While we were visiting Bimlissa and company in Tennessee, some of their friends invited us over for “barbecue.” Or “BBQ” if you aren’t sure how to spell barbecue. Like me.
As we were feasting, the Tennessee-ians (that is definitely not how you spell it) decided to quiz me a bit on the barbecue.
“Taylor. What would y’all say barbecue is?”
Well. A barbecue is kind of a multipurpose word around my regions.
A) A barbecue is this:
A contraption used to “barbecue” meat and other various food items on.
and
B) A barbecue is an event.
As in: “Want to come over for a barbecue? My dad and uncle are barbecuing up some food and will praise themselves endlessly for their mad culinary skills.”
They think they are something else.
The Tennessee-ians were all aghast at my definition of a barbecue. Aghast, I tell you.
“Whaaaaat? Y’all gonna barbecue my food? That sounds nasty!”
“No! That is called a grill! Do y’all say grill?”
Finally, one of them asked me:
“Taylor. What would you call what we ate for lunch today?”
Me: “Ummm . . . . a shredded pork sandwich on a bun?”
Tennessee-ian (laughing at my ignorance): “Whaaaat? No! What you ate was barbecue! No one is gonna say, ‘Come over to my house for some shredded pork sandwiches on buns!’ That sounds real fun!”
So, whatever. Apparently barbecue is a shredded meat/sauce combo. Consider yourselves informed.
I would make a terrible Tennessee-ian.
***
As were we boarding the plane to come home, the pilots insisted the girls and I come inside the cockpit.
Correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t that against the rules nowadays? I thought it was odd. The girls got to push gabs of buttons and one started the rear engine and the other started the other engine.
Planes have multiple engines! Who knew?!
Science. Homeschool. Check.
Is that science? I cannot be certain. It certainly isn’t language arts. Science sounds good.
As I was snapping pictures, one of the pilots literally ripped the camera out of my hands and made me sit down for a picture. Because I like looking like the world’s largest 8-year-old.
I totally look pregnant there.
Alert: I have a large black purse in my lap. I repeat, a large, black purse.
So, that was exciting.
***
At one point during our visit (Yes, I am now going out of chronological order. Does this surprise you?), Bimlissa’s husband was speaking of his IPad.
Bimlissa: Hon, Taylor is not gonna know what an IPad is.
OK. That’s taking it a bit far. Sure, I am a total goober like my parents, but I am not THAT bad.
Bimlissa is so not invited to my birthday party anymore.
***
Speaking of my parents, I feel the need to re-share the story of how my dad became known as a goober on this here blog.
Please. Try to contain your excitement.
Many moons ago, my dad received an IPod for his birthday.
Why? We cannot be certain.
It sat on his nightstand for about four months, unopened. For his birthday in April, he asked for ITunes gift cards. He got about $100 worth and there they sat by the unopened IPod for a time.
One day, David and I were over at his house and Dad asked if we could help him figure out “that darn I-whatever.”
So, we get everything all set up and he selects two songs that tickle his fancy.
Dad: Ok, that’s good.
Me: Dad. You have two songs.
Dad: I know. That sounds good for now.
Me: Dad. You have like $98 left in your account.
Dad: I’ll buy more later.
So, there he went to mow the lawn, donning the headphones of his Two-Song-IPod. He must’ve really liked those two songs.
Happy Tuesday!
Either your girls are even cuter in real life than they are in pictures or those pilots were totally hitting on you Taylor.
I’d say so! Does the Lumberjack know of such goings on??? He may not let you girls go by yourself anymore.
Being from TN, I can totally appreciate that yes, barbecue is any type of shredded meat on a bun with tons of sauce! We would invite you to a cook-out if we were going to put things on a grill. And here in the south, there are even different types of barbecue…none to be confused with the others. You know, TN barbecue (which is the best), Carolina barbecue, Georgia barbecue…and the list goes on.
Glad you had a good trip! I am impressed that your dad could even get those 2 songs on his ipod. I can’t even figure out how to put 1 song on my ipod touch. My children could probably figure it out, but I am better at the real computer stuff and not the handheld computer stuff!
I’m with you on the usage of the word barbeque! You’re right! (in Western Canada vernacular anyhow). Barbeque is a noun describing the metal contraption used to cook food outside. And a verb used to describe the cooking of food on such contraption. And also a noun used to describe a party where you eat food cooked on the barbeque. But NEVER used to describe food. How could you?? We cook every thing on our barbeques (yes we have 3 different ones), from hamburgers to steak, to roasts, veggies, fruit, buns, pizza, chicken, hot dogs, pork chops, salmon…etc. Everything has to be named properly. 🙂
I’m with the people from TN! (Which makes perfect sense geographically!) You cook things on the grill. You order barbeque from the smoke house down the street (or I guess you could make it yourself. I don’t!). I love finding out what different regions call things!
you have a cookout when you grill with others (if it is just you and your immediate family you just call it daddy’s night to cook)
if you want bbq you go to my hometown, lexington, nc, and hit up speedys. they even have curbside service even though it is really in a parking lot and not next to a curb! and don’t even get me started on the intricacies of bbq slaw versus mayonnaise slaw!!!
i too thought it was against ffa rules to allow anyone in the cockpit…but as long as the pilot didn’t ask you to touch his joy stick, i think you are ok =o)
your uncle looks like paul sorvino…
everyone gives my son itune cards for gifts…he has about a billion dollars accumulated so far with only a handful of songs on his ipod…must be a boy thing!
that is all…for now =o)
Happy you and the girls had a nice trip!
I am with Mindee on this one, I think the pilots were hitting on you, HOLLA!!!! See, you ARE still a cutie Momma, you actually look like you are their older sister, not their mother, and you do NOT, I repeat do NOT look like you are pregnant.
So, where are the Halloween pictures?
I think you’d make a mighty fine Tennesseean : )
What were the two songs? Inquiring minds want to know.
Love me some bbq! My dad has now become a barbecue judge and goes to all of these contests judging the food. My palate isn’t as sophisticated as all that, but I know what’s good.
Awesome that your girls got to see the cockpit of the plane. Fun fact: I’ve never flown on a plane before BUT that is about to change. In February the kids and I are taking our first plane ride.
I love that story about your dad. It’s just as funny now as the first time you posted it.
My Mum sometimes reads your blog, so I REALLY hope she doesn’t see what I’m about to tell you:
The first time she used a computer mouse, instead of moving it around on the mat, she picked it up, pointed it at the screen and crossly pressed buttons, wondering why the heck it wasn’t working! I was laughing so hard I was no use to her whatsoever. We happened to be in a public space at the time, so a kindly passer-by sat down next to her and showed her what to do – while I tried to recover my composure and wiped tears away! I still get the giggle whenever I think about it!
I try not to judge people by their local vernacular . . .because that just makes me sound like a southerner.
BURN!!!!
Just kidding. : ) Shall we debate what the ‘item is that you put your groceries in while shopping’ is called next or what you call the ‘paper, plastic or cloth items that you carry them home in’? : )
I will go ahead and jump in on that one! You put your groceries in a buggy! I had a friend who was visiting up North one time and she asked someone where the buggies were in the grocery store and they just stared at her like they thought she was crazy.
I love this game! We call them shopping cart or shopping baskets, but really it just gets shortened to cart or basket. I must admit I giggled ever so slightly at “buggy” heh 🙂
It could be called a chariot! Or a trolley! In the midwest you carry things home in a “poke”!!
This actually happened to me! I’d read about it in a Reader’s Digest joke section about how some clerk said “Do you want a poke?” and the customer, thinking of a finger jab, said “No!” But when the clerk asked ME I forgot what a “poke” could be and also said No. And then I had to carry my five items out to the car in my bare hands.
Then I remembered the “poke” = bag story.
Love the ipod Dad story! What a man! He and my 6 year old could understand each other. He walked in the bathroom as I was putting my contacts in and said “Wow Mom! I didn’t know you had ipods!” Seriously, isn’t that a better name than “contacts”?
I really LOL’d when I read the part about the Tennessee-ian BBQ. It’s funny how different regions have different words for things. I just saw something this morning from Georgia about little candys called “smarties”. In Canada, those candys are called “rockets” and we give them for Halloween, Smaties are another type of candy coated chocolate, like M&M’s except flatter. The candy colour gets on your hands and you’re supposed to eat the red ones last – at least according to the jingle.
Barbecue is both a food and a verb. You can have barbecued food, or you can barbecue ribs, or brisket…
So, in Oklahoma it is both a verb and a food. However, we never have people over for a barbecue…We have people over for a cook out. But we barbecued the food we ate…And the food we are going to eat is barbecue.
Is that all crystal clear?
I’m not an expert at much of anything. But I am married to a pilot so I know this: more than one engine is a good thing.
LJW, the variety and breadth of knowledge shared by your many followers is a great way to get an education.
Homeschool for mom, check.
Wait, what?! Okay, I can’t believe you got in the cockpit! Obviously I need to start looking as gorgeous as you when flying, ’cause I’ve never been invited up there! (I possibly also need to steal some children. Whew, this is getting to be quite the to-do list!) And I’m still confused over the correct meaning of BBQ, but I’m fairly certain you’re correct.
Clearly those pilots knew a celebrity was amongst their passengers!
In California, we call it going to a barbecue which is outdoor cooking with barbecues that barbecue food. Restaurants that now sell those shredded pork sandwich things are also called barbecue so it is very confusing. Especially for a vegetarian.
Okay, so first of all, you use a little i for things like iPods, iPads, iPhones, etc. I don’t know why, but there you go.
If your dad needs more music for his iPod, he should look up Brad Loomis and the Resonance. Just sayin’. 😉