USELESS INFO TUESDAY

~  A baby porcupine acquires a fully developed set of quills within days, sometimes hours, of birth.  The quills are initially soft and bendable, but they harden quickly.

~  There are 23 shades of red in Crayola's box of 120 crayons - more than any other color.  The closest is green with 20 shades, followed by blue with 19.

~  In American diner slang a "Noah's boy" was a slice of ham - a reference to Noah's second son, Ham.

~  The last two letters of the state of Kentucky's name (KY) is also its official U.S. Postal Service abbreviation.  (It is also a name of a lubricant - just thought I would throw that in)

~  It takes approximately 100 gallons of water to grow a watermelon.

SOUTHERN FRIED THURSDAY

Special shout out to my guest blogger today!  Thanks Lisa TutB!


31 top things that you will never hear a Southern Redneck boy say:




31. When I retire, I'm movin' North.

30. Oh I just couldn't. She's only sixteen.

29. I'll take Shakespeare for $1000, Alex.

28. Duct tape won't fix that.

27. Come to think of it, I'll have a Heineken.

26. We don't keep firearms in this house.

25. You can't feed that to the dog.

24. That car is too old and unsafe to drive.

23. Wrestling is fake.

22. We're vegetarians.

21. Do you think my gut is too big?

20. I'll have grapefruit and grapes instead of biscuits and gravy.

19. Honey, we don't need another dog.

18. Who gives a rat's ass who won the Civil War?

17. Give me the small bag of pork rinds.

16. Too many deer heads detract from the decor.

15. I just couldn't find a thing at Wal-Mart today.

14. Trim the fat off that steak.

13. Cappuccino tastes better than espresso.

12. The tires on that truck are too big.

11. I've got it all on the C: DRIVE.

10. Unsweetened tea tastes better.

9. My fianc, Bobbie Jo, is registered at Tiffany's.

8. I've got two cases of Zima for the Super Bowl.

7. Checkmate

6. She's too young to be wearing a bikini.

5. Hey, here's an episode of "Hee Haw" that we haven't seen.

4. I don't have a favorite college team.

3. You guys.

2. Those shorts ought to be a little longer, Becky Mae.....darlin'



AND THE NUMBER ONE THANG THAT YOU WILL NEVER HEAR A SOUTHERN BOY SAY:



1. Nope, no more for me. I'm driving!

FAMILY PORTRAITS

  "Look Mom, family portrait time."  We say this often when sitting on the couch with the Byebye.  We always catch him looking so cute and lean over and mimic him and say "family portrait."  It just so happens, the other night was the first time I caught it on film.  Rayray and Byebye take direction well...

"Your are opening your eyes too much"

laughs...

"That's good, now tilt your chin toward the couch..."

"That's too much toward the couch..."

"Still too much..."

laughs...

"That's good!"

"Hey Mom, get this one."

"AWE" (Then I must have said something that made her smirk)

smirk... (but he looks soooo cute)

Byebye wants kisses...

Uh Oh, looks like he could be getting feisty....

"Give me a finger to gnaw on..."

They both are saying "I love you!"

But wait, what is this...back to being a professional...

"Look!  Family Portrait!"

USELESS INFO TUESDAY

~  Ronald McDonald is known as Donald McDonald in Japan.  The change was made because there is no "r" sound in Japanese.

~  In Canadian slang, a "silly sider" is a left-handed person.

~  The popular children's book "The Cat and the Hat" was written in 1957 in hopes of replacing the "Dick and Jane" elementary school primers.

~  James Caan popularized the expression "bada-bing" by uttering it, unscripted, as sonny Corleone in "The Godfather."  Caan told an interviewer, "It just came out of my mouth - I don't know from where."

~  Lloyd's of London paid out only $3,019,400 in insurance claims resulting from the Titanic disaster.

GUESS WHO

I was talking to someone on the phone last night.  Imagine that.  Can you guess who it was?  We were pretty funny!  I enjoyed the laughs.

Me:  You should do your own taxes.  They are really quite simple, people are just scared.
Other:  I know, you are right.  I have been paying a friend, but I think I will try to do them myself this year
Me:  I will help you, it will be easy.  I mean, you don't have any capital gains or losses or anything like that.
Other:  I ain't got no capital 'nuttin.

SOUTHERN FRIED THURSDAY

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Southern hospitality is a phrase used in American English to describe the stereotype of residents of the Southern United States as particularly warm and welcoming to visitors to their homes, or to the South in general.

Some characteristics of southern hospitality were described as early as 1835, when Jacob Abbott attributed the poor quality of taverns in the south to the lack of need for them, given the willingness of southerners to provide for strangers. Abbott writes:

“ The hospitality of southerners is so profuse, that taverns are but poorly supported. A traveler, with the garb and the manners of a gentleman, finds a welcome at every door. A stranger is riding on horseback through Virginia or Carolina. It is noon. He sees a plantation, surrounded with trees, a little distance from the road. Without hesitation he rides to the door. The gentleman of the house sees his approach and is ready upon the steps.”

Abbot further describes how the best stores of the house are at the disposal of visitors. Furthermore, says Abbott:

“ Conversation flows cheeringly, for the southern gentleman has a particular tact in making a guest happy. After dinner you are urged to pass the afternoon and night, and if you are a gentleman in manners and information, your host will be in reality highly gratified by your so doing."

Such is the character of southern hospitality.

Food figures highly in Southern hospitality, a large component of the idea being the provision of Southern cuisine to visitors. A cake or other delicacy is often brought to the door of a new neighbor as a mechanism of introduction. Many club and church functions include a meal or at least a dessert and beverage. Churches in the South frequently have large commercial style kitchens to accommodate this tradition, but many "fellowship suppers" are "covered dish": everyone attending brings a dish. However, if a newcomer arrives without a dish, he or she will be made to feel welcome and served generously. When a death or serious illness occurs, neighbors, friends, and church members generally bring food to the bereaved family for a period of time. A number of cookbooks promise recipes advancing this concept.

Other features of Southern Hospitality include proper local etiquette (i.e., calling one "Sir" or "Ma'am," opening doors for women (as well as men removing their hats when in the presence of a woman or inside her house), cooking enough for everyone who might be around at mealtime, inviting one to church functions, etc.) While persons from outside the region often mistake many of the southern hospitality customs as being disingenuous or fake in some way, in actuality the customs are often a way to make the visitor feel as comfortable as possible in an unfamiliar setting. Additionally, although some customs may be seen as odd or even offensive by people not from the South, they are considered polite in local culture and usually meant as an expression of traditional warm greeting

USELESS INFO TUESDAY (ACTUALLY ON TUESDAY)

Big shout out to Rayray for once again providing her mom with a trivia calendar for Christmas so that her mom can provide you with 52 weeks worth (I hope) of useless info!

Today is my 750th post!

~  The first registered immigrant at Ellis Island when it opened on New Year's Day in 1892 was Annie Moore.  She was from Ireland, and it was her 15th birthday.  Statues of the teen commemorate her place in history both at her port of departure and on Ellis Island.

~  The largest snowflake ever measured was 15 inches wide by 8 inches thick, according to Guinness World Records.  It was measured by ranch owner Matt Coleman at Fort Keogh, Montana in 1887.

~  Paul Newman recruited Martha Stewart to conduct a blind taste test of his salad dressing before he marketed it in 1982.  She was, at the time, a neighbor in Westport, Connecticut.

~  In the world of designer dogs, a shorkie is a cross between a Shih Tzu and a Yorkshire Terrier.

 ~  The three letters "YKK" appear on the pull tabs of most zippers.  The initials come from the Japanese-based company Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha that manufactures zippers sold worldwide.  Its largest zipper factory, the largest in the world, is in Macon, Georgia.  (Yes, I checked my zipper.  It says "Levis".)

LADDER

Yay!  We got a new roof yesterday...and Rachel walked under the worker's ladder just like the lady above!  I made her walk back under it and then walk around it.  Just got me thinking....why is that a superstition?  You all know how I love to learn about superstitions.  Well, my sister-in-law gave me a superstition book for Christmas to go along with my already purchased "Dictionary of Superstitions."  I thought it would be fun to look up the ladder superstition in my new book "Superstitions - 1013 of the Wackiest Myths, Fables, and Old Wives' Tales" by Deborah Murrell.

Everyone seems to know the superstition that is it unlucky to walk under a ladder.  But why?  There are three main theories:

The least likely is that a ladder forms a triangle with the wall it leans against and the ground.  Since Christians believe in the Trinity, walking through a triangle would be disrespectful.

The second theory is also based on Christianity, but it refers to the ladder used to take Christ from the cross after his death.  Some people say the devil was lurking there triumphantly, and trouble will come to those who walk through a triangle.

The third theory is that people who were about to die on the gallows had to climb up a ladder to get there.  This does relate to earlier references that claim walking under a ladder would lead to death by hanging. 

If I had to bet money on it, I would guess you shouldn't walk under a ladder in case it fell, or someone up there dropped something on you.  LOL - Happy Monday


 

FRIDAY THE 13TH

Hey Everybody - Interesting week I have had...

water heater worked on - check
thermostat for the heat and air replaced - check
hole cut into the back of my house to fix a leaking drain pipe - check

 Needless to say, been under some stress this week.  Sorry I have not fulfilled my blogging obligation.  Better luck next week!

The following is from MSN.com

 

In 2012, we will see three Friday the 13th's (the others fall in April and July), the maximum number that can occur in one calendar year. I

                       

There are different theories on how Friday the 13th came to be, but the prevailing one is linked to The Last Supper. Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th person to arrive at dinner, making 13 an unlucky number on any day of the week. Add to that the fact that Jesus died on a Friday, and Friday the 13th gets its bad rap.

Although people are far less superstitious now than they were in the past, the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in North Carolina estimates that 17 to 21 million people in the U.S. have a diagnosable phobia of Friday the 13th. The illness Is called friggatriskaidekaphobia.

Part of the reason the number 13 is considered so treacherous, is simply because it’s right after 12. Numerologists consider 12 a “complete” number: 12 months complete a year, 12 signs complete the zodiac and 12 inches complete a foot.

You may have noticed that most buildings leave out the 13th floor, but did you know that planes often lack a 13th row and some hotels eliminate a Room 13? In Florence, the house between 12 and 14 is actually addressed as 12 and a half.

Some estimates suggest that the U.S. economy loses up to $900 million every time there’s a Friday the 13th—many people avoid business deals, or even work altogether, on the allegedly doomed date.

Some of our nation’s most famous 20th-century luminaries feared the day. Henry Ford declined to do any business, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt avoided travel. Rumor has it that FDR refused to roam not only on Friday the 13th, but also on the 13th day of every month.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MONDAY

Huge shout out to Btut for hosting the National Championship party the other night!  What a great game for all my Bama friends!  We all had a wonderful time, ate good food (as referenced in the quotes), visited with good friends, and watched some damn good football!  

L BigDawes and Btut in the smoking lounge...

...Lisa Tutb and TCW chewing the fat (TCW looks soooo serious and I believe they were talking about going somewhere to see a whole hog cooked in the ground - man, he takes his pork seriously!)

Wino Bill and M of S&M talking cigars - S of S&M was there, but I did not capture a picture of her...

...empty den at beginning of halftime - man, do we really ALL smoke?

Thanks again Btut .... and now, let's relive a wonderful experience with "Quotes of the Night"...

*  She's putting the crackers in numerical order.

*  I'm gonna mess up her crackers when she leaves the room.

*  You just need to shut the f**k up.

*  There's a bunch of Sassy Missy Missys up in here.

*  I will just take clothes out there and change at their house after work, and drink their beer.

*  Will you get me a beer - Roll Tide
     That is my seat - Roll Tide
     This chili is good - Roll Tide
     Get out of my way - Roll Tide
     I am going to sit in the chair with wheels - Roll Tide

*  After all, pink and white make red......What?!?  (She was having a "pretty" moment)

*  You'll always be older than me, but hell, I don't care how old YOU are.  (Talking about their own age)

*  Are you making fun of my art?
     I would never criticize your art to your face.

*  GD, I 'bout fell off the chair.

*  It should be a law they have to cut their hair.

*  Let me just tell you one thing - the food I have eaten here tonight is better than any I have ever eaten at the Hard Dock.

THURSDAY, JAN. 5TH: 6:00 - 7:00 pm

(The title is my way of a shout out to the TV series 24)

*  Went to BBG to get some Brunswick stew and ran into a dear old friend, who shall remain nameless.  This coupon queen was trying her best to get 8 slices of pie for the price of 1.  Friend and Family discount my ass!

*  Leaving said restaurant, I ran into a dear old friend's ex husband.  He was buying slaw.

(Guess Gibson's was the place to be)

*  Arrived at home to clean out the storage in my carport.  There is a leak in there (not the water heater) and we had to clear it out so we can figure out what is going on.  Wash and Killer actually moved all the stuff for us, so TCW (who kindly offered to help) and I did not have to really lift a finger.  That was nice.  Oh, and Rayray didn't lift a finger either, but we all know that is not unusual.

*  Jenfer came by to pick up her Christmas present.  It was good to visit with her.

*  While we were all outside, Sally came up with ANOTHER baby squirrel in her mouth.  She loves to try to sneak these half dead animals in the house.  Then they get away from her because they aren't really dead.  Long story - involves Veronica - hilarious!

*  Sally proceeds to chomp on the squirrel under Rachel's car.  You can actually hear the bones crunching.  For some reason, TCW, Wash and Killer LOVED this.  It made me, Rayray and Jenfer kinda throw up a little bit.  (Wonder  why guys like that sort of stuff?) 

*  We all laughed at the way Wash laughs at inappropriate things.  Like hearing the bones crunching, or seeing something deformed on TV, or Cockeye's eye, or when someone falls, or......


Have a great weekend!

USELESS INFO THURSDAY

~  The female cuckoo catfish deposits its eggs among those of a mouth-breeding fish.  After the eggs are taken into the unsuspecting host's mouth to be incubated, the cuckoo catfish eggs hatch first, and the babies eat the other eggs.

~  The average speed that a dart hits a dartboard in competition play is 40 MPH.

~  In Denmark, New Year's Eve celebrants throw old dishes at the homes of their friends.  Danes save old dishes all year long to carry out this odd holiday tradition.  A pile of broken dishes at the front door of a home indicates its residents have lots of friends.

~  George Washington had the Continental Army inoculated for smallpox in January 1777 during the American Revolution.  He ordered the inoculations after say "we should have more to dread from smallpox than from the Sword of the Enemy."

~  The grass at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, England is cut to 5/16 inch for tournament play.

LUNCH IN LAWRENCEBURG

After deciding not to eat the Kuntry Kitchen, I looked on my phone to find a unique place for TCW and I to eat.  Someone mentioned the Square-40 restaurant on the square so we headed there.

It was absolutely delicious!  The had a steam table, and you chose a meat and 3 veggies.  Add in sweet tea, and cornbread or roll, all for $7.

You could choose from roast and veggies, barbecue, chicken and rice;  veggies included green beans, mashed potatoes, turnip greens, hominy, stewed tomatoes and squash, butter peas...I forget what else.

We sat down and started pigging out!  You needed to add no seasoning at all!  Tasted just like your Grandma used to make!  Even the cornbread was salty, not sweet, just like I like it!

If you are ever up there, I suggest you check it out!

Happy Wednesday!

LAWRENCEBURG WITH A K

Many of you are aware of the fact that I can't stand when people spell words with a "K" that should start with a "Q" or a "C."  I have made my position on this very well known both on this blog and in person.

Well,  TCW and I made two trips up to Etheridge, TN this past weekend to do a little trading with the Amish community up there.  We had a wonderful drive Saturday and then again on Monday.  As we were driving down the strip in Lawrenceburg, TN, imagine my horror when I saw this below...

OMG!  That is just almost tooooo disgusting.  TCW said we really should eat there because the bigger sign out by the road said "Fine Dining!"

Fine dining my ass!  Yea, I told him let's roll up in there with their "formika" tables and torn "plastik" table "kloths" and get us some "katfish" with a side of "kreamy" tartar sauce...oh, and don't forget the "kole" slaw!

Fine dining - hah - not with a name that could have come from some 1970's bad porn!

But we're not finished yet.  We missed our turn to get on the highway to come home...and thank goodness we did!  If not, we would have missed this....

...yep, you guessed it!  The Kountry Kupboad Texaco! 

I swear! 

Of course, TCW was thirsty so we just HAD to stop for a drink. 

I go a Koke and some peanuts!