May Day

There will be no Maypole dancing today. We awoke to a blanket of snow on the grass and roofs and it has been snowing on and off all day. Coral and India are about to pack up and head south. Leith told his friend that snow is good because we can ski on it. Sadly, most of the resorts are closed and our gear is all stowed.

A distraction from the absence of Spring is the opening of the new Harmon's grocery store- or rather, grocery 'wonderland'. Now, the closest store to us is a huge, fancy collection of gourmet food products. It is really over the top with a gelato bar, Pan-Asian takeout, mezzanine cooking school, fabulous produce & flower departments, incredible bakery, and amazing customer service. I had a little chat with the demonstration chef about the fish he was cooking. He told me just how to make the 'Prosciutto Wrapped Halibut with Lemon Thyme Butter' and then directed me to his associates at the fish and deli counters for all the ingredients. I cooked it all for dinner with artichokes and country French bread- pretty tasty. Too bad I didn't bring home the Pink Grapefruit Gelato for dessert- maybe next time.

It is a good thing I ate before book club or I would have lost my appetite. By strange coincidence, our book choice this month was Escape by Carolyn Jessop who left the FLDS polygamous cult with her 8 children several years ago in a dramatic, dangerous, and pretty amazing 'escape'. I was not happy to read it as I thought I could pretty well imagine the disturbing details, but felt compelled to proceed after the raid on the FLDS compound in Texas.
It was every bit as gross and heartrending as I imagined, but I am glad to have the background information as I watch the situation in Texas play out. I have many questions about the legal aspects of the raid and all that will follow, but no question at all about the hideousness of the inner-workings of this closed society. I am reminded of the Mafia the more I know about it.
A big 'Thank You' to all the media who have correctly portrayed the historical connection but current differences between the FLDS and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
And, apparently, DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS! The FLDS are in Texas precisely because their increasingly abusive and extreme lifestyle was becoming more and more difficult to conduct in Utah and Arizona because of increased investigation and prosecution. I hope they will soon find themselves with no refuge anywhere.