Tuesday

I haven't done very much since posting my last blog on Sunday, I went out to dinner with Pattisue at the China Buffet Sunday evening.   I didn't make it to church at all, I was too tired still from driving.  As I've said before, I'm too old for these capers.

I have been watching the news on television and this caught my attention.  The obesity epidemic here, and the political correctness lobby, have reached new heights of absurdity.

 

We now have fat Barbie.  Whoever thought, back in the day, that Barbie would get fat.  But it is to help obese children feel better about themselves.   Now, don't get me wrong.  I am all in favour of making a child feel better - and I recognise that obesity here is largely a poverty issue - but this is not the answer.   Children should be given a healthier diet, not fat Barbies to play with.

 

Hundreds of new laws have been passed, coming into effect tomorrow.  I am still looking, but here is one to be getting on with.    In Oregon a law has been passed allowing new mothers to take home their baby's placenta.    Yew!!!    Can you see that being introduced in the House as a Private Member's Bill?   MP's would be rolling in the aisles.

Pictures from Beaumont

The Monastery cat.   In true fairy tale fashion this cat turned up at the patio door, 15 years ago, on a very wet, cold night, face pressed against the door, and Peter and Michael took her in.  And she's never looked back.  She is as well behaved as Bubbles.  At mealtimes she sits on the sideboard behind Michael, and when he lays his knife and fork on the plate and pushes the chair back, she knows she can jump in his lap.   He sometimes puts his plate down with a few morsels for her. At first I cringed at that....then I told myself that dishwashers get the water up to very high temperatures, it should be alright.

That television by the way is a lot more than a tv.  Michael gets the BBC and German news channels through the internet on it.   And when I arrived in the middle of an Oblates Meeting, it was being video conferenced to people in Colorado, and another state.

Someone said they thought monks lived in cells, they didn't have flat screen televisions and grand pianos in their living rooms.  Monastic life has obviously moved on from Bede and his monastery in Jarrow, writing the History of England.

The Gulf of Mexico.   The beach.  Peter and Michael thought I would jump out of the car and run along the beach.  I am not sure if they believed me, but it is like this all the way along.

Driving back along what I suppose is the coast road, through the oil refineries, I thought this was the best view of the ocean I was going to get, so pulled over, 

The menu was - caramelized carrot soup;  prime rib of beef au jus; mashed potatoes; roasted Brussels;  rolls;  white fruitcake, chocolate orange peels, vanilla ice cream, nut toffee.

All the time I was away I was plagued with the neck pain/headache at the base of my skull, Michael and Peter lent me something that is heated in the microwave, to put on my neck.   And now I am home I have been lying on a hot water bottle since I got back.   I might see the doctor again tomorrow, but I know she wants me to go to a neurosurgeon in Norman, but that road is paved with thousands of dollars worth of CT scans and MRI's.   I might ask her if she thinks I've just got arthritis there. 

Wednesday 18th December

My desktop pc is still functioning - just about.  Every time I click on something I get an error message.   But I found the downtown computer repair shop - with a new name, and a new location, (??) but still downtown, and am taking it in to them tomorrow, Thursday, and will pick it up when I get back from Beaumont.   In the meantime I managed - to my amazement - to set up Skype on my laptop.

I shouldn't have been so sarky yesterday about our self appointed neighbourhood sheriff.  I was grateful to her this morning.  I went out to the car early and left the keys dangling in the door;  it was fortunate that she noticed and retrieved them.  

I heard a bit more about the big black man leaping over the fence - he was stoned apparently.   He must have leapt back pretty sharp, Donna waved a 9mm handgun at him (which she called a pea shooter)  I don't know anything about handguns - obviously - so just did a quick internet search on them, and they are definitely deadly weapons.  Not really something to wave about at an intruder in your garden (or my garden).   I also learned that the two men living in the house behind me have just come out of the State Penitentiary (salubrious neighbourhood I live in), and that the barking pit bull had 13 puppies - can that be right?   Perhaps that is more than one litter.   Donna confirmed it was a puppy mill.  If I'd known that earlier I would have been on to Animal Welfare.

I didn't need to make a dessert for this evening's meal, team Mexican - who were cooking - like to do their own.  

I am not sure I will be able to write this up while I am away.  I know I can't access itsyourturn.  The Catholic Diocese of Beaumont have blocked such websites on the monastery's computers.  Michael has had words with them about it because he thinks guests should not be restricted.   I might go into Beaumont and look for a Starbucks.

Tuesday 17th December.

Had to go to the dentist this morning for a check up, and a session with the hygienist.   Made an appointment for some fillings in January.   Was also warned that the  work that needs to be done involving crowns and bridges, really can't be put off much longer.  That's going to be about $5000.   Are dentists still seeing NHS patients in Britain, it would be cheaper to come home?  Told myself to calm down, it won't look so bad once I've put it through the currency converter.  

It was a lovely bright day for bowling along Highway 9 to Norman.   I didn't make my customary stop though at Barnes & Noble, and the Starbucks in the middle.  Got too much to do getting ready to go away on Friday.

Yesterday morning I was out early, and while I was scraping the ice off the windscreen a police car pulls up opposite.   My next door neighbour, Donna - the self appointed sheriff of this neighbourhood - called him out because 'a big black man' jumped over the fence at the back (and actually into my garden)  Now, call me a bleeding heart liberal, but my first thought was to wonder if she would have bothered if he had been white.   I suggested he was probably taking a short cut, and she walked off when she saw we were just not on the same page over this.

Chaplain Bill roared with laughter when I told him about my neighbour, racially profiling.  Said she was giving a description.

Going out this afternoon I thought I'd see if the local computer shop downtown could give my laptop a little tune up, and install Skype, and I was surprised to see it had gone out of business.  I never saw its going.  Perhaps too many people, like me, started going to Staples.

Memo to my loved ones - perhaps one of you on Skype can talk me through setting up Skype on my laptop.  I am pretty sure I have an inbuilt webcam.

This evening was the joint Christmas party of the Shawnee Peace Fellowship, and Sustainable Shawnee.   Last year it was tapas in the Art Gallery and quite nice.   Tonight it was in a rather drab sandwich shop downtown.   Talk about sublime to the gor blimey.  I didn't bother.   I might have done if I didn't still have 101 things to do.

3rd in Advent - 'Stir Up Sunday'

The term 'Stir up Sunday' comes from the collect for the 3rd in Advent, the first line of which is 'Stir up O Lord.....'   It is also the day, in the Victorian and Edwardian kitchens of the well-to-do, that the Christmas puddings were made, which was an all day job.   Before the era of Peek Freans Christmas puddings, and Sainsburys.

The bitter weather I mentioned this morning warmed up, the ice disappeared off the car, and it was about 67 at one point when I was driving through town.

My friend Sandra, who is a member of Emmanuel, plays the organ at another church and this evening I went to a concert she had organised at that church, she was playing the piano and it was lovely.

And finally, the weather.....

 

 

 

Harking back to yesterday morning......there was another competition at the Democrat's Christmas breakfast, which I won, I think because of the novelty, being a stranger etc.  Everyone brings a favourite coffee mug...

 



Mine shows all the fishing grounds around the British Isles.   But I don't drink out of it, it is a cherished reminder of home.  I am sure fishermen nowadays have all the latest in high tech communication systems, but when I was child they had to listen to the shipping forecast on the radio.  And I loved that.   Bailey; Rockhall;  Malin;  Hebrides; Faroes; Fair Isle.........................I learned them all.

 

Saturday

Pattisue picked me up this morning and took me with her to the local Democrats breakfast Christmas party.   It was quite a novelty going to a party at breakfast time, but everyone brought a dish and there was some very good food.   And we started with a party game.   Everyone was given the name on their back of a prominent Democrat, and the object of the game was to guess who it was, so the idea was to ask people for clues.  Mine was Woodrow Wilson.   Woodrow Wilson!!!!!!   I would have got Elizabeth Warren - who briefly entertained hopes of running for President, but I think she has been told to leave the field clear for Hilary Clinton to be the first woman President - before I thought of Woodrow Wilson.  I think the guy who stuck it on my back thought that I might know he was President in WW1 before knowing anyone modern. 

Most people there, predictably, were elderly, but there was a lively young man from the Young Democrats, obviously passionate about politics and the Democrats.   Although their politics were different he reminded me of the young William Hague, who first spoke at the Conservative Party Conference when he was 16, and his passion for politics was so evident I thought then he would go far.   Twenty years later when he was 36 he became leader of the Conservative Party - the first leader who never became Prime Minister.

The rest of the day, the weekend in fact, is focused on getting ready to go down to Beaumont on Friday.  I keep anxiously looking at the long range weather forecasts.   It is Sunday morning now, have looked outside and the car it so totally iced up I decided I wasn't going anywhere soon.

Friday 13th December

The Kiwanis speaker yesterday was the very popular owner of the local flour mill, the largest business in Shawnee, started by his grandfather in 1891.    He talked a little of the history of the business but most people are familiar with it, even I have read up about it.   He also talked a little about his philosophy on life, how important it is to reconnect with people, and that what lasts is what we share with one another.  He served in the Korean War and recently organised a reunion of his comrades in Shawnee.  He and Cecil are good friends, they are both very active in Veteran affairs and instrumental in establishing an impressive memorial in the (re-named) Veterans Park, and he was able to show his comrades their names on the memorial.

I live fairly near the railway tracks and sometimes hear the mournful whistle of the train in the early hours of the morning, when it is delivering wheat from Kansas.  It sounds like something out of a Johnny Cash movie.

I went to Communion, then out to lunch.  Fr Bill had to go somewhere, so the usual four of us went to a Mexican restaurant.  Mexican restaurants are a bit of a minefield for me, avoiding the spicy.  I point to a dish, ask the waiter if it is spicy, but they never say yes or no, it is always "not really, just a bit".  Surely 'just a bit' means yes?   Someone told the waiter I want ultra bland, and I said YES, that's it, ultra bland.  And what I'd really like is rice and beans with guacamole and sour cream, and a big dollop of each, not half a spoonful (well, I might not have added the last bit).   Coming out someone said that was very entertaining, they like watching Valerie order.  I'm not just putting on pantomimes in the Cable Company.

I woke up this morning, Friday, to some very heavy rain which has seen off most of the snow that was around.    I did my hospital chaplaincy round and had a long lunch with Chaplain Bill, getting to know each other.

I needed to go to my pharmacy for a refill of a prescription I take every day.  He was looking at the computer and said it would be alright, but really I am going too soon for it.  I told him I knocked the container off the nightstand and a lot of them rolled about on my dusty bedroom floor.  He laughed and asked if I couldn't dust them down.   Now - as this is all in the public domain - everyone knows what a slovenly housewife I am.

This is the Nativity Scene I took outside the hospital this morning.    This is fine, and acceptable, it is on private property, not funded by taxpayers.

This however in the Senior Centre is an entirely different matter, it is promoting religion in a public place funded by tax payers, a heinous breach of the Constitution, and as I walked out of the Centre the person I was with expressed disapproval.

There were 57 shootings in schools in a year - I am not sure if it was last year, or this one.  And there was another this morning in Colorado.   One student is seriously injured, another less so, and the student with the gun shot himself.   After Dunblane we banned hand guns and there hasn't been a school shooting since, but here the carnage goes on................

  When the children come out of the school they have to run out with their hands raised, and are then frisked to be sure no one else is carrying a gun.  

                                                   
      

Wednesday 11th December

The snow is going, I went out yesterday and today while the going was good.    Not a lot to write about.   I realised it is just next week I am going away for Christmas, and haven't done much to prepare for it, so I rang my friend Jay, who is going to see to Bubbles, then went to Walmart to stock up on cat litter and bags of food.   A trip I made in the middle of the night while the store was quiet, and I could park near the entrance and avoid the slippery places.

This afternoon I was ringing my little hand bell with Phyllis, collecting for the Salvation Army.  I was surprised that a lot of people are paid to collect - I would have thought that would defeat the object of the exercise.   We weren't paid though, Phyllis was asked, as President of the AARP, if she would send some volunteers.     I got a bit cold as I left the house rather hurriedly without wrapping myself up as well as I could have done.

Afterwards had supper at Emmanuel.   I didn't need to make any cakes for dessert.   There was a party on Sunday morning after the 10.30 service - which I didn't attend because it was too icy to get out -  and there was lots of cake left over.

Bubbles puts her herself to bed, she has even cottoned on to which side is hers - ie not the side next to the nightstand - but if she wakes up and I am not there she comes and settles down in the computer room.   I don't know why she doesn't just turn over and go back to sleep.
              

Monday 9th December

Emerging from hibernation yesterday meant standing on the front porch taking pictures.  I got a bit further today, putting on boots and brushing snow and ice off the car and going to the hospital.  Once I left my own street, which was a bit slippy, the main roads were alright, but I still crawled along.   The  hospital's car park was clear and I parked near the entrance anyway.    The schools and Senior Centre are still closed.

I went to see Cecil.  Louise and all the family were with him.  The first stroke he had two or three weeks ago was devastating, but the one he had on Sunday evening was minor in comparison, he smiled and recognised me when I went in, but doesn't seem able to talk.    I spent a little while talking to the family then went to find Bill, the new senior chaplain.   Another chaplaincy volunteer wasn't able to get there, so I said as I was there I would go round a floor.   Notched up some brownie points.

Afterwards had lunch there, then went to Walmart, but there was too much car park that looked icy, so I didn't get out.    I got what I needed at another smaller supermarket on the way home.

Just took these pictures.   It's the middle of the night, but I'm not needing to be up early.

Looks above freezing about noon.

Sunday 8th December

Emerging from hibernation.    Took this picture earlier this afternoon.

As you can see, the road is not too bad and I should be able to get out in the morning.   And I need to get to the hospital.   I had a call from Louise this afternoon that Cecil has had another stroke.   I have been in since Thursday though, with the hatches battened down.

Wednesday doesn't look too bad, Phyllis has got me down bell ringing with her outside the post office, collecting for the Salvation Army.   The Salvation Army here can collect money, but they can't set up their band and sing carols like they do at home.   That is a breach of Federal Law and a terrible offence, no one can promote any religion in a public place, and singing carols - even children singing 'Joy to the World' in the Senior Centre, is a BAD THING and cause for complaint by those ever watchful for breaches of the separation of church and state.

And after that little diatribe I think I'll have my watchdogs reminding me that my blog is in the public domain.   

Tampa looks like the place to be.    I wondered how long it would take me to get there.   It is 1213 miles, and would take a normal person 18.5 hours to drive.   It would take me a fortnight.

Thursday - The Weather

Although the weather was alright when I woke up it had been decided that schools were going to close today because of the weather, so the Senior Centre was closed too, and there was no Kiwanis.

As forecast though, the weather got bad as the day wore on.

The storm was moving from Dallas through to Connecticut.   Arkansas had it quite bad.

 

 

We haven't had any power failures here yet.   I keep my thermos filled up with hot water.

My television woes continue, although it has been alright today.   I had a technician out Tuesday and Wednesday evening because the reception has been so bad.  He said it was probably due to the fact that they were working, but they would not be working today and tomorrow due to the weather, and the picture has been alright.

 I was asking why we had to have all this inconvenience and chaos, and he told me that the Federal Government had told all the cable companies that they had to change from analogue to digital before June 2014.   The technicians working on it are all subcontractors who have come from other states, they're not from round these parts.    I think it is a government scheme to get people working, and the employment figures looking better.

I finished my little crocheting project I was working on, I'll take a picture of it tomorrow.   As it is now Advent I'll be changing my decorations - putting away the autumn things and getting out the Christmas.

I rang Phyllis this evening for a natter, she lives outside Shawnee and surprisingly had been out and about, visiting the sick and needy, but is staying in tomorrow.

Wednesday afternoon

My back is a lot better, I went to Walmart and bought a lumbar support cushion but I think the problem has been the worn down seat of my computer chair.  I notice now I have twinges of pain whenever I sit in it, so it has been pensioned off.

The headache - which was worse than the back pain, is also better, and there is a tremendous relief in being painfree after several days of discomfort.

I heard a disturbing report on the cause of headaches.   It is that they can be triggered by Bisphenol A which is in plastics - water bottles, frozen meals.   I don't know though how one lives in the modern world without contact with plastics.   Anyone interested can Google Bisphenol A.

The last few days I've been engaged in Kiwanis.   Made some cakes for the Bake Sale yesterday morning.   Louise always brings loads but I think she doubled her output yesterday, making herself busy during her sleepless nights.   Also working on the weekly bulletin which members get at the Thursday meeting.   Louise used to fill up spaces on the sheet with inspirational sayings, or jokes, so I've been trawling through the internet, and came up with this little story.

Cecil is definitely making progress, Louise got a lot of heat because she wouldn't take him to the Bake Sale, he had to have his physical therapy.   But I understand he made it to his Masonic Lodge last night.

Miracles in the Red Sea (Joke)

A newly converted hippie was very interestedly reading the Bible while waiting for transportation and every now and then would exclaim, “Alleluia, Praise the Lord, Amen” and on and on as he read on.

A skeptic (I feel I have to use American spellings when writing for Americans) heard him and came and asked what he was reading. He answered” I am reading how God parted the Red Sea and let the Israelites go through–- that is a miracle!”

The skeptic explained “Do not believe everything the Bible tells you. The truth of the matter is that that body of water was only really 6 inches deep–- so it was not miracle.”

The hippie nodded in disappointment but kept on reading as the skeptic was walking away feeling proud that he had set the hippie straight. All of a sudden the skeptic heard the hippie let out a big “Alleluia, Praise the Lord!”.

At this the skeptic came back to him and asked, “What is it this time?”   The hippie said excitedly in one breath, “This one is a real miracle, God drowned the whole Egyptian army in 6 inches of water!!!”

This morning, Wednesday, I was out early.   I dropped into Cecil's nursing home at 8 o'clock with the bulletin so that Louise could print it off on her church printer.  His stroke was very severe so I was pleased he recognised me.  He is certainly making good progress, I sat with them both for a time while he was having physical therapy on his right hand - learning how to use it so that he will be able to feed himself.

The weather here is forecast to be dire, with an ice storm moving in, which is the worst kind of weather to have here, it brings down the power lines.

I went on to Walmart to stock up on some bread and milk.   At the checkout I am watching, like a hawk, while the cashier was packing my bags.   They don't move things along like we do, they scan each thing and drop it into a bag, I'm saying "don't put all the tins in one bag, it's too heavy for me to carry, I'll put my back out".

I think I'll publish this and move on to doing something else.

Sunday 1st December

Not a lot to say, except that I felt a bit better when I woke up this morning, and I went to the 10.30 service at Emmanuel, and as the day went on the pain and discomfort gradually lessened.   Rosalyn dropped by this afternoon with a present - she had read my blog (she is the only American with permission to do so) and she bought me a spare hot water bottle;  there is a place here apparently that sells a few.   Wasn't that kind.   I am overwhelmed sometimes at how kind people are to me here.

As I said, there's not a lot to say, but I thought a few words on my current state of health was better than nothing.

Saturday 30th

I have been unwell, I have put my back out, and the headache at the base of my skull came on as well, in sympathy.   Heat seems to relieve these afflictions a bit, so I've been maneuvering (sp?) the hot water bottle between the two areas.

On the subject of said hot water bottle.    A few days ago I emptied it, but didn't make a mental note of what I did with the top I'd unscrewed.   I looked for it, then assumed it would turn up, but it didn't.  Finally, on rubbish collection day I had to confront the thought that in my senility I had thrown it out, so had no alternative but to empty out the rubbish and pick through it all.  I hear you ask yourselves why I didn't just go and buy another - but they don't sell them here.  I meant to bring a spare one back with me last time I was over there.   Anyway, like the widow and her mite, I was overjoyed to find it among the rubbish.   My hot water bottle is a most cherished possession, I couldn't have got through the pain of the last few days without it.    I will certainly be more careful when emptying it.

I wasn't too bad on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, and made it to lunch with Kevin and his family.  I also had an invitation yesterday from Carolyn for lunch at an Asian restaurant, and another today to join Cecil and Louise at their family's Thanksgiving which they were having in their church hall, but I didn't make either of those, I was just in too much discomfort.

I hope I feel better soon and can send a more cheerful blog.

27th November

I was out and about and busy for a good part of the day.  Went to Emmanuel to pick up the flowers for the hospital, they hadn't been left out for me so I asked Fr Bill if it was alright to take them off the altar, and he said it was.   They were stuck in oasis in a plastic container, and I didn't know it at the time but this plastic container thing is very precious, and IMPORTANT.  I had the common sense to leave the brass container that holds them all on the altar, and set off for the hospital chapel where I intended to transfer the flowers to a vase.  However, they were firmly stuck in the oasis so I decided I'd just leave it all - the important plastic container, oasis and flowers,  on the table in the chapel.

And I went on my merry way to shop at Walmart.   I told Jeremy the other day that I can't go anywhere in Shawnee without bumping into someone I know, and I realised today how true that was.  Pushing my trolley round Walmart I bump into the head honcho of the Altar Guild, who is responsible for everything to do with the sanctuary and altar, including the flowers and the precious plastic container that holds them (hereinafter called ppc).    I told her what I'd been up to and she spelled out very carefully that ppc had to be retrieved and put back by Friday morning.    Every Friday the florist delivers two arrangements in these containers, and takes back the previous two.   Emmanuel bought four of these ppcs, so they have to be kept together, as it were, one of them can't suddenly go AWOL.    Although there are two arrangements on the altar I just have one of them, I don't know where the other one goes.

So I finish my shopping and drive back to the hospital, and the senior chaplain, Bill exclaims "You're Back!!"    It was nice having a bit of time to chat with him, no one else was around.

Next on the To Do list was my water walk, where I bumped into Kevin who is on the Board of the YMCA, and is often around there.  He asked what I was doing tomorrow for Thanksgiving, and I didn't mean to sound forlorn, but he invited me to join his family at his brother's house, somewhere between here and OK City.    That will be nice, I hope I can make it because I think I've pulled a muscle in my back, and it is quite painful this evening.

The Cable Company is just across the road from the YMCA so I went in there.   I stood at the window inside, bitterly complaining about the updated digital service I've got to have and didn't want, and the fact that I can't get a programme guide, and don't know where to find the channels I want.  She handed me a list of the channels, and told me I'd have the programme guide in about a fortnight.

I turn round from the window and I'm facing a rapt audience.   One woman stepped forward and said "I LOVE your accent"     I replied, faintly, "even when I'm having a rant?".     At least I think my little cabaret relieved the boredom of all those who were waiting.

Last thing to do before going home was dropping off the ppc at Emmanuel, and I had a little chat with Fr Bill.

Friday - the day after Thanksgiving - is a Big Sale day here, but it has been decided that instead of waiting until Friday the stores would open their doors on Thursday evening.  Can you imagine that.  It's like us on Christmas Day, having our big Christmas lunch, listening to the Queen's Speech, sitting back all relaxed and happy, nibbling on the nuts and dates - then putting on our shoes and coats to go shopping for bargains.   Who would want to do that?????????????

And finally....the weather.   It has been cold, but very bright today, but tomorrow I think is going to be warmer.

Wednesday morning

I didn't go anywhere, do anything yesterday, so being British thought I would talk about the weather, and this is what it is like today in Shawnee.

 

And my little companion is always good for a few column inches.  I managed to angle that quite well didn't I.

Going out water walking this morning.   I am not very good at making it when it is cold and dark in the evening.

Monday 25th November

Still wintry, the porch steps were iced up this morning.  I had to go out though to put some money in my bank account, and made my way down them very carefully, clinging to the railing, hoping no one was seeing me because I'm sure I looked daft.   The pavements were all fine though, it is just the rain drips off the roof on to the steps, then freezes.

I went on to Walmart which is all geared up for Thanksgiving on Thursday.   It is the trend now to deep fry the Thanksgiving turkeys. 

What a lot of oil it must take to deep fry a turkey.

Pies are a big feature of Thanksgiving dinners; pumpkin pies, pecan, cherry, apple.  I picked up a double crust apple pie, I hope I can eat it all, I know it is a mistake to shop on an empty stomach.

Just so you know.

As I was out I visited Cecil, who is making very good progress and is getting a lot of physical therapy.   They are celebrating Thanksgiving on Saturday with a big family lunch in the church hall, and Louise invited me.

I called at the cable company to have a rant about their 'upgraded' service I don't like as I no longer have a programme guide, but people were squeezed in the office like sardines, all picking up their new boxes.  I felt like standing in the middle of the room, warning them that they didn't want them, turn round and go home.    But I just left.

Sunday 24th November

The weather has been really wintry.

As you can see, icy.   Too icy to venture out, I just hunkered down today with Bubbles, hot drinks, television  (trying to sort out the channels)  my crocheting.

The snow showers didn't come to much this afternoon.

On the subject of sorting out television channels, a guy from the cable company came on Thursday evening to connect the new HD boxes.   When he was testing it I asked where the programme guide was, he said it will come on in the morning when "it has sorted itself out".  He was lying.  I rang the cable company yesterday and they said I would need to upgrade if I want a programme guide.  All the channels are different, and I don't know what is on anyway, so am feeling a little testy.   If I am able to go out tomorrow I will let them know in the office that I am not happy.  Not that it will make any difference, or they will care.   Part of me is very tempted to go to another company, have a satellite dish, but I know they are more affected by the weather than the cable, and when a tornado is bearing down on me I want to know where it is - it is not the time to have your television go down.

I was glad of my little break away at the retreat in Oklahoma City, even though the journey was a bit nightmarish, I was driving in freezing rain, I had just got on to the interstate when it started, otherwise I might not have set off.   There was a very bad accident in Mid West City which I came upon just after it happened, so I was held up for about an hour while the emergency services were dealing with it.    The afternoon session started at 2.30 on Saturday, and finished at 5, so I had to leave early on Saturday afternoon to be sure of being back in Shawnee before it got dark.

Actually there were several accidents on the interstate in the freezing rain.   When I arrived at the Catholic Centre where the retreat was held, I could hardly believe the ice that was on the car, I couldn't even open the back door, it was frozen up.    Neither could I understand the cars that had all been speeding past me, they were even getting irritated and sounding their horns at me as I was doing the legal minimum of 40.    I vowed to try and keep off the interstate in future.  Navigating six lanes of very busy traffic, trying to cross to my exit without hitting anything, was stressful to say the least.   But it was worth it when I got there, and I've recovered today.

 



Friday morning

Yesterday, Thursday, Kiwanis were entertained by a group of children from a local school practising their Christmas programme.  Trophies were also handed out to two children of the month, and their teacher.

I was pleased to see a good turnout of parents and grandparents with their cameras, I couldn't get a  picture of the children receiving the award, as the parents etc were all in front of me, but that was alright.

The choir who performed are behind them.

Before I leave this subject.  The children sang a couple of carols, Silent Night and Joy to the World, which is actually against Federal Law.   In a public building like the Senior Centre, supported by tax payers of all denominations, Jews, Muslims etc (although I doubt there are many in Shawnee) it is illegal to promote one religion over another, EXCEPT in the state of Tennessee.  There, apparently they are allowed to flaunt their religion in public.   A wild eyed woman preacher on the campus of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga was preaching that the students immodestly dressed were all bound for hell.      A young man on a bicycle, a few feet away asked respectfully if the message she was sending out was consistent with Christ's teaching.  He wasn't yelling, or heckling, but unbelievably the campus police came along, knocked him to the ground, whipped out their handcuffs and he was led off!!!!

Louise reported that Cecil is making progress.  He thinks he will go home, but she says that's not so, he needs too much nursing.   I doubt that she could do the heavy lifting involved in caring for him at home.

I didn't go to Communion and lunch, I thought I would put in an appearance at the hospital chapel's service.   The person who usually plays on the keyboard was indisposed so Bill, the new chaplain, got out his guitar and led a rousing rendition of "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross".   I was impressed.

Today, Friday, I am going on an overnight retreat in Oklahoma City, led by my friend Debra whom I am looking forward to seeing again.   It was she who referred me to the doctor I saw a little while ago for a psychological evaluation, who diagnosed my ADHD.

I was asked to make something for dessert for a lunch tomorrow for someone's Memorial Service at Emmanuel, which I need to leave in the kitchen today.

Do you like my nifty little carrying boxes that were a dollar each from my favourite store?


Well, I had better get on with my packing.

Tuesday 20th November - 150th Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address

I've been running round town today doing my errands, took the flowers to the hospital chapel.   Called at the Cable Company to pay my monthly bill.   Our televisions are being upgraded to HD, and from the New Year we will also have more channels.   More channels - I think I've got about a hundred already, and I was quite happy when I only had 4, I wasn't so confused wondering what to watch.  Anyway, I was handed two digital boxes for my two televisions.  Laughed nervously and asked if I had to connect them myself, but was told someone will come and do them if I can't.  Too right I can't.

I was thinking today that it is sometimes hard to tell that it is winter here, unless I am scraping ice off my car early in the morning, but then it warms up to the 60s and 70s and I forget.   So it hits me when I am suddenly confronted by my frost damaged calla lilies.   That is such a sad sight.

or notice that the leaves have all fallen off the tree.   (don't know why I was suddenly able to enlarge this picture, I haven't been able to for a while, and I can't do the other)

Remember Martin Bashir?  He famously interviewed Princess Diana when she decided she wanted to wash her dirty linen in public.   He is over here now, working for one of the cable networks, and there is a major row going on because he insulted Sarah Palin.   Like she's not used to being insulted???  Of course she is acting all outraged, milking the situation for all it's worth, hoping he will be sacked.

Sunday 17th November

I have not done a lot today.   Just went to the 10.30 at Emmanuel, then back home where I was crocheting and watching episodes all the afternoon of 'Undercover Boss' , a reality programme I quite like where the CEOs of large companies go undercover to find out what is wrong with their companies.  Then Sunday evenings it is competitions on the Food Network.   The evil Fox News, as Fr Clark calls it, doesn't get much of a look in on Sundays.

Next Sunday is the First in Advent.   And now Halloween is over Christmas has taken over in the stores, and the television ads.   It will be time to take down my autumn decorations and get out the Christmas ones.   I might leave it until the week before Christmas though, I really like the autumn colours and flowers and I am not in a hurry to put them away.

I e-mailed Michael today at the Monastery in Beaumont and asked if I could come for Christmas.  He said of course I could, I don't need to ask, they'll look forward to seeing me.   I think I might leave on Friday the 20th, I probably won't be able to do the journey in a day because it gets dark too early.   And I'll rent a car; the engine on mine is threatening to come off its mounting, and I certainly don't need that deep in the heart of Texas.

I have just had another look at the driving directions, and although the mileages are more or less exactly the same - both just under 500 miles - it is 9 hours along the highways, and 7 hours 40 minutes along the interstate.   Drawback with the interstate is that I go through downtown Dallas with its six lanes of busy traffic and loops all over the place.   I think I'll take the highways. 

Harking back to yesterday, Saturday, I went to the monthly AARP meeting.  The speaker was someone talking about Medicare, and I don't usually stay for anything like that which doesn't concern me, but Phyllis came to sit beside me while she had her lunch so I didn't want to get up.  So I stayed and listened and learned something, it didn't do me any good but it opened my eyes.

To try and put it in a nutshell;   Medicare provides health coverage to seniors over 65.  However - and therein lies the scandal - federal law prohibits Medicare negotiating cheaper prices with the pharmaceutical companies, so seniors (and bear in mind nothing is free in this country) have to pay more than they can afford, and a lot more than they should, for their prescription medicines.  Are you keeping up with me?    AARP are proposing to put an end to this racketeering.   

Americans, or more precisely Republicans, sneer at our European socialism but give me it any day over their (dare I say it) corrupt capitalism.   And I know we have our corrupt politicians too, they just don't get to operate on the scale they do here.

And as the NSA reads all our e-mails I wonder how long it will be before Homeland Security are running me out of the country.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Saturday 15th November

My body clock is still playing catch-up.  During Thursday night the smoke alarm in my bedroom was beeping all night, and so was the one outside the door - the law requires that there be a smoke alarm in every bedroom, and every passage leading into a bedroom.

Very reluctantly, I got a step ladder out and very, very nervously, climbed up to remove the batteries, thinking that would stop the beeping and I'd get some sleep.   I didn't know the law also requires smoke alarms to be hard wired, and the batteries are just for back up, so even with the batteries removed they merrily went on beeping (and they call us the nanny state).   So I got very little sleep, if any.

I rang Mark Friday morning and he came out and dealt with it, putting in new batteries.  And he carried in my new microwave from the car.

And this is said shiny new microwave.    The $47.50 deal, which is just under £30.  Seems quite reasonable.  I don't know why I even wondered for a moment if I could live without one.

Friday afternoon I was out and about in Shawnee.   As I had been sneezing and sniffling I rang Bill at the hospital and said I didn't think I had better go in.   I understand Cecil has settled into the nursing home, and I will go and see him when I've stopped sneezing.

The weather on Friday was lovely.  Warm and sunny and 68.

And this is the weather for today.

It says rain at 6am, it is now 5.45 and I think I can hear it gearing up.

Sunday, Monday and Tuesday look nice and bright.   And warm.

I don't know what time I went to sleep last night.  I don't remember much after 8 o'clock.  I hadn't settled for the night because I hadn't tidied the kitchen, and left the milk out.  Anyway I woke at 3am, and think I am now going back to bed for a little while.

Wednesday/Thursday

Wednesday morning.    It was very cold, winter is here, even if the sun is shining in a blue sky, and the temperature climbs up to 65 later in the day, when I am scraping ice off the car it is winter.  So I do what I have to do in winter; put my summer skirts in another closet, and take the car to Terry so he can do the little adjustment he has to do, to change from air conditioning to heat.  I know it would be better if I could do that myself from inside the car, but to do so I need a new thingy, and it is not high on my list of priorities at the moment.    As I was going to the dentist in Norman today I had to have heating on, so got to Terry's at 8 o'clock.

As far as I can see, there is just one qualified dentist in this practice I go to, but dozens of minions, and countless examination rooms.  I ring up, ask for an appointment with the dentist, and in my naiveté expect that I will see him.   But no, I get a minion, who does an acceptable job of adjusting my partial, but like doctors who don't have MD's I feel I am being short changed.   On the way out it was suggested I make an appointment with the hygienist, which I know is overdue, so I agree but say I really want an appointment for a check up with the dentist.  I'm assured - somewhat airily - that when the hygienist is cleaning my teeth he will come in "and have a look".   I realise this is the best offer of a check up I am going to get, so rather laughingly agree.    Actually, I was reminded that when I first saw him I had a comprehensive examination and I was given a printed sheet of all the work that will need to be done in the future, and he will tell me - when he has a look round - what part of that list needs to be done now.

When I got home I knocked up some cakes for dessert for the Wednesday meal.

Thursday morning.    It was rather sad going to Kiwanis this morning.  On my very first day there Cecil invited me to sit beside him.   Then about two years ago Fr Clark joined, and he was invited to sit on the other side (this is beginning to sound like the Last Supper) but from now on it will always be just the two of us sitting together.   Louise has always sat with the treasurer.  Cecil is being transferred today to a skilled nursing home facility, the same one where Larry was.  

He had his major stroke last Friday, and I am feeling rather stunned that he can go from normality to a nursing home in less than a week.  Louise said they were told about a year and a half ago that he had Alzheimer's (I hadn't noticed, perhaps because I've got it myself I thought he was normal) but the neurologist has confirmed now that he has.  But in a small way he is making a little progress in that he is beginning to feed himself.  It was also explained to Louise that in the case of a stroke the brain swells, and then as the swelling goes down it needs to make new neuro-pathways, so he will get better than he is at the moment.    That is why I am always playing lots of games of solitaire, I am maintaining my neuro-pathways.  And I think that probably crocheting and needlework does that as well, I hope so.

Kiwanis was very interesting; a member gave a power point presentation of her recent trip to South Dakota , to the badlands, Mount Rushmore, and just over into Wyoming.  She went with members of her family and said her brother in law is a photographer, and she had lovely photographs.  She is however, a very accomplished photographer herself, and has in the past given us a presentation of her photographs of birds.    I think South Dakota might be next on my bucket list, after Tennessee, the  Cumberland Gap, and the Smoky Mountains.

This morning was really all go.   I needed to get back to water walking, which has been a bit neglected lately, and as Fr Clark attends a Bible study group in the YMCA shortly after Kiwanis I went along as well, then had my water walk, then a quick dash to Emmanuel for Communion, and out to lunch.    Which is quite a lot of activity for me, all in one morning.

Tuesday 12th November

I haven't slept well the last couple of nights or so, my body clock is all awry.   When I got up I went to Emmanuel, and picked up the flowers for the hospital.

Had to go to Walmart for a new microwave.   Mine was flashing and banging, and goodness knows what, and I hadn't put anything reflective in it, but like everything else in this country nothing is made to last.   I briefly - for all of 15 seconds - wondered if I could live without one, but thinking of the number of times I use it during the day, I know I can't.

I spotted one for $45 that looked quite good so I pushed and pulled and heaved it into my cart, moved on and saw another one for $37.95, so with another struggle I managed to lever out the more expensive one, and replace it with the cheaper, by which time my shoulder was seriously threatening to dislocate again.  Then I had a good look at both of them and decided that the $45 deal had features that were definitely worth the extra money.......I asked at the checkout if someone could help me get it in the car, I waited, and waited, and waited, an no one showed up.   So with a great, superhuman effort I managed to tip it into the boot of the car.    But I am going to have to get someone to bring it inside for me.

Yesterday I thought I'd catch up on some lost sleep.   Made some tea and took it to bed with the pages of the 'Mail on Sunday' dear sister sends me, and there was an interesting article by Piers Morgan, a British columnist who also anchors CNN, and has been campaigning against the crazy gun laws in this country.

It boggles my mind how many children and  young people are mown down here in their schools and colleges.   In Dunblane, Scotland in 1996 a madman entered a school with four hand guns, and shot and killed 16 children and 1 adult.   Following this it was made illegal in the United Kingdom to own hand guns and there hasn't been a school shooting since.   Over here  however, as Piers Morgan said, America does nothing, endures endless school shootings and has 11,000 gun murders a year. In Britain we have 35.

As they say here.....go figure.

Sunday 10th November

Do you know how many people looked at my blog yesterday?   91.   91!!!!!!!!!!!!   There were 590 last month, which I think averages about 19 a day, and even that baffles me.   I can think of three loved ones, and about seven friends who regularly read it.   Even with the NSA monitoring it I can't see how it would mount up to 91 in one day.

Anyway, for all of you who find this so fascinating - this has been a pretty uneventful day.  I woke up early this morning as I was picking up the donuts for Emmanuel, and reading at the 8 o'clock.   I thought of going to a service somewhere else at 11, but felt too tired.   I always consider going somewhere in the evening, but at the moment there are some very good competitions Sunday evening on the Food Network.

I finished reading the second of two books written by a Cuban refugee, Carlos Eire, one of the 14,000 children airlifted to the United States when Castro took over.  Although he said this airlift was kept from the American people, it still amazes me that even in this day and age no one seems to know about it.  It certainly wouldn't get past Fox News today.

 Something else which shocked me was the destruction of the churches there.  He and his brother watched as Revolutionaries smashed up crosses, icons, everything that is in churches.  Even the communist regimes in the former Soviet Union weren't that bad.   They closed the churches but didn't carry out acts of wanton destruction.

Friday/Saturday/Sunday morning

Friday morning I went to the hospital.  The new senior chaplain started this week and although I had already met him, as I was on the interview panel, this was the first time I'd seen him installed in the office as it were.  He is a Baptist minister from a church in Iowa, but is very familiar with Shawnee as he had been to OBU, and his daughters, I believe, were also there, and he seems pleased to be back in Shawnee.

When I got home I had a call from the Senior Centre informing me that my friend Cecil has had a major stroke.   I caught up with Louise on her cell phone on Saturday morning, she was on her way to the hospital in Oklahoma City.    One side is paralysed, he can't speak, and the doctors were dealing with a severe blood clot.

Mark and his sons came out on Saturday morning.   There is a long standing problem in the house with rain coming in, and although they have in the past climbed about on the roof,  they hadn't been able to locate where it was coming in.   But this morning one of his sons shimmied up into the roof space and Mark turned a hose on, but the rain seems to be coming in underneath the roof tiles, the roof area inside is perfectly dry.   I didn't get the chance to ask how they can fix the problem as my nosy neighbour, Dale's husband, trotted across the road to see what was going on.  I will e-mail Mark.

While they were there though, with a hose and strong jet of water, they cleaned all the sidings on the house, the windows and the porches, and it all looks very spruced up.

I thought I would have an early night on Saturday night, turned the light out at 10 o'clock, but woke at midnight.   Made some tea, went on the computer, and precious grand daughter Miranda Skyped me from her I-Pad, which was lovely.   It was about 7am there and she was lying in bed with it.   The wonders of modern technology......being able to lie in bed and call up your grandma in Oklahoma.   The world is certainly a much smaller place than it was.

Thursday

I thought winter had arrived this morning, for the first time in months the car was covered with ice first thing.   I went to the City after Kiwanis, and when I got back to Shawnee mid afternoon the temperature was 71.   I don't know how it gets from freezing to 71 in one day.   70 is considered a heat wave in Britain.

The Kiwanis speaker was a columnist in the local paper, she writes an amusing column, and it was an entertaining talk.

There was an AARP luncheon and Award Ceremony in the City, Phyllis and her husband Joe picked me up from the Senior Centre after Kiwanis, together with another Kiwanis member, who is also in the AARP.    I was jokingly making a big deal of the fact that we were leaving Shawnee at 9.30 for lunch in the City, 30/40 minutes away.  I know Americans eat early, but golly me.   I was glad I hadn't had to leave the house at 7.30 for the donuts.    We did get there early but it didn't matter, I had my toys in my bag.  Bit of crochet, and my C-Nook.

Anyway, it was all very nice and I enjoyed the day.   Phyllis, who is the local President, was given an award.

Basically this means that our local Shawnee AARP is the best in Oklahoma.    And it is very much due to Phyllis who works immensely hard in the community.

I hate my hair scraped back like that, but it was either that or looking a hot mess.  I need to get myself to a hairdresser.

I got home just after 3 and had a little nap then visited my friend who had been in the nursing home.  Two or three church members, together with some of the youth, moved her furniture on Wednesday evening, and this morning she left the nursing home.    She has a lot of boxes to unpack and sort out before she is straight, but it all went very well.

Would you say that was a deathbed picture.   I saw the christening pictures and they all looked very happy, including Charles and Camilla.  And the Queen looked very sprightly for 85.