Yes, we are in Texas

It is a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Texas. Wonderful rumbly thunderstorm yesterday (sorry, Emma!) and almost 2" of rain according to the gauge in the back yard. The sun is out today but the wind is still out of the northwest, blowing cold air down from the Rockies.

I made split pea soup for dinner -- it always tastes better with dry sherry in it so.....

I went to HEB to pick up beer and wine for dinner (company coming, not sure which they prefer) and a bottle of sherry to douse the soup. As I checked out, the young woman dragging my items over the scanner said, "This item can't be sold today, due to the alcohol content". In her hand was the bottle of sherry. I must have looked like an idiot-- my jaw dropped and I said, "you must be kidding". She said she wasn't and dragged the bottle across the scanner again -- a big red box showed up on the display telling me she was not kidding. I was flummoxed -- I could not believe it. All I could manage to say was something about perhaps a sign to advise shoppers (particularly those who had not lived in Texas all their lives and were unaware of the bizarre laws) of the law.

This is an amazing place. The state government does not care whether children have access to healthcare or not, but, by damn, they will make sure that people cannot buy beer and wine before noon or any other type of alcohol at all on a Sunday.