The southern way for the northerners

One of "The Ladies" asked me if I would make a list of how southern people deal with the heat, well I'm just going to give you instructions for dealing with summer, after the last thunder storm.

So for my sweet, beautiful, God lovin friend...Vicki.

There are many ways of dealing with the weather of summer. Southern weather can be as unpredictable as gathering of Southern Baptist ladies at an after church lunch-in.
There is nothing like hearing blue haired ladies talking about the 'wickedness of the world'. Such as:Bless her heart, did you see Bobby Sue walking through Belks with that Jake guy? Nope, but I did see her holding hands with Jed at Bob's BBQ pit. The nerve....humf! Oh, Bless her heart, but she can't hold a tune any longer then Bubba jr, can stay away from the all you can eat buffet.

See southern women know, that you can say whatever you want, when ever you want as long as you bless their heart first. Learnt that myself from one of my favorite southern women....
Ok, sorry got side tracked. To survive the summer.

1. Drink lots of sweet tea. (ice tea for them northern gals)
*Boil water in a medium sauce pan, steep 4-5 tea bags for 5min, pour into a 1 gallon pitcher, add 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 cup of white sugar, stir, add cold water until pitcher is filled, stir again. Place some mason jars in freezer, and wait about 15-20min. Fill jar with tea and enjoy. While your kids run through the sprinkler and your husband mows the grass.

2. Fill jar with tea, and then head to the mall where the temp is always around 65. Or meet up with friends at The Wal-Mart, where you walk around a look at things you don't need. Its always better to hang out some where someone else pays for the air conditioning

3. This is by far the thing I miss the most about my life in the south. Fix yourself a jar of tea, grab a great book, and head out to your front porch swing, and wave at the down home people as they drive by.

4. During thunder storms, asses the situation. Is it gonna be bad? Or REALLY bad, you can tell by how hot it is outside before and during storm. I will have to break this down into two categories.
*In the car. If you are driving on the interstate or 400 series highways and the rain is coming down so hard its like someone is standing in front of your car with a water hose. Turn on your flashers, get behind an 18 wheeler and just cruz along behind him. If the rain is SO bad you cant see his tail lights pull under a over pass ramp, leave flashers on and wait until you feel safe to drive. If the storm calms to the point of no movement and you hear/see a tornado coming get out of your car climb up the slanted side of the over pass where you are protected and STAY! If there in no over pass get out of you car, and get in a ditch tuck yourself into a ball and wait.
*At home first find something for your kids to do when or if the power goes out, so you don't feel the need to throw them out in storm. We dance, board games, make paper cutouts ect. Cook dinner early or make sandwiches something you can eat by the oil lamps. Keep a radio with batteries and a flash light handy. If there is a tornado warning for your area and you have a basement hang out in there for a bit, if not gather your family and pet into the most center room of your house with blankets and pillows.
When I was a kid we often had camp outs in the storm pit...it was always so much fun, though the grown ups will tell you s different storey.

5. Hang out by the lake with your friends! Blow up a big float that you can sleep on, fix yourself a big ol' bottle of tea and then tie one end of a long piece of a rope to your toes and the other to the dock so you don't float away. When you get really hot or just wanna jump in tie the rope to the float.

6. Homemade ice cream and warm watermelon is a favorite of the southern ladies. Its the best thing to have around 7-8 pm, not to close to bed time but after the sun has gone down.

Things you should NEVER do! Use baby oil for tanning, drink beer or wine coolers (alcohol and sun don't mix well), leave things like a dog in your car, go anywhere with out a glass of tea or water.

I do have to admit I love summer! Enjoy everybody!!!!