Boiled Peanuts

Just a quick entry this morning.

Yesterday, we went and bought boiled peanuts. You can't get these up north. In fact, if I mentioned to most people up north that I ate boiled peanuts, they'd probably just look at me strangely and make a universal disgusted face. I suppose I should mention that Dothan, AL is the peanut capital of the U.S.

Anyway, they take green peanuts, before they ripen and harden in the ground, and boil them in a vat of salty water. When you eat them, they're soft, you bite the end of the peanut shell, sucking the salty water and juice out. After you pry it own, you eat the peanuts out, but they're soft too... not like a hard nut. The best way to describe them is like a salty type of bean. They still taste like peanuts, but without the richness of the roasted varieties. I find them a lot easier to eat, actually.

Of course, after you eat two quarts of them, you get a little thirsty, but take my word for it, they're good. You also can't get these babies up north... and if I could, I'd probably have some serious blood pressure issues due to the salt.

Anyway, we're doing a lot of visiting and seeing the sights around here. Dothan must have like 8 Waffle Houses... an IHop, several Sonics, two WalMarts, a mall, and various other signs of civilization. I can easily say that this area is larger than the home town. I can also easily say that pretty much every family owns at least one truck. Not sure why... since 4 wheel drive isn't necessary around here due to lack of snow, but I figure they must do a lot of hauling of something around here... so I keep my eyes peeled. Haven't heard any banjos yet.

Hands Free Cell Service

Another day spent at the house with family.

Today I went on a little shopping trip with my middle cousin. He's going to be a senior in high school, is pretty easy to talk to and laid back. We went shopping at an outdoor's store and walmart - he got some shirts and a fishing rod.

I realized today on the trip with him that Alabama probably doesn't have any cell phone laws requiring hands-free cell phones while driving. This isn't because of the lack of cell phone service, surprisingly. It's actually because these people have no problem driving side by side down the highway with their windows open, just yelling in conversation with each other going 60 miles an hour. Yeah, I was in the car with my cousin on a particularly busy stretch of the highway and he's talking to some guy through his rolled down window:

"Hey! How you doin?"

"Where you headed?"

"When you going to the lake next?"

"This is my cousin, Nicole."

"See ya, around!"

No blue tooth earpiece required.

I was just disappointed that I didn't get the opportunity yet to meet his one friend who I only know as "Turd." This kid is apparently so proud of his nickname, that he got it put on the front of his truck, up at the top of his windshield. I cannot promise pictures, but if he EVER stops by, I will be going covert ops if I must to snag a picture of this. The attempt will be made.


Other than this little 'nugget' today involved eating a lot of great food and seeing my Uncle Larry. I got a chance to try to fish out at the pond, but had no success. I will be trying again when we go to the lake.