Irn Bru

I don't know why it's so difficult to find Irn Bru in the USA.  Maybe I simply have to listen for the skirling of the pipes and follow the music - like chasing down an Irish leprechaun in search of his pot of gold. My sense was that there would be someplace in Austin that would sell the remarkable Scottish beverage - since if it's exotic or weird - it should be available in Austin. 

Since I will be traveling through Austin tomorrow  after work, on my way to the LSP compound, I called "All Things Celtic" in Austin. The owner knew what Irn Bru is, but didn't sell it. So it's not "all things Celtic" is it? He told me to 'sod off'. I could buy any narcotic on an Austin street corner but not Irn Bru. That tells you how screwed up Austin hippies are. Irn Bru contains quinine, caffein and a number of other questionable chemicals that are said to prolong life and do other remarkable things to your love life.  An Austin hippie will ingest dirt if he thinks that there are exotic chemicals in it. 

I'm not suggesting that Irn Bru is a marital aid,  that it will make you better looking, stronger or that it will put more hair on your chest, but many Scots might.

Irn Bru commercials:

Journey of Discovery

In search of the real Texas.

I've been on the road again and have a few thoughts to share regarding the Lone Star State. First, the art available at the roadside would look good in any trailer in this country. Serious effort goes into creating things of joy that can grace your mobile home for years.

In the cities (I've been primarily in Houston on this trip), there are signs all over warning that if you come into the restaurant or business with a firearm on your hip that they will take legal action. What is THAT all about? In the country, they don't have signs like that (and they sell cool sculptures).

There was a Turkish cultural exhibit in front of the Alamo in San Antonio with loud Turkish music. Who allows THAT? Who is in charge in that city? In front of the Alamo's sacred ground? The only people who appeared to be involved in it were Turks. The good old boys cut them a wide berth.

LeMat pistols are available for those of you who like such things at Dixie Gun Works. I saw one of these replica LeMats and naturally I needed to add one to my collection. The nice man who had it directed me to the appropriate website.

Given that there are signs in stores warning you not to wear your firearms inside, everyone that I met wanted to discuss firearms. I always shared my personal wisdom that 'slaves are never armed'. Everyone agreed. I didn't speak with the Turks, dancing in front of the Alamo about that, but it might have been interpreted the wrong way.

A surprisingly small group (based on my informal interview) of Texans attend snake handling churches. One interesting itinerant preacher at a gas station suggested that if I wanted to attend a holiness church that took up serpants, I should look to East Texas, Alabama or Kentucky. Further investigation revealed that The Rock House Holiness Church (Jackson County Road 415, about 80 miles southwest of Houston) handles snakes on Friday and Sunday services as does the Tabernacle Church of God in San Angelo (20 miles north of I-10, southeast of Midland, TX).  I'm sure that there are more but these are the only specific congregations that came up. Unfortunately I will not be in Texas this Sunday, so you won't get a first-hand report.

From what I learned deep fried butter is a "fair food" and is not sold at a lot of locations. REALLY?