Travels in the South

Hello sweet friends.  Today we are continuing our Travels in the South series with our great friends Bill and Jean who are the parents of Shoko and Kali from Canadian Cats.

The first week we posted, we posted of their arrival and eating at a local seafood restaurant.  You can read about that here.  The second week, we posted about a fantastic restaurant we all went to called Fogo de Chao.  You can read about that here.

This week, we are going to talk about a tour that we took of a place called Stately Oaks.  Stately Oaks is a historical Antebellum home located in Jonesboro, Georgia and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  It was originally constructed in 1839 by Mr. Whitmill Allen who sold his home to Robert McCord in 1858 and then moved to Tyler, Texas.

It is located in Jonesboro, Georgia.  Does that sound familiar to you?  Jonesboro is the very city where Scarlett O’Hara from Gone with the Wind had to pay the taxes on Tara. Even though Tara only existed in Margaret Mitchell’s imagination, she placed Tara in Clayton County where she had visited relatives who lived on a large plantation south of Jonesboro. Many of the stories she heard as a child are in the movie.

Now, Stately Oaks is open for tours and on this day (mom, Jean and Bill) decided to tour the home.  The down side of the tour was we could not pictures of the inside of the home which was a real bummer.  The start of the tour starts off on a CD and you listen to the history of the home while in the bottom level.  Then the tour moves you into the sitting room, the dining room and the entertainment room.  Then the tour moves to the upper levels of the home.

 There are some items to point out which is interesting to know.  Back during this time, tea was expensive and kept in a locked box with only the woman of the home having the key.  Sugar was kept in cones and was brown, not the normal white sugar we are more accustomed to today.

Also,  celery was a sign of money in the southern days.  There was actual celery jars – kind of like the one in this picture – that were put on dinner tables to show the status of wealth in the family.  Can you imagine that?  It makes you want to go out, buy some celery and put in a jar on your table doesn’t it?  Who knew this could be a sign of wealth… especially in today’s market at what $0.99 cents a bundle – LOL.

They also didn’t season meats when they cooked them.  They had little individual salt bowls at every table setting.  The mistress of the home would pass around the big cluster of salt and individuals would put some in their salt bowls to season their meats.  Brings new meaning to, “Can you pass me the salt”.

One of the things we all fell in love with was the courting candle.  I think it would be a blast to have one of these today.  Jean bought one and trust me – mom is going back to get one as well.  You see how they are made in the picture?  The father could lower or high the amount of candle that would be burned during the courtship of their daughter.  Once the candle burned to that desired place, the man that was courting the young lady had to leave for the night.  What a concept huh?  Such an easy and simple method to watch over a courtship.  Of course, mom says she would use hers to show daddy actually how much time he had to be silly for a given amount of time.  That’s my mom – snorts!

Now let’s talk about the upstairs of the home.  The day that they went on the tour it was a little hot outside so you can imagine the inside of the home.  Mom started getting the vapors downstairs and had to sit out a bit for some of the tour.  Now, once mom was feeling a bit better, she ventured up the stairs as well.

 Stairs in southern homes are steep.  You see the average woman was around 4’11” and the average man was like around 5’7″ – not very tall for the likes of these days.  And the stairs go straight up it seems with not much railing.  Can you imagine as a woman in full attire (hoop skirt, bodice squeezing the heck out of you, tiny shoes, etc.) walking up stairs?  In fact, at the top of these stairs, there was usually a chaise or chair of some sort for the women.  Because believe it or not, sometimes they would pass out from the shear heat of exhaustion.  Well, that was almost like my mom.  She made it up the stairs, started having a hard time breathing and had to rush back downstairs and out of the door before she was hit with the vapors once again in a bad way.  Don’t ask.

One thing that mom did notice upstairs in a glassed case was mourning tear jar.  When the woman of the home was going through mourning, she would collect her tears in a jar.  Once it was full, she would then close the top for her mourning.  Forever, she would have the tears of her sorrow that she cried for her loved one.

Now the kitchen of this home had been redone more modern and we didn’t get to see any of that.  But then again, the kitchen of the home back in the day really wasn’t a ‘kitchen’.  It was more of a warming room.  You see food was prepared in a ‘shack’ behind the home.  This shack would host a fireplace, a table to prepare food and you can imagine the heat from the summer or the cold from the winter creeping in through the boards of the walls.  The food was then brought into the home to the warming kitchen and stayed there until the woman of the home motioned for it to be served at the dinner table.

So much wonderful history was learned this day about the ways of the south.  Can you imagine doing some of these things and living like this today?  I hope you join us next week my friends as we continue our series of Travels in the South.

 

Santa Paws Came!!

He’s real!  Santa Paws came to the Hotel Thompson to see me! Oh my – thud – I almost couldn’t stand it. I’m in hog heaven here at the Hotel Thompson! 

This is a list of what I have at the house now and trust me I am so happy – I haven’t had this many goodies in a long time!

• 8 pounds of red apples – that’s right.  It’s not a typo – 8 POUNDS of red apples.  I love me some apples… any kind, any color.
• 5 pounds of carrots – yep that’s another one – 5 POUNDS of carrots.  You would think that with all of the carrots that I eat that I would have excellent vision but I don’t.  But what I don’t have in vision, I make up in smelling.
• Bulk celery – mmm – I love celery… even the little wisps of it that hang off at the top of celery.  Love that part!
• Cabbage – that is one HUGE head of cabbage.  Mom will probably eat some of this cabbage too.  But do you know what the battle is going to be?  The core of the cabbage.  Me and mom both like to naw on the core of the cabbage.  Have you ever done that?  It’s got a little spice to it and so delicious!
• My personal sized watermelon.  This is definitely a treat since it’s winter time here in Georgia.  Mom will cut it all up and put it in buckets in the refrigerator to get it cold.  She even cuts up the rind – I love the rind.
• Bananas – You don’t see them in this picture because mom forgot to grab them.  She got me a whole bunch of 10 – 10 bananas all to myself.  Pig heaven – literally!  Can you believe that one time mom was holding a banana and I tried to crawl up her legs to get it?  Yeah, we had a little prayer meeting about that afterwards.  They are so delicious!

And we can’t forget about Houdini – OMP!  Houdini scored with some new clothes, a new bed and all kinds of doggy toys.

And the purr things Mouse Girl and Hemi – they are in love!  They got some nip, toys and a huge bag of treats.

And we all got our own electric blanket.  Can you believe that?!  Mom hooked it up over one end of our sofa so that her and daddy can click it on and off.  That way we can all lay on it and get cuddly warm – we all love that.

But you know what we got that was priceless?  Love.  Not just from mom/dad but from all of you our friends.  We can not thank you enough for that.  We all ❤ you!!  And we thank you all for the emails and Christmas cards that you sent to us here at the Hotel Thompson!

And special thanks to Easy ❤ who sent us these awesome presents:

  

And special thanks to Fozzie ❤ who sent us these awesome presents:

 

.

And special thanks to our dear sweet friends Kali and Shoko – ❤ OMP – their parents sent mom/dad something close to their heart – FOOD – snorts with piggy laughter.  Okay it was a gift card for FOOD – my daddy still passes out looking at the card.  He can’t wait to use them.  Thank you so very much my friends!  Can’t wait to see you soon.

And squeals!!  This just in.  We received this in the mail yesterday from Auntie Sharon.  A beautiful handmade scarf.  But this scarf has a story behind it.  The actual “yarn” was shorn from Fozzie’s sheep.  Then Auntie Sharon spun it on her spindle and made “yarn” for our scarves.  How special is that?!  I can’t say thank you enough.  I was so touched and absolutely LOVE it my sweet friends – smooches and thank you!!

 

The Day After –

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas yesterday.  It was joyful and wonderful here at the Hotel Thompson.  It was quiet – the purr things were loving and mom/dad were glowing with happiness.  Our tummies were full of delightful food – all kinds of goodies – sweets, breads, rib roast, sweet potato casserole (one of my favorites) – just to name a few.

We plan on camping out, putting our feet up and relaxing for a change.  Mommy is home from the worky place and has no plans of returning until some time next week.  I’m a happy oinker.  Life is good.

I thought I would take this chance to open up to all of my friends here in blogville.  Have you ever wondered what my life is like here at the Hotel Thompson?  My favorite movie?  Am I messy?  Am I a good pet?  My favorite food?  What I do during the day?  How I get along with the purr things and daddy?

Today is your day.  I’m an open book.  Go ahead.  Ask me anything.  I will tell you what you want to know.  Go ahead.  Don’t think your question is minor.  Ask away.  In between naps, I will answer them all.

Oh, and I know you’re probably wondering what I got in my “little” stocking – snorts.  Santa was super nice this year.  He filled it with egg plant, carrots, squash, watermelon, apples, celery, animal crackers and my favorites – Gold Fish!  mmm – I must have done something right this year! But one thing I didn’t get was Miss Piggy 😦 Perhaps one day. Until then, I can still dream!

 

Friday Love

This morning I just didn’t want to get out of bed.  I was all snuggled, comfortable and warm.  I even fell down on my job – “I” didn’t go off crying for my breakfast thus mom didn’t wake up at our usual time.  She had to come wake me up to eat which is very odd and doesn’t happen very often.  Mom told me that she hates it when I don’t wake her up.  Not that she’s mad because I didn’t get ‘her’ up but that it scares her when I don’t cry for breakfast.  She’s always afraid something might have happened to me in the middle of the night.  Sweet huh? 

She told me that we just had today to get through and then we would have snuggles this weekend.  I’m so glad because it’s been a long week here at the Hotel Thompson keeping dad and the purr things in line.  I so need a break.  I was all excited about this weekend until mom said the B word.  You know the B word – bath.  I’m not opposed.  I love a good bath once I’m in the water.  It’s just getting in the bath that gets me a little fussy.  Mom has to pick me up and put me in the tub and well my pot belly gets in the way sometimes.  Don’t worry, as you’ve seen I can jump out.  It’s just the jumping in part that bothers me.  And lately when mom gives me a bath in the tub, she throws in treats like carrots, celery or cheerios.  Hey, where there is food, I am so there!

I hope everyone has a fantastically long weekend.  Stay warm and loved –

XOXO – Bacon

 

Santa Paws Came !!

SANTA PAWS CAME!

Nana came to the house yesterday bringing me some gifts from Santa Paws. Oh my – thud – I almost couldn’t stand it. Mom forgot to put my bananas in this picture but it gives you an ideal of Nana brought me. I’m in hog heaven here at the Hotel Thompson! Isn’t Nana the best?!  She is so meant for spoiling this already spoiled pig.  She’ll tell you that too – I am S*P*O*I*L*E*D rotten.  But aren’t all children meant to be spoiled and loved?

 

This is a list of what I have at the house now and trust me I am a happy little runt pig.  I haven’t had this many goodies in a long time!

• 8 pounds of red apples – that’s right.  It’s not a typo – 8 POUNDS of red apples.  I love me some apples… any kind, any color.  Can you believe that I smelled these out last night and found where daddy had put them in the kitchen.  Mom had to put them in the refrigerator to get them away from my smeller – snort.
• 5 pounds of carrots – yep that’s another one – 5 POUNDS of carrots.  You would think that with all of the carrots that I eat that I would have excellent vision but I don’t.  But what I don’t have in vision, I make up in smelling.
• Bulk celery – mmm – I love celery… even the little wisps of it that hang off at the top of celery.  Love that part!
• Cabbage – that is one HUGE head of cabbage.  Mom will probably eat some of this cabbage too.  But do you know what the battle is going to be?  The core of the cabbage.  Me and mom both like to naw on the core of the cabbage.  Have you ever done that?  It’s got a little spice to it and so delicious!
• My personal sized watermelon.  This is definitely a treat since it’s winter time here in Georgia.  Mom will cut it all up (like she did last night) and put it in buckets in the refrigerator to get it cold.  She even cuts up the rind – I love the rind.  She gave me a whole slice last night.  You know what I did to it.  I bit into it and then took off down the hall to my room to eat it and enjoy it.  Mom chased me down with a towell and held it for me while I ate it.  Then she cleaned everything up for me. 
• Bananas – You don’t see them in this picture because mom forgot to grab them.  She got me a whole bunch of 10 – 10 bananas all to myself.  Pig heaven – literally!  Can you believe that one time mom was holding a banana and I tried to crawl up her legs to get it?  Yeah, we had a little prayer meeting about that afterwards.  They are so delicious!

  

So you see now why I love my Nana.  She also brought mom and dad a whole bunch of food too.  Between Nana and my Aunt Tina, our fridge and cabinets are nice and full of food.  I’m a happy camper because this makes my mommy happy.  She doesn’t have to stand in the kitchen and wonder what she can pull together any more.  Now, she opens the fridge/freezer/cabinets and says, “MMMM – everything looks good, what to have, what to have!” 

OOOOHHH, and mom brought me home a ball.  She was telling one of her friends about me getting a bouncy ball.  They brought her one and can you believe it has a pig on it?!   They call this pig Olivia. I still don’t understand why all of my toys have pigs on them?  Shakes head and wonders…  Here’s a picture of my new toy.

You’re probably asking yourself how do I play with this ball?  Well, I push it around with my little snout everywhere in the house.  Nana says that snout of mine gets me in trouble.  She would be right.  I push this ball down the hall, up the hall, on the walls, in my room and chase after it.  Can you believe that the purr things were trying to play with me last night.  They would push it to me and I would snout it back to them.  It was kind of fun.  Momma says that she is going to video tape it next time because for once in my life, she didn’t have her camera handy.  Imagine that!

Happy hump day my friends – XOXOX Bacon