Sometimes I Have Nothing to Say

The daily drabble around here was pretty quiet for the weekend. Nothing much happened.

Hunk O Man was busy with a new candidate for our Senior Pastor position. We've been without a Senior Pastor for almost a year now. And just after our former Senior guy left, both the Children's Minister and Youth Minister left. So Hunk O Man and his sidekick Nancy the Amazing have pretty much been the lone Super Hero Ministry Team over at the church. For almost a year.

So the interviewing process is pretty intense, and you eat out a lot. We got to make our second trip to Ralph's Barbeque. Ralph's Barbeque is quite the experience. Every town has a restaurant where everyone has their wedding rehearsal dinner --well, around here Ralph's is it. Food is either served family style or at the buffet, and it's all fried chicken, fried fish, fried shrimp, fried hush puppies, green beans (can't believe they don't fry those as well!), banana pudding, sweet tea, and last of all, Carolina BBQ. This would be pulled pork with some kind of vinegar-based sauce.

Now I grew up on tomato BBQ. Spicy, red, you know -- the kind that you find in the bottles at the grocery store. A BBQ beef sandwich is kind of like a sloppy joe in my world. And since I generally don't eat much pork, it's usually made with beef. I think it's kind they make in Texas, and heaven help you if you ever choose to argue with a Texan about what true BBQ is.

Heaven also help you if you get into this same discussion with a Tar Heel, who will insist BBQ is pork and it is made with vinegar, not tomatoes. I am not a fan of boxing or the WWF, but I think I would like to see a Texan and a Tar Heel get into a discussion regarding BBQ. It could be really entertaining.

Especially if it were a couple of women. Southern women.

I'd imagine there would be a lot of "bless her heart" being said prior to the spatulas flying.

I did skip church last night and had some alone time in my house. Then I fed the dog and thought, you know, I'd like to take a walk. So I harnessed up the dog and set out for my wonderful, quiet walk around my neighborhood, just as dusk was setting in. Beautiful time of day, about 78 degrees, and ah, a chance to recharge.

No sooner did I get about halfway down the block when B pulled up and dropped off Babydoll. Babydoll the "I Wanna Be With The People" went inside the house, thank God. B had to drive by me to get home, so she stopped and chatted for about a minute.

I had just turned the corner, about 10 more steps -- B had just pulled away, really, when the Rav came driving by (Bunny was at the wheel) and Hunk O Man, Bunny, and JB were yelling at me and the dog. Hunk O Man got out and decided to join me. Bunny tried to back up, nearly gave Hunk O Man a heart attack, and then sped off forward to around the block and home again. We prayed she wouldn't hit anything, since she only has her permit.

We went a bit further -- about 10 more steps, when the twins drove by, coming back from their small group, waving and shouting. We waved and kept going.

Then Hunk O Man decided he had to go back home and take Babydoll to drama practice at church. I convinced him that Rose could do it, since there was a car there and she was now home from small group. So he called her and that was done. The man cannot function if he cannot make a phone call every 10 minutes.

We walked leisurely along, the dog having a wonderful time, and enjoying the beautiful evening. We ran into the Nixons and Marilyn N, who has just lost her ailing husband (he was an invalid for several years), and Marilyn is the epitomy of a southern belle. We discussed dogs and offered to help if she ever runs across a mouse and needs a man to come shoo it out. Since Hunk O Man isn't really handy (he says he didn't get the handyman gene -- I say pshaw, you laid an entire wood floor) he offered to kill spiders and shoo mice. He can also move stuff sometimes.

We waved at Vance Jr. as he drove away from his house in his truck.

We said hello to several people in their yards.

We commented on Mayor Beale's ancient truck and perfect lawn.

We finally went a little further and then got home. And that would be home from my wonderful, solitary, emotionally-energizing walk. Cause you know, we introverts need that to recharge.

I believe I have said before how God is laughing at me. Especially when I have nothing to say.