Sippi Lovin'

Picking up where we last left off:
Creschale's - Salmon, baked potato w/all the trimmings, Greek salad, & Coke $17.00
Bop's Frozen Custard - large custard (unknown flavor) $5.00

Michelle and I had dinner Wednesday night at Creschale's as a celebration of completing Year One with several of my classmates. The impetus for selecting Creschale's was its complementary limousine service to parties of eight or more. A conservative estimate projects that nearly 1/2 of our weekly food budget was spent on that lone meal! Fortunately, we had stumbled across the E & B Discount Grocery earlier that afternoon. As I strolled up to the door, with my Birkenstocks kickin' up dust and all 32 teeth sparkling in the sun, I found myself thinking, "Wow, their clientele appears even more slatternly than Walmart's!" This, of course, is code for, "Damn, at long last, we may have found the grocery store for us!"

And damned if it wasn't the most beautiful store we had ever set foot in. (Not counting the dumpsters behind Whole Foods.) Yogurt for $0.25, Progresso Soups for $0.69, Nutri-Grain bars (10-pack) for $0.50, Meusli cereal boxes for $1.49, Near East Couscous for $0.69, etc. Interestingly enough, the items Michelle and I coveted most were after thoughts for most shoppers. As far as we could ascertain; lima beans, sliced okra, catfish, frozen french fries, New Orlean's style "dirty" rice, yellow squash, and beef make up 95% of the local diet.

Back in Hattiesburg, we settled into a comfortable routine of waking, eating, shopping, napping, running, swimming, eating, relaxing, and sleeping. Attempting to furnish an apartment approximately four-times the size of your previous residence is taxing work; requiring sufficient electrolyte levels and 9+ hours of sleep. Thus far, we've acquired one dresser, two bar stools, a CD rack, several picture frames, one floor lamp, a coffee table, a plant stand, a blender, a drying rack (for sweaty running clothes), and a plush pillowtop queen-size bed! It's the first time I can remember sleeping on a bed that didn't pitch my feet over the edge. We kept Lia entertained in the evenings by opening each of the "presents" from that day's haul and assembling them in the living room. All of our purchases required some degree of assembly, which forced us to use our Leatherman in new and unconventional ways.

This paragraph is mostly for Benjamin's entertainment...
Michelle found coupons in the Tuesday paper for Coca-Cola 12-packs at the unbelievable price of $1.59, in addition to rotisserie chickens for $3.88, Jiffy Peanut butter for $0.69, and fresh strawberries for $0.99. Needless to say, we purchased and ate two of each (with the help of a few friends.) We were supposed to be limited to one item per family/per household, but we pulled the sheep's wool over Winn-Dixie's eyes and procured separate discount cards for the two of us! Which leads us to a future goal: Michelle and I aim to dine at each and every restaurant in Hattiesburg before departing, three years from now. This, mind you, is no small feat as Hattiesburg has twice as many restaurants as churches...believe that! Thus far, we (and in some instances, just I) have eaten at the following:

Cici's Pizza - 2 X Pizza buffet @ $3.99
Chesterfield's - Burger, fries, & Coke $8.99
Garfield's Restaurant & Pub- Burger, fries, & several beers $15.00
Subway - on more than one occasion...pricing is the same as everywhere else
McDonald's - on more than one occasion...pricing is the same as everywhere else
Peking Garden Chinese Buffet- 2 X buffet @ $6.99
Lenny's Sub Shop - 1 footlong Ham & Cheese, potato chips, & Coke $7.50
Mohagany Bar - brunch ?
Buffalo Wild Wings - 2 X Burger, fries, & Coke $5.99

All this talk of food and now I'm hungry. Fortunately, now that Michelle is around, I don't have to return home and prepare spaghetti for the 4th consecutive afternoon. Instead, we'll have turkey, lettuce, cheese, & cucumber sandwiches on homemade wheat bread with chocolate chip cookies and milk on the side. Listen, we've got to go. More on Wednesday...we promise.

Michelle & Lia arrived almost two weeks ago on a Sunday morning as the sun was rising in the east. It's my understanding that they rang the doorbell and knocked for a solid ten minutes before I awoke to let them inside. I was a bit upset and felt unwanted...or maybe I just wanted some sympathy after a 25-hour car ride. I was without glasses, woefully tired, and generally confused as I apoligized for answering the door in my boxers and welcomed them into our new apartment. Through squinted eyelids, I saw that Michelle's belongings more closely resembled Tetris pieces than tables, guitars, clothes, basketballs, etc. and silently wondered if I ought to contact NASA to maximally utilize her skill set. It's all of Jude's crap that forces me to use this God-given talent.

Lia left Michelle and I three days ago, but not before we hit up a few of the hotspots in Southern Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana. Hattiesburg isn't much of a tourist destination, at least not as far as we're aware, and so we began by visiting Mobile, Alabama. Jude promised us white sand beaches, complete with pina coladas and miniature umbrellas. However, in reality, we got a city park complete with public boat access and a "swim at your own risk" advisory. It was only partially my fault...that's all I'll say. In truth, everyone enjoyed themselves and Lia can attest to that fact. After our dip in The Gulf, Michelle turned us around...and around again as we made our way to the Botanical Gardens. Finally, heat and exhaustion took effect and we were forced to pull over for food and directions. The Brick Pit served us the finest pulled pork, grilled chicken, and spare ribs this side of the equator. Each was slathered in a zesty barbeque sauce and at the meal's end, we left with full bellies, stained fingers, and pools of barbeque sauce still on our plates. When we did reach the botanical gardens, it proved less than spectacular and if it weren't for the adjacent frisbee golf course, I might even report a complete waste of time. Unfortunately, I was permitted only 9 holes of frisbee golf and as retribution for this injustice, I demanded that Michelle run 4 miles with me. When the sweat finally dried we loaded up the car and headed home. That's right, Jude thinks he's punishing me with 4 miles of running....it was he, who was wheezing at the end.

Sorry, our bellies are crying out for food. We promise to post again on Monday.

Jude insists there be no gender bias in our relationship and just look how he takes advantage! Then again, I do find him adorable in his apron, frying eggs and blending an orange julius!

Michelle & Lia "mugging" for the camera at the Botanical Gardens in Mobile, Alabama.

Michelle & Lia strolling down the pier and into the Gulf of Mexico. (Mobile, Alabama.)

Lia & I fulfilling our scholarly duties near the Spanish Fort in Mobile, Alabama.

Shahzad (Michelle's brother in-law) & I mudding and sanding in their new office.