In Which We Return to the Old Country

 

It has been 45 years since I lived in Texas, more than half my life, but my family insists on referring to my occasional returns there as "coming home".  In fact, coming home is what happens when I get off the plane in San Francisco.

I will be spending the weekend in Houston visiting my family and stuffing myself with the excellent Mexican food and barbecue that is so available there.  

There are plenty of people who are rather sniffy about Tex-Mex food, but I am not responsible for their eating disorders.  Tex-Mex is simply the finest evolution of Mexican food.  Many of those same people will go on that tiresome length about the different regional cuisines of Mexico; my claim is that Texas is simply one of those regions.  Change my mind, as the kids say these days.

Of course there's more to jetting off to Texas than enchiladas and ribs, my only remaining brother has Parkinson's and is apparently not doing well so I'm going to be checking in on him and seeing if I can harass him into feeling better.  I am 70 years old and he still regards me as his "little brother".  I think that's adorable. 

Also our dear, dear niece Amber will be making an appearance with her very amusing husband Spanky.  The fact she was thoughtful enough to provide me with a nephew named Spanky is enough to earn my eternal gratitude.  Our first naked guy of the week is in her honor: