Texas

What do you like the best about Texas? What could you do without about Texas?
We were at the Morlocks, just yaking while the youth group played kickball outside (yeah, 97degrees and they're out in it running. Youth is most definitely wasted on the young.), and started in the Bud Lite 'Real Men of genius' commercials . . the one about 'Mr Way too Proud of Texas Guy'. And sure enough, everyone in that room knew the flag, motto, song, bird, reptile (I kept saying "Armadillo!" . . Reptile? Hmmmm . . . Impressive intelligence, huh?) ,and just about everything that pertains to Texas. It was cool to be so 'in' to where you live.

But it hit me that there are definite disadvantages to living here. For one, the allergies. I always was a snotty sort when it came to people with allergies. I felt I was above that sort of thing . . Ha! And the heat - - - how do you explain it? Well, our first cousin, the Surface of the Sun, sends his regards. Stupid heat! 'Makes-you-wonder-what-the-Lord-is-thinking' heat. And the droughts. Storms part like the Red Sea in front of Moses here in Pleasanton - honest. Then form into mega storms on the other side. Unreal! Oh yeah, you hear about the floods - - right, like they happen often. People here in South Texas look forward to a cold front like most people look forward to Christmas.

And the good? Gotta be the people. The people make it worth every sneeze, every drop of sweat, every dry hour.

We had a chance to get out of here - head to Montana, build a log cabin and live a dream we've had since forever. Leave all this heat, all these oppressively dry days, be able to sing again because peanut dust hasn't ripped my throat to shreds. But we couldn't do it. The people here held us in place. Their love reminded us of our love. And so here we stay.

Anyone who knows me, really knows me, realizes what that cost me to give that up.

I think that states my feelings better than any prose.