At least those driving moments were outside your control! My most embarrassing car accident EVER involved me running into two parked cars. Stone cold sober. Imagine a dad's reaction to that one. Yah. Not good.

Oh! By the way ... you can't tell from the picture (because I have yet to hook up my scanner, so I took a photo of a photo. horrible. anyway!) but the little motto underneath the sign says:

"Only positive Mississippi spoken here!"

I have never figured out to this day what that means. Love you, Mis'sip! But crazy.

How bizarre! A lady I work with just had a tree fall on her car, too!

So, this is a regular thing that happens, huh?

I've got a spring break coming up, but I can't volunteer....final exams, you know. I'm saving my pennies and will donate some cash to H4H, though. :)

I come from the other end of the river. I'll be contacting the locals as soon as I know what's up with my life.

I have this friend who started a fundraising site for Habitat in Louisiana. They sell photos from past Mardi Gras - they really are quite good. http://hkmg.wordpress.com/

Man, that damn deer sure does get around. He made several suicide attempts on my & my friends' cars when we were 16.

Lara, I did that too! Don't feel bad. Or if you do I'll feel bad with you.

It's Mississippi's fault: don't they know enough to get hit by a hurricane during an election year?

How sweet do you make your sweet tea? Is it church social sweet? Or local BBQ joint sweet? The man in my house boils his on the stove for HOURS until it is almost as thick as molasses. I do not know how he drinks a near solid substance, but he tells me that this is the way sweet tea is DONE.

This post has convinced me that you are what the southern women I knew would described as, "Aren't you just *the* sweetest thing?"

(In the nice, sincere meaning, not their cleverly disguised sarcastic meaning. You know what I'm talking about...)

Habitat for Humanity does wonderful work and if my back hadn't blown out me, I'd still be volunteering instead of donating to the organization.

LOL Sarah. I would say my sweet-tea is Saturday afternoon tea. 'Good to have with lunch before you mow the lawn and need a Bud Light' kind of tea.

Well maybe, but my experience with the folks in southern (Gulf Coast) Mississippi is, bible-thumping paranoics who don't let no freaks thru the gate 'n if they kin help it! My mother re-married and moved down there 30 years ago, unfortunately.

I am sending my money to N'Awleans, where they let the freaks in, with a friendly slap on the back.

I think this photo should be made into a billboard, welcoming folks to Miss.

That’s so great that you are helping out with Habitat! My sisters and dad have helped out HforH in Jamaica and a Zuni reservation in Arizona, they’ve said it’s the most rewarding work they’ve ever done. As always I enjoy your vivid descriptions of the South. Does anyone else call it “Missis-syphilis”?

A little joke my Texas neighbor likes to tell:

Three southern ladies are sitting on a porch drinking sweet tea when the first one says to the second “what a beautiful fur you’re wearing!”

She replies “why thank you, my husband bought it for me”

The ladies say: “Well how nice”

The second says to the first: “that’s a beautiful diamond bracelet you’re wearing”

She replies “why thank you, my husband bought it for me”

The ladies say: “Well how nice”

The first and second ladies look expectantly at the third and ask “and what did your husband get you?”

She replies: “my husband bought me etiquette lessons to teach me to say ‘how nice’ instead of ‘f*** you!’”

The ladies say: “Well how nice”

My old boss had 3 "Acts of God" in a year and State Farm dropped him. 1. His daughter's horse got out of the fence and was hit by a car. 2. In his drive-in garage/basement, the lawnmower caught on fire and burned down his house. 3. His wife hit a BUFFALO in Yellowstone in a rental SUV.

You're not alone. ;)

Sigh. A few years ago, I backed over my son's car with my Suburban. Had a hard time explaining that one. And yes, I was stone-cold sober. Last year, when my car was in my driveway minding its own business, one of our trees fell right on it. Fortunately, I still had comprehensive on my car insurance, so all I had to pay was a $50.00 deductible.

My dad hit a deer with our van in Yellowstone when I was 12. It wobbled off and we saw the rangers head into the woods with rifles to "put it out of its misery". I was devastated and very mad at my dad for the rest of the trip.

LOL shananigans! That is a great joke! Laurie, As for HforH, What an awesome thing to do. Let me know when you're goin' and I'll sign up too! I'll bring the the Peach Cobbler!

Great idea, Laurie - we love H4H too. We went down just after Katrina to the Waveland/Bay St. Louis/Kiln area and did "mud-outs" on several homes. It was a rewarding experience and we met some of THE most amazing people in MIssissippi. I'm sure helping to rebuilld a home - instead of tear one down - will be even more rewarding. We're already planning another trip down. Maybe we'll see you there!

You GO girl! I'm so proud of you!

Ah, Mississippi. My mom's family lives in Pontotoc (pronounced Pontoc). Vivid memories of fishing with my step-grandfather, crawling through barbed-wire fences, and riding the four-wheeler down to the railroad tracks. Mmm...fried bluegill and fried okra fresh from the garden. Cornbread and black-eyed peas and collard greens. Yummy.

i laughed until i cried reading the dad commentary. :D lmao!

Damn, I thought I had bad luck with cars, but y'all have me beat. And Melissa, I think maybe God was mad with your old boss, burning down his house (!) and all.

My problem is that things always seem to happen to my car(s) when they're parked. It all started when that drunk college student smashed into the car parked behind mine, which in turn hit my parked car, which in turn hit the parked car in front of it. When I got up the next morning (Sunday) and saw my crumpled car sitting BY ITS LONESOME on the curb, I was flabbergasted. See, my car was the only one that wasn't blocking the road or a driveway when all 4 smashed cars came to rest, so they towed away the others and just left mine there, a big smashed mess. I thought someone had taken a baseball bat to it!

Anyway. Small potatoes compared to a deer, an owl, and a tree.

And Laurie, I hate to keep pestering you like this, but really, haven't you been to the post office in the past two months?

Helen

Oh My God. I thought I was the only person who could hit a bird with her car. Not just one bird either, mind you, but FIVE--six if you count the bat I hit one night, which got stuck in my grill. (ewwwww--that's why God made big brothers, folks) My friends said they were going to start painting silhouettes of birds on the side of my car like the bomber pilots of WW2. I never hit an owl, though, so I bow to you.

you are not alone on the 3 "acts of god". State Farm had me EXCLUDED from ever driving my Moms cars until last year. I'm 33 now. Hello!! Anyway, thanks for the post I'm sending this to my Mom! :)

Of course Habitat is a great organization being started by another fine Southerner. They have a hard time doing things in the Bay Area because often the land is too expensive.

And oh dear, folks have started talking about sweet tea again. Thankfully I will be visiting relatives in Georgia this summer and will be able to get my fill of sweet tea then. Oh, and bbq sandwiches -- pulled or chopped, either is fine with me as long as there's some slaw and plenty of hot sauce.

My car was hit by a bewildered steer when I was in grade 12. Insurance company wouldn't believe that it wasn't my fault!

I did get voted "Most LIkely to Kill a Cow" at graduation though. :-P

We don't have much wildlife here in the Texas 'burbs. Coyotes and skunks. My husband is going to start painting little squirrels on my car if I hit another one . . . and I am trying to avoid them! Little critters have a death wish! At least they don't damage the car!

Poor Mississippi is getting overshadowed by the damage in New Orleans. My husband was there for the hurricane last year the devastation was unbelievable. God Bless you CAP!

We call our sweet tea dessert tea!

Ok, I am a habitual lurker, but I had to post to this one! I grew up in Oxford, went to High school in Columbus, and college at Ole Miss. Yeah, so I went away for high school and back home for college... so?
Anyway, my husband is from the MS Gulf coast. We've been annoyed at how little press coverage the hurricane damage has gotten down there.
Oh, and Columbus has a new yarn store! They have some very pretty yarn. But amazingly, I didn't buy anything when I went through there last fall.
Anyway, I'll go back into lurking mode now. :)

It seems the news channels have all but forgotten the whole state. I always had this idea in my mind that one day I would retire to Pass Christian and become a crochety old cat lady in a rocking chair on one of those huge porches. Now, the whole place is contaminated by bacteria and there is nothing -- literally nothing -- there. It makes me feel awful.

Go you! Wish I could join you, I have mad building skilz. Yo.

My guy is off to Mississippi in about a week with a few buds, and a whole bunch of crazy Medieval Folks. Good times.

Oh, ya'll might want to see this, too.

http://www.gulf-coast.com/News/33.html

That's a good one! Here is another one you might not have seen. It's from December, but still good.
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/13402585.htm

Your accident post reminded me of an accident that happened to my parent's house when I was in high school.

New driver girl is driving down our street with new puppy in car. New puppy gets down by her feet. Not wanting to smash puppy, girl accidently hits the gas instead of the brake, jumps the curb and smashes a huge hole in my parents house (fortunately, it was at the basement level, so we didn't have a gaping hole in the living room or anything). It was pretty unbelievable -- our next door neighbor was home at the time and said the noise and impact sounded and felt like a bomb had exploded in the vicinity.

Hey, I'd bet we'd all donate to a Purl-paint-a-thon for when you'd go to Mississippi.

I didn't have time today to read thru the 33 comments before mine but...

Can you imagine what the house built by Crazy Aunt Purl and all her admierers would look like?

Hopefully some sweet little old lady with blue hair, pink flip flops, one large yarn basket, and 6 cats needs a new home...

And I mean that in the best possible way, guys.

jaclyn, that may be the funniest thing i have read in AGES!!!!!!! LOL

OH! Every week I check in with Pass Christian and read the alderman's report, some of it is city planning mumbo jumbo, but I find it fascinating to read the personal stuff, how frustrating it must be, how stressed everyone is, how they keep on keeping on:
http://www.katrina.passchristian.net/alderman_report.htm

is there a way to help personally from here? i can't really afford to go (or to donate, due to a current financial "sitchyation") but i would love to help build.

do they ship houses?

(and when will you be back at snb????)

HOLY CRAP. HI FROM COLUMBUS. Heh. I've read this blog for-freaking-ever and had no clue that you ever lived in Columbus. (Good to know you got out... I'm right behind you.)

Anyway, I'm a Coast native, so thanks for thinking of us. Good news... the knitting shop in Pass Christian that I used to work at was leveled but is reopening Very Soon in Gulfport. North of I-10.

small world!! who knew there were so many Mississipians here??

kendra -- I don't know if they build & ship from LA, but you can always call or email them on their website and find out, I would be up for that, too!

I don't know when I will be at snb again this month, I'm crazy at work, but hopefully soon!

Fellow Southern girl here and there is nothing like sweet tea, fried okra, and cornbread to make you feel all warm and cozy.
I'm a pretty big fan of sweet tea from McAllister's, but it's just so damn expensive!

Well, you know I pronounce Aunt Purl "Aint Purl." You're a good person. And my daddy was born in Columbus.

Holy Crap?! Futuristicplans, you mean they're reopening the KNITTING SHOP?? That's AMAZING news! Down here in Ocean Springs, MS, we're STARVING for a yarn store. We still weep and gnash our teeth when we think of all that yarn strewn from the RR tracks to the beach.

Thanks, Laurie, for your lovely homage to the Magnolia State. Did you know the motto on the state welcome sign now says, "Feels like comin' home"? It's much better than the old one, I think.

Yup, it's going to be on Hwy. 49. The Stitch Niche and Knitting Nook will both be there. Dunno the exact address, I just heard about it today. I'll be having lunch with the manager when I go down to Waveland this weekend for a visit... so maybe I'll know exactly when and where then. And I know how you feel... when they described soaked yarn hanging from trees I got so sad... even though I was working at the Columbus yarn shop at the time. I made my first sweater at the Knitting Nook in the Pass. :'(

LOL -I think my friend Pat has you beat on the car story....

Her brother and sister hit each other head on in their mile long driveway. Sober, daylight, and no rain or snow.

Apparently, the State Farm agent just laughed and hung up on her dad.

Oh that Pass Christian link is great! My in-laws refer to life on the coast after Katrina as the "new normal."

Another Missisippian and obsessive knitter here, from Oxford. Love your blog! If you're ever over this way, let us know!

DivaGeek

So, so, you're a kind of moving hazard for the nature, eh?

Okay, so I have been reading CAP for about a year now and have never sent a comment, but for some reason I feel like I should today. First of all Laurie, you are freaking hilarious!! I am from Texas, 6th Generation form Bryan/College Station, and moved to Cali to be with my now husband and I have cried laughing so hard after reading some of your post (especially when it comes to Cali drivers in the rain--they drive me nuts and when you talk about the crazy people from the south). Anyways, I thought I would share that my mother TRIES to run over the amardillos because they ruin her yard and that in regards to Radmama's comment, in the state of Texas if you hit a cow, steer, horse or any large livestock it is the farmer/rancher's fault not the driver's. Go Texas!!!

With all the talk about sweet tea, I feel the need to make a full confession...

My name is Julie, I am from Virginia, and I do not like sweet tea.

None of my fellow southerners can believe it, but it is true! I like my tea unsweetened. I love restaurants where they bring you your tea and the sugar bowl, so you can sweeten it to your liking - and I ignore the sugar bowl. I have had people stare at me like I grew a second head, I swear. :)

Julie,

Don't worry I am from Texas and I don't like ranch dressing....

Julie,
Except they probably just call it "unsweet" tea. Just drop that "-ened." Nobody pays it no mind anyway. You can tell 'em you're sweet enough without adding sugar to your beverages. You might just slip into a diabetic coma. Southerners generally respond favorably to a statement wherein the woman gets to be even more endearing. As in "I don't sweat, I glisten." Something about the Steel Magnolias in us all.

I once ran over a cat. On a bike. I was just barrelling down this steep hill and the cat darted out in front of me and before I could do anything I felt this sickening "bump". I stopped as fast as I could and turned around just in time to see the cat dart off into the woods. It seemed to be running just fine, so maybe I just ran over its tail... not that that's any good, but it's better than what I thought had happened.

Fortunately I've never hit an animal in a car. A few close calls with deer though.

Hey girls, that's ok, I'm a third generation Angelena and I don't like sushi or avocados...

Anyhew, I'm with you in the house building - I even have a little Habitat charm on my key ring and I'm a regular donor. Tell me where to be and I'll bring my hammer (could I sound like a bigger dyke?!)

As one of the many who enjoy Crazy Aunt Purl I was so excited to see the "Welcome Mississippi" sign! Thanks Laurie for mentioning the needs here along the ravaged coast. If is wasn't for groups like Habitat coming down here to help out we would really be in a world of hurt. It is hard to drive along the Coastline 6 months later and see the rubble and devastation!

I couldn't resist reading all the comments and I am doing a happy dance over the news that The Knitting Nook is to soon rise from the Katrina rubble in a new location. For those of you from the MS. Coast who broke the news here...please keep us posted! I have missed the "ya-ya" ladies and all the beautiful yarn!

Let the Sweet Tea pour! Sandy

My ex had a 1972 landcruiser that you could take the top and doors off of. He once fell out of it while driving. Bruised his ego pretty badly. Still makes me smile whenever I think of it!

I'm a teacher and I can't get away now (my students need me), but I'll be the first one to join you thsis summer. Let's go!

And here I thought I was the only one ever to hit an owl. Flew right into my windshield and bounced off. Scared me half to death.

And I also hit not one, but eight deer all at once. Came over a rise in the road and they were all standing there and suddenly I was bowling with deer. Middle of nowhere (rural Illinois), middle of the night, and I was in a pepto bismol pink bridesmaid dress as I had just played my violin in a wedding. I walked to the nearest farmhouse with my purse and violin, and it was the home of a fifth grader at the school at which I was a fifth grade teacher. She was in another class, but certainly knew who I was. One totaled car, one tow truck, one (cute) state trooper (who offered me the venison) and one LONG ride home later, I was humiliated and I hadn't yet even CALLED the insurance company.

I have never been to Mississippi, and the closest I've ever been was probably Columbus Ohio, but I have 3 friends going down to Mississippi on their spring break in about a week to help rebuild stuff. YAY! I will show them your post.

I can spare a few stuffed animals if you need some for the folks in MS.

(did you mention it gets HOT in MS? H*ll hot.
Crotch-pot cookin hot?)

Bless your heart CAP

Hi. I thought I'd actually delurk. When you commented about nice people in Mississippi I felt the need to agree. I've been there once. My car broke down near Tunica (I think). Anyway, a lady there took me on backroads to Senatobia(?) or a town called something close to that I hope. From the Ford dealership there, I was referred to a muffler shop, where they fixed my car for FREE!!! I love Mac, owner of Mac's Muffler Shop. What a bunch of incredibly nice, generous people.

The church where I go knit with their prayer shawl ministry just sent a group of folks down to Mississippi to help rebuild some houses. They took some finished prayer shawls with them, too, to hand out where needed. A small, but hopefully meaningful effort.

A man who worked with my husband was once discovered at the company dumpster taking off and throwing away his clothes. He'd hit a skunk with his bicycle on the way to work! Yes, he did have a change of clothes. :o)

Another Gulf Coast girl. I knew I liked you for a reason.

it seems like there is some sort of scary looking snowman on the left of the sign....

I have family in Pass Christian. The damage over there is beyond heartbreaking. The only reason CNN even mentions Mississippi is that one of there correspondents is from Bay St. Louis. I live near Pensacola and we are still trying to recover from Hurricane Ivan which hit a year and half ago.

Dan, I do believe that is the shape of the state with a magnolia (the state flower) in it.

Cynthia-You would be correct. Strange story, but the sign that goes from Mississippi into Louisiana that says "Welcome to Louisiana" was designed by a girl I went to high school with. Strange trivia for y'all.

Another lurker from Mississippi delurking to say Thanks! The coast needs all the help it can get. And...the yarn store is moving to Hwy 49? Cool!
Oh yea - Mississippi deer are still suicidal. Drive careful now.

Have you heard the new Better Than Ezra CD? Because there's a song with a line that's exactly the same as the title of this entry :)

I have had the opportunity to work on three Habitat homes here in NM through my job. It is a very rewarding and learning experience and good physical labor never hurt anybody (well it hurt for a little while). Good for you CAP.

I'm a Mississippi girl too. I currently live in Oxford, MS where I am completing my Master's degree. Mississippi is a beautiful place filled with tradition. My favorite is little old ladies that from the time I was born teaching me how to be a true southern lady.
I think you left out the fried catfish that goes along with the fried okra and hushpuppies!

Tracy--Better Than Ezra is soooo great! I never hear anybody talking about them. They are from the Gulf Coast (New Orleans, I think) aren't they?

You see it is true, CAP--look at all the nice Mississippi people who are responding here...

I love Mississippi, and Mississippi folk. I'm just heart broken about the wrath of Katrina on beautiful places like Bay St. Louis and Biloxi. I wish that people would focus on that area instead of its more glamourous older sister N'awlins.

Oh here is another news story for you! http://clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060303/FEAT05/603030330&SearchID=73237326357895
Watch Trading Spaces tomorrow! Or at the very least, get Tivo to pick it up. :)

you go, girl! that's some good work those Habitat folks do!

I hit a beaver once and the next morning I seen someone going thru the Tim Horton's (coffee shop) drivethru with it strapped to their roof. It did alot of damage to the my front end of my car, I didn't bother putting it thru my insurance as I had alot of cracked windshields already!!!

I live in Jackson, but just got home from the Mississippi Delta. I was in Greenwood Tuesday and on the way home, I stopped by the knit shop inside Grace Hardware in Yazoo City. Then I went back to the Delta for the rest of the week...Parchman (second trip in a few days), Mound Bayou, Clarksdale & Marks.

Week after next, I head down to Biloxi for the first time since Katrina. I have been to Hattiesburg several times since then, but not all the way to the Gulf Coast. I can not believe that I was able to get a hotel room...but they had just opened a block of rooms in one of the big casino hotels. :-)

Like Mississippi itself...there are good and bad things about travel here. LOL

You're too young to remember sweet tea made with loose tea, aren't you??? We brought water to a boil in a little saucepan and measured the tea into it, took it right off the stove and added a pinch of baking soda. It foamed up good and after it "set" 10 minutes or so, we added it to the waiting glass pitcher with the chipped handle. It already had sugar and some cool water in it so the bottom wouldn't crack and break in two!! My dear mother-in-law put 2 coffee mugs of sugar to 1/2 a gallon of tea!! Whew!! It would keep you awake for days from the caffiene and sugar rush! It swirled into syrup at the bottom of a glass of ice, a beautiful clear dark caramel color, and it was like nectar of the gods on a hot summer day. It's the first thing I learned "to cook"--couldn't have stayed married to this man without his Mama's iced tea always in the fridge!

Shelly -- I loveLoveLOVE Better Than Ezra. I saw them in concert for free a few years back and one of their songs was even my high school graduation song. Ah, sweet nostalgia :) Seriously tho', they are absolutely incredible and their new CD is just *mmmm* It's good to say the least of it. I do believe they're from the Gulf Coast but I haven't the foggiest idea where on the Gulf Coast. I live on the East Coast, so I can tell you all about the great bands that started outside of DC like The Foo Fighters & Carbon Lead. But don't let the location fool you. We still drink sweet tea all year long.

Shelly -- I loveLoveLOVE Better Than Ezra. I saw them in concert for free a few years back and one of their songs was even my high school graduation song. Ah, sweet nostalgia :) Seriously tho', they are absolutely incredible and their new CD is just *mmmm* It's good to say the least of it. I do believe they're from the Gulf Coast but I haven't the foggiest idea where on the Gulf Coast. I live on the East Coast, so I can tell you all about the great bands that started outside of DC like The Foo Fighters & Carbon Leaf. But don't let the location fool you. We still drink sweet tea all year long.

Egads. It posted twice. Apologies for me being a dumbass.

Hello from Vicksburg!! Thank you and Habitat and all the volunteers.

Look at you being all cute with the tummy showing!!