Home Sweet (Tea) Home!!!!!

So I've definitely gotten a lot of flack being from Alabama. Everytime I have been to Chicago with Ryan to visit his family, someone that I have never met before always makes some remark along the lines of "I mean, it's not like we're in Alabama." I just clench my jaw, and give them my best grin while I slowly nod my head. I cant help but laugh a little. What can I do? I mean besides kick them in the shin (because I am really mature for my age.)

Example: Last Christmas Ryan took me up to Chicago and we went to his brother's-in-law parents' house for a Christmas gathering. One of the guests there was talking to Ryan about another person he worked with and how he looked like a redneck with his dirty jeans and cut off sleeved t-shirt and even talked like a redneck with a deep accent. The guy went on saying his co-worker was from southern Illinois. I could feel it coming and I braced for it. "I mean, it's like he's from Alabama!!!"

Hmmmmmmm. I just bit my bottom lip and nodded. Ryan looked at him for a second then said, "Hey man. She's from Alabama." He looked at Ryan and started to laugh like it was a joke. Then noticed that we were not laughing. He looked at Ryan (cuz I think he was scared to look at me) and asked, "Really?! Well don't I feel like an a**hole." I laughed. Another time, Ryan's brother-in-law was talking about how his 3 year old boy told him that he (the 3 yr old) was in love with his 12 year old cousin and they were gonna get married. Ryan's brother-in-law told him, "You can't son. That is only legal in Alabama." Again, Ryan intervened and said, "Good job. Casey is from Alabama." His brother-in-law looked at me and then Ryan, then back at me. "Oh. Sorry," he said. "It's okay," I offered. "I was only married to my first cousin for a short while anyway." I'm pretty sure he thought I was serious.


Well, this past week I went back home. It's been over a year since I had been back home and I was pretty excited. I saw a lot of friends and a lot of family too. The one thing I definitely missed was the sweet tea. Yankees just dont get it. Their "sweet tea" is make with things like Splenda or Equal!!! SACRELIDGE!!! It's gotta be thick, syrupy, 3 cups of SUGAR, sweet tea!!! You should almost go into diabetic coma after you drink it!!!

I definitely learned some things about my family and friends that I probably took for granted or didnt notice until now. I guess absence makes the heart grow fonder...and the quirks more easily picked out. Really?! I am related to some of these people?! More about my experiences later.

Stay tuned.