# Southern Directions



## dejavoodoo114 (Jun 29, 2017)

I had an interesting night and felt like sharing. I often have problems figuring out where I am going here in TN because of the lack of road signs, roads that don't look like roads, no reception, people who use landmarks that haven't been there for decades (no joke!) etc...

Last night I received a call at 11 pm saying a doe was having complications in delivery. (Late night calls about goats are not unusual) So I start gathering my delivery kit together. Then I get a call back saying no, its a doe that kidded last week but she is down, head was twisted back, doesn't want to stand. OK then, different kit... 

Then come the directions! I have been to their barn but only from their house a on gator, which is the only way to travel those back roads. Last night I had to get to it from the main road with my minivan. "Take a right where that house burned down 3 years ago." (What house???) "Then take the first left, oh yeah, its a dirt road." (there is no way out here to tell the difference between a dirt road and a dirt driveway...) "Drive between the house and the shop."  (What house and what shop? Oh, the nonexistent road in between... Of course, that makes perfect sense.) "And you will recognize our barn." (at 2330 when I'm rock climbing/mudding with my minivan when I have only been there once and wasn't exactly sight seeing????) "Oh yeah, we don't have reception out there." (well, how convenient since I never do either! In other words, DON'T get LOST! Easier said then done. ) 

Ah well. Poor doe has mastitis and at least they know what is wrong and I brought everything they needed to treat her except Today. I was home by 0130 and, for no more than 2 seconds, thought "I am crazy". Then I remembered, I love this! This is why I am going to vet school! Now I just have to hope I don't need any of the stuff that I left with them.


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## lcertuche (Jun 29, 2017)

I know what you mean people here was always giving me directions and saying you know go past McConaughey's or turn across from McConaughey's... It turns out after 2 years I learned it is a convenience store across from my church.


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## babsbag (Jun 29, 2017)

Turn at the big rock next to the big tree. You know the tree, it was the one that fell a few years ago.  Oh yeah, the was before you lived here. But I am sure you can find the rock...it's gray.


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## dejavoodoo114 (Jun 29, 2017)

Yes! Exactly! So many times I was given direction to go past a church that closed and was torn down 20 years ago! And the times they name the different "hallers" and I'm like, "what the heck is a haller?" Took me two years to learn they meant hollow... then I had to google what the heck that was exactly!  Isn't it fun moving to a whole new culture?


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## babsbag (Jun 29, 2017)

I have lived in CA my entire life but Northern CA is a different mindset and I love it. Unfortunately the people from the big city are moving here to "get away" and bringing their culture and their "gang banger" children with them. Even in 11 years I have noticed the changes. It's sad to see it change.


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## dejavoodoo114 (Jun 29, 2017)

Getting away from city culture was one of the reasons we moved out to the country. But country in OR is way different from country in TN. But then, both places are different from CO and MA and SC etc... All places I have lived. But home is always the green NW even though I will probably end up living here in the humid hot south for the rest of my life. lol I have also noticed more people moving out to this area we are now and don't like any more than the "real" locals.


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## babsbag (Jun 29, 2017)

I could never live in the humid south. I would have a tough time with parts of OR, I could do Medford or Grants Pass but not Corvalis. I like the sun too much so I am stuck in CA; unfortunately it is becoming so ridiculous in many of its laws and restrictions that it is getting really hard for me to stay here.


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## dejavoodoo114 (Jun 29, 2017)

I know all about the laws! My dad keeps me well informed. He always says that what CA starts will eventually make its way north. They keep talking about moving away from those dang laws but they love the NW too much I think. Not that I blame them. TN was not where I wanted to end up but my husbands work brought us here and here we are.  He promised me a home with a screened in porch so I didn't have to deal with bugs and a library for my books if we moved here. He upheld his part of the bargain for sure!

You know, OR really isn't humid. It rains a lot but it just isn't humid. After the rains it is just fresh and clean. No sticky heat like the south! And not nearly as many bugs!!!!


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## dejavoodoo114 (Jun 29, 2017)

I am actually from a town named Boring. Portland Metro area. Corvalis is on the border between the Willamette Valley (nice and green and clean) and the dessert so Corvalis may actually get a bit of humidity... I sure do miss the ocean now that I am landlocked. And the mountains... Shhhh, I am getting nostalgic! The pastures in this state seem to grow all year long. They are great!


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## babsbag (Jun 29, 2017)

I have always had the ocean a few hours away at the most and the mountains usually closer. But since I started raising goats I haven't had the time to enjoy (or miss) either one. What made you move to TN?


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## Mike CHS (Jun 29, 2017)

Do they do everything behind schedule and in slow motion in East Tennessee?

They are like that here and we find ourselves getting into that mode.  I have gotten to the point that if I have to hurry to get somewhere, I don't go.


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## dejavoodoo114 (Jun 29, 2017)

@babsbag, we moved here for my husbands work. He works in the nuc industry and Oak Ridge is a hot spot for that! (pun intended)

@Mike CHS, Yes, oh yes, everything is very slow here as well! We have also found ourselves slowing to the pace around here. Makes it hard to get things done. The heat sure doesn't help for those of us not used to it. I confess, I delayed making dinner tonight... Then realized I would have to rush to get it done at a decent hour.... So I just finished ordering pizza delivery.... I don't like being in a hurry anymore either! It is far to easy to become lazy here!
ETA: Makes it almost impossible to hire workers as well...


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## Mike CHS (Jun 29, 2017)

I have a teen that does a lot of work for us and he's a keeper.  We arranged for new siding for our home two months ago and 3 of the 4 sides is now finished but we know that at some point they will getooit since they will want to get paid..


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## dejavoodoo114 (Jun 29, 2017)

Mike CHS said:


> they will getooit since they will want to get paid..


 So very true! I have that problem with "professionals" as well!

I have tried to find some teens that are willing to work but no luck. The ones who know how to work are working on their parents/grandparents farms already... I have even had a hard time finding an adult who understands what square means... My whole family is in construction. Makes me really hate being crippled sometimes! I want to stop them and do the work myself!


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## Southern by choice (Jun 29, 2017)

Oh I so get this.... Love when some we get... 
turn BEFORE you get to the old Johnson's house.   Mind you the Johnson's been gone for 30 years now 

Or past the brick house with the green shutters- well you can't really see the house it's back in the woods but right after that. 

Past the mill left at the old silo.... UM WHICH SILO? There are 20 Silo's! 
"We're the dirt road with the green farm pipe gate" 

There is a saying here... if you don't know where you are going... then you don't belong... go back home Yankee!  I somewhat agree


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## dejavoodoo114 (Jun 29, 2017)

I was really frustrated about it when we first moved here 6 years ago. Now I kind of enjoy it! It can be hilarious trying to get directions that I will actually be able to follow sometimes! Love that saying. I haven't heard it here but that may be because I am still not considered a local... We actually did a fair amount of research on the civil war so that we could riposte when someone tries to call us Yankees. We are from the NW not the NE! It actually works and they accept us. Go figure.


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## Mike CHS (Jun 29, 2017)

Rural folks know you even when they don't know you.  

I posted a story before but years ago that we didn't have a mail box at our place because we were only here a few days a month while renovating.  For some serious miscommunication we got a refund check mailed to us to our home address and the envelope obviously contained a check.  Two months later we called the Post Office to arrange for a PO Box since we were starting to have mail go to us there.  The Post Master said I'm glad you called.  I have been holding a check for you for a couple of months but didn't know how to contact you.  We had never been in there but they knew who we were.


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## goatgurl (Jul 1, 2017)

I used to work as a home health nurse in the arklahoma area and have gotten some directions like you wouldn't believe and been to some places that I swear I heard "the banjos" play.  was in a place where the supervisor said if you hear gunfire in the leaving room just jump out grannys bedroom window.  never had to jump thank God.   might have taken me a while but I always found who I was looking.  every day was an adventure.  and time and slowness, shoot I live between the hill folk and the Indians.  ain't no one here in a hurry and I like it that way


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