SATURDAY - HALLOWEEN (almost)

Although Halloween is actually tomorrow it is being celebrated (!) today.  My neighbour told me to turn my porch light off if I didn't want any trick or treaters (I wondered who would, but maybe I'm a spoilsport) apparently they are not allowed to call unless the porch light is on.   As it happened though I set off for Walmart as it was getting dusk, so did turn it on before I left.   On the way I was stopped at a traffic light and all of a sudden, without any warning, my engine died.   Normally I drive to Walmart along a quiet residential road, avoiding traffic lights, but tonight for some reason something prompted me to take the main north/south road through Shawnee so when my engine died I was in a busy traffic area where someone moved it off the road and lent me their cell phone so I could call AAA to tow me home.  He was a kind young man, said he was going to Walmart but would stop on the way back if I was still there.   I was glad I had the porch light on, the towing vehicle could see what he was doing as he backed up the drive.


As soon as I got indoors I rang Mark because I am worrying about the cause of the problem, whether it is going to be a major repair or something minor like a loose wire somewhere, and I don't want to be worrying until I get it to the garage on Monday.   Mark said he will come out with Stephen in the morning to look at it.  Bless them.   He calmed me down, saying it might just be something disconnected, or the electronic ignition which is easily seen to.

I went out this morning and had breakfast, hash brown casserole and fried apples, at the Cracker Barrel Country Store and Restaurant.   I had thought of going to Walmart while I was up that end of town but it would have been busy.

Bubbles has found another place to sleep underneath my computer desk.  I think my snoring probably got too much for her.  When I'm at the computer I usually put my feet up on that box and blanket.

Election Fever
Excitement is mounting as the gap closes in the contested seats, which are the yellow ones (above).    Nevada (east of California) is critical because it is the Senate seat of the House Majority Leader, and Obama's right hand man and the candidates at the moment are neck and neck.     There's going to be fun and games in Alaska.  The Tea Party candidate won the Republican Primary, upsetting the sitting Republican Senator, Lisa Murkowski, but instead of accepting defeat she said she was going to stand as a Write In candidate (voters just write her name in on the ballot paper) which could very likely split the vote and let the Democrat in.  To further muddy the waters  there's going to be 160 Write In candidates.  And not only that, their names have to be spelled correctly which doesn't bode well for Senator Murkowski.   Lawyers are going to be in attendance at the count.   


Fox News has some very fine state of the art election technology.

Thursday/Friday

Thursday
It is still summer in Oklahoma but in some parts of the country winter has come with a vengeance.  There is very heavy snow in Washington state.  I heard Fr Clark say it was winter in the mornings here and summer at lunchtime, which is true.  It is a chilly 57 in the mornings, then goes up to the mid 70s.


Larry Sparks, the head chaplain at the hospital was the speaker at our Kiwanis group this morning and he talked about his recent mission trip in the summer to Malawi which was very interesting, his church supports four orphanages there.  When I was young and wanted to be a missionary it was an impossible ambition, but now I look back and wonder why.  Lots of people are missionaries.


We haven't had the children for a little while but everyone was pleased to see them today.  They are from the Early Childhood Development Centre and were picked to be the 'students of the month'.  They were presented with a certificate and a trophy.  They recited something saying how loved and special and unique they are, adults here are very keen on building self esteem in children.

Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Receiving their little certificates and trophies.  Larry Sparks is seated on the far right of the picture.


I've volunteered to read at the school, I think it is fortnightly on a Monday afternoon, for an hour.  Hazel, the member in charge of the venture brought the books for us all to choose one and take home.  Presumably practice reading it.  Next Thursday we will be briefed as to when and where to meet.


Larry, on his way out, threw me under the bus.  Turning round he told everyone they should get me to talk and tell them my story (which he'd got me to do in the hospital chapel, just after I started there). The leaders closed in on me.  I tried telling them everyone knows how and why I'm here and it's not very interesting, but they insisted they didn't, and they were interested.  So I've been signed up to speak on December 16th.


We had Communion at noon.  Fr Clark is away for two Thursdays in November, and he is retiring at the end of the year so his days among us are numbered.  Afterwards five of us went to lunch at the Benedict Street Market and Deli, and it was very nice.


Friday
I am sure you have all seen the news of the thwarted terror attempt, bombs on UPS planes, one in Dubai and the other at the East Midlands Airport (described bemusedly as a 'small, remote' airport north of London. I am sure that until today people thought Heathrow was the only airport we have)     Fox News were covering it all day and I watched until it was time to go to the hospital for my chaplaincy round.   Then I got home and it was still being covered.  The President came on television in the middle of the afternoon and addressed the nation.   It is widely believed that more terror attacks are on the way.

TUESDAY

I got my new printer at Staples, I went for the cheapest in the store, it was $79.98, but it's mighty fine, it prints, scans, photocopies, faxes and prints photographs.  there's a little pack of photo cards in with the ink cartridges, which were a whopping $52.99 (gulp!) I know it is the ink they make the money on.   I'm going to need the computer guy to set it up for me, and show me how to use it.  And carry it into the computer room.  It's so heavy I just about got it in and out of the car and through the front door.  I am a little old lady after all.   I needed it to print off a claim form for a tax rebate, but I think it'll take all the tax rebate I might get.


The weather has been lovely today, so warm and sunny, the sunshine floods into the front of the house and me and Bubbles are just basking in it, watching telly.  And this was a day I was going to get things done, but all I did was go out for the printer.


The Election is a week today and is dominating all the news.  I hadn't heard anything about Oklahoma in the context of the Election, it is so solidly Republican there's nothing to debate,   It's the only state in the nation where every single county is Republican.  BUT today they made it into the news.  The two candidates for governor are both women.  One has six children (the Republican) and the Democrat hasn't any.  And at last night's debate the Republican played the Mom card.  In listing her qualifications for governor she mentioned the fact that she had raised a family.  There were widespread accusations of sexism.  No male candidate would suggest that being a father qualifies him to be governor.   It won't make any difference to the outcome, she has too big a lead over the Democrat.

In The Murder on the Lake the widow has gone home to Colorado, but is appealing to President Obama to do something about the violence in Mexico.  Call me unsympathetic but I don't know what she expects Obama to do, it's up to the President of Mexico to address the drug violence in his country.  And she and her husband were on the Mexican side of the lake when he was shot.  And there's a tower in the Lake where the border is, there's no mistaking it.  And his body and jet ski have still not been found.


I was rather surprised to learn that at this time of year deer account for 50% of road accidents in Oklahoma.  Just as well I don't go out driving after dark.

MONDAY

After the meals on wheels I took myself to the Cracker Barrel Country Store and Restaurant, treated myself to an all day breakfast of bacon and eggs, friendly service, unlimited hot (tish) tea, and 3 huge pancakes covered in blackberry compote which I put in a box to go.   One of the waitresses there used to work at the nursing home looking after Larry, and it was nice to see her again.


This is predictably beef country, I haven't seen any roast lamb since I've been here, not even in a restaurant, so when I suddenly spotted a leg of lamb in the supermarket this afternoon I fell on it.  My joy was short lived.  It was $66.73!!!! (£42.46)  I just wondered who was going to buy it.  I'm one of the few people in Shawnee paying cash for my groceries.  The majority of the population here are on food stamps.


I put my new printer cartridge in - even though I didn't think it was getting low - and now the printer will not work at all.  I have been trying on and off most of the day, going through the troubleshooting stages, but I still gets sheets of paper with nothing on.   I am now beginning to wonder if it is at the end of its life, it used to be Larry's.  I don't know how long these things last.  Anyone know??


I might go to the friendly neighbourhood computer shop in the morning, but will tell them not to spend too much time on it.


The news is all election coverage, mostly.  There have been two deadly shootings on the border, one was at a teenagers birthday party and 13 died.  The other at a Drug Rehabilitation Centre at Tijuana, and a lot died there.


In the election all the seats are being closely examined and debated.   Where the candidates are running neck and neck the lawyers are lining up, ready for the re-counts.  It is expected that the House will turn Republican.  Some say the Senate might, others that it won't, and the third group that it definitely will.

SUNDAY

Big day at Emmanuel, the Bishop came.  In Chichester they seemed to be always around but here it is a big deal if they come once a year.

There was a confirmation and I think about 16 were confirmed and some were received into the Episcopal church, ie they had joined from another church, Baptist or Pentecostal.

Afterwards there was lunch.  The church provided the meat and drinks, boxed wine and cold tea, and the congregation brought side dishes.

I don't know where they got the smoked beef brisket but it was very nice.  I took a brown rice salad.

The children made the mitres for the table decorations.

The Bishop and his wife are in the background.

This evening I went to Larry Sparks, the hospital chaplain's church.  They are having a Revival.  Revivals are going on at the moment all over Shawnee, except in the Episcopalian and Catholic churches.

The preacher there was from the Cowboy Church, and he brought his congregation with him.  At first they took their hats off when they went into the church but when they put them on I could see a sea of stetsons.  They really needed them on to set them apart from the rest of us.  Their music group all had guitars and I liked the music, but then I do like country and western gospel, which is what it all was.  I didn't stay until the end, I got there at 6 and slipped out at 8.

It has been two or three weeks since I was last there but some children remembered my name and came up to talk to me, which was sweet.

Still in Larry's church.  These flags represent all the countries where he has planted missions, where they are supporting schools and orphanages.  Mission is really what this church is all about.

After I slipped out at 8 I called at Walmart for a printer ink cartridge.  It seemed expensive, more so than at home and most things are cheaper.  It was $34.97, plus the state tax.  I'll have a look at my currency converter.  Yeah, £22.18, I suppose it is about the same?

THURSDAY

The Kiwanis speaker this morning was very interesting.  She was recruiting volunteers for the Medical Reserve Corps, a voluntary organisation set up after 9/11, which helps out at disasters and terrorist attacks.  By law now all volunteers have to be trained, and they have to have had background checks, they can't just turn up and pretend to have medical training, which I gather someone did after the Oklahoma City bombing.  They don't have to all have medical training, there are jobs like manning phones that need to be done. And psychological first aid.  If I was younger I'd seriously consider it, but I think I am too old and too tired now.


But still on the subject of volunteering - one of our members, who is 90 and more active than I am, was also recruiting volunteers to read to the children at the Early Childhood Development Center (I use American spelling when typing an American title).  I'd quite like to do that, and perhaps it is time I had a change from the meals on wheels.


After Kiwanis I took the meals on wheels round, then Communion and lunch at the Red Lobster, which was very nice.  I had wood fired grilled scallops wrapped in crispy bacon, and grilled prawns with a peach bourbon sauce over.  


I wasn't back home very long before it was time to go out again, I had an appointment with a professor of music at OBU - although music wasn't what I was there for.


So I have been out most of the day because I went out again this evening with Sharon to a cookery lesson run by Oklahoma State University, but held in the kitchen of the Tecumseh library.  The last one we went to in August was on campfire cooking and there were more men there than women, this one on pyramid cooking was almost all women.  Pyramid cooking is making different things to produce a balanced meal.  There were 14 of us so the instructor divided us into 7 couples, each producing something different.  She talked for an hour first though, so we had quite a lot of theory.


Sharon hadn't intended bringing her 8 year old grandson but she'd had to, so he cooked with us - standing on a stool measuring and mixing - and he loved it, I think most children do, and I love to see children learning to cook.   We made meatloaf (a popular regional thing down here) but cooked it in muffin tins so it was a lot quicker.   Others did roasted vegetables; chicken salad; spinach, bacon and asparagus; vegetable cannelloni; pizza made with crescent dough and sausage meat, which I didn't think I'd like, but it was surprisingly nice.  Afterwards we all sat down and ate it, having a little bit of everything.    It was all very nice, I really shouldn't be driving after dark though. Tecumseh is only 5 miles away so I thought I'd be alright but it was a bit of a struggle as the main highway isn't lit.

At Christmas people decorate their gardens with snowmen and reindeers etc.  but at this time of year it is pumpkins and scarecrows.  At least I think they're scarecrows.    I love the way the seasons are divided up here and celebrated.

WEDNESDAY - THIS & THAT

Went straight from meals on wheels to the hospital.  Although the meals are 'lunch' I pick them up at 10.30, which seems a tad early and  I did most of my chaplaincy round before lunch.  The hospital is quite quiet at the moment.  The schools are on holiday and the doctors are all off somewhere with their families.


I've mentioned before the unusual first names Americans seem to have.  Three of the patients this morning were called Windi, Rowdy and Stormy.  Don't they sound like something out of a Disney movie.  
It's ridiculous enough when fathers are yelling across supermarkets "Chicago, get over here".   But yelling for Rowdy at the top of your voice.............


Stormy was a young woman so I asked how she got her name, was she born on a dark stormy night?  She said her mother just liked the name.
Which left me wondering how anyone could 'just like' Windi.  


I started another afghan this afternoon while watching the news.  And   in the news.......A 20 year old woman has been appointed Police Chief of a small township of 8500 in the Juarez Valley, a drug trafficking corridor along the Texas border where the drug gangs take over at night, riding through the towns in convoys of SUV's and pickups, assault rifles and .50 caliber sniper rifles.  Two rival drug cartels, the Juarez and the Sinaloa have been battling for control of the single highway through the valley. In past months soldiers and federal police largely took over patrols in the Juarez valley, but they stick to the main road, understandably afraid to venture down the dirt roads the drug gangs use.   I wish her all the best.


The news has also been showing us the riots in Paris.  Newsmen are rather bewildered by the fact that they are rioting over raising the retirement age from 60 to 62.   And ask what would happen here if it was raised from 65 to 67.  Republicans are all saying this is what happens in welfare states, it is going to happen here if Obama brings in health care and other socialist policies.  


They also said that the UK is bringing in spending cuts of $130billion. I wondered if they meant dollars, or pounds sterling.  And we are slashing 500,000 jobs in the public sector.  And the Queen, bless her heart, is taking a 14% cut.    


The favourite British commentator here is Daniel Hannan.  Does anyone there know him?  He is a Euro MP but seems to travel a lot to the States, although today he was interviewed from Strasbourg.  He's also a Conservative and after explaining very clearly the pitfalls of a socialist state a newsman asked if he couldn't alter his birth certificate to show he was born here (so he could run for President).


As the schools are on holiday, as I mentioned, families are all out of town so we didn't have the customary Wednesday meal and activities this evening.   Fr Clark had his confirmation class though so I cut up some watermelon and put it in the fridge for them, and left him a note.

Tuesday

This is the afghan I've just finished.   It's not staying there on the bed though.  After the photo shoot I folded it up and put it away, and put Bubbles' throw/sheet back on the bed.   If I think this needs to be bigger I can always add to it, but feel I have done enough for the moment.


I haven't done a lot today, I just went to the gospel singing at the Senior Centre this morning, and to Walmart this afternoon.


In the news.....There has been the biggest Mexican drug bust in years.  100 tons of marijuana seized in Tijuana, which was enroute to the US, and 11 arrests.      It's about time there was some good news in the drug war.


The electioneering goes on.  At the moment the candidates are having debates (that's what they are supposed to be, they are more like slanging matches).  And they have their raving, monster, loonies.  There are seven candidates for New York governor, one of whom represents the "Rent is too damn high party".


Murder in the post office.....Two employees in a post office, in a very small town in Tennessee, were shot yesterday morning, but few details are being released.  Witnesses say they heard about 9 shots.   The US Postal Service is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the capture and arrest of suspects.   Under Federal law all post offices are required to have security cameras but this one didn't.  

MONDAY

I had a little bit of energy this morning. Most of the time I walk round feeling desperately tired but this morning I washed down the outside of the house round the front porch.  But by the time I'd got back from the meals on wheels I was exhausted and lay down.  Mark stopped by to replace a battery in a smoke alarm and commented that I looked tired.


I did however, while resting, finish crocheting the large afghan I made.  I was glad to finish it because it was getting so heavy and hot working on it.  I will take a photo of it tomorrow.  


I had to go out to the post office and the Golden Corrall buffet diner have just changed their menu to comfort food, so I picked up a takeaway for supper, smoked glazed ham with yam and apple casserole.  


In the news.........
The nearer it gets to the Election the sleazier the campaigning becomes.  Two men opposing the prospective governor of South Carolina have signed affidavits saying they both had sex with her (she is married) back in 2008.  She vehemently denies it but has refused to sign an affidavit herself. It's not enough to just sling mud, it has to be backed up with sworn declarations.


A kid of eleven took a 'joint' to school and said "Mommy and Daddy are breaking the law".   Mommy and Daddy were arrested and the kid and its siblings are with relatives.   Apparently there was a talk about drugs at this kid's school, which is when he got the idea to shop his parents.


There was a segment on the news about the UK drastically cutting its public spending, and holding it up as an example of fiscal responsibility.   Like this is what should be happening over here.  


1 in 3 dogs sold in the United States is from Missouri.   And they are about to pass a law there limiting the number of dogs in puppy mills to no more than 50 at a time.   Which is causing outrage.  People are stomping around saying their chickens, their livestock, will be limited next.   


In The Murder on Falcon Lake the sheriff on the Texas side of the lake is questioning whether the couple could have been involved in a drug cartel as they were photographing the partially submerged church, a known drop off point for drugs.   I thought of that days ago, why has it taken them so long.     

SATURDAY/SUNDAY

Saturday
Was awake early as Rosalyn was coming at 9 to help me take Bubbles to the vet for her shots, and I wanted her to run around for a while; have her breakfast, go to the bathroom, but she decided to have a morning in bed.  Any other day she would be poised on the window sill waiting for me to open my eyes.  


She dived under the bed when she heard me talking to Rosalyn (she's a very nervous cat)but we got her into her cat carrier, which I was proposing to carry on my lap in the back, but Rosalyn opens her hatchback, blowing that suggestion out of the water.  I'm protesting "she can't even see me from there, she won't know what's happening, I need to reassure her". But she just said firmly, while slamming down the door.  "No, she's a cat.  She's going in the back".


She was alright having her rabies shot, but then she had one for feline leukemia (pity humans can't be vaccinated for leukemia) in her thigh and that made her jump, and her claws went into my fingers.  The vet had to lead me away, dripping blood, and dispensing antiseptic ointment and band aids.


Sunday
Went to the 10.30 Service.  Nice to see Fr Clark back.  He'd driven 5,200 miles all the way to New Brunswick in Canada.  The old Brunswick in Germany was where George III's family came from, and after the American War of Independence the Church of England clergy took themselves off to Canada and founded 'New' Brunswick.


In the afternoon I went to the final session - it was a series of six - studying different kinds of prayer.  Sandra, the spiritual director who led it is very pleasant. I am going to see her on Thursday for some one to one spiritual direction.   She is also a Professor of Music at OBU.


Afterwards we all went for a meal at an Italian restaurant, which was nice.

Friday 15th October

I got to the hospital about noon and had lunch with Pattisue and Ron, who was visiting us, he was a volunteer chaplain but left 3 months ago to do a 'proper' job, inspecting cattle on ranches on the west coast, he is off to Montana on Monday.  He was telling us the smallest ranch he inspected was 220 acres, and the largest about 263,000.  He helped us out today as Larry was having a well deserved day off fishing.  He went round ICU while we did the 2nd and 3rd floors.


I just had time to go to Walmart for some shopping before getting ready to go out this evening.  Rosalyn and Bruce invited me to Shawnee Little Theatre to see the musical "Annie".  I enjoyed the show very much and I love the Little Theatre.   Instead of a stage the artists perform in an auditorium and the seating is all round it, so at the end of the show the audience and cast mingle and chat.  I saw a few people there I knew, including Pattisue.   Rosalyn and Bruce had also invited another couple and we all went to Braum's for ice cream.  In the absence of pubs ice cream parlours are the place to go.


The Murder on Falcon Lake .... latest.  Following the delivery of the head of the leading investigator the Mexicans have called the investigation off.  They were told more people would be beheaded if they carried on.  So the drug cartels have won.  Someone said that all the top people in the military are members of one of the cartels.  The Mexican President, Coldorone, really doesn't have a chance of winning the drug war.


Where is Batman and Robin, or James Bond, when you want them.  A friend at home said it sounded like James Bond, and I hoped that when the high speed chase across the Lake is streaming live I will be around to watch it.

Thursday 14 October

I had an Alzheimer's moment this morning and forgot Kiwanis.  It was as well I wasn't collecting the donuts, although if I have a responsibility somewhere I write myself reminders in advance.


I did remember the meals on wheels.   Then joined the little midday service at Emmanuel.  Fr Clark will be back this weekend so we will hopefully have Communion again on Thursday mornings.


Four of us went to lunch at an American place and I enjoyed that.


Most of the rest of the time at home I was crocheting round the edge of a large afghan.


Rosalyn reminded me that Bubbles is due her rabies shot and said she could come with me to the vet on Saturday morning, so I made the appointment.   Getting a cat into its carrier and transporting it, single handedly, to the vet is beyond my competence, so I am grateful to her.


I didn't mention in The Murder on Falcon Lake that when the Police Chief was shot he was beheaded, his body was stuffed in a car and the head was delivered to a military facility.   Gruesome.  I don't think I knew about these drug wars when I was in England.

Wednesday

I turned my bedside light off when miner number 3 was coming up, and when I woke they were up to no 11.  And I just watched for most of the days as the others came up.  I know billions round the world were watching, I don't think there is anything that unifies the world so much as a triumphant end to a disaster.  I remember it was like that when Apollo 13 was coming back to earth and got into trouble, the whole world was watching and wanted the astronauts to survive, and in this scenario there was a sense that the whole world was rejoicing as each miner came up.


They all have their stories.  The wife of one of them gave birth a month ago and a video link was dropped down the mine connecting him to the delivery room.  One wonders if he was able to view it somewhere private, or if all 33 miners watched his wife giving birth.


The miner with the wife and mistress invited the mistress to be at the top of the mine when he came up, so the wife backed off and I gather the marriage is all over.  Sobbing mistress throws herself into his arms, is crying and crying on his shoulder, and he is standing there somewhat nervously (as well he might, he is in front of the world's media) he's not even hugging her back.  I'd love a body language analysis of that clip.


I went to the hospital and had lunch with Larry then did my chaplaincy round.  In the evening went to Emmanuel for the Wednesday meal.  I took a fruit jelly and some brownies I'd bought at the Kiwani bake sale.


In the news.....
The Murder on Falcon Lake.   To recap.  Young couple jet ski across from Texas to Mexican side of the lake. Allegedly to take some pictures of a church on the Mexican side that is half submerged.   Husband is shot.  His body can't be found.  Sobbing wife on television begging Mexicans to look for her husband's body. Texas Governor intervenes. It's then announced that the Mexicans are looking for two brothers believed to have committed the murder.    
to continue.    The Police Chief in charge of the investigation is found shot dead and bundled in the boot of a car (you can't make this stuff up).    It is now believed that the shooting was a case of mistaken identity.  The husband was thought - by the baddies - to be running a rival drug cartel. When it was discovered he was American the baddies took his body and jet ski to avoid an international incident.  I have a credibility issue with that.  When have drug cartels worried about international incidents.


The mistaken identity arose because they lived for a while in Mexico, their car had Mexican registration plates.  And the submerged church they were photographing (because they were interested in 'history') is a major dropping off spot for drugs.


Now, I don't know what you think, but me, if this was a book I was reading, would think "Yeah, they're guilty.  They were involved in the drug cartels.   I'll keep you informed.

Tuesday

Went to the gospel singing at the Senior Centre.  There were only about 15 there, so I gave a little contribution and told the story of one of Fanny Crosby's well known hymns 'Pass me not O Gentle Saviour', saying it was one of my favourites, hint, hint - so someone afterwards kindly sang it for me. I don't want to bore anyone, but I know that some of you reading this know these hymns, so for you I will reproduce what I said. If you are not interested skip over it.



Pass Me Not O Gentle Saviour.  Fanny Crosby wrote over 8000 hymns, some are still well known today while others have been forgotten.  She had an agreement with the publishers Bigelow and Main to write three hymns a week for use in their Sunday school publications.  Sometimes Fanny wrote six or seven hymns a day (is that prolific or what!!!) She was usually paid only one or two dollars for each poem. Those who composed the tunes usually kept all the rights to the entire hymn. Though Fanny could write complex poetry as well as improvise music of classical structure, her hymns were aimed at bringing the message of the Gospel to people who would not listen to preaching.  Whenever she wrote a hymn, she prayed God would use it to lead many souls to Him. The hymn "Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior" written in 1868 became one of the most popular hymns used during the Moody-Sankey services in London.  The hymn is based on a prayer that Miss Crosby heard someone pray at a service, "Savior, do not pass me by."

Afterwards went round town doing my errands.  Called at the Democrat HQ to buy a birthday card for Fr Clark.  Pattisue told me about it.  Although he is away for his birthday I'll post it tomorrow and he will get it when he comes back at the end of the week.

Sarah Palin was the Republican VP candidate running with John McCain at the last Election, and it is widely believed she will run for President in 2012.   I find her so intensely irritating I reach for the mute on the remote when she comes on television, and I think she has the same irritation factor to Democrats.  Obviously you have to know someone's politics before sending a card like this, and I know Fr Clark, like most of the Emmanuel congregation, is a Democrat.


This evening I have been riveted to the television and the rescue of the miners in Chile.  I expect it has been covered on your television as well, although it would be the middle of the night there when it was streaming live.

The first miner being hugged by the Chilean President.  They brought up the four fittest first, in case there were any problems, then the less healthy ones.

This is the wife and son of the first miner with the President and his wife.  There was so much joy and celebration it was wonderful.

This is down in the mine, with the third one getting into the capsule.


There was some competition to be last, because he would be the one in the Guiness Book of Records for having been trapped underground the longest.   I haven't heard it mentioned tonight but there has been some hilarity among the tv anchor men over the fact that one miner has a wife and a mistress, and neither knew about the other until this happened, but then they bonded and have been waiting together for their man to appear.

Monday - Columbus Day

It is a holiday today, but one of those when you have to look around and ask who is on holiday because no one seems to be, meals on wheels are still delivered, shops and businesses are all open, but I am told government offices and banks are closed, and some schools.  In bad weather, when schools are closed, the days off have to be made up so if a principal thinks there might be a bad winter they don't let the children have the less important days off. There's no mistaking the major holidays, Labor Day, Memorial Day, 4th July etc. Supermarket trollies are laden with bbq stuff and beer that's less than 3% alcohol (supermarkets in Oklahoma can't sell any alcohol more than 3%, one has to go to a liquor store).


I was feeling a little out of sorts this morning and after delivering my meals I went to the Cracker Barrel Country Store and Restaurant for an all day breakfast.  It is one place I know I will get hot tea, English Breakfast, no less, and friendly waiting staff.

It wasn't very diet friendly, but it lasted all day.  I asked for a box to go for the pancakes and blackberry compote, and had them for tea and supper.

The gardeners at Emmanuel work hard in the summer keeping the garden looking pretty.

101010

I heard that triple digit dates - 101010 - only occurs 12 times every thousand years.  Something tells me it must be more often than that but I'm not good enough at maths to figure it.


I didn't sleep too well last night at Emmanuel, doing the overnight Family Promise shift with Elizabeth.   Went to bed at 10, read a while, dropped off, woke up and lay there for ages. When I thought it must be about 6 o'clock and time to get up, I looked at the clock behind me and it was 11!!


On weekdays the guests are picked up from the host church but at weekends they have to be taken to the Day Centre.  Elizabeth had the van from the Day Centre so I needed to go with her when she took the guests at 7.30 to bring her back to her car at Emmanuel's car park, so I didn't get home as early as I did on Tuesday.


Fr Clark is still on holiday so I went to the Baptist Church I quite like at 10.30, and was warmly welcomed by my friends from the Senior Centre who belong.  


Also went to Sandra's 4 o'clock class on prayer.


I filled in the rest of the day on the computer, and piecing together afghan squares for a large afghan I'm making.


In the news......The Grand Ole Opry was badly flooded a few months ago and has just reopened today with a Gala birthday celebration.

Dolly Parton is nearly 70.  I look at pictures of her and wonder "Would I look that young if I tried harder.  If I got a wig and eyelashes.  I just wish I knew how her face is so unlined".   She does all her own make up apparently, maybe before she leaves home, so no one ever sees her without the wig, eyelashes and lipstick.

I expect you've had this news at home.  Kim the Younger's Coming Out party.  All the dancing, cheer leading, and military displays in the streets.  And the rather chilling message that the US is their enemy.  


And a further episode in the shooting on Lake Falcon, on the Texas/Mexico border.  The Mexicans are apparently looking for two brothers, connected to the drug cartels, they suspect to be responsible for the shooting.  The tv news anchors apologised to the widow for doubting her story, and suspecting her.  While one feels compassion for people like this who take risks, who jet ski four miles into Mexico's territorial waters, or hike on the Iran/Iraq border and end up in an awful foreign prison; a small part of me can't help thinking they deserve all they get and more than they bargain for.  Why on earth do they do it.

Friday 8 October

I forgot to mention under Tuesday's heading that prior to going to Emmanuel for the night I went to a banquet given for volunteers  (I qualified because of my role in delivering meals on wheels).  It was from 5.30 - 7.30 (I've mentioned before dinner here is in the middle of the afternoon) so I had plenty of time to go on to Emmanuel. Although it finished at 7.30 the band continued to play and people were told they could stay and visit (visit is American for chatting). It was held at the Pottawatomie Tribal Heritage Centre, and was very nice.  This is a photo of the programme.   Every volunteer had a little pearl angel from the table decorations to take home.  There were lots of very nice door prizes (the ticket attached to the programme has a number on it) but sadly I didn't win one.

Today, Friday, I went to the gospel singing at the Senior Centre, it was someone's birthday and everyone took a contribution to a buffet (I knocked up a fruit jelly but put a higher ratio of fruit in it than I would for children, so it was really a fruit salad just set in jelly.  The singing was particularly good, and had a lof of my favourites.

I was talking to this friend at the Senior Centre and someone came up and took our photo, so I asked him to take one with my camera. I don't know why I post photos of myself looking so old and overweight.


Went on to the hospital from the Senior Centre.  Pattisue had been going round the second floor and I told her I'd only just eaten at the Senior Centre but would have a cup of tea with her while she had her lunch.  She told me she'd seen a young woman brought in in handcuffs, who was now on the third floor.  I was going round the third floor but as I approached the room of the handcuffed patient there was loud weepings and wailings and gnashings of teeth emanating from it, and I could see there were doctors and nurses in there.  I will ask Larry, the head chaplain, next week if I should have gone back later, and how does one handle a situation like this.


It seems to have been a day for parties.  The hospital had a tent in the parking lot and were giving out hamburgers and drinks.


After leaving the hospital I was running round doing my errands, one of which was to go to the cemetery as I had a message on my answerphone that Larry's headstone had finally been put in place.  I will need to go back though to clean up the plinth.

In the news......There is outrage here at the fact that the US is pouring millions of dollars of aid into Pakistan and the militants there are attacking NATO forces.  In the latest they torched 55 trucks carrying fuel to the front line.   Still on the subject of war - the Intelligence Services seem to have been working overtime lately.  Drone attacks on the Afghan/Pakistan border have increased, and the five German jihadists there who were preparing to bomb the Brandenburg gate have been taken out.

There has been an ongoing murder mystery for the last few days which is turning into a whodunnit.  A few days ago a couple were jet skiing on Lake Falcon, which is on the border of Texas and Mexico, and the wife alleged that her husband was shot by pirates from the Mexican side.  But his body and jet ski haven't been found.  At first it all seemed straightforward and there was anger with the Mexicans for not looking.  In the latest installment there is blood on the wife's life jacket.  She tried to pull her husband on to her jet ski, so I thought it could be feasible, but I think forensic scientists can tell how the blood got on there.

The case of the officials in the small Californian town getting exorbitant salaries is not going away.  There were ten ringleaders who have already been charged and it has now been revealed that 200 employees were getting $250,000 a year.  The average wage for that town is $50,000.  It has been called corruption on steroids.  The Police Chief at first looked clean but it has since been discovered that he is drawing disability benefit and at the same time ran in a marathon.   I think the neighbouring towns are also being looked into.

Catching Up

Tuesday   I went to the gospel singing this morning, there were quite a few good singers there so I didn't really want to contribute anything, but was encouraged to do so by one of the leaders, so told the short story of the hymn "When the Roll is called up Yonder" which is one of the best known gospel songs.  The italics are mine.

In 1893, James Black was doing the roll call for his Sunday school. Young Bessie, daughter of a drunkard (in the 19th century a drunkard father was about the worst fate a child could have, and many had them) did not show up, and he was disappointed at her failure to appear. Black made a comment to the effect, “Well, I trust when the roll is called up yonder, she’ll be there.” He tried to respond with an appropriate song, but could not find one in his songbook: “This lack of a fitting song caused him both sorrow and disappointment. An inner voice seemed to say, “Why don’t you write one?” He put away the thought. As he opened the gate on his way home, the same thought came again so strongly that tears filled his eyes. (I’ve noticed the 19^th century was also exceedingly sentimental, or maybe we are too hard and cynical in the 21^st) He entered the house and sat down at the piano, the words came to him effortlessly. The tune came the same way and he said he dared not change a single note or word.    I left out the italicised comments when delivering it to the gospel singers.

In the evening I headed out at 8.30 for my all night shift at Emmanuel where we are hosting the Family Promise programme this week.  Took along my silk duvet, which is soft, light, and blissfully comfortable but I can't use it at home because Bubbles prancing over it would soon see it off.  So that was a treat for me.  There are currently three homeless families in the programme; a single mother and her 7 year old, two couples with a four month, and a two month baby.  When I arrived they were all sitting in the dark in the parish hall watching a DVD.  Sharon was doing the shift with me and after some chat with the evening couple we were relieving we went to bed.  I don't know when I last went to bed so early.  We woke up early enough to knock the guests up at 5.30.  The bus from the Day Centre comes to pick them up at 6 and they have breakfast there, except at weekends. When I was waving them off in the early morning dark I thought this really can't be fun for them, being bussed about from place to place, and I hoped they will all soon find jobs and homes, which is what they do for them in the Day Centre.

Our lodger/dosser in the children's tree house was told on Sunday that he would not be able to sleep there this week, and we were told to call the police if he came.  But he didn't.    I am doing Saturday night as well with Elizabeth.

Wednesday.    Sharon and I left the church shortly after the guests.  I went to bed for a while when I got home, sipping tea and watching Fox News.  I didn't really get going until it was time for the meals on wheels.  I got to the hospital at noon and joined Larry and Pattisue for lunch, I went round the second floor which wasn't too busy.  In the evening I decided to stay at home with Bubbles rather than go to the evening meal and activities at Emmanuel.

Thursday.   The Kiwanis speaker was very interesting. She had been Registrar at Oklahoma Baptist University for 50 years and she was talking primarily about the fact that an enormous number of students, particularly overseas students, produce fake credentials and diplomas to take their higher OBU degree courses.  Often the institutions accrediting these diplomas were fake as well, and she the speaker, worked with the FBI in uncovering them.   The worst offenders apparently were in medicine, followed by business and theology.

Fr Clark is still on holiday so we had a short service instead of Communion, then eight of us went to a Mexican restaurant in Tecumseh.  Which was very nice.  

Monday

The weather is lovely now, warm and sunny.  The way we like our summers in Britain.


There is a tendency here to call children after the place where they were conceived, and when these parents are in the supermarket yelling "Chicago, come here" I think they really should have given more thought to it.  Gone somewhere like Pierre in South Dakota, or Montgomery, Alabama.


mnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn (that's Bubbles' contribution)


I invited Rosalyn and Bruce to the movies tonight to see 'The Social Network'.  It's the story of Facebook, or the legal battle behind it.  We enjoyed it but it was so convoluted we agreed we need the DVD to watch it a few more times.


Rosalyn thought it started at 7 but when we got there we found it didn't start till 8, so went to Walmart which wasn't far away.  Rosalyn headed off to look at printers and luggage and Bruce and I made a beeline for the candy aisle where we were ooooooing and ahhhhhhing at the latest new, exotic bars of chocolate.