"

Southern women know their summer weather report:

Humidity

Humidity

Humidity

Southern women know their vacation spots:

The beach

The river

The crick

Southern women know the joys of June, July, and August:

Colorful hi-heel sandals

Strapless sun dresses

Iced tea with lemon

Southern women know everybody's first name:

Honey

Darlin'

Sugar

Southern women know the movies that speak to their hearts:

"Fried Green Tomatoes"

"Driving Miss Daisy"

"Steel Magnolias"

"Gone With The Wind"

Southern women know their religions:
Baptist

Methodist

NASCAR

Southern women know their country breakfasts:

Red-eye gravy

Grits

Eggs

Country ham

Mouth-watering homemade biscuits with Mama's homemade jelly

Southern Texas women know their cities dripping with Southern charm:

Fort Worth

Dallas

San Antone

Houston

Southern women know their elegant gentlemen:

Men in uniform

Men in tuxedos

Rhet Butler

Southern girls know their prime real estate:

The Mall

The Beauty Salon

The Rodeo Arena

Texas Motor Speedway

Southern girls know the 3 deadly sins:

Having bad hair and nails

Having bad manners

Cooking bad food

More Southernisms:

Only a Southerner knows the difference between a hissie fit and a conniption fit, and that you don't "HAVE" them, you "PITCH" them.

Only a Southerner knows how many fish, collard greens, turnip greens, peas, beans, etc., make up "a mess."

Only a Southerner can show or point out to you the general direction of "yonder."

Only a Southerner knows exactly how long "directly" is, as in: "Going to town; be back directly."

Even Southern babies know that "Gimme some sugar" is not a request for the white, granular sweet substance that sits in a pretty little bowl in the middle of the table.

All Southerners know exactly when "by and by" is. They might not use the term, but they know the concept well.

Only a Southerner knows instinctively that the best gesture of solace for a neighbor who's got trouble is a plate of hot fried chicken and a big bowl of cold potato salad. If the neighbor's trouble is a real crisis, they also know to add a large banana puddin'!

Only Southerners grow up knowing the difference between "right near" and "a right far piece." They also know that "just down the road" can be 1 mile or 20.

Only a Southerner both knows and understands the difference between a redneck and a good ol' boy.

A Southerner knows that "fixin" can be used as a noun, a verb, or an adverb.

Only Southerners make friends while standing in lines and when we're "in line," we talk to everybody!

In the South, "y'all" is singular, "all y'all" is plural.

Southerners know grits come from corn and how to eat them.

Every Southerner knows that gravy is a breakfast food and that fried green tomatoes are not a breakfast food.

When you hear someone say, "Well, I caught myself lookin'," you know you are in the presence of a genuine Southerner.

Only true Southerners say "sweet tea" and "sweet milk." Sweet tea indicates the need for sugar and lots of it. Sweet milk means you don't want buttermilk.

A true Southerner knows you don't scream obscenities at little old ladies who drive 30 MPH on the highway. You just say, "Bless her heart"...and go your own way.