After a labor-day day trip, I have a new desktop background.

[link]

They keep getting bigger.

Imagine my surprise at seeing beer in grocery stores in Virginia for the first time. I was like, "What will grocery stores sell next, chain saws??" Just, a total violation of category. Like a sporting goods store selling pillow shams, or something.

Hadn't you ever been to New Hampshire or Maine? I think beer and wine have been available in groceries and convenience stores for a long time.

Now, I have gotten more used to the idea. But there are even now little weird details, like, how close you are to the state border, what town you are in, whether it's wine or beer or hard liquor. The "corking fee" for dry town restaurants, where you get to pay for the privilege of bringing your own wine, is the funniest alcohol oddity, to me.

I think the state border thing had to do with package stores being open on Sunday. They're open on Sunday all over, now. My favorite run around the alcohol laws was Caruso's (in Melrose) that would give you wine. They couldn't sell it to you, but they could give it to you. The owner made the wine. It was pretty good.

I'm surprised dry towns have corking fees. Actually, I'm surprised dry towns are BYOB.

You don't want to stop the walking. Arthritis is a use-it-or-lose-it disease. At this point, you probably just need to up your NSAID consumption to keep down the inflammation, and take them before you exercise, not later when it starts to hurt.

So, every time before I walk a significant distance? (I walk 35 minutes each morning and again after work, although it's less if I take a bus or a CTA train instead of Metra.)

"Corking fees" are pretty standard for BYOB restaurants -- it's how they make money on booze without a liquor license.

I think beer and wine have been available in groceries and convenience stores for a long time.

Around here it's weird to have a grocery store than doesn't have beer and wine. We even have liqour stores that sell gas too.

They keep getting bigger.

They're HUGE!

So, every time before I walk a significant distance?

It's what I was told to do, and it seems to work pretty well. I just take two ibuprofen before doing something strenuous.

Actually, I'm surprised dry towns are BYOB.

I just found an 8 minute and 10 second season 2 outtakes video for Veronica Mars, on YouTube [link] Outtakes featuring a Buffista person of interest * Joss Whedon * may be found at about the 3:25 mark.

We even have liqour stores that sell gas too.

If only they'd also sell guns and ammo....