After way too long, Deb and I got on a plane and flew to Alabama and had a great weekend with Bob and Ramona.
Their gorgeous new kitchen has the nicest granite I've ever seen. Very unusual - it has striations like you see along the walls of the Grand Canyon (whereas most granite countertops are speckled).
Mostly we ate and drank in various places. Those southern folk are big on red meat - I ate about a pound of pulled pork one night and a big burger the next night - Oh Yes . . . I also ate Grits for breakfast ! Pretty good stuff, them grits. I vow to create Grits Italiano at some point during these holidays. (Soon as I figure out what should go into it.)
For the most part, the countryside in that area is indistinguishable from up here in New England. I'd say the planned neighborhoods (they are miles from the city) are really nicely done. One, "Mt. Laurel", looked like a small New England town, though it was built as a one-shot community / "development". I could live there easily, but would not fit in socially (I probably mean religiously) so forget about it.
Wonderful visit. We took a blood oath to do it again, soon.
