15 Things I will miss about TN

Since I did one about my home state, I thought it only fitting that I do a list for the state I'm leaving...

15. the amazing fall color
14. walking downtown at night without being accosted
13. friendliness from strangers
12. being within easy driving distance to multiple states
11. warm summer evenings
10. fireflies
9. crazy country sayings
8. poofy shaped clouds
7. the fried okra and hot rolls
6. having a Sonic less than 5 min away
5. thunderstorms that shake the whole house
4. all the many shades of green during the summer
3. being able to play with BarlowGirl's kids anytime I want
2. my coworkers
1. my friends

Country-isms

During my time here in Tennesee I have heard many sayings that I didn't quite understand (and some I still don't fully understand) but that are quite humorous.... so I thought I would share some of the most common ones. Thanks to my coworkers (John, Tracey, and Pat) I have compiled quite a list:

• Smells so bad it could knock a maggot off a gut wagon.
• As useless as tits on a boar hog.
• That boy’s two bricks shy of a full load.
• Even a blind hog finds an acorn every now and then.
• They’re as bright as a burned out light bulb.
• I think he’s one fry short of a Happy Meal
• Slower than molasses in January
• Grandma’s slow so what’s your excuse?
• He ain’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, so we call him spoon
• He just made himself look like the north-end of a south-bound donkey
• Don’t mind the mule being blind, just load the wagon
• Blind man runnin’ for his life will never see it
• Ain’t seen hide nor hair of 'em
• As many as Carter’s got liver pills
• If you run with turkeys you’ll never fly with the eagles.
• If you lay with dogs you’re gonna get fleas
• As busy as a one arm paper hanger
• You’re the cats pajamas
• As fine as frog hair
• Goin’ to hell in a handbasket
• Happy as a coon in a rock house
• As easy as catchin’ fish in a barrel
• Happy as a cat in the scratchin’s
• Don’t want to hear the labor pains, just show me the baby
• I’m ready, if I don’t get to go
• Full as a tick

A Summary...

I originally was going to go back and blog about each adventure I had this summer, and even started doing so. However, after a couple entries, I realized just how many things I did this year and I decided maybe a summary would be best.

As you know, this year started with a bang - our New Years party at Micah and Miss Grey's house was an awesome start to 2009. It inspired me to make goals that seemed somewhat impossible, but also to realize that if you don't shoot for the moon you probably won't achieve much. Here are some of the things I accomplished this year so far:

• Read the Twilight series.
• Finished the Harry Potter series, and subsequentially watched all of the movies that are out.
• Visited the Country Music Hall of Fame, Cheekwood Botanical Garden, The Hermitage, Riverfront Park (downtown Nashville), Warner Park, the Loveless Cafe, The Parthenon, and the Natchez Trace.
• Visited West Virginia twice (once for a Redding Brothers concert, and the other for Mawmaw and Pawpaw Redding's anniversary party)
• Visited 2 out of my goal of 5 National Parks - the Great Smoky Mountains and Mammoth Cave.
• Walked 4 miles at the Nashville 'Walk 4 Water' to help raise money for water wells in third world countries.
• Saw the Atlantic Ocean for the first time.
• Visited North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama for the first time.
• Saw Lake Michigan for the first time.
• Witnessed my little brother graduate from Navy Bootcamp.
• Met cousins I didn't know I had, and also spent a day with my Great-Uncle from Arkansas who I hadn't seen in 10 years.
• Went to a drive-in movie theater for the first time.
• Went to a 'real' country fair.
• Went to a Greek Festival.
• Walked in a waterfall for the first time.
• Fell deeper in love with Bluegrass music.
• and finally - developed close friendships with Sunny B, Tberry, and Lady Dee, and deepened pre-existing friendships with BarlowGirl, Miss Grey, Micah, Gabriel, and Josiah.

I am so thankful for having been able to do all of these things this year. Especially since the year isn't over yet! I feel like I have used this spring and summer to its fullest, and don't regret any of the things I did or places I visited. Thanks to my friends who have helped come up with things to do and have helped made it possible for me to do all these things! I love you all!!

some thoughts from TN...

On the way home from work this evening I was thinking about all the things I've seen and noticed since I've been here in TN, and got the idea that maybe I should share them with you.

Some of the differences I've noticed while I've been here have been slight, like the fact a shopping center in WA probably wouldn't ever be called "Colonial Park". As was expected, there are many stores and restaurants here in TN that aren't in WA. One of my new favorites is the local Super Target. Of course I was a Target-lover in WA, but now I've discovered something even better! I think maybe its because its the closest thing we have here to Fred Meyer (besides WalMart) that I feel at home shopping there. Most of the restaurants are different and I still haven't even made a dent in all the places I've never eaten. Some of the ones I have tried include Sonic, Chili's, Captain D's, Famous Dave's, Fizoli's (inexpensive somewhat fast-Italian food) and Ruby Tuesday. As far as Sonic goes - I can now understand why my southern friends who have been transplanted to WA crave Sonic. I have fallen in love with their onion rings and shakes. My intention is to try a wide variety of menu items but I keep going back to the onion rings. Captain D's is very similar to Skippers with the exception of offering Fried Okra as a sidedish, and every meal comes with a couple Hushpuppies. When I went there for lunch with one of my new co-workers, she was shocked I didn't know what a hushpuppy was, and that I don't remember ever eating one. So far I think Famous Dave's has been my favorite sit-down place to eat. They have some delicious BBQ burgers, cooked with special seasonings and different kinds of BBQ sauce slathered on them. They have like 6 different kinds of BBQ sauce at the table so you can dip your fries in some or coat your baked potato with one. There are a few familiar places to eat too, like Jack in the Box (which I was afraid they wouldn't have here), Red Robin, and places like Cheesecake Factory and Panera. Its nice to have some familiar things. :)