Shelby, North Carolina

On 20 April, Petra and I drove 10 hours south to North Carolina to stay with a host family, Rebecca and Tim Plonk, who have two identical 11 year old twins, Nikki and Alex.  The girls are horse crazy and have 2 horses on their grandparents farm.  The grandparents own about 300 acres and grow alfalfa hay commercially.  Tim keeps bees but only has 3 active hived working.  He gave me 4 jars of the most delicious honey.

Their house is one storey and has 3 bedrooms with a large lounge and family room, an inground pool and a separate hot tub on a one acre lot.  None of the houses are fenced and their street has lovely homes with pools in attached to each.

Food that is different:

Toasted ham biscuits – scones baked in the oven, but in half and filled with ham warmed in the frying pan.

Gritts – yet to try these.

They talk with such a southern drawl – it sounds so funny.  Things they say:

Funny – (pronounced fuuuun nnny)

I’ll see you all in a little bit – (pronounced I’ll see ya aalll in a little bit)

If you want to ride hills….. (pronounced heels)

I am staying with the Plonks until Friday when Petra returns from New Jersey to pick me up and we’ll head 3hrs south to Athens for our next race.  We have another host family lined up for our stay in Athens.