The weather has warmed up somewhat, but was very cold this morning when I set off for the donuts. I had on two thick sweaters and Louise commented on the fact that I was dressed for the Arctic. Looking around I was wearing a lot more than most, I must feel the cold more. But by lunch time I was down to a tee shirt.
The Kiwanis speaker today was from the local electricity supply company. The old fashioned meters that people had to come round and read are being replaced by smart meters which can be read from a central location. There will be a lot of other advantages too. The central location will know as soon as there is a power failure and who is affected. There are also - at the moment - means of stealing electricity which will not be possible with the smart meters. And everyone will be able to access their meter and account on their computer, which will show the amount of electricity they are currently using, and how much it is costing. I thought it was all very interesting.
We had a very nice Lenten service and lunch at the Lutheran church.
Afterwards I had a mocha latte in the downtown coffee shop and read for a while. Unless I am reading in bed I can often relax better with a book if I am out somewhere, and the coffee shop provides comfortable arm chairs as well as the usual tables and chairs.
In the news.....I know you have all the news you probably want about Libya but it is probably from a different perspective. Here there is a lot of adamant talk about not sending boots on the ground, Obama has been very emphatic about that. But the US and Coalition needs to know who the rebels are, so they are sending in the CIA in tennis shoes, as there is a significant "knowledge gap" about the rebels. There's great reluctance to arm them - understandably. The US armed the rebels in Afghanistan and they became the Taliban.
The Governor of Ohio signed into law tonight a Bill limiting union rights, restricting them even more than the Governor of Wisconsin did in his state. I think all the states are fighting the unions, they need Margaret Thatcher over here to show them how to do it.
Donald Trump hasn't quite decided yet whether he is going to run for President in 2012, but has a lot to say about the reforms he will bring in if he does. He is definitely going after China. Says the US is rebuilding China, at a cost of $300 billion, and he is going to put a stop to that. To my mind the flaw in that might be that the Chinese will call in their debt, and if that happens Americans will all be talking Chinese.
And under his presidency the US will not pull out of Iraq, they will stay there and take over the oil fields so that Iran will not be able to.
A few days ago a cobra went missing from the Bronx Zoo and seemed to have been out and about, it set up its own Twitter account and had 200,000 followers. On the last twitter it was on the ferry to Ellis Island, but in actual fact it turned up today. And it had been hiding all the time in the reptile house in the zoo.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Wednesday 31 March
Was up early this morning, usually the only morning I am up early is Thursdays. Made 4 dozen cupcakes (from Betty Crocker mixes) half chocolate and half carrot cakes for the Wednesday meal at Emmanuel, but as I am plagued by ants at the moment I took them straight to the church and left a note that I'd be back to decorate them. I put an assortment of toppings on them, cherries, walnuts, glace pineapple, chocolate, blueberries. The children loved them.
Went to the hospital, there are more patients than there were last week, Pattisue and I did a floor each. I'm afraid I rushed off to frost my cupcakes and left her to go round ICU, I e-mailed to apologise, it has been a rather unsatisfactory day. The only good thing was the cupcakes looked pretty and went down well.
After the meal Fr Gary continued with his Lenten series on the archaelogy of the Holy Land.
In the news.....The news is probably like your own, Libya and Syria, but today more of Syria. I thought I'd tell you what is on the front page of today's Shawnee News Star to give you an idea of the exciting goings on here.
At the very top of the page the editor announced his dog had died, and inside there was the longest obituary I have ever seen. No famous human has ever had an obituary that long, it took up practically the whole of an inside page, but by the time I'd finished reading it my scorn and cynicism had changed to sympathy. It was a very much loved pet.
Another headline was False Alarm slows traffic on Kickapoo. I saw that yesterday driving to the Mall, about six police cars outside a house with all their lights flashing, I thought it must be a major drugs bust but it was a supposed burglary that was a false alarm.
Still on the subject of crime there was Employee arrested in equipment thefts. That was the culmination of a month long investigation.
The police were having quite a busy day because the biggest headline was Man shot in vehicle. This was a very confusing story which involves shots being fired in a mobile home park, police looking for a mini van and finding one riddled with bullet holes, a shot passenger and a female driver. The van was escorted to the hospital ER, the passenger was critical and airlifted to OK City, then the District Attorney's Drug Task Force and Violent Crimes Unit were brought in, warrants obtained, and evidence was being secured. The Tribal Police seemed to be involved as well, I don't know if the suspects were Indians or the rest of the police force were all busy with the burglary on Kickapoo that wasn't.
Another headline was Building Permit approved for Kohl's. This is a department store chain opening in the Mall, which everyone seems to be very excited about, except that Kohl's Public Relations announced they did not have plans to open a store, but the fee for the planning permit was $11,079.20. So that's a bit confusing.
The final story and headline was Local tribes receive housing development grants. That surprised me because it is usually the Indians who dispense largesse to the white man but in this case the US Department of Housing and Urban Development is awarding $12,898,899 in grants to the Citizens Pottawatomie Nation and the Kickapoo Nation. The Kickapoo Nation is building a facility for its elders, and the Citizens Pottatomie Nation declined to say what they were doing with their share. But I wondered if anyone at all is aware that the Government is - as I've said before - teetering on bankruptcy. It's about to run out of money by next Friday and the government will close down. Hardly the time, I'd have thought, to be giving millions away, but what do I know.
Went to the hospital, there are more patients than there were last week, Pattisue and I did a floor each. I'm afraid I rushed off to frost my cupcakes and left her to go round ICU, I e-mailed to apologise, it has been a rather unsatisfactory day. The only good thing was the cupcakes looked pretty and went down well.
After the meal Fr Gary continued with his Lenten series on the archaelogy of the Holy Land.
In the news.....The news is probably like your own, Libya and Syria, but today more of Syria. I thought I'd tell you what is on the front page of today's Shawnee News Star to give you an idea of the exciting goings on here.
At the very top of the page the editor announced his dog had died, and inside there was the longest obituary I have ever seen. No famous human has ever had an obituary that long, it took up practically the whole of an inside page, but by the time I'd finished reading it my scorn and cynicism had changed to sympathy. It was a very much loved pet.
Another headline was False Alarm slows traffic on Kickapoo. I saw that yesterday driving to the Mall, about six police cars outside a house with all their lights flashing, I thought it must be a major drugs bust but it was a supposed burglary that was a false alarm.
Still on the subject of crime there was Employee arrested in equipment thefts. That was the culmination of a month long investigation.
The police were having quite a busy day because the biggest headline was Man shot in vehicle. This was a very confusing story which involves shots being fired in a mobile home park, police looking for a mini van and finding one riddled with bullet holes, a shot passenger and a female driver. The van was escorted to the hospital ER, the passenger was critical and airlifted to OK City, then the District Attorney's Drug Task Force and Violent Crimes Unit were brought in, warrants obtained, and evidence was being secured. The Tribal Police seemed to be involved as well, I don't know if the suspects were Indians or the rest of the police force were all busy with the burglary on Kickapoo that wasn't.
Another headline was Building Permit approved for Kohl's. This is a department store chain opening in the Mall, which everyone seems to be very excited about, except that Kohl's Public Relations announced they did not have plans to open a store, but the fee for the planning permit was $11,079.20. So that's a bit confusing.
The final story and headline was Local tribes receive housing development grants. That surprised me because it is usually the Indians who dispense largesse to the white man but in this case the US Department of Housing and Urban Development is awarding $12,898,899 in grants to the Citizens Pottawatomie Nation and the Kickapoo Nation. The Kickapoo Nation is building a facility for its elders, and the Citizens Pottatomie Nation declined to say what they were doing with their share. But I wondered if anyone at all is aware that the Government is - as I've said before - teetering on bankruptcy. It's about to run out of money by next Friday and the government will close down. Hardly the time, I'd have thought, to be giving millions away, but what do I know.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Tuesday
It has been really cold the last couple of days, I've had the heating on. After all the warm, sunny days we have just had it is taking some getting used to.
I went to the gospel singing this morning, and was then running round town with my errands.
In the news......The war that isn't a war has so far cost in the last ten days $500 million, and is going to cost another $40 million a month. The country is teetering on bankruptcy, I don't know how it does it. The Government was about to shut down at the beginning of March, but this crisis measure has been postponed twice because of everything else going on in Libya and Japan, and the next date is Friday week, and that has now become the main topic of the news. If there isn't agreement on a budget the government, the country, is going to grind to a halt.
I went to the gospel singing this morning, and was then running round town with my errands.
In the news......The war that isn't a war has so far cost in the last ten days $500 million, and is going to cost another $40 million a month. The country is teetering on bankruptcy, I don't know how it does it. The Government was about to shut down at the beginning of March, but this crisis measure has been postponed twice because of everything else going on in Libya and Japan, and the next date is Friday week, and that has now become the main topic of the news. If there isn't agreement on a budget the government, the country, is going to grind to a halt.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Sunday
It has felt cold today, I think it was in the mid 50s, but felt colder. I had a lie-in and didn't go to the adult Sunday school, I just went to the 10.30 Service.
In the afternoon I had quite a nap, I must have been tired, I think because I wake so early. Afterwards I finished crocheting a throw to put over the back of the sofa. I'm going through the wool I have, using it up.
Pattisue rang this evening just as I was finishing, she had just come out of church, which had been a business meeting instead of a Service, and she asked if I'd eaten, she felt like going to eat somewhere rather than go home. I suggested the China Buffet which I think is the best Chinese place in town, it has a very extensive buffet with all sorts of seafood, chicken and vegetable dishes, and lots of pastries. I piled my plate up with seafood thinking I'd go back and have some of the chicken dishes, but I went for the desserts instead, it was all very nice, not just the meal but the chance to sit and eat with someone.
While I was crocheting I was watching episodes of the Alaska State Troopers on the National Geographic channel. There is more moose running around up there than anywhere else but it is illegal to lean out of the car window and shoot them, one has to be right off the road to shoot them. So the Troopers set up a decoy moose which could be seen from the road, but far enough away to look reasonably realistic. Then they sat in their unmarked car and waited until someone spotted the fake moose and pulled up on the hard shoulder, the driver got out and shot it from the gravel by the side of the road, so the Troopers booked him. The driver argued he was on the gravel not the road, but that didn't cut it. I thought it seemed very mean to set him up like that.
In the news....There is a company in Montana selling satellite dishes and as a special offer were giving away a gun with every dish sold. I tried to imagine that happening at home and it just boggled my mind.
In the afternoon I had quite a nap, I must have been tired, I think because I wake so early. Afterwards I finished crocheting a throw to put over the back of the sofa. I'm going through the wool I have, using it up.
Pattisue rang this evening just as I was finishing, she had just come out of church, which had been a business meeting instead of a Service, and she asked if I'd eaten, she felt like going to eat somewhere rather than go home. I suggested the China Buffet which I think is the best Chinese place in town, it has a very extensive buffet with all sorts of seafood, chicken and vegetable dishes, and lots of pastries. I piled my plate up with seafood thinking I'd go back and have some of the chicken dishes, but I went for the desserts instead, it was all very nice, not just the meal but the chance to sit and eat with someone.
While I was crocheting I was watching episodes of the Alaska State Troopers on the National Geographic channel. There is more moose running around up there than anywhere else but it is illegal to lean out of the car window and shoot them, one has to be right off the road to shoot them. So the Troopers set up a decoy moose which could be seen from the road, but far enough away to look reasonably realistic. Then they sat in their unmarked car and waited until someone spotted the fake moose and pulled up on the hard shoulder, the driver got out and shot it from the gravel by the side of the road, so the Troopers booked him. The driver argued he was on the gravel not the road, but that didn't cut it. I thought it seemed very mean to set him up like that.
In the news....There is a company in Montana selling satellite dishes and as a special offer were giving away a gun with every dish sold. I tried to imagine that happening at home and it just boggled my mind.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday
I had yet another trip to Pink Swirls yesterday, Friday. Sharon rang to say she was taking a couple of friends there to introduce them to it, and invited me to join them, and then 'Gulliver's Travels' downtown. I passed up on Gulliver's Travels though, I didn't even want to see it for $1.50.
I was out early this morning for the Hospice Training Day. It was an all day event too, I got there at 9, and wasn't back home until nearly 5. It was very interesting though, there were some good speakers on a range of subjects, and I look forward to volunteering with them. I'm particularly interested in sitting with the terminally ill, having one on one contact with people, what is known as end of life work, helping patients find the meaningfulness in their lives. Perhaps I'll find some meaningfulness in mine.
It was good too, to hang out with my new friend Phyllis, who introduced me to them. I think I mentioned she is a cockney from Bermondsey, and we were exchanging opinions. We both think American cakes and desserts are way too sweet, and she thinks peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are as revolting as I do. I forgot to ask her what she thought of gravy and biscuits.
In the news.....the main item which got a lot of coverage was the death of Geraldine Ferraro, Walter Mondale's Vice Presidential candidate, and the first woman to run for major political office here.
I don't know if you heard about the aircraft landing at Reagan National Airport in Washington. It was during the night, there was only one air traffic controller on duty and he was fast asleep. The pilot landed anyway, but that had a great deal of coverage. I think a new regulation has just been brought in that there has to be two controllers in the tower. The poor, tired guy snoozing away has, I think, lost his job.
I was out early this morning for the Hospice Training Day. It was an all day event too, I got there at 9, and wasn't back home until nearly 5. It was very interesting though, there were some good speakers on a range of subjects, and I look forward to volunteering with them. I'm particularly interested in sitting with the terminally ill, having one on one contact with people, what is known as end of life work, helping patients find the meaningfulness in their lives. Perhaps I'll find some meaningfulness in mine.
It was good too, to hang out with my new friend Phyllis, who introduced me to them. I think I mentioned she is a cockney from Bermondsey, and we were exchanging opinions. We both think American cakes and desserts are way too sweet, and she thinks peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are as revolting as I do. I forgot to ask her what she thought of gravy and biscuits.
In the news.....the main item which got a lot of coverage was the death of Geraldine Ferraro, Walter Mondale's Vice Presidential candidate, and the first woman to run for major political office here.
I don't know if you heard about the aircraft landing at Reagan National Airport in Washington. It was during the night, there was only one air traffic controller on duty and he was fast asleep. The pilot landed anyway, but that had a great deal of coverage. I think a new regulation has just been brought in that there has to be two controllers in the tower. The poor, tired guy snoozing away has, I think, lost his job.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Thursday
Nice bright morning for my drive to Tecumseh for the donuts. Our Kiwanis speaker was an anthropologist talking on language diversity in the United States which was a lot more interesting than it sounds.
In Oklahoma there is an English only policy, which means that all state employees have to speak only English when at work. Two Koreans sitting next to each other in the workplace can't have a conversation in Korean about last night's baseball game, for example. Even more bizarre is a state law in Texas that people have to speak English in their homes. A mother was prosecuted for child abuse for speaking Spanish to her child, the case however was thrown out.
I had heard this before but the speaker mentioned that in the Second World War Native American languages were used as codes.
The Thursday Lenten lunch was hosted by University Baptist, and unlike last week's miserable soup it was very nice, and varied. I asked Sharon, when we'd finished, if she would like to go to Pink Swirls, the frozen yoghourt place I'm becoming addicted to, I've been three times this week. She hadn't been so was pleased to be introduced to it. I took some pictures there.
The frozen yoghourt is dispensed from the pumps then we add the fruit and toppings.
In the news.....
Isn't that astonishing!!!! There are potholes in the roads in Shawnee which have been there since I arrived.
In Oklahoma there is an English only policy, which means that all state employees have to speak only English when at work. Two Koreans sitting next to each other in the workplace can't have a conversation in Korean about last night's baseball game, for example. Even more bizarre is a state law in Texas that people have to speak English in their homes. A mother was prosecuted for child abuse for speaking Spanish to her child, the case however was thrown out.
I had heard this before but the speaker mentioned that in the Second World War Native American languages were used as codes.
The Thursday Lenten lunch was hosted by University Baptist, and unlike last week's miserable soup it was very nice, and varied. I asked Sharon, when we'd finished, if she would like to go to Pink Swirls, the frozen yoghourt place I'm becoming addicted to, I've been three times this week. She hadn't been so was pleased to be introduced to it. I took some pictures there.
In the news.....
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Wednesday
It has been a very warm and pleasant day, the temperature was about 84, which sounds hotter than it feels because there is always a breeze blowing across the Prairies. Up in Wisconsin though they have had over 15 feet of snow.
What we need in Oklahoma though is some rain. When it comes though the grass will need cutting, it is beginning to grow now. It is an offence, for which one can be fined, if grass isn't kept cut and short. I used to think the City of Shawnee wanted everyone's garden to look neat and tidy but it fact long grass is a wildfire hazard.
There were more patients in the hospital, and they were spread out over two floors now the doctors have come back from their spring breaks. I had lunch there first with Larry and Pattisue before going round. I do well for the free meals on Wednesdays, in the evening there is the midweek meal at Emmanuel. After the meal Fr Gary started a series of illustrated Lenten talks on the Holy Land - where he spent several months.
I thought the war would be over in Libya by now, and it isn't, and at the moment Yemen is looking far more serious, but everyone is becoming very cost conscious of it all. I think we are staring at Armaggedon. The conflict in Libya can't be called a war because Obama didn't get Congressional approval for it, so the newsmen are very heavy in their sarcasm reporting the bombing and fighting that is going on, that is not a war.
What we need in Oklahoma though is some rain. When it comes though the grass will need cutting, it is beginning to grow now. It is an offence, for which one can be fined, if grass isn't kept cut and short. I used to think the City of Shawnee wanted everyone's garden to look neat and tidy but it fact long grass is a wildfire hazard.
There were more patients in the hospital, and they were spread out over two floors now the doctors have come back from their spring breaks. I had lunch there first with Larry and Pattisue before going round. I do well for the free meals on Wednesdays, in the evening there is the midweek meal at Emmanuel. After the meal Fr Gary started a series of illustrated Lenten talks on the Holy Land - where he spent several months.
I thought the war would be over in Libya by now, and it isn't, and at the moment Yemen is looking far more serious, but everyone is becoming very cost conscious of it all. I think we are staring at Armaggedon. The conflict in Libya can't be called a war because Obama didn't get Congressional approval for it, so the newsmen are very heavy in their sarcasm reporting the bombing and fighting that is going on, that is not a war.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Tuesday 22 March
Was off to the Senior Centre this morning for the gospel singing. For those of you who know I can't sing and may wonder why I go, the reason is that I think we all feel uplifted in different ways and for me it is singing that does it, even if it is just listening to others sing (and as I've said before there are so many good singers here, it's like the Welsh Valleys).
When I was a child my mother told me that I just don't have a singing voice, so in any public singing place my voice is barely audible. But in the privacy of my computer room I pull up the gospel songs on You Tube ("You Tube" I hear you say and I know it's not the best, I'd love a Bose Music System, but hey we have to take what we've got) and that's where I sing away out loud, where it doesn't matter how bad I sound. I think I've learned most of the gospel songs since I've been here. I think that would be my forte - if I could sing.
Rosalyn almost begged me one day to just sing for her, she said she would give me an honest opinion of whether or not I could sing, but I couldn't even to her.
One of the regular members of the group was in hospital and I was asked if I knew how he was, so afterwards I went out there and did a pastoral visit. Larry was just going to lunch with another volunteer and suggested I join them. I said I'd pay for my lunch, one visit doesn't qualify me for a free lunch, but he insisted. It got me wondering how long I could live on free meals, it might be an interesting survey. So today I had a free lunch. I always take the dessert to-go, it's too much to eat with the lunch, and I had that at teatime. On Tuesdays Starbucks donates cakes and pastries to the Senior Centre, so I took one of those to have in the evening.
I knew that the gospel singers stay for lunch at the Senior Centre and then the country music and dancing, so I went back to tell them how their friend was, and that he was about to be discharged.
After I got home I spent the rest of the day pottering around and watching the news, and there is certainly a lot of news to watch.
When I was a child my mother told me that I just don't have a singing voice, so in any public singing place my voice is barely audible. But in the privacy of my computer room I pull up the gospel songs on You Tube ("You Tube" I hear you say and I know it's not the best, I'd love a Bose Music System, but hey we have to take what we've got) and that's where I sing away out loud, where it doesn't matter how bad I sound. I think I've learned most of the gospel songs since I've been here. I think that would be my forte - if I could sing.
Rosalyn almost begged me one day to just sing for her, she said she would give me an honest opinion of whether or not I could sing, but I couldn't even to her.
One of the regular members of the group was in hospital and I was asked if I knew how he was, so afterwards I went out there and did a pastoral visit. Larry was just going to lunch with another volunteer and suggested I join them. I said I'd pay for my lunch, one visit doesn't qualify me for a free lunch, but he insisted. It got me wondering how long I could live on free meals, it might be an interesting survey. So today I had a free lunch. I always take the dessert to-go, it's too much to eat with the lunch, and I had that at teatime. On Tuesdays Starbucks donates cakes and pastries to the Senior Centre, so I took one of those to have in the evening.
I knew that the gospel singers stay for lunch at the Senior Centre and then the country music and dancing, so I went back to tell them how their friend was, and that he was about to be discharged.
After I got home I spent the rest of the day pottering around and watching the news, and there is certainly a lot of news to watch.
Monday, March 21, 2011
MONDAY
Have been spring cleaning. Turning out books and closets and hauling excess stuff off to a charity shop, which are about as numerous downtown as they are in Seaford.
This evening I went to a duo pianist Recital at OBU with Pattisue. One of the pianists was my friend Sandra, a music professor at OBU. It was very nice. They played Rachmaninoff, variations on a theme of Haydn and of Paganini, Francis Poulene, and ended with more Rachmaninoff.
I saw quite a lot of people I knew in the audience. Rosalyn was there and Fr Clark. Fr Gary was there too but left at the intermission.
Afterwards Pattisue and I went to Pink Swirls, the new frozen yoghourt and smoothie place in town. I wanted to take some photos but had left the film card in the reader last night. I must go back. Bruce came in while we were there, he would have gone to the Recital with Rosalyn but was helping with the beginners at the square dancing.
This evening I went to a duo pianist Recital at OBU with Pattisue. One of the pianists was my friend Sandra, a music professor at OBU. It was very nice. They played Rachmaninoff, variations on a theme of Haydn and of Paganini, Francis Poulene, and ended with more Rachmaninoff.
I saw quite a lot of people I knew in the audience. Rosalyn was there and Fr Clark. Fr Gary was there too but left at the intermission.
Afterwards Pattisue and I went to Pink Swirls, the new frozen yoghourt and smoothie place in town. I wanted to take some photos but had left the film card in the reader last night. I must go back. Bruce came in while we were there, he would have gone to the Recital with Rosalyn but was helping with the beginners at the square dancing.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
First Day of Spring
I am almost sure the first day of spring is the 21st at home, but here it is the 20th. It has been a very pleasantly warm, in the 70s. The white blossoms are all blowing away and the pink ones are coming out.
I think the red bush in front is Japonica, but if anyone out there knows better I'm not going to argue.
It is very pretty with all the blossoms out because nearly all the streets are tree lined.
I went to the adult Sunday school at 9.15 and the 10.30 Service. Afterwards picked up a take-out from the Golden Corral buffet. I think food prices are rising, along with the cost of fuel, but still much cheaper here than in Britain. My take-out meals average $4, and I certainly don't feel like cooking on Sundays.
I went to the downtown movies tonight with Rosalyn and we saw
the animated Disney film 'Tangled'. I quite liked it, and I think she did to some extent. It was reviewed as among the top 'Spiritually Literate' films of 2010. When I got home I Googled 'Spiritually Literate' films and then e-mailed Rosalyn with my findings. I should have done it before we went though. Following is my e-mail which explains the film.
It is very pretty with all the blossoms out because nearly all the streets are tree lined.
I went to the adult Sunday school at 9.15 and the 10.30 Service. Afterwards picked up a take-out from the Golden Corral buffet. I think food prices are rising, along with the cost of fuel, but still much cheaper here than in Britain. My take-out meals average $4, and I certainly don't feel like cooking on Sundays.
I went to the downtown movies tonight with Rosalyn and we saw
the animated Disney film 'Tangled'. I quite liked it, and I think she did to some extent. It was reviewed as among the top 'Spiritually Literate' films of 2010. When I got home I Googled 'Spiritually Literate' films and then e-mailed Rosalyn with my findings. I should have done it before we went though. Following is my e-mail which explains the film.
This is a bit of the review of ‘Tangled’ which I googled. Rapunzel demonstrates her special healing powers which are connected with light. This is an ancient tradition and it still makes sense today. Add to the light references that her journey outside the tower is to see the hundreds of lanterns lit in the kingdom on her birthday. Sitting in a boat with Flynn, they watch the magnificent display and sing the ballad "I See the Light." Another impressive element is the white stallion who, at first, is a fierce enemy of Flynn, but after experiencing the healing touch and affection of Rapunzel, becomes an ally. Tangled includes an evil protagonist, but we salute the nurturing elements in the story which are salutary: the miracles of healing, the spirit-lifting importance of light, and the transformative marvels in touch and affection, especially in our relationships with animals.
One of the key premises of spiritual literacy is that the whole world is charged with sacred meaning. We go to the theatre and sit in the dark to experience a close encounter with our own lives and the lives of others. We step into the story and look at both the small details and the bigger picture. We are attentive to what the film says to the masculine and feminine sides of ourselves. We listen to our inner child and the wild one inside us. We are always on the alert for epiphanies. We do not turn away from the shadow in films. And, given the long time and immense collaborative effort put into the creation of what we are seeing on the screen, we make it a rule not to trivialize the filmmakers art by making a quick or glib assessment. We always recommend that you let a film simmer in your soul for a while.
I knew I had some deep intellectual reason for suggesting this film – ha, ha. Just let is simmer in your soul. love Valerie.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
SATURDAY
I went to the local AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) this morning. Every month they collect for something and this month it was tinned goods and I'd got a few items at the Dollar Store. I saw and talked to a few people there I knew from other places. The current President is English, very broad cockney, she has been here 54 years and sounds as if she just left Bermondsey this morning, I spent a little while talking to her. She volunteers in the Hospice movement, which I'm quite interested in, they are having a meeting next Saturday for new volunteers which I might go to.
After I got home I rang Mark's lad Timothy and he came and programmed my new tv remote. It was very complicated, I could never have done it myself and was very grateful to him for taking the time and trouble to come by.
I spent most of the rest of the day watching the news streaming live from Libya. At one point it was being reported from a hotel's parking lot and some missiles came crashing down nearby, setting off some of the alarms on the parked cars. These news teams certainly take their lives in their hands.
After I got home I rang Mark's lad Timothy and he came and programmed my new tv remote. It was very complicated, I could never have done it myself and was very grateful to him for taking the time and trouble to come by.
I spent most of the rest of the day watching the news streaming live from Libya. At one point it was being reported from a hotel's parking lot and some missiles came crashing down nearby, setting off some of the alarms on the parked cars. These news teams certainly take their lives in their hands.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Friday 18th March
Sharon had made two large cakes for Wednesday evening, so I was up fairly early this morning, cut one of them up and took it to the Senior Centre for the gospel singers. I didn't stay for the gospel singing though, I decided to go round the hospital floor before lunch. Pattisue appeared with a bandaged arm when I was entering the data on the computer. She had been leaning over her couch and her cat ran along the back of it and across her arm, she said she couldn't stop the bleeding last night for a long time, she had just come from the Emergency Room where they'd bandaged it. I didn't think a cat could do that much damage, mine pricks my hands sometimes when she waving her paws around. I keep Bubbles' rabies shots up to date but I had better me careful of the stray cats who cross my path.
This evening Rosalyn and Bruce invited me to a fund raising dinner at the Lutheran church. It was organised by a couple of their square dancing friends. The meal of pulled pork was very good, the pork was home smoked, and there were some very good German salads and desserts. As Rosalyn is a vegetarian, almost vegan, they did some veggie burgers for her.
The Lutheran church. I am not going to change now but this would probably have suited me better than the anglo-catholic Emmanuel. It is in communion with the Anglican and Episcopal church.
Until now fears of radiation reaching California had been dismissed, but it is emerging that the nuclear accident is a lot worse than originally feared. It has been upgraded to level 6. I think 7 is the worse.
This evening Rosalyn and Bruce invited me to a fund raising dinner at the Lutheran church. It was organised by a couple of their square dancing friends. The meal of pulled pork was very good, the pork was home smoked, and there were some very good German salads and desserts. As Rosalyn is a vegetarian, almost vegan, they did some veggie burgers for her.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
ST PATRICK'S DAY
It has been hot today, in the 80s. I even had the air conditioning on for a little while.
Because of the clocks going forward last weekend it was a bit dark when I set out for the donuts from Tecumseh. Our Kiwanis speaker was a Carmelite nun who teaches at St Gregory's Catholic University here. She was very warm and entertaining - I sometimes wonder how people with so much warmth and humour become nuns - and talked about early Christianity.
The Thursday Lenten lunch was hosted by one of the Baptist churches. Pattisue came and I invited her to join our table. As I was introducing her to Sharon my mind went blank and I forgot Sharon's name. I asked her anxiously afterwards if she thought I was getting early Alzheimer's, she said Alzheimer's isn't forgetting where we have put our keys, it's forgetting what the keys are for. That cheered me up a bit.
It is 1.15 am, a balmy evening, and I can't go to bed because my cat wants to sit out on the porch.
The right wing Republicans here really annoy me. They are criticising Obama for playing his 60th round of golf at the weekend (they are counting!!!) since becoming President. I can't think any of US President who has had as much on his plate. He's fighting a war in Afghanistan, a drug war on the southern border, an escalating crisis in the Middle East, the US economy, the situation in Japan (Americans there are being recalled) and the potential for meltdown in the global economies - give him a break.............
Because of the clocks going forward last weekend it was a bit dark when I set out for the donuts from Tecumseh. Our Kiwanis speaker was a Carmelite nun who teaches at St Gregory's Catholic University here. She was very warm and entertaining - I sometimes wonder how people with so much warmth and humour become nuns - and talked about early Christianity.
The Thursday Lenten lunch was hosted by one of the Baptist churches. Pattisue came and I invited her to join our table. As I was introducing her to Sharon my mind went blank and I forgot Sharon's name. I asked her anxiously afterwards if she thought I was getting early Alzheimer's, she said Alzheimer's isn't forgetting where we have put our keys, it's forgetting what the keys are for. That cheered me up a bit.
It is 1.15 am, a balmy evening, and I can't go to bed because my cat wants to sit out on the porch.
The right wing Republicans here really annoy me. They are criticising Obama for playing his 60th round of golf at the weekend (they are counting!!!) since becoming President. I can't think any of US President who has had as much on his plate. He's fighting a war in Afghanistan, a drug war on the southern border, an escalating crisis in the Middle East, the US economy, the situation in Japan (Americans there are being recalled) and the potential for meltdown in the global economies - give him a break.............
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
TUESDAY
I'm not sure if I've mentioned this but two or three weeks ago there was a lot of howling and caterwauling on my front porch - a she cat from next door was being gang raped by three toms, one of which also belongs next door, another is definitely a stray - its owners moved away and left it behind - and I don't know if the third one is a stray or not. A few days later the stray abandoned tom was lying on the rug on my porch with a bloody face. So I wrote to one of the animal societies in town informing them of the injured stray, the multiple cats next door, and the strays running around the neighbourhood without rabies shots, but I haven't had a reply yet. I don't think people do reply to letters any more.
This afternoon there is a scream from the porch and I look out in time to see three cats chasing another one across the porch to an opening underneath the house next door (not the one with the multiple cats) then they sit down and wait for it to come out. I drove out to the Animal Rescue Centre, but they were not very helpful, there's not much they can do for the injured stray. I have to take it out there and if no one wants it after two days they put it down. There is another animal society, Saving Pets at Risk, which is having a meeting on Thursday evening, so I might go to that, if I really think I want to be an animal activist.
They chased a cat underneath the house then all turned round and posed for the camera. The cat in the middle is, I think, from the last
litter of kittens. That black tom is absolutely evil, it was he who hurt Bubbles a year or so ago when I had to take her to the vet.
The injured stray, its wound is behind its left ear.
Wednesday....it has been a funny aggravating kind of day. It started with me stomping into the cable company. I was watching the Hallmark Channel last night (a channel which shows family movies) and I lost the reception, just on that channel. It crossed my mind to change to a dish or satellite but moving into the tornado season is not the time to change. Last year when we were in the path of a tornado and my neighbours' satellites all went down, I was still watching the tornado being tracked on my cable tv.
I dropped my tv remote, I'm always dropping it, but this was once too many. I rang Mark who suggested where to buy a new one, but it will need to be programmed, so his lad, the tv expert, will do that for me. In going out for the remote I hit a dog who ran in front of me, it was quite a big dog and hit the front of my car with quite a thump, but when I looked in the rear mirror and pulled up there was no sign of it. I looked up and down the road but it was as if it had evaporated.
Finally, as Sharon and I weren't in church on Sunday we didn't know there wasn't a meal and activities this evening, because of the Spring Break, and Sharon had made cakes for the dessert. As we hadn't eaten we went to a hamburger restaurant, which is quite good, on Main Street, and that was pleasant.
This afternoon there is a scream from the porch and I look out in time to see three cats chasing another one across the porch to an opening underneath the house next door (not the one with the multiple cats) then they sit down and wait for it to come out. I drove out to the Animal Rescue Centre, but they were not very helpful, there's not much they can do for the injured stray. I have to take it out there and if no one wants it after two days they put it down. There is another animal society, Saving Pets at Risk, which is having a meeting on Thursday evening, so I might go to that, if I really think I want to be an animal activist.
litter of kittens. That black tom is absolutely evil, it was he who hurt Bubbles a year or so ago when I had to take her to the vet.
Wednesday....it has been a funny aggravating kind of day. It started with me stomping into the cable company. I was watching the Hallmark Channel last night (a channel which shows family movies) and I lost the reception, just on that channel. It crossed my mind to change to a dish or satellite but moving into the tornado season is not the time to change. Last year when we were in the path of a tornado and my neighbours' satellites all went down, I was still watching the tornado being tracked on my cable tv.
I dropped my tv remote, I'm always dropping it, but this was once too many. I rang Mark who suggested where to buy a new one, but it will need to be programmed, so his lad, the tv expert, will do that for me. In going out for the remote I hit a dog who ran in front of me, it was quite a big dog and hit the front of my car with quite a thump, but when I looked in the rear mirror and pulled up there was no sign of it. I looked up and down the road but it was as if it had evaporated.
Finally, as Sharon and I weren't in church on Sunday we didn't know there wasn't a meal and activities this evening, because of the Spring Break, and Sharon had made cakes for the dessert. As we hadn't eaten we went to a hamburger restaurant, which is quite good, on Main Street, and that was pleasant.
Monday, March 14, 2011
MONDAY
I stopped by the hospital. Larry had left a note on the dry erase board that he'd been called out in the night to a death and was exhausted. I think he is also exhausted from the emotional toll of his grand daughter's illness. He also mentioned on the board that her white blood count was 0. I fear she is getting worse. Anyway, I didn't need to stay, the deacon from Emmanuel had gone round both floors, and Larry had been round ICU earlier.
I decided - after driving in the dusk the other day on the unpaved roads in the wilds of Tecumseh - that I really must have a cell phone that works. My problem with cell phones is that I buy minutes that last a month or three months, but I very seldom need to use my cell phone so everything expires and it dies, then I have to get a new SIM card and phone no and account, and I might just as well buy a new one. Rosalyn told me to buy $100 of minutes which will last a year and just think of it as an insurance. So I thought that was a good idea.
As I wanted a Pay as you Go phone, not one with a monthly contract I didn't have a lot of choice but I was rather taken by a fancy looking, all singing, all dancing touch phone which was $99.99 but the assistant said there were problems with it and people have brought them back. I suspected that maybe he had me sussed out, and it would be too complicated for me, but I didn't mind, I looked at something cheaper and found one for $14 which had nice big keys on it. I'm so pleased with it in fact that I have entered my contact numbers into it; something I don't usually bother with. I might even buy a little case for it tomorrow.
I think nearly all of Fox News has been broadcast from Japan. It's very difficult to grasp the scale and extent of the tragedy.
I decided - after driving in the dusk the other day on the unpaved roads in the wilds of Tecumseh - that I really must have a cell phone that works. My problem with cell phones is that I buy minutes that last a month or three months, but I very seldom need to use my cell phone so everything expires and it dies, then I have to get a new SIM card and phone no and account, and I might just as well buy a new one. Rosalyn told me to buy $100 of minutes which will last a year and just think of it as an insurance. So I thought that was a good idea.
As I wanted a Pay as you Go phone, not one with a monthly contract I didn't have a lot of choice but I was rather taken by a fancy looking, all singing, all dancing touch phone which was $99.99 but the assistant said there were problems with it and people have brought them back. I suspected that maybe he had me sussed out, and it would be too complicated for me, but I didn't mind, I looked at something cheaper and found one for $14 which had nice big keys on it. I'm so pleased with it in fact that I have entered my contact numbers into it; something I don't usually bother with. I might even buy a little case for it tomorrow.
I think nearly all of Fox News has been broadcast from Japan. It's very difficult to grasp the scale and extent of the tragedy.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
SUNDAY March 13th
I think this is the first time that I have been tripped up by the clocks changing; the fact that they don't change at home until the end of the month does nothing to remind me.
I set off for Emmanuel for what I thought would be the 10.30 Service to find I was an hour late. I went on to Larry's church to support a fund raising lunch for his grand daughter, which was very nice. It incorporated a chilli competition. They're very keen on chilli competitions in the midwest - the hottest, the best tasting, the most unusual. Everyone here is used to really hot chilli, so even "not very hot" makes me wary. But there were jacket potatoes and lots and lots of different salads which were very nice. And a large selection of desserts.
It was as good as anything we put on at Emmanuel.
I spent the rest of the day watching tv and crocheting, and there is certainly a lot of news on at the moment, primarily of course in Japan and Libya.
In the news...There is some extreme weather around, in the north east particularly New Jersey there is severe flooding and a state of emergency has been declared.
While states are trying to balance their budgets there's a lot of criticism going round at the cost of keeping prisoners in prison. In
Georgia $18,000 a year is spent on a prisoner and $3,800 on a student, and it is just the same in California and New York, and probably other states as well.
I set off for Emmanuel for what I thought would be the 10.30 Service to find I was an hour late. I went on to Larry's church to support a fund raising lunch for his grand daughter, which was very nice. It incorporated a chilli competition. They're very keen on chilli competitions in the midwest - the hottest, the best tasting, the most unusual. Everyone here is used to really hot chilli, so even "not very hot" makes me wary. But there were jacket potatoes and lots and lots of different salads which were very nice. And a large selection of desserts.
I spent the rest of the day watching tv and crocheting, and there is certainly a lot of news on at the moment, primarily of course in Japan and Libya.
In the news...There is some extreme weather around, in the north east particularly New Jersey there is severe flooding and a state of emergency has been declared.
While states are trying to balance their budgets there's a lot of criticism going round at the cost of keeping prisoners in prison. In
Georgia $18,000 a year is spent on a prisoner and $3,800 on a student, and it is just the same in California and New York, and probably other states as well.
SATURDAY
I was up early this morning and went along to Emmanuel for Breakfast on Broadway, their monthly outreach programme. There was lots of sausage and gravy and biscuits, but I had scrambled eggs and tater tots. Afterwards I went to a pharmacy to look for some toothache remedies. The fillings I had some years ago need to be done again. I've had estimates for all the dental work I need and could go on two luxury world cruises for what it would all cost, so I think I'll stuck with the pharmacy's remedies. They do sell far more than we do, I think they even have little kits for fillings but they look a bit beyond my competence.
Afterwards I strolled round a very quiet Walmart, a lot of the shelves were being cleared, I think in preparation for emergency supplies as we will be moving soon into the tornado season. Although we've still got St Patrick's Day to come and there are all the special tee shirts and decorations that go with it.
In the evening I went to the movies downtown with Pattisue, and saw the 'Green Hornet' billed as an action movie. I thought it would be an exciting thriller but it was all action and no story line, in the genre of Batman. Pattisue had a better idea of what to expect and I don't think she particularly wanted to see it but was kind enough to accompany me. We thought it was worth it though for the laugh we had. There are two big cinema complexes in town, one has 8 cinemas and the other 6, and they are owned by the same business man who owns the Little Theatre and the downtown cinema, which can show two films. He's a very good guy and the downtown cinema - which charges a basic $1.50 - is his gift to the people of Shawnee.
After the film Pattisue and I went to the newly opened 'Pink Swirls' which sells frozen yoghourts with toppings. There are lots of flavours of yoghourts which come out of dispensers, then one walks along and chooses ones toppings. The cost is based on the final weight of the carton.
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Afterwards I strolled round a very quiet Walmart, a lot of the shelves were being cleared, I think in preparation for emergency supplies as we will be moving soon into the tornado season. Although we've still got St Patrick's Day to come and there are all the special tee shirts and decorations that go with it.
In the evening I went to the movies downtown with Pattisue, and saw the 'Green Hornet' billed as an action movie. I thought it would be an exciting thriller but it was all action and no story line, in the genre of Batman. Pattisue had a better idea of what to expect and I don't think she particularly wanted to see it but was kind enough to accompany me. We thought it was worth it though for the laugh we had. There are two big cinema complexes in town, one has 8 cinemas and the other 6, and they are owned by the same business man who owns the Little Theatre and the downtown cinema, which can show two films. He's a very good guy and the downtown cinema - which charges a basic $1.50 - is his gift to the people of Shawnee.
After the film Pattisue and I went to the newly opened 'Pink Swirls' which sells frozen yoghourts with toppings. There are lots of flavours of yoghourts which come out of dispensers, then one walks along and chooses ones toppings. The cost is based on the final weight of the carton.
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Friday, March 11, 2011
FRIDAY
It has been a really warm 76 degrees today, and some serious outbreaks of wildfires in Oklahoma, a lot of people have lost their homes.
Went to the gospel singing and on to the hospital. There are still very few patients.
Catching up on the news.....You probably know the earthquake in Japan is the worst ever on the planet. The damage, the loss of life, the potential impact on the world's economy, is hard to grasp. The resulting tsunami also caused considerable damage in the Pacific north west, in California and Oregon.
Fuel prices are still spiralling. I filled up today for $41.79 (£26), $3.46 a gallon. I couldn't understand why it seems to go up every day, it's not a supply and demand issue but someone explained that the filling stations have to charge what they think the next delivery will cost. Fr Clark though has his own take on it.
Went to the gospel singing and on to the hospital. There are still very few patients.
Catching up on the news.....You probably know the earthquake in Japan is the worst ever on the planet. The damage, the loss of life, the potential impact on the world's economy, is hard to grasp. The resulting tsunami also caused considerable damage in the Pacific north west, in California and Oregon.
Fuel prices are still spiralling. I filled up today for $41.79 (£26), $3.46 a gallon. I couldn't understand why it seems to go up every day, it's not a supply and demand issue but someone explained that the filling stations have to charge what they think the next delivery will cost. Fr Clark though has his own take on it.
MSNBC reported that 2% of our oil comes from Libya and that Saudi Arabia has guaranteed to replace any oil supply disruption created by the civil war in Libya. So there is no reason for petrol prices to be rising, yet they are skyrocketing and causing inflation throughout a jittery economy. The government has a responsibility to control the situation by imposing position limits via the CFTC, the Congressional Free Trade Commission, but they will not act because their ueber-rich masters are making a killing running up prices at the pump. Yesterday Sparkman had our regular unleaded priced at $3.45. This nonsense could abort the recovery, but the focus of the haut bourgeoisie is always on short-time greed for their own personal benefit, regardless of the effect on working people, students and pensioners. Bless him. There's something quaintly old fashioned about haut bourgeoisie climbing on the backs of the poor.
Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, one of Obama's henchmen, is mad as hell over the fact that funds have been cut for the Cowboys Poetry Festival, held every year in Nevada. This Poetry Festival came as a surprise to me. I thought cowboys were too busy herding their cattle along the Chisholm Trail, or wherever. And I'm sure I don't remember seeing John Wayne spouting poetry.
And the Governor of Wisconsin held the line and won the fight. He somehow got his Bill through without the missing Democrats, so the unions in Wisconsin no longer have collective bargaining rights. The shouting and protesting still goes on though.
There are 79 billionaires in Moscow. The largest number in any one city.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Wednesday/Thursday
Ash Wednesday........There weren't many patients at the hospital, about 6 or 7 on each floor, I've never known so few. I think it is because doctors are few and far between at the moment, as it is Spring Break and they are off holidaying, or watching the basketball playoffs in Kansas, which is a big deal.
As it is the first day of Lent the Wednesday meal was simply soup, and neither Sharon nor I did a dessert. The youth pastor thought they could have dessert for the rest of Lent though. Afterwards we had an Ash Wednesday service and the church was quite full.
During the day I had been watching the very last landing of the space shuttle. I love seeing anything that is streaming live like that, whether it is a car chase or a rescue, or something historic like that.
Thursday.......Out early for the donuts, it was a nice bright morning though. The Kiwanis speaker was very interesting, he is a Criminologist at Oklahoma University, and has studied terrorism for many years. He talked about the Patriot Act whose purpose is to 'deter and punish terror acts in the United Sates and around the world'. Another point he made was that the Right Wing declared war on the US in 1984, resulting in a lot of arrests in 1985, this explains a lot of attitudes I'd never quite understood. The Right Wing opposed civil rights and womens groups, and to some extent this can still be seen. The Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 was a milestone in American history, the bomber was a right wing white supremasist who turned everyone against the extreme right wing.
On Thursdays in Lent different churches in the town host a lunch which we go to instead of out to a restaurant, and there was quite a few of us at the First Christian Church.
Afterwards I had my hair coloured.
It is supposed to be blond, the hairdresser kept saying it was platinum, but I think next time I will go for a bit more colour.
As it is the first day of Lent the Wednesday meal was simply soup, and neither Sharon nor I did a dessert. The youth pastor thought they could have dessert for the rest of Lent though. Afterwards we had an Ash Wednesday service and the church was quite full.
During the day I had been watching the very last landing of the space shuttle. I love seeing anything that is streaming live like that, whether it is a car chase or a rescue, or something historic like that.
Thursday.......Out early for the donuts, it was a nice bright morning though. The Kiwanis speaker was very interesting, he is a Criminologist at Oklahoma University, and has studied terrorism for many years. He talked about the Patriot Act whose purpose is to 'deter and punish terror acts in the United Sates and around the world'. Another point he made was that the Right Wing declared war on the US in 1984, resulting in a lot of arrests in 1985, this explains a lot of attitudes I'd never quite understood. The Right Wing opposed civil rights and womens groups, and to some extent this can still be seen. The Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 was a milestone in American history, the bomber was a right wing white supremasist who turned everyone against the extreme right wing.
On Thursdays in Lent different churches in the town host a lunch which we go to instead of out to a restaurant, and there was quite a few of us at the First Christian Church.
Afterwards I had my hair coloured.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras (and an early St Patrick's Day)
I went to the Gospel Singing this morning at the Senior Centre, and there was a King Cake there in celebration of Mardi Gras (which is French for 'fat Tuesday', or as we call it 'Shrove Tuesday') Mardi Gras was imported into Louisiana, in New Orleans, way back in history from France. LA is a very French, it is the only state in the Union which uses the Napoleonic Code legal system, the other states' legal systems are based on ours - but I'm digressing. So there was a little Mardi Gras going on at the Senior Centre.
This evening at Emmanuel we had a bit of Mardi Gras with crowns on the table decorations, I am told the crown represents the King and this has something to do with Mardi Gras, but I was having a problem joining up the dots here, so can't be any more explicit.
Anyway, we had a supper of pancackes, and here it got a bit more familiar to me, more like Shrove Tuesday. They were served with sausage, and there was also maple syrup on the tables. I, however, want my Shrove Tuesday pancakes with lemon and sugar, so took my own cut lemons, and I introduced these alternative pancakes to Sharon and her brother, who were very enthusiastic about them, said they were delicious, like a 'lemon' dessert. Most of the work, the cooking for the evening, was done by the young people in the church as it was also a fundraiser for their summer camp.
We were also having an early St Patrick's Day celebration because the youth minister is very into Celtic Spirituality and I think he yearns to be Irish. He was wearing a kilt. I asked if the kilt was Irish, or was it a Scots tartan, he said it was a Scots tartan, it belongs to a friend of his. A lot of Americans have Irish ancestry, it's a pity he doesn't when he'd love it so much.
After the meal there was going to be some Irish music and two members of the church were going to do an Irish dance, but Sharon was going on to a neighbourhood watch meeting and social event which was being held at the Baptist Church (of which she is a closet member, ie, they don't know she is also a member of Emmanuel) and she invited me as her guest. I found that very interesting, the Shawnee police chief was the neighbourhood watch speaker, and one of the topics he touched on was how to deal with a home invasion, like dial 911, pick up your gun (!!!!!!!!!) he told us we must inform the police, when we ring them, if we have a gun so they know what to expect, and he reassured everyone that it is not necessary to have a permit for the gun if it is kept in one's home. I won't go into all the instructions, just to say I found all this talk of home invasions and guns jaw dropping. I tried to imagine one of our police officers giving a similar talk, I just know it wouldn't involve guns and people so determined to get in they are breaking down the door while we are on the phone to the police. Come to that do we have home invasions? I thought we just have burglars who'd run off if they thought they were disturbed.
So it has been an odd sort of Shrove Tuesday, but somewhere in it I had pancakes with lemon and sugar.
This evening at Emmanuel we had a bit of Mardi Gras with crowns on the table decorations, I am told the crown represents the King and this has something to do with Mardi Gras, but I was having a problem joining up the dots here, so can't be any more explicit.
We were also having an early St Patrick's Day celebration because the youth minister is very into Celtic Spirituality and I think he yearns to be Irish. He was wearing a kilt. I asked if the kilt was Irish, or was it a Scots tartan, he said it was a Scots tartan, it belongs to a friend of his. A lot of Americans have Irish ancestry, it's a pity he doesn't when he'd love it so much.
After the meal there was going to be some Irish music and two members of the church were going to do an Irish dance, but Sharon was going on to a neighbourhood watch meeting and social event which was being held at the Baptist Church (of which she is a closet member, ie, they don't know she is also a member of Emmanuel) and she invited me as her guest. I found that very interesting, the Shawnee police chief was the neighbourhood watch speaker, and one of the topics he touched on was how to deal with a home invasion, like dial 911, pick up your gun (!!!!!!!!!) he told us we must inform the police, when we ring them, if we have a gun so they know what to expect, and he reassured everyone that it is not necessary to have a permit for the gun if it is kept in one's home. I won't go into all the instructions, just to say I found all this talk of home invasions and guns jaw dropping. I tried to imagine one of our police officers giving a similar talk, I just know it wouldn't involve guns and people so determined to get in they are breaking down the door while we are on the phone to the police. Come to that do we have home invasions? I thought we just have burglars who'd run off if they thought they were disturbed.
So it has been an odd sort of Shrove Tuesday, but somewhere in it I had pancakes with lemon and sugar.
Monday, March 7, 2011
SUNDAY
I've run the gamut of church traditions today. I went to the 8 o'clock at Emmanuel, and then to the adult Sunday school. Then I wanted to go to Larry's church, New Beginnings, which is a non denominational church. The people there know me as 'someone from the hospital'. Larry informs them I am there when he spots me sitting in the back row.
This afternoon was the final session of Rosalyn and Barbara's Nutrition class. Barbara though is travelling in Europe for a few weeks so Sharon stepped in and helped Rosalyn facilitate the class, which she did very well indeed. I think she has it in mind to do something similar at the Senior Centre.
Finally I went to University Baptist to the last lecture given by an OBU professor on the background of the lesser prophets.
In the news......Fuel prices are spiralling, they are going up daily. Last week it was about $2.50 a gallon. Now it has gone up to $3.35, but I haven't been out this morning, it might now be more than that.
Oklahoma is one of the cheapest states to live in, in places more expensive, like New Jersey, I understand it is $4 and above.
The US has plenty of oil of its own, but there is a lot of opposition to drilling for it from the powerful anti green movement here, where 'Ecology' is a dirty word.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
FRIDAY
Sometimes in the evening I am too tired to write up the blog, so leave it until the next morning, which is why I sometimes appear to be a day behind.
Went to the hospital mid morning as I was having my hair done at 2. Two other volunteers had come in early to cover Larry's absence and they did one floor and ICU, so Pattisue and I divided up the second floor between us. Larry's grand daughter is feeling very sick from the chemotherapy, then she has got surgery and radiation. She told her family she knows she won't be there for her 7th birthday, which is on May 10. The poor child, it is just heart breaking. Pattisue and I were praying for them in the office, and it was just choking us up.
We had time for lunch before my 2 o'clock appointment. My new hairdresser was recommended to me by a friend in the church, I haven't had my hair done for months because I couldn't find anyone, at least no one who measures up to the wonderful hairdresser I had in Seaford. This hairdresser was good, she took a long time cutting off all the split ends, and she is going to colour it next week. But she's very modern (and I'm old fashioned) she doesn't do shampoos and sets, she doesn't have any rollers in her salon. But she did suggest I could go to the Beauty College on Main St and get a shampoo and set for $5, so that sounds like a plan. Go to an expert for the stuff that matters, and $5 shampoos and sets in between times.
Last night I went to see Marriage of Figaro with Bruce and Rosalyn. It was set in LA in 1984, so although the music and singing was absolutely wonderful I didn't reckon the costumes.
Went to the hospital mid morning as I was having my hair done at 2. Two other volunteers had come in early to cover Larry's absence and they did one floor and ICU, so Pattisue and I divided up the second floor between us. Larry's grand daughter is feeling very sick from the chemotherapy, then she has got surgery and radiation. She told her family she knows she won't be there for her 7th birthday, which is on May 10. The poor child, it is just heart breaking. Pattisue and I were praying for them in the office, and it was just choking us up.
We had time for lunch before my 2 o'clock appointment. My new hairdresser was recommended to me by a friend in the church, I haven't had my hair done for months because I couldn't find anyone, at least no one who measures up to the wonderful hairdresser I had in Seaford. This hairdresser was good, she took a long time cutting off all the split ends, and she is going to colour it next week. But she's very modern (and I'm old fashioned) she doesn't do shampoos and sets, she doesn't have any rollers in her salon. But she did suggest I could go to the Beauty College on Main St and get a shampoo and set for $5, so that sounds like a plan. Go to an expert for the stuff that matters, and $5 shampoos and sets in between times.
Last night I went to see Marriage of Figaro with Bruce and Rosalyn. It was set in LA in 1984, so although the music and singing was absolutely wonderful I didn't reckon the costumes.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Thursday 3 March
I woke up at 4.30 this morning, so just read until it was time to pick up the donuts from Tecumseh. It was a nice bright day so I didn't mind the drive there. The Kiwanis' speaker was a retired Judge talking about the jury system. When Louise - who is 75 - introduced him she mentioned that they had been class mates at OBU. It made me realise what it is like to grow up, and live all one's life, in small town America. I'm not sure we even have small towns like this in Britain.
The brownies I'd bought at the bake sale on Tuesday went down very well last night at the Wednesday meal, and I told Pauline who made them, how much our children and teenagers in the church enjoyed them.
I went to the mid week Communion today, Thursday, and afterwards ten of us had lunch at a popular Mexican restaurant in Tecumseh. Fr Gary is impressed with all our restaurants so far, there are more than where he comes from in Alabama. I think they are quite good but more sophisticated people than me venture out to neighbouring towns, or OK City.
This evening I went to a benefit concert at University Baptist which had been postponed due to the bad weather in February. There was quite a few of us there from Emmanuel, including Fr Clark. Tim Sean, our youth pastor who sings and plays the guitar was performing. It was in aid of Sustainable Shawnee, which I supported until I got a bit too busy. And Habitat, an organisation where volunteers help to build low cost housing for low income families.
In the news......The Democrats in Wisconsin are still AWOL in Illinois and unrepentant. The senate majority leader dramatically signed 14 orders of detainment in the centre of the chamber, watched silently by law enforcement officers. If they creep back over the border to their homes they can be picked up by law enforcement and brought back to the Senate chamber. Which is not quite an arrest but a shift from 'asking them politely'.
It's not just in Wisconsin either. The Democrats from Indiana have also fled to Illinois. They are boycotting legislature over labour and education bills they oppose, and they are about to be fined $250 a day for their absence. These temper tantrums are proving mighty expensive. They ought to take lessons from us in government. Never mind a quorum, propose a Bill, vote on it, and it they are not there it goes through anyway.
Our government might be more effective but it certainly doesn't have the entertainment value.
The brownies I'd bought at the bake sale on Tuesday went down very well last night at the Wednesday meal, and I told Pauline who made them, how much our children and teenagers in the church enjoyed them.
I went to the mid week Communion today, Thursday, and afterwards ten of us had lunch at a popular Mexican restaurant in Tecumseh. Fr Gary is impressed with all our restaurants so far, there are more than where he comes from in Alabama. I think they are quite good but more sophisticated people than me venture out to neighbouring towns, or OK City.
This evening I went to a benefit concert at University Baptist which had been postponed due to the bad weather in February. There was quite a few of us there from Emmanuel, including Fr Clark. Tim Sean, our youth pastor who sings and plays the guitar was performing. It was in aid of Sustainable Shawnee, which I supported until I got a bit too busy. And Habitat, an organisation where volunteers help to build low cost housing for low income families.
In the news......The Democrats in Wisconsin are still AWOL in Illinois and unrepentant. The senate majority leader dramatically signed 14 orders of detainment in the centre of the chamber, watched silently by law enforcement officers. If they creep back over the border to their homes they can be picked up by law enforcement and brought back to the Senate chamber. Which is not quite an arrest but a shift from 'asking them politely'.
It's not just in Wisconsin either. The Democrats from Indiana have also fled to Illinois. They are boycotting legislature over labour and education bills they oppose, and they are about to be fined $250 a day for their absence. These temper tantrums are proving mighty expensive. They ought to take lessons from us in government. Never mind a quorum, propose a Bill, vote on it, and it they are not there it goes through anyway.
Our government might be more effective but it certainly doesn't have the entertainment value.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
St David's Day
Was up early this morning, to the Senior Centre for the Kiwanis bake sale. I had tried to make some rock cakes last night but they came out flat, like biscuits. Fresh from the oven they were quite nice so I thought I'd pass them off as biscuits, but decided against it in the morning when they were cold and hard. I did go though to support the sale, and bought some brownies which I will serve up at Wednesday's meal, as it is my turn to do the dessert.
St Patrick's Day is a BIG DEAL here, which I can understand in New York, or Boston, but wonder how interested the Native Americans in Shawnee are. The foyer of the Senior Centre, where the bake sale was taking place, was decorated to the nines for St Patrick's Day. I gestured at all the decorations and informed the Kiwani members manning the bake sale that it was St David's Day today. Polite smiles. So I ploughed on and asked why St Patrick is such a big deal, St David was as great a Celtic British saint as St Patrick. They laughed, they thought all this cultural indignation was hilarious.
In the news.....There's been a lot of talk about the Government shutting down on Friday, March 4th when the US runs out of money. The police, presumably the other emergency services, and the military still have to operate but everything else - all Federal offices, National Parks, etc screeches to a halt. However, a Bill was passed this morning keeping the lights on for another fortnight. By which time presumably they will have printed more money.
The missing Democrats from Wisconsin are still AWOL in Illinois, in spite of all the demands to come back and do the job they were elected to do. One wonders how popular they are going to be when the Governor calls their bluff and hundreds of state employees lose their jobs.
St Patrick's Day is a BIG DEAL here, which I can understand in New York, or Boston, but wonder how interested the Native Americans in Shawnee are. The foyer of the Senior Centre, where the bake sale was taking place, was decorated to the nines for St Patrick's Day. I gestured at all the decorations and informed the Kiwani members manning the bake sale that it was St David's Day today. Polite smiles. So I ploughed on and asked why St Patrick is such a big deal, St David was as great a Celtic British saint as St Patrick. They laughed, they thought all this cultural indignation was hilarious.
In the news.....There's been a lot of talk about the Government shutting down on Friday, March 4th when the US runs out of money. The police, presumably the other emergency services, and the military still have to operate but everything else - all Federal offices, National Parks, etc screeches to a halt. However, a Bill was passed this morning keeping the lights on for another fortnight. By which time presumably they will have printed more money.
The missing Democrats from Wisconsin are still AWOL in Illinois, in spite of all the demands to come back and do the job they were elected to do. One wonders how popular they are going to be when the Governor calls their bluff and hundreds of state employees lose their jobs.
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