And We're Back....

...to Reality. Wanna know how I know? Because Bubba's school called today at 4:00 saying he was running a fever. Mr. Daddy picked him up from school and I got home just in time for the great vomit clean up of 2008. It's going around. I was just hoping that it wasn't going to go around here. Mir lets her kids have her bed, but I keep mine sequestered to their rooms. That way I have some hope I can keep it contained. Last we checked his fever was 102.4. Should be an interesting night.

Anyhoo, back to our Savannah adventures.

After Starkey Flythe's reading, we headed over to the Jepson Center to hear John Berendt. It was interesting to hear his insight into Savannah and his take on Savannah-isms -- those phrases you only hear in Savannah. An amusing one was "or either." In most parts of the country you would say "I'm going to wear either the blue dress or the black one." According to Mr. Berendt, in Savannah you would say "I'm going to wear the blue dress or either the black one." A small distinction, one might say, but the cultural divide between the two is great. I will say, though, that one is not necessarily contained to Savannah.

And that reminded me of my friend Liz who moved to Savannah from California and suffered from major culture shock. Once she tried to ask me the meaning of a phrase she kept hearing, but she couldn't even remember what it was to ask me.

"It's so weird" she said. "I've never heard these words together before and I can't remember what they are. OH!" she exclaimed suddenly. "'Might could'. That's what it is. What the hell does that even mean?"

I laughed hysterically. "Well, if someone asks you if you could bring cheese dip to the company party, you say 'I might could.'" I'm not sure that clarified anything for her. In actuality it is the equivalent of saying "Maybe," but I swear I think I prefer "might could."

After hearing John Berendt, we went to a local burger place that was a favorite of ours back in the day. Mr. Daddy ordered a hamburger with a FRIED EGG on top and then debated whether he should add mayonnaise.

The afternoon was capped off with a talk by Paul Hemphill. Mr. Hemphill recently published a biography of Hank Williams that is getting excellent reviews. I was slightly unsettled by his storytelling. It was peppered occasionally with the n-word. He was using it to tell a story about his own father's racial intolerance, but I really hate to hear that word in any context.

After a quick nap at the hotel, we headed to Matt and Erica's house. Whereupon I promptly threw up (metaphorically speaking) all over Erica because she has not gained one ounce that's not baby so far in her pregnancy. Also? She has made the cutest maternity jeans for herself. Along with some adorable curtains and has picked out the cutest fabrics to sew curtains, bumpers, rocking chair pillows and basket liners for her nursery. Can you say gag me?

But then she made up for it by making the most delicious shrimp and grits for supper. It was perfectly creamy, cheesey grits topped with green and red peppers, shrimp and bacon. I mean seriously, I'm not sure you could put more perfect foods together. She's promised to share the recipe and as soon as she does I'll share it with you.

After dinner I gave her the book of your advice I put together for them. I called it "What We Wish We Knew..." She seemed really touched. She's a little nervous...she said she doesn't even know what she doesn't know. On one hand I wanted to give her the benefit of my experience but on the other hand I didn't want to seem like a know-it-all mom who has it all together or who knew what she was doing from day one, 'cause good Lord that's certainly not the truth! We had a really lovely visit with them and it just reminded me what good friends they are and how much I miss them.

And that wraps up today's edition. Come back tomorrow for the most exciting event yet -- Mr. Daddy gets a man told in the Bull and Broughton Starbucks.