I get kissed by a "little person"; or, "Down Home Country 2"

So I went back to the country, aka Ninety-Six, SC. My roomie and I both had a weekend off, so we decided to relax. Good news! No more cicadas!!!! The locust are gone!!!!!!!! I got to swing on the tree swing!!

We arrived Saturday night and spent the evening eating, talking and watching Connie & Carla. If you haven't seen it , I highly recommend it. As Liz's mom said, it was the best laugh she'd had in a long time.

Then next morning we went to church a little early because we were singing in the choir. Yes that's right, we were singing. In. The. Choir. They needed help and apparently the choir director heard Liz was coming home for the weekend. So when we got there, remember how I said last time that everybody descended on Liz? This time, I got included. Everybody remembered me too, so I got the same "How have you been?", "What have you been up to?", "It's so good to see you again!". On the way in this sweet little woman grabbed me and went for the mouth, but I turned at the last moment. This would say "kissed by a midget" but apparently that's an offensive term. But calling them "little people", like a leprechaun, is apparently correct and kind. I guess that's just the way it is. And to be honest, I don't think she was a little person. She was just hobbit-sized.

That afternoon we also went to Star Fort, and me being me, I jumped into the middle of the ruins. Well, site. The part that I found the funniest is that the British were stuck inside, surrounded by Rebs, while there was a perfectly lovely settlement of the Britisher's families not half a mile away. How strange would it have been to be that close but have it be like different worlds? And points for the Southerners for not just attacking the villagers and then picking off the British one by one as they came out that ridiculously tiny door.

I got to meet a lot of Liz's nieces and nephews. Now, with 5 nieces of my own, I'm pretty used to hearing "What does the kitty say?" or "How does the piggy talk?" but until I went down there, I've never heard those followed up by "How does the gator go?" Among the family were Liz's super Southern sister-in-law and retinue, with the cutest Southern manners I've ever seen. For example, Hayden, 5ish I think, turned to her aunt and said "Carrie, may I have a glass of water please?" Her mother immediately turned and said "What did you just say?!" to which her daughter immediately replied "Miss Carrie, may I have a glass of water please?". Those kids are raised right. Apparently, however, I wasn't, since after forgetting Hayden's name I said "Oh, little one...Ginger!" Her mother fixed me with the steeliest gaze I'd ever seen and said solemnly "I forgive you. Once."

I must say, I'm enjoying my Country spice, even though I keep seeing more of the things that remind me that I know nothing out here.