FRIDAY

My last visit to the hospital for a while.   Several of the patients on the floor I was doing had Precaution notices outside, requiring us to put on gowns and masks, either because they had compromised immune systems, or were infectious themselves.   I decided I wasn't going to risk catching anything at this stage and bypassed them.

I then took my car to Terry because the air conditioning wasn't cold enough;  he told me in a 'what do you expect' tone of voice that it is 105 outside, but he did an air conditioning service. He also told me he shut down the vents on the passenger's side of the car so that I would get more cold air - I didn't know that.  And I am taking it to him on Monday morning where he will do something with a power washer under the car which will improve it.

I've been organising my transport to the airport on Wednesday.  Rosalyn suggested we book a shuttle driver to take us.  I was a little uneasy about that because Bruce is notoriously unpunctual and late and I like to be at an airport when the check-in desk opens and I knew he'd never get there that early.  When I heard he missed his plane to Detroit last month I asked if they minded me making my own arrangements.  Rosalyn certainly understood. Our flight is at noon so I'm being picked up at 8 so I will be there at 9.   They are leaving Shawnee at 9 so they will arrive the required two hours beforehand.  


I said if my driver didn't turn up I'd hitch a lift with them.  Rosalyn said their plan B is that Bruce will drive to the airport.

The latest in the Casey Anthony murder case.....when the child first went missing the mother claimed she was with a fictitious nanny called Zenaida Gonzalez, then when that excuse timed out she said the nanny kidnapped her.   Unfortunately there is a real person in the US called Zenaida Gonzalez and she took a lot of heat, and lost her job over this, so she is now suing for defamation, which should be interesting.  Casey Anthony being made to take the stand and promise to tell the truth under oath. 
 

THURSDAY

I am not picking up donuts again until I come back, and I didn't go to Kiwanis as I had to leave for the dentist at 9 o'clock.


I saw the assistant Nikki, with whom I bonded on a previous visit. On that occasion she came to help an assistant take my x-rays and she was so good I didn't want her to go, so the staff rearranged themselves so she could stay with me.  She said the problem was dry socket which is a wound healing complication following an extraction.  She dealt with it, then took the sutures out.  She also asked another doctor to look at my mouth - my own doctor/dentist is away until Monday - and he adjusted the temporary, partial thingy.  I had an appointment on Monday anyway with my own doctor and it was thought that he might need more time than originally allotted so it was rescheduled to Tuesday.


On the one hour drive to the dentist in Norman I pass quite a few ranches so photographed a couple of them.

You can't see the name, it is in the wrought iron over the arch, but this is the Macgregor Ranch.  All the ranches have arched gateways with their names over them.  I've seen that in films and thought it was just a Hollywood thing, but it's for real.

Another ranch.


I pulled into the Lake Thunderbird State Park, which I also pass.  I thought there might be a little cafe there, ha, ha.   However, there were some riding stables and I photographed these horses.

This is the bbq season, although how anyone can bear to be outside, far less slave over a hot grill is beyond me.  But the butchery counters in the supermarkets sell these huge slabs of meat.

This is serious barbecuing.   Forget the odd sausage or hamburger which is what I used to do, on the rare occasions I got a bbq grill out.

WEDNESDAY

Well, the murder trial is all over and nobody saw that verdict coming, even the accused registered disbelief as she was found not guilty on the first degree murder or aggravated manslaughter charges.  She was only found guilty on the charges of lying to the FBI.  She will be sentenced tomorrow, she has already been in prison three years so could just walk out of court.  She'd be lynched if she did though, there's just total outrage out on the streets.  Her parents have had to go into hiding because they have had death threats.  And having tried to throw her father under the bus, claiming he sexually molested her - that's why she is emotionally disturbed - she's never likely to go home.   One newsman said that if he'd been accused in court of sexual molestation he would sue, but the defence counsel has immunity from prosecution in these cases.


I went to the hospital this morning.  Had lunch with Larry and Pattisue before going round the floor.  The guy who drives the golf buggy around the parking lot, taking us to and from our cars, always calls me Hyacinth.  His absolute favourite tv show of all, one he never misses is 'Keeping up Appearanes'.


There was a pot luck supper and DVD this evening at Kevin's house but I didn't feel up to going.  I rang the dentist for an appointment in the morning because my mouth is still a bit sore, and just a little bit of discomfort can drag you down and disinclined to do anything.


I did however go shopping in Walmart at 11 o'clock. It is too hot to go in the daytime.  As I drove through town I noticed the temperature was 90 degrees, and thought it says something for how hot it is here when 90 is cool.

4th July

It has been an uneventful 4th July for me, I have been focusing down on getting ready for my trip next week,  I've started packing and getting through the jobs that need to be done before I leave; instructions I need to leave.


This evening I thought I'd like to go out, go down to the Lake and see what they are doing down there.  Packed a book and a thermos but when I stepped outside I remembered how hot it was and changed my mind, at least about going to the Lake.    The evenings don't get cool here until August.  So I thought I'd eat out at the Cracker Barrel, I stood in line for a minute or two waiting to be seated, then changed my mind again.  Finally I picked up some meatballs and noodles at the Golden Corral and took them home and they were very nice, probably because they were so soft I didn't have a problem eating them.  I've decided to live on noodles and meatballs for the time being.


I was watching the murder trial this morning, the Defence and Prosecution wrapped up their closing arguments and the jury were read the 26 pages of instructions they have got to follow before reaching a verdict.  They will all be given their own copy as well.  I was just thinking that I hope the state have put them in a hotel with a swimming pool, it's the least they can do.  


We will get to see them after they have reached a verdict, they will give a news conference, which should be interesting.  The reason being that the court doesn't want them besieged with media where they might say the wrong thing, or something flippant, which the defence could latch on to and demand a re-trial.


As I might have told you - or you may know - the accused murdered her 3 year old, presumably with chloroform (the remains are too de-composed to establish the cause of death) then put duct tape across her mouth and nose, put her body in plastic bags, dumped it in the woods, then went went away and partied for 31 days until she could no longer keep their absence a secret from her parents who were demanding to know where she was, and where the child was.   Am I right in thinking that in Britain they would be talking of a psychiatric unit, or a hospital for the criminally insane?   Here they are talking of death row or 30 years in prison.  Her mental health, or state of mind has never even been an issue.

SUNDAY

The weather is not getting any cooler, it was 118 in Arizona today and I think it was about 100 in Shawnee.   Last night, Saturday, I was invited to a cook-out by Sharon's Neighbourhood Watch, I appreciated the invite and it would have been nice to feel I was celebrating the holiday weekend but it is way too hot for any outdoor activity.  Crossing a parking lot in 100 degrees is as much 'outside' as I can take.


Pattisue rang though and we went to the China Buffet.  It is very extensive, I counted over 50 dishes in the buffet, not including the sushi and desserts.


Yesterday, Saturday, the murder trial recessed so the attorneys could prepare their closing speeches.  They were told they could have four hours each.  The Prosecution made a very persuasive argument this morning and it didn't take anything like four hours, but they need to allow time if they want to come back and say some more.  The Prosecution always has the last word.


Am I right in thinking that in England everyone is busy and chatting in the court room, then the judge comes in and everyone stands in respectful silence while he sits down?   Here - or at least in Florida - the judge is in there as busy and chatty as everyone else, then the jury is brought in and that is when everyone stands in respectful silence while they sit down.


We never see the jury of course but they get a lot of media scrutiny, like this..

There's a whole team of body language experts in court just scrutinising their every moment and facial expression.  I'd hate to be a juror here.   They get a lot of gratitude and appreciation though because they've been serving so long, and through two major holidays.

FRIDAY

It is actually Saturday morning, I am late posting yesterday's blog because (whinge, whinge, here we go again) my mouth is still sore from my dental treatment and I have been too busy feeling sorry for myself to do much else.


Before I had the extractions I told myself that it would be ridiculous to pay for extractions, as the teeth were so loose I should just let them fall out, but I know that if I'd woken up one morning looking grotesque, with blood and teeth all over my pillow I couldn't have coped with it.  This way I am hoping my mouth will be all healed up and I can enjoy the roast lamb I'm looking forward to eating when I get home.   In this cattle country I don't think Oklahomans would recognise a sheep if they saw one.


I went to the hospital in the morning and Pattisue and Kevin - an assistant pastor who helps out in the chaplaincy, were visiting in the office - 'visiting' is American for laughing and chatting - so I joined in and hung out with them for a while, until Pattisue and I went round a floor each then had lunch.


I spent the rest of the day mostly in front of the television.  I undid, and re-did, the latest afghan, I photographed it but have trouble sometimes with the USB ports on the desktop and can't always transfer photos.  I might try in a minute on the laptop.


In the news.......I expect you have heard that the slimeball, Strauss-Kahn, has had his bail restrictions lifted and is now strutting round, dining out in New York, smirking all over the place, because the hotel maid has been found to be a prostitute.  Heads must be rolling in the state attorney's office in New York.  The charges haven't been removed though because - prostitute or not, he still raped her but it is going to be a lot more difficult to prove their encounter wasn't consentual.   


In the other courtroom, where the Florida murder trial is going on, the accused's mother took the stand and testified that she was the one searching for chloroform and - GET THIS - neck breaking, on the home computer.  She was trying - and who can blame her - to remove premeditation from the charge because premeditation = murder one, which = death row.  She thought that after all these years there would be no record of the fact that she was at work on the day her daughter was at home searching for chloroform and  neck breaking on the home computer.  Unfortunately, nothing can be completely erased from a hard drive on a computer and computer forensic scientists were all over the home computer, and the computer at work, and testified that the accused's mother was in fact on a computer at work at the same time as her daughter was searching for chloroform and neck breaking on the home computer.


She now faces 15 years imprisonment for perjury but I hope compassion will prevail.  These poor grandparents have suffered enough.

The latest afghan I did for Stephen.  I hope to get all four of them wrapped up and shipped off on Tuesday.

The temperatures here for June have all been above average, and this shows the number of days they have been above average.

The current temperatures on the southern Plains.  They never show the temperatures in Oklahoma but it is between Kansas City and Dallas.


It is said that Texas has four seasons - almost summer, summer, still summer and Christmas.