I have been a resident (off and on) of Texas now for the past year and a half and the following are some of my impressions of life in the “lone star state”

The donut should really be part of the Texas state flag. Donut shops are everywhere. I was in a little place in the west Texas panhandle called Muleshoe and there were three donut shops in a town of eight hundred and everyone was sold out before 10:00am.

For the second time in my life I live in an area where I an extremely handicapped by being mono-linguistic.

It’s my first experience living in a multi-generational household. I am the only male, so I spend a lot of time in the garage or back in Tennessee when it’s too hot in the garage(which is basically nine months out of the year).

I live in Kyle, which is the “pie capital of Texas.” Don’t take my work for it, the Texas state legislature proclaimed it such, some time in the past.

The people that live around me tell me that I live in a part of Texas called the “hill country.” These are people who clearly have a different definition of “hill” than I do.

In my back yard I have several “trees”, that my neighbors tell me are “big trees”. These trees might be all of ten or twelve feet tall.

I was very surprised to find kolaches were very popular until I learned that I live in a part of Texas known at the “Czech belt.” The local Chinese restaurant sells kolaches through a drive up window in the morning, and just like in Muleshoe, they’re gone by 10.

If you’re ever in Driftwood, Texas (not really sure where the name of this town is derived from, since its pretty far removed from any body of water) I highly recommend the Salt Lick Barbecue. You won’t be disappointed.

My neighborhood website has a “snake watch” in which the local population is warned of any sightings of various and sundry venomous serpents seen skulking about the neighborhood. This is a first for me. I guess Texans love their snakes.

Evidently, turn signals are optional equipment on vehicles sold in Texas.

My granddaughter’s nanny is a former Nicaraguan army officer. Apparently, this isn’t all that unusual for Texas. But it seems to me it’s a rather odd career choice for a former military person. She only speaks Spanish so I haven’t really gotten to know her. My granddaughter understands her just fine, and she’s just two, I feel kind of stupid in general, but even more so when I’m around her nanny.

There is one cop for every five people in Texas. I have never lived anywhere that has so many law enforcement personnel. I can’t imagine anyone getting away with anything in Texas, but apparently it’s a problem.

When in Texas, I drive around in a Honda Civic…in Texas.

Armadillos.

These are just a few of my first impressions. I’m sure as time goes on some will be altered. Oh, and one of my neighbors asked me if I had any guns, and that if I needed one, just to let him know. This also, was a first.