It seems like Tex and Shirley’s Family Restaurant has always been on Pembroke Road in Friendly Shopping Center serving breakfast, but it won’t be much longer. Tex and Shirley’s is moving, and the last day at its current location is Sunday, Dec. 24. So if you’re just dying for some Tex and Shirley’s pancakes, you might want to get over there before Christmas.

*****

Maybe the name will grow on me, but Central North Carolina International Airport is not very appealing. I agree that Piedmont Triad International Airport was not a good name, but it’s hard to see how the new name is much of an improvement.

The good news is that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) code will not change. It will remain GSO. Take that Winston-Salem and High Point. What would be truly great for the airport would be more flights at lower rates.

And really, who refers to an airport by its name? I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say they were flying out of Douglas, which is the name of the Charlotte Airport. Do people say, “Oh no, I have to change planes at Hartsfield-Jackson.” – the name of the airport in Atlanta?

In cities with more than one airport, Kennedy or LaGuardia in New York, the name is used, but it’s going to be a while before the Piedmont Triad has another major airport.

I have flown in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport for years and never knew it had Liberty in the name until I just looked it up.

I think maybe I would have gone with the Greenpoint Salem International Airport and confuse people even more.

Or the name that makes the most sense – the Toyota-Mazda International Airport. Or even “Hoorah for Toyota-Mazda International Airport”

At the same time they could announce that there would be daily nonstop flights to Tokyo. Those flights would have to be heavily subsidized by the state at least for a while, but if it brought the Toyota-Mazda plant to Randolph County, it would be well worth the expense. And if the state were subsidizing the flight then people who reside in North Carolina should get a discount and Tokyo might become a prime location for vacationing North Carolinians.

*****

For me the weather so far this month has been one of the things that makes me like calling North Carolina home. We had snow but the temperature never fell low enough for it to cause problems on the roads. So we got the beauty of a snow but not the problems. Then we had a couple of cold nights with the temperature in the 20s and Tuesday the high was near 70. I suppose if you don’t like variety this would be a terrible place to live, but if you like having to look at the weather forecast to know whether to put on shorts or an overcoat, it couldn’t be better.

*****

You can learn a lot traveling.

Recently, when the Muse and I were in Portugal, I didn’t feel well and the Muse went out and bought some cold medicine, which unfortunately is not more or less effective than the cold medicine we have on this side of the pond.

But there were some pills whose name I didn’t recognize and I don’t take random stuff, so I read all about all the dangers and side effects. I mean this stuff sounded really deadly. And then, when I got to the bottom, there was a note that it was also sold under the name Tylenol.