Thursday 22nd August

The Kiwanis speaker this morning was the Director of the School Nutrition Services, for the schools in Shawnee.   I thought she was going to talk about obesity in children, so was disappointed that she talked more generally about children and healthy eating.   She was proud, and justifiably so, that the children in Shawnee's schools generally opt to buy the schools' healthy meals, rather than bringing packed lunches from home.  

I went to Emmanuel for Communion.  I keep intending to go to the study/discussion group beforehand, perhaps one of these days I will make it.   Afterwards, Fr Bill, Fr Clark, and three of us went to lunch.   There is a new strip mall opened in Shawnee which has a BBQ restaurant, so we thought we'd try that.   The baby back ribs I had were quite nice, but a lot of restaurants here have music playing, which I don't like, because the volume is usually turned up too much, and it is far too loud for me.  Although it doesn't seem to bother anyone else.

In the news....For how many DECADES have we known in Britain that when people get more money in social security benefits than they can earn, they give up working?    Well, Americans have only just, just, woken up to that fact, and newsmen are reporting it in tones of wonderment, and incredulity.

Another item of interest is that we are accustomed - both here and in Britain - to toys being imported from China, but there is a good toy manufacturer here exporting their toys to China, because the quality is better.  And because Chinese parents can only have one child, they generally want the best for that child, and that includes good quality toys from the US.   I just wish I knew where to find them.  I scour the shelves in vain looking for presents for my grandchildren that aren't made in China.  Perhaps these good quality exports will become more available as time goes by.

I am going on yet another retreat tomorrow, Friday but it is just overnight in Oklahoma City.    It finishes Saturday and I'll be back in the evening.  I'm going with my friend Sandra, we've been before and know the person who is leading it.