Tuesday 24th September

Have been busy.   I decided to get out my autumn decorations, and put away the spring/summer floral decorations.  It actually is autumn now, although with a brilliantly blue sky and temperature of 89, I think it was as I drove through Shawnee,  it is more like high summer in Britain.

I also decided to turn out some cupboards.  That was a mistake.   I really should focus on one job and finish it before starting another.   So now I have two rooms that look as if a bomb has hit them.   They will all be sorted out before tomorrow night though.   I hate anyone to see my house looking a mess and a guy from the cable company is bringing a new television remote on Thursday afternoon,

This will be the third remote I have had for my television.   Nothing lasts in this country - I have had half a dozen electric kettles since I've been here.   I don't know why it is that Chinese imports into Britain are of good quality, but their imports into the States are absolute rubbish.   Answers on a postcard please, or in an e-mail.

I went to fill up the car with gas and took these two photos at the filling station.

Any British beer afficionado will say beer should never be drunk cold, and they deride Americans who do so.   My Anglo-American friend, Fr Clark, says he keeps his in the fridge but takes it out to come to room temperature before drinking it.

You can't see it very well but the price of fuel currently is $3.19 a gallon.  I don't know what is happening to oil prices lately, I think it was only last week it was nearly $3.60.

This evening I had two things on.   The Republican congressman for this district was holding a meeting, inviting questions.   He talked first of all about the fact that the government is about to shut down (although I've heard that before, and they always come back from the brink).   I remember meeting this guy when he was campaigning for Congress, three years ago (makes me realise how long I've been here) and I rather like him.   I tend to keep that opinion to myself though, I don't voice it among the Democrat crowd I hang out with.    He also talked about the new Universal Health Care that Obama is trying to get through, and Republicans are fighting tooth and nail.   I can't see it working myself, as people will be required to pay insurance premiums, and not everyone can afford them.   Our system of national insurance deductions is far more workable.

I found that meeting quite interesting, but had to leave early to get to another at Emmanuel.    This was a group discussing a book about a young Muslim growing up in America.   It was the fourth ,and final, meeting and I hadn't been to the previous three, so it was a bit over my head.

Finally, a bumper sticker which always makes me smile.