Nostalgia

I'm an expat Texan. I spent the first 23 years of my life there. There's not much from there that I miss—especially Texas politicians like the impeachment-worthy George W. Bush—but I do miss my brother Wally and some of the southeast Texas plant life.

Here on Long Island (New York State), I miss weeping willows, mimosa trees (and see this), and gardenias (and see this). All of those grow here, but not very well at all, so most people here don't bother with them.

O fragrant gardenia! Gardenias are the basis for a cologne my sweet maternal grandmother Lillian (from lovely, historic San Antonio) used to wear: White Shoulders. Because its scent reminded me of her soft hugs, I loved that stuff when I was a teenager and used to wear it all the time, even though no other teens I knew had ever heard of it. Hmmm ... it's been forever since I was a teenager, but it just may be time to get another bottle.

And I miss the fat, wide-bladed grass that grew on many of the lawns in La Porte, the suburb of my childhood. The stuff that grows on lots of Long Island lawns is pitifully thin in comparison.

But you won't see me moving back to Texas.

Texas Bush impeach