Thursday 6th September

I have fallen behind with posts the last few days, I have been a bit preoccupied with car issues; a case of vandalism to the driver's door, which I discovered on Sunday morning when I had a problem trying to open it.  And I  also decided to get a new bumper.  After the car was resprayed fine cracks appeared along the bumper, and Danny at the Body Shop said it was because the bumper was old.   

I am going to have to be even more careful parking with my new bumper, although I do park very gingerly.  The parking lots have these concrete stops in them, and my bumper just catches them underneath if I don't stop in time.    I am glad Honda parts are not expensive, the bumper was $75, some bumpers can cost a small fortune.

Been trying to think what I have done lately.   I've always wanted to be able to dance and I remember on Tuesday afternoon at the Senior Centre, standing for a few minutes watching the dancing and listening to the catchy country music, the part of me that is deep down only 19 yearned to be swept on to the floor and twirled around (I have this theory that all of us who are old are still only 19 inside).   I have to admire the seniors who are on the dance floor, although they are more jigging about than twirled around.

On Wednesday morning there was a presentation at the Senior Centre on West Nile Virus and Emergency Preparedness.   WNV is causing some concern, there have been 3 or 4 cases in Pottawatomie county, and over 20 each in Oklahoma and Tulsa counties.   Basically one has to avoid being stung by mosquitos, wear long sleeves between dusk and dawn when they are active, apply DEET (isn't that banned in Britain?) mosquito prevention.

In the emergency preparedness I got most of that right. I was actually having a private one on one session with the expert as the rest of the audience were held up somewhere.   I told him my tornado preparation tactics, the fact that I get my shelter ready then turn on the weather channel to track it.  I said I am ready to bolt into my 'shelter' as soon as I lose power and the tv goes off.   He said the only thing I could do better is to get myself an old cycling helmet to protect my head if the ceiling comes down.

Today, Thursday the Kiwanis speaker was a school nutritionist, and I thought she was very interesting.   Children here have breakfast at school as well as lunch as it has been found that children do better at school if they have breakfast.   Nearly all the children in this poor state either have free breakfast and lunch, or pay very little.

When they start in kindergarten - and I find it a little extraordinary that they are expected to remember at kindergarten age - they are given a pin number which stays with them until they graduate high school, and they enter this pin number whenever they have a meal.

I was also surprised at the choice they have.  When I was at school we just had what we were given.

The weather is still hot.

 The Right Now was about 10.30 this evening

 A chance of rain tomorrow.   That will be good. 

As soon as I got the car back this afternoon I went to the hospital to see how Jo and Kenneth were doing.  There's no change in Kenneth, he is sleeping peacefully.   There are always members of the family with him round the clock, accompanying him - I like to think - to the gates of Heaven.