Tuesday, October 23, 2007

I will miss …..

As the time for our move draws nearer, I’ve started recently doing what I always do before a move --- analyzing all the things we’ve loved about our current home and what I’ll miss when we leave. Besides the obvious and predictable (friends, school, etc, yawn) it’s usually local restaurants that top the list, since I know I’ll most likely never get another chance to eat at these places.

I had one of those moments this past weekend. The kids had friends with them, and Blaine and I took them all to the kid-friendly (see also: cheap) local pizza parlor called Stevie B’s. Similar, I think, to what a CiCi’s Pizza might be? Not sure, since we don’t have those here. Basically, a relatively decent pizza buffet (with, I might add, the most pathetic salad bar I’ve ever seen) and a small arcade area, where the kids can go through five dollars worth of tokens apiece in about forty-five seconds flat and then squeal with glee to go to the ticket exchange counter and discover they’ve earned enough tickets to trade for a plastic spider ring, a pair of Chinese finger handcuffs, and three Tootsie Rolls. Ah, to be eight years old again and have no concept of the value of money.

While my kids will certainly miss the buckets of cinnamon jaw breakers and vampire teeth, all there for the winning, you know what I’ll miss? One of their specialties, the Baked Potatoe Pizza. Can you think of anything more delicious for a carboholic like myself? Pizza crust, with an alfredo-y, ranch-dressing-y sauce, then thin slices of potatoe, bacon pieces and cheese. It is like heaven on a plate, if you ask me. Really, I can think of nothing more perfect in this world, except perhaps Brad Pitt’s ass.

Although, the item that will rank highest on my “What I WON’T miss about Georgia” list came to light today: the fact that it’s the fourth week in October, and I’m still wearing summer clothes. This time of year, I should be sporting my favorite jeans, a fuzzy and oh-so-warm ultra-fleece pullover, and a great pair of boots. Not shorts, sleeveless shirts, and sandals. Didn’t Mother Nature get the memo about me not shaving after October 1st? What’s up with this eighty-five degree weather the week before Halloween? And the humidity, my GOD, the fecking ninety-bazillion degrees of humidity, who the hell ordered that? It’s like walking around outside with a wet rag on my face, and you all know how I feel about that. **And** the humidity does such lovely things to my hair (she said sarcastically.) No shaving, and no sweating. Those are my rules for October, but it doesn’t appear anyone is paying attention. Especially not the gobshites in charge of global warming.

(Why, yes, “fecking” and “gobshites”. I just finished another Marian Keyes novel, how did you guess?)

I think I’ll go have me a piece or two or seven of baked potatoe pizza, to make myself feel better about this weather, except then I’ll most likely gain another five pounds and schlepping this giant body around in this kind of Amazon jungle weather will probably give me a heart attack.

So, what was I saying? About how much I’m going to miss Georgia???

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kristie, it sounds like you've got this move thing down pat. We moved a year ago and I still don't feel like we're settled. Maybe after our 4th or 5th move, we'll be so confident about them (finding new great schools and friends)! Good luck to you in your move to OK!
Claire in TX
P.S. it actually feels like fall all the way down in Houston TX today!

Anonymous said...

I love the baked potato pizza, too. I could never catch on to their hamburger pizza (ketchup and mustard on pizza--ick). My hair suffers in the humidity, too. I use a straightening iron and frizz control stuff and people still say, "Bless your heart," when they see my hair. My hair dresser always looks out the window to see if it is a day where she can straighten my hair, or if we should just embrace the curly frizz. Sigh.

Anonymous said...

If I ever moved from Georgia, the thing I would NOT MISS is the gnats!! This past weekend, we had the humidity, heat and Gnats buzzing in our ears and noses while trying to build a tree house!!! ARGHHHHHHH!

Alice said...

Ahhh...but those of us here in Georgia are going to miss you!! Although, since we really only read your blog...I guess it won't matter too much that you go. But it still makes me sad.

PS - LOVE Marian Keyes!! Love her.

Anonymous said...

I hear you about the humidity! It's been totally miserable in south Alabama too! At least we're finally getting some rain, and the weather promises a cooling trend starting tomorrow. A sweaty Halloween is not my idea of fun either, but the winters and springs here are beautiful. And I don't miss shoveling snow one little bit. Good luck in your move prep! Even after finally being settled for 6 1/2 years now, seeing a moving truck still gives me the willies!

Gayle in AL

Anonymous said...

Did I miss a definitive time line on the move? I have always been in Georgia and ALWAYS in the same little town. I don't think I could ever live anywhere else. Tell me at least they have a SONIC near your new home in OK?

Wendy; AKA "small town girl in a small town world, Winder GA".

Anonymous said...

A potato has "eyes," not "e"s! :)

Anonymous said...

Well, I've never been to a Cici's pizza, but have seen commercials. If you say the Baked Potato Pizza is good, I'll take your word for it. I'm going to have to find one near me & check it out sometime. But, I hear you about the weather! Okay, so I'm in California and am pretty spoiled living on the coast, but oh...my...gosh! I am SOOO hot today! It's a measly 90-something degrees, but it DOES NOT get this hot on the coast! I'm sweating and needing to get out of the office and get an ice cream ASAP! I really shouldn't be complaining though, as I think of those hundreds of firefighters fighting the dozens of fires down south. Now THEY must be hot! Good luck on the move and finding a decent pizza place!

Anonymous said...

That pizza sounds heavenly, but sadly, it's one more place that hasn't found it's way to CA. It reminds me of the chicken-potato-rosemary pizza tnat California Pizza Kitchen had and took off it's menu....damn! I did finally drive out to the nearest Sonic (30 miles away and worth every minute) and had a DDP...and then a hamburger... and finally a pineapple milkshake. It was worth all of it, the time and the inches!

Dixie in CA

M said...

I will take your humidity and raise you a hair straightener! The humidity is about -50% here...dryer than desert sand...and 1/2 the state is on fire! And it is close to 90 degrees on top of that. I won't miss this when I move...but only I'm not moving....uh....maybe I'll just eat pizza!

Anonymous said...

My ass says Kristie for president! You are one hilarious mama! I love reading your blog, especially after just coming off of some depressing CB sites. I have gained let's see, 20...no....22 um...come on....okay, I give up 24 pounds since my daughter was diagnosed with CCSK. Baked Potato pizza sounds mighty yummy! Can't get any of that around here in Stony Brook, NY. Oh, well, if I dream it it shall landuth on my ass! That's the story of my life! Cheers-eat all you want-it adds character!

www.caringbridge.org/visit/alexareneemoore

Anonymous said...

I spent 24 years in Hotlanta which fortunately is above the gnat line. How do you people live below it?! The mosquitoes in North Georgia are bad enough.

Kristie, I hear you about the humidity. When I fly home to Jaw-jah from the high desert of Oregon, I usually just put my naturally curly hair in a ponytail until I leave. I love Georgia in the spring, and North Georgia is beautiful, but I don't really have any desire to live there again.

Worse part of living in Oregon? No Chick-fil-A, Sonic, or Cracker Barrel. Sigh. These people don't know how to eat.

cakeburnette said...

Well, I can definitively tell you about CiCi's vs. Stevi B's (although there's a CiCi's up at the near the Target off Eisenhower that you could try before you head out). Our school in VA had a CiCi's night: same bad salad bar and decidedly not as fantastic pizzas (no buffalo chicken, no baked potato, and I think no taco--although I don't eat that one at Stevi B's so I can't say for sure). But they do have these freakingly amazing cinnamon buns and the dessert pizzas at Stevi B's can't come close! Oh, and btw, I ate so many slices of baked potato pizza on my first Stevi B's visit back here that I almost passed out in the place. LOL!

The Traveling Yogi said...

I'm guessing the move will happen soon. I hope it all goes well and I hope you get the cooler weather you hope for.
Briana

Anonymous said...

The pizza sounds delish! Of course, I am a carboholic too, so I may be biased! lol! And I am with you on the weather thing too.... the baby got this adorable fall wardrobe and we haven't been able to enjoy it yet! Plus, I am so over tanks and shorts- bring on the sweaters!

Trisha
Leesburg, VA

Anonymous said...

Kristie, I love your blog and I know how fastidious you are about spelling so I could not let you be a "Dan Quayle" and spell POTATO incorrectly. Only add an e if you have more than one---potatoEs. I live in Texas and we are not dying in 80+ degree weather...it is 57 here today with a slight breeze. Very fallish (is that a word?) Welcome back to the midwest...when are you coming??

Anonymous said...

Well, it's the same day in October up here (Washington) as it is in Georgia...and, I'm wearing my red winter coat that's still all dirty around the sleeves because I never got it dry-cleaned during the summer when I didn't need it, like I should have, and now I don't want to take it in for cleaning because it's so fecking COLD up here!!!! Kristie - trade you! I'd love some shorts right about now. I'd also like to not have to open my Puget Power bill this month with the addition of the furnace having been used for the first time in months. I'm trying to figure out a way to work gobshite into my tirade here but I'm failing miserably. Not sweating (except for the occasional hot flash!!) and not shaving in honor of you up here in (BORING!!) Washington state -

Anonymous said...

Kirstie,

Many thanks as always for the compliment!

Love,
Brad's Ass xoxoxo ;)

Pam D said...

My son's school has a fundraiser at Stevie B's every month, and it seems as if every reward given is a "free kids buffet" at Stevie B's (to be used with purchase of adult buffet and drinks, so it is NOT free!). But, I LOVE their BLT pizza, their spinach alfredo pizza, and yes, their baked potato pizza. Good stuff, but I'm sure you'll find new favorites (or rather, old and new favorites since you're going home) when you move. Just don't stop blogging...

Anonymous said...

I miss Sonny's BBQ. And YOU!

Anonymous said...

Sorry to let you in on this since you havent been here in a while (Oklahoma) but it is 85 degrees here too! Still wearing summer clothes and sandles.
Oh and I dont think potato has an e on it.

Megan