Monday, August 29, 2011

A True Southerner

So as Hurricane Irene traveled up the East Coast this weekend, mama and I waited out the storm in Wilmington. Thankfully she had made a fresh batch of sweet tea before I got there on Thursday, but by Friday around noon, it was quickly diminishing. The worst of the storm blew through during the early morning hours of Saturday, I slept through that and losing power. After getting up, mom and I played scrabble, took a little nap, and once the winds died down a little, we sat out on the front porch for a while. We mainly watched the trees touch the ground when the wind blew hard enough, and talked about the crazies that were out walking around in the storm... (WITHOUT RAIN JACKETS!) and about how much we hated those people who had generators running their refrigerators and fans while we were suffering through it.

As we were watching things... a car drove by, and a woman had a McDonald's cup in her hand. (The window was down) .... I took one look at that cup, then another at my mom and said, "I'm going to put on my bra...Then, we're going to McD's!" After all, the worst of the storm had passed. It wasn't raining too much and the winds came and went... So, after clothing myself appropriately, we headed out. To our surprise there was not too much damage, a couple of trees were down on a few streets, but the main roads were remarkably clear.

It didn't matter that we had to sit in the Drive-Thru lane for 15 minutes. All that mattered was that I had a large sweet tea in the cup holder of my car, and I could survive the rest of the storm. I was not too impressed with the quarter pounder with cheese... but considering McD's was even open in the middle of a hurricane, I suppose I shouldn't complain. But, I won't be eating another one.

My point, people, is that a TRUE SOUTHERNER, Like myself and my mother, will go through wind, hail, sleet, rain, hurricanes or snow (well, not likely) to get some good sweet tea.

Call us crazy, but it was worth it.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Detour Ahead: Turn off your engine

Before I begin, I have another blog that's more about my day-to-day life, and captured some moments from when I lived in Los Angeles, and the move back and what not... So before you read this post, you need to read this one... Butter Biscuit Fiasco.

Now, once you've read that, please continue.

This blog is all about Sweet Tea. Where to get the best, how to drink it, what ice to use, and how to throw lemons at the waiter/waitress when they bring you one after specifically saying "NO LEMON." What I didn't realize when I came up with this blog was that I would have to enlighten you wonderful people on this topic. Drive Thru's

The drive thru in America changed the way we eat. Now we're all about quick food all the time. But you have to admit, it's easy. And fast.
So the other day, I was running errands around town with my mom and I told her we had to go to Cook-Out because I desperately needed a sweet tea. It was probably 100 degrees that day, not to mention the humidity that you could cut with a knife... home girl was thirsty and HOT. Sweet Tea was necessary.
So we ventured over and pulled into the drive thru lane. I rolled down my window and politely asked for a regular sweet tea. Here's how this went...
And, DTG stands for Drive Thru Girl... although it should be DTI, Drive Thru Idiot...

Me: Yes, could I please get a regular sweet tea.
DTG: one regular sweet tea, anything else?
Me: No, that's all, thank you.
(Brief moment of silence)
DTG: I'm sorry, could you cut off your engine? I really can't hear you.
Me: (Sitting with  mouth WIDE open in disbelief that this was just said.)
        I said, THAT'S IT!
DTG: Please pull forward for your total.


....... WHAT? Ok, Now granted there was a mustang convertible that was leaving the parking lot with 5 mufflers on it making a great deal of racket, but for real? It wasn't MY ENGINE making the noise. What if a plane had been flying over head? "Hey excuse me, could you shoot down that plane I can't really hear you?"

NO. NO. NO. NO. NO! What we have hear is a back case of the messed up speaker at Cook-Out.

After pulling forward, I looked over at my mom who also seemed to be in shock about the "turn off your engine" comment and I said, Did she really just tell me to cut off my engine? What the hell?

We were both a little frazzled, but I managed to get the sweet tea and get out of there before she asked for my first born child. The rest of the day I kept telling momma to turn off her engine if I didn't happen to hear what she said.

I'm all about convenience, but I drive a Ford Fusion. I do not have it all suped up and messed up with additives that Ford didn't put on it. It wasn't My ENGINE.

I'm just not sure what the world is coming to. Drive Thru's were supposed to add quickness and super fast service... but now it's going to take forever to get that Big Mac combo Meal at McDonald's because you'll have to put it in park, cut off the engine, order, crank it up again, then pull through to the window. And that, my friends, is just a damn silly waste of time. So, here's to going into the lobby to order from now on.

It's probably the best solution, unless of course your local McDonald's also doubles as a car dealership indoors. Then you may want to go a different route. :)