Hello, Texas.......

I was back in Amarillo for some time with family and friends. In Texas, one experiences all kinds of things one doesn't  get in Portland. In case you haven't been to Amarillo, I will hit the highlights.

Yup! Those are cows in the city.

1. SUNSHINE ( and flat brown landscape)  Although the sun was shining, the wind chill set the temp about 10 degrees lower. The air was so dust ridden that the sky spit an odd type of mud for a few minutes.  Any dryer and I would have disintegrated into a pile of crumbs like a crushed saltine, been swept into an envelope, and mailed back to Portland. It ain't pretty compared Portland, and if you are there long enough, you get used it .

6 kinds of Mac & just gettin' started

2. MAC & CHEESE - I had never been to a Mac & Cheese cook off. I sampled about 24  takes on this old time comfort food. Some were original and super tasty. Others made me want to spit. (I actually did spit a few times.) I have no idea who won the contest as my family was done eating and headed towards the nearest couches. Even taking only a bite or two of each caused me to swell up like the blueberry girl in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I did manage to waddle out on my own without a trip to the juicing room.

Bucket o' Coke

3. EVERYTHING'S BIGGER - Ordered a tall and got the PDX equivalent of grande. Ordered a glass and got a bucket. The ribs and brisket at the local BBQ joint are served by the POUND with an entire loaf of white bread. The Chicken fried steaks are the size of a plate served in a mini swimming pool of country gravy. The trash cans are enormous too, and they are right behind everyone's house. Imagine being able to legally throw away a chair or a dead goat right behind your house. If you are from PDX, you can't. If you are from Texas, no problem.

Mandy

4. ANIMALS EVERYWHERE - My sister has a horse in her backyard. When I was a little kid my babysitter told me how a horse killed her daughter. Ever since I have been terrified of the hoofed beasts. I overcame this deadly story and mustered the courage to feed Mandy. I am grateful that I didn't die.

Buddy

My mother's Brittany is one of the dumbest dogs I have ever met.  He runs the fence line non stop, has jumped through closed (yes, I said closed) windows, destroyed blinds and bedding, and gone AWOL so many times, mom has lost count. In spite of his insanity, this dog is makes me smile every time he sheds his white hair all over my black jeans. He sits with his crossed paws and throws his simpleton gaze straight at my heart. He subbed in for my own kids so I didn't dissolve from lack of dog love while I was away.



In spite of all these great benefits, I am glad to be back in Portland where a tall is a tall, it rains all winter,  and I can't throw any large animals in the trash by my house. I missed you Portland. It's good to be home.
lw