Saturday 31 May

Today has just been jobs around the house, a trip to Walmart, and crocheting while watching all the scandals rocking the White House unfold.

 

On the Benghazi scandal people (or maybe just Fox News) are suddenly insistently demanding to know where the President was while the attack was going on, because it has been determined that he wasn't in the situation room, where it was expected he would be, and where everyone else was monitoring it  

 

Now I am beginning to suspect there is actually a great deal more to this that the public don't yet know.   And maybe he was in Benghazi himself at the time - and that's the big secret - because there was no reason for the ambassador to have been there, and no one is explaining why he was, and calls for an explanation as to what he was doing there have been growing louder.  The plot thickens, as they say.

 

It is better than a whodunnit, except that it moves a lot slower.  I would have either finished the whodunnit by now, or turned to the back.

 

This evening Pattisue rang and suggested going to the local flea pit where the Pottawatomie Historical Society were putting on a show.   She was keen to see someone impersonating Will Rogers, a famous film star and personality in the 1930s who came from Oklahoma.  He seemed to go down well with the audience, but he was a bit over my head, I think one needed to be American to appreciate the humour.  

 

There wasn't a programme, but this notice was in the local paper.    I did enjoy the performance by the little band.   Brian Blansett is the proprietor and editor of the local newspaper I've met a few times at Kiwanis.   He has brought his daughter, pictured next to him with his double bass, when he has been to Kiwanis.  She is a violinist when she is playing for the Oklahoma Philharmonic, but fiddles when she is playing with her family.   I used to think the violin and fiddle were different instruments, but the difference is in the way it is played. 

 

For a local flea pit it wasn't bad inside.  Mind you no one here calls it a flea pit, I think that is just an English slang term.    The theatre opened in 1911.   Pattisue was waiting outside when I arrived.

 

 

Friday

It has been warm today, 85 degrees.   I've had a nice day.   After doing my chaplaincy round I went out to lunch with Bruce and Rosalyn.   We thought we would like to try something new, so went out to the buffet at the Grand Casino, which is just outside Shawnee, on the way to OK City.

 

It was a very good lunch with a lot of choice, I had roast beef with vegetables but there was a very extensive salad bar as well.

 

I would have liked a picture of the buffet, but couldn't get it all in.  You see how it winds around.

 

We were just there for lunch, we didn't have any interest in gambling, but as I hadn't been before I wanted to take a few pictures of the casino area, so set off while Bruce and Rosalyn were finishing their lunch.

And took this while they weren't looking.

 

Then plunged into the Casino.

And this, dear friends and loved ones, is what passes for a casino in this country.

A   MEGA  -  Amusement Arcade, with 2800 (I asked) slot machines, more Southend Pier than Monte Carlo.   That is to say, it has all the plushness of Monte Carlo, and the facilities of Southend Pier.   Eat your heart out 007.  Even if the creators of this casino had never been to Monte Carlo, would you not have thought that they might, at least, have gone to see Casino Royale?

 

I thought "they must surely have some poker tables here somewhere" and continued my quest to find some.     And lo and behold, I found half a dozen.   Half a dozen poker tables - in a casino.

 

 

The slot machines are what we would call one-arm bandits, but they have progressed along with the rest of technology and are now extremely high tech.   Bruce and Rosalyn caught up with me when they finished their lunch, and Bruce tried to show me how one worked, but it was way too confusing for me.   Just as well I didn't want to gamble.

 

But this confusion with technology obviously doesn't affect all little old ladies.

So this is where they go when they are not in the Senior Centre.

 

 

This is the second largest sign in Oklahoma. We think the largest must be another Casino somewhere.

 

It was a very pleasant, enjoyable lunch, and an interesting trip around the Casino.

Thursday

Things have gone a little awry the last couple of days.  Yesterday, Wednesday, I had a bit of a problem starting the car but got to the hospital (I'm glad I made it, Bill left me a note at 2 in the morning saying he was just going home, he'd been there hours, so would be late, and I actually did my round and left before he came, so he must have been tired).    However, I couldn't start the car when I left, so Terry had to  come out and get it going.   I was going to lunch with Bruce and Rosalyn, but we changed it to Friday.  I had a new part fitted in the car in April, and it must have been faulty, Terry ordered a replacement and put it in this morning.

I made some white chocolate bark, and shortbread, for the games night Beth was having on Wednesday night but had to ring and ask her to collect it.

 With the piece on the right some of the topping of walnuts, apricots and cranberries, was loose, so I drizzled more chocolate over to hold it down.  In the piece next to it I pressed it all in.   I debated whether to break it into shards myself, but then thought it would be better cut up
 in the church kitchen.  If the topping scattered across the worktop the children could pick it up, like birds.

These are the driverless cars that are being developed.   I can't see them catching on, not on the main highway.  I might have mentioned this before, I have an idea I did somewhere, but I wondered what a driverless car would do, faced with a split second ethical decision - like the brakes not working, and it is hurtling towards a busy roundabout.   Who would it save?    It doesn't have a steering wheel, would it turn itself into a concrete barrier, or endanger the motorists on the roundabout?

Isn't this a surprise!!!

Tuesday

Considering this is supposed to be summer, it has seemed a little chilly and wet to me.  Not that I'm complaining about the wet, I wouldn't dare.    I took the flowers from Emmanuel to the hospital this morning and my buddy in the golf cart was being cheerful enough for both of us, telling me what a wonderful day it was with the rain.  Asked me if I missed the fog in London.  I said he has been reading too much Dickens, we don't have fog any more in London.

You have I am sure heard of the dreadful mass killing here by a young 22 year old man.  He e-mailed his parents a copy of his 'manifesto' setting out what he was going to do;   they immediately left home and was racing to him when they heard on the car radio what he'd done.    One's heart goes out to all the victims and families, the six people he killed and the thirteen injured - and to his parents, what an immense burden of grief and pain they too will have to bear for the rest of their lives.

All the time there is little, or no, mental health care in this country these tragedies are going to continue.   It is all very well to blame the gun laws, as people do, and the easy accessibility of guns is certainly a factor in enabling these young men to go on shooting sprees, but guns aren't the cause of the tragedies.   Mental health care, or the lack of it, is.

I am reading a very interesting book at the moment called 'the sociopath next door', which asserts that

1 in every 25 Americans is a sociopath, that is, born without a conscience.   Sociopaths are not capable of being emotionally connected to other people, and what makes them especially dangerous is their ability to hide their disorder, so that outwardly they appear perfectly normal.  The book sets out to show how to recognise and identify sociopathic behaviour.

I haven't felt all that bright today, I've needed a migraine tablet, then had to sleep off its effects.  Hopefully tomorrow I will have a bit more to write about.

Memorial Day - First Day of Summer (unofficially)

The last Monday in May, formerly known as Decoration Day, originated after the Civil War to commemorate the more than 600,000 Union and Confederate soldiers who died.   By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service.

 

On Memorial Day the US flag is raised briskly and then solemnly lowered to half mast, where it remains until noon, after which it is then raised to full mast for the remainder of the day. 

 

The half-mast position remembers the more than one million men and women who gave their lives in service of their country. At noon, their memory is raised by the living, who resolve not to let their sacrifice be in vain, but to rise up in their stead and continue the fight for liberty and justice for all.  'Liberty and justice for all'  is a favourite expression, much bandied about here.

 

It is all a little confusing for people like me, especially when I see Obama laying a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier, which is all very reminiscent of the Queen and the Cenotaph and Remembrance Day, however their equivalent of our Remembrance Day in November is called Veterans Day.   Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving, while Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans.

I spent most of the day watching it all on television while I finished off this little afghan.

I'm donating it to the Senior Centre for a raffle prize.   Little old ladies here like them this size to put over their laps.  Perhaps - since I now fall into that category - I should make one for myself.

We have had thunderstorms today,

and I was playing 'hunt the cat'.   Then during a break in them she appeared - from goodness knows where - and padded across the living room.   Although I had left a closet door open, and put a duvet down on the floor for her, she decided she preferred to cower behind a chair.

It was unbelievable how hard it was raining, 'coming down like stair rods' is an understatement.

and the road was like a river in full flood.

Gardening in Oklahoma

I have taken some heat from the family for my mean, ungracious reaction to my neighbour's gardening efforts, so I am chastised and confess that I should have appreciated that she probably meant well, and simply wanted to be kind, and I am not going to plant Russian vine in front of her little vegetable garden, or anywhere it might be a nuisance to her.   And I certainly didn't mean to be as vengeful as it came across.

 

I don't however regret pulling up the lilies she planted in a neat little line.  She said she moved them because "they were growing out into the garden, and I didn't want that, did I".    Actually, I do prefer them growing out into the garden in a clump, rather than in a neat line along the fence.  

And I am still thinking of the Russian vine at the bottom of the garden, so that when I step outside the five pit bulls in the garden behind won't see me and start barking.

While we are on the subject of gardening, let me tell you what is on the side of the garden opposite the lilies, which I take very great care to avoid because it is a greater scourge than Russian vine.   It is poison ivy.   These are a few facts about poison ivy I have copied and pasted.
   
     Only 1 nanogram (billionth of a gram) needed to cause rash

    Average is 100 nanograms for most people 
    1/4 ounce of urushiol is all that is needed to cause a rash in every person on earth

500 people could itch from the amount covering the head of a pin
 
1 to 5 years is normal for urushiol oil to stay active on any surface including dead plants.

There are also some very scary looking pictures of the rash that it causes, but I wasn't able to copy and reproduce them here.

My pharmacy has a neon notice board outside, advertising what is needed at different times of the year - flu shots, vaccinations and, at the appropriate time, prevention and treatment for poison ivy.  I drive past thinking "16 something $, I'll just steer clear of it".

 

So, between proprietorial neighbours, barking pit bulls, and poison ivy, who knew gardening in Oklahoma was such hard work.............

 

Changing the subject -

 

This is Bubbles' mama who has taken lately to hanging out on my back porch.   She's 17.  She was sleeping and woke, startled, when she heard the camera.   All the younger cats next door have packed their bags, and slung their hooks.  They did come here and try their luck for a while, but I am not taking any more, I think Bubbles likes her space.  And it is hard enough crocheting with one cat in my lap, I couldn't be doing with two.  Donna, my neighbour, said she just has the grandma cats left.

 

I was thinking yesterday that I hate holiday weekends,  and within ten minutes of the thought Pattisue rang and suggested lunch sometime, so went to the China Buffet today.  The food varies there and today they had a big variety of sea food, it was very nice.   I wish their waiters spoke English though.  I was asked what I wanted to drink (always the first question in any restaurant here, they don't wait until the end of the meal like we do) I asked for some hot water and got a totally uncomprehending stare, like I was something from another planet he had never seen before.  Just as I was getting frustrated and sarcastic Pattisue stepped in and conveyed to him what I wanted.   The manager who speaks English, and has no problem understanding me, noticed the little contretemps and looked after me for the rest of the meal.

 

This morning I went to Larry's church where he is interim-ing, the membership are going to vote next week as to whether or not they want him permanently, but I think it is a foregone conclusion, they did ask him to stay.   They're very democratic these Baptists, not like us who has to take what our bishop sends us.  At least they do in the Church of England, I am not sure about the Episcopalians.

 

So far there are only these two adorable children in the church who were doing a little dance routine to a song -

 

they completely captivated the congregation -

That is Larry in the foreground.   I think once he has been confirmed as their pastor he will begin an outreach effort to bring people in, make the church active and thriving again.

 

The reason I didn't go to Emmanuel was because it is Family Promise week and I wanted to keep under the radar.  I have helped out lots of times in the past, but am now feeling too old and tired to transport all my bedding, pillows duvets etc., in and out of the car and back again.  And I hate leaving Bubbles all night.

Memorial Holiday Weekend

Officially the beginning of summer, the weekend all the bbq's are fired up (and this is serious bbq-ing country) but looking at this weather forecast I think rain is going to put the kybosh on it...



not that anyone would complain mind. In this drought stricken state they will fall on their knees thanking God for it.   For whenever two or more are gathered together they pray for rain.  At least in this state they do.

 

And I just bought this nifty little, very lightweight, garden hose.  Because when you are a little old lady, pushing 80, you can't be doing with those old fashioned ones that weigh a ton.

 

It was necessitated by my neighbour coming into my garden and moving my lilies.   I've simmered with annoyance for the last two or three days then thought "damn-it, this is something up with which I will not put"  in the words of the late, great Winston Churchill.   So I pulled them up and moved them to another spot, goodness knows if they will survive all this transplantation.    I am going to fill their space though - tomorrow I am going to a garden centre to buy some Russian vine. 

 

Said neighbour will wish she'd minded her own business.   But before any of you caution me and say that for my own sake, at least, I don't want Russian vine, let me show you where it will go...

 

I'll plant it in front of the neighbour's little vegetable garden, to the left of her unsightly outbuilding, then plant a bit more in front of the outbuilding, and her rubbish on the right.   And whatever you think of Russian vine you have to admit that it looks quite pretty, and a lot better than the view I've got at the moment.   Never mind that it will spread right across the prairies.

 

I've tried photographing the pretty little chickadees in the garden, but they are very shy - and fast -  and it is difficult to get close.  This one was in the front garden of the house opposite, and I zoomed in. 

 

 

I realise just how long I have been in this country when I reflect on the fact that I remember this young man (and he is a young man, I've got sons older than him) when he was elected to Congress in 2011.  I met him when he was out on the campaign trail - not that I was hanging out with Republicans you understand, but they go everywhere when they are campaigning.    He is now putting himself forward, as you can see, for the US Senate.     I like him, I'd probably vote for him if I had a vote although I don't agree with all his viewpoints. 

 

Hilary has got a bigger headline than our monarchy!    She had a fall some months ago and it was said that she suffered concussion.  Husband Bill revealed a few days ago that she'd had a traumatic brain injury and blood clot, but has spent the last six months working hard to get back to normal, and is now sharper than he is.   Which is probably not saying a lot, but I think she is now back to normal.

 

I don't think now she will be President but not because she is allegedly 'brain damaged'.   She is not going to recover, I don't think, from Benghazi.

 

The Queen is always dying, Camilla's always evil, and Kate is always wonderful (not that I dispute that).

I actually took this photo a few days ago.   Did her brother really die in New York, I didn't hear anything about it over here?

 

Isn't that horrendous.   It is the number of children being sent, unaccompanied as it says, across the border from Mexico. 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Monday 19th May

The weather is very warm at the moment.....

It doesn't feel anything like as hot as that though, because of the very strong winds we have.

Bubbles obviously feels it, she likes to be out sunbathing on the porch, but comes in and immediately flakes out....

she doesn't even make it to the bed.    But the aroma of hot rotisserie chicken got her to her feet pretty quickly.

Speaking of which........the hot chicken was $6.49.   Near the checkout where they were selling them cold they were $4.49.  I asked why and was told that people on food stamps can't use them to buy hot food, so the cold chickens are for the impoverished poor (my words).

Last Friday my brake warning light came on.  Like it did in the rental car in Oxford, when I was told everything had just been checked over and it was all fine.   So I took it straight off to Terry, he filled up the thingy that holds the brake fluid but suspected it was leaking and told me to take it back this morning, which I did, and it was.  So I needed a new one.  And while he had the car up on the ramp he showed me that the tyres were worn, so I had to get two new ones.    SIGH.

He took me home while he worked on the car, then picked me up.   Apparently there aren't MOT tests here, and no regulations about tyre treads.  He said one of his customer's tyres are completely worn down, but he just doesn't care.   I wish I'd known that on Saturday morning when the Chief of Police was answering our questions.

I had started to pull up the dead stuff from last year's calla lilies, but while I was out at church last night my next door neighbour came and finished off the job.    And moved some of them so they were more spread out along the fence.   I thanked her but am actually struggling to feel gracious.  I just can't imagine what her reaction would be if I let myself into her garden, and started digging about.  The notion boggles my mind. 

While I was out and about in town before taking the  car in, I called at the Senior Centre  to see how the jumble sale went last Friday and Saturday.    They were decidedly less than thrilled, Kate said  that they managed to cover their costs.   Picking my words rather carefully I said that in England we would call it a jumble sale, and I thought 'Community Bazaar' sounded more "high end".   She knew what I was talking about and said she expected it to be more high end too.    I think she thought that by insisting on calling it a bazaar it would all be much nicer......but what do they say about roses, and any other name.....
This was the notice about it that was all over town -

I think next month they need to be a bit more specific.   Buy, Sell or Trade, doesn't cut it.

Sunday 18th May

I have a circadian rhythm sleep disorder.   I woke this morning at 2, I couldn't get back to sleep but really wanted to at 6.30, however I was reading at the 8 o'clock so there was no turning the alarm clock off, much as I wanted to.   So this afternoon I was just dozing and napping.  

 

There is going to be major building and construction work at Emmanuel, the plans for which were all unveiled today.   There are going to be new classrooms, and a bigger new kitchen and parish hall so that the church can reach out, and feed, more people.   I am not sure how it is going to be paid for but the congregation - a lot of them anyway - are well heeled, perhaps they are all chipping in.    It is all a far cry from Britain where it is a big deal indeed if a church needs a new roof, or even repairs to the roof.        Certainly if any church were sitting on enough money to enlarge its premises the diocese would be reaching out for it.   I used to be on the diocesan synod, I've heard the fury and resentment when the diocesan dues were increased.   

 

It was a bit chilly early in the day but a lovely evening.   I do miss an Anglican Sunday evening service, I think I would have to go to the cathedral in the City for one, but I went out to the evening service at Larry's new church near the lake.                      

I took a photo of the inside -

The pews are so well upholstered, I've never known such comfortable seating in a church.  This sanctuary is well into the interior of the building, I wish there were some outside windows where I could see the evening sun streaming in.

Saturday 17th May

It was the monthly AARP meeting this morning, the Police Chief of Shawnee, whom I like very much was the speaker.   He is very proud of his force, and they are one of the best in Oklahoma.  He has 59 officers, and with civilians as well there are 85 employees.   One of the things he told us is that with all the free food and meals available in Shawnee, no one is hungry, so the bandits are not stealing for food, the biggest problem is drugs.  And it is getting worse because marijuana has recently been legalised  in Colorado, and this legalisation has made drugs very much cheaper, and significantly impacted the market.  Washington State and California are the only two other states where it is legalised.

Another major problem is uninsured motorists.   It has always astounded me, the number of motorists who are stopped here and don't have insurance, because it is so serious in Britain to drive uninsured, but people here seem to accept it.  Even when they are found to be driving uninsured, and their cars are impounded, they buy the insurance to get the car back, then they promptly cancel it.   What kind of mindset is that!!

He was sitting with Phyllis and I during lunch, I think we were entertaining him with our British badinage.

I have spent the rest of the day at home, not being very active.

Friday16th May

This afternoon I went along to the Community Market and Bazaar the Senior Centre were organising in the Municipal Building, next door to the Centre.

I was thinking 'Bazaar' would be all rather tasteful, and nice.  It wasn't though.  I've seen better laid out, and more tasteful, jumble sales.  Louise was calling it something less flattering than 'bazaar', and they came down on her, insisting it was a bazaar.   Anyway, I am glad I got to see it, and I photographed my afghan they were raffling.

See what I mean about jumble sale?   Kate has had the afghan hanging in the Senior Centre for a while, so it has already raised money before today.

They have absolutely no idea here on how to run a raffle, I have tried educating them, but they haven't got it.  

Afterwards I went round Walmart for my goats milk, it was about 5.30 when I got home, so I didn't feel like going out again to the arty event downtown.

In the news..............

This guy was sentenced in Peru in January 2010, to 28 years in a maximum security prison, for murder, and is about to marry his 5 months pregnant girl friend.   Pregnant girl friend!!!!  Maximum security prison!!!!!!!!!   What happened!!!!!!!!!

You have probably heard of Barbara Walters, she is retiring today from her outstanding career as a television journalist.    What gets me is that she is 85!!!!!!!!!    She looks younger than a woman half her age.  I am studying her picture, wondering how she does it.   Thinking - "maybe I'll have my hair coloured next week".

 

 



All these illegal aliens (although they musn't be called illegal aliens anymore, it is not politically correct)  were all released, just let out of prison into society, the countries where they came from won't take them back.   Someone asked what can you do with them, you can't just drop them into the ocean.   I am looking at their crimes and thinking "why not".   I don't really understand why they couldn't stay in prison, I think it is something to do with their constitutional rights, they can't be held indefinitely.  Which still leaves me asking "why not".

The calla lilies in my garden are shooting up, they grow very fast.  On the left of them you will see a little mulberry tree has taken root and is growing.  My next door neighbour, who sold the house but still thinks the garden is hers, informed me she was coming round to dig it up.  I told her to leave it alone.  I like trees.

Dentistry update - Friday pm

I didn't make it to the hospital on Wednesday, I was feeling really rather grim for a couple of days.  And during that time my dear, precious cat never left my side, she cuddled up, put her little paw round me, like "there"  "there, it'll be alright".   Bless her.

 

Let me tell you about this dentist's surgery.  Normally you go in the surgery, shut the door, lay back in the chair, right?   But here there was no shutting the door.   There is one very big room, separated by those room dividers that were popular in the 60s, so there was a little bit of privacy, but not as much as I am used to.

 

It also gave the impression that there were lots of dentists, but in fact - to my surprise - there are only two and a hygienist.   What happens is that one is taken to a chair, dentist does something like administers an anaesthetic, then moves on to another patient sitting in another chair.  When anaesthetic has taken effect he comes back, carries out his dental surgery, then - as in my case - leaves me -  weeping in the chair - to recover and goes off to another patient.  

 

When I emerged ready to drive home I could see why they swiped my credit card while I was barely over the threshold.  I was certainly in no state to deal with it when I came out.    At my dentist in Norman I didn't settle the bill until I had finished, and this is making me a little uneasy at going back to this dentist in Shawnee, like they know they are going to hurt me.    I have an appointment for deep cleaning in June, but am thinking it over.   I did actually like the young man who did it.   And do I really want to research more dentists in Shawnee.   But I am not going further afield, ten minutes across town was more than enough in the state I was in.

 

The Senior Centre are holding a big Community Market in the Municipal Hall this afternoon which I am just going to check out.   They are raffling the afghan I donated.    This evening there is an arts event downtown I might go to.  I like getting out, but am getting lazy at making the effort nowadays.

Woe is Me

Woe is me indeed, I hope you've got the sound turned on for the violins.

Went to the dentist yesterday for the root canal filling, the tooth was very badly infected and I can't remember the last time I have ever been in so much pain, in fact I don't think I ever have.   If I had been in England I would have had it done at the dental hospital in East Grinstead, where they could have given me a stronger anaesthetic.  I've been to E Grinstead for less traumatic procedures than this was.    I was squirming, crying, sobbing even, and I was thinking - through my haze of tears and pain "I can't drive home, I'll call my friend Quick"  a local cab driver, whom I've known since I've been here, and we still wave to each other as we're going round town.   Quick is a 7'7" former Brazilian basketball player, and I know that seeing me weeping and pathetic in the waiting room he would have gathered me in his arms, which I needed as much as his cab.

However, the dentist wasn't going to turn me - weeping and pathetic - into his waiting room, he left me in the chair until he gauged I was fit enough to drive home.

I got back, took some pain pills and slept soundly, am now going to take more pain pills and crawl back into bed.   I warned Chaplain Bill yesterday I might not make it to the hospital this morning, but it is not quite 7, I'll see how I am.

Monday 12th May

Big change in the weather, chilly, grey and with heavy rain, which in this drought stricken state is always good news.   I can't say though that I have ever really noticed the drought.  It is not like at home where you get three sunny days in a row and everyone panics, and brings in a hose pipe ban.

There has been severe weather right across the Mid West, 26 tornadoes over 4 states.   Also, there's a very severe wildfire in the Texas panhandle, destroying about a 100 homes, and thousands were evacuated.    If it is not one crisis it's another.

 

 

Politicians are gearing up for elections later in the year, and the likely candidates are all "thinking about" running for President, if their arms are twisted, they wouldn't actually push themselves forward.  Marco Rubio though has actually stated today that he will run.

 

 

As I mentioned last week I think Hilary Clinton's chances are fading as the Benghazi cover up scandal, which is rocking the nation, gathers momentum.  If this had been a British thing she would have done the decent thing, and fallen on the sword as we say, and resigned immediately - like Lord Carrington did over the Falkland Islands.    The families of the four dead Americans would have felt that someone had taken responsibility, and there would have been healing instead of this open wound which is getting worse all the time.    However, in this country they don't resign, they don't take responsibility if they don't think it is their fault.

Another news item is that the Chinese have taken to hugging.

Apparently children are being told in schools to go home and hug their parents.

Sunday

It was my turn to pick up the donuts this morning for Emmanuel but when I got to the shop it was closed, and a note on the door said someone was in hospital.

The little crowd sitting around with their coffee, waiting for the 8 o'clock service to start didn't seem unduly bothered, but I think the person in charge thought I should have gone to a supermarket and bought some.    She rustled round in the kitchen and produced plates of biscuits (called cookies) and got some scones out of the freezer (called biscuits and usually served with gravy, yuk) they were baked and served with butter and preserves.   I thought it was all better than the donuts.

I stayed for the service and afterwards went to Barnes and Noble in Norman.   Following my confession of being innumerate Bruce and Rosalyn have kindly offered to teach me maths, so I bought a couple of childrens' workbooks.   They are for grades 4 and 5 - I think that is age 9/10 - which I think seems to be where I am at.

It has been a lovely summer day.   This evening I went to the church near the lake which Larry, our former senior hospital chaplain, has taken over to build up.  I am introduced to everyone and they are all very kind and welcoming.   I regretted not having my camera with me because 'luxurious' is the best description of it.  Beautiful thick pile carpets, comfortable upholstered seats, I wish Anglican/Episcopalian churches could be more like that.   But I will be back, so I'll take pictures next time.

After all this running around I am quite exhausted this evening.

Dentistry

Does anyone remember the days when we went to a dentist, gave our name at the desk, sat down with an ancient copy of the National Geographic, and was then led into the dentist by his 'assistant'?

I don't know if everything has changed since I entered the 21st century, or if it just American practice, but  when I went to the dentist yesterday I gave them my name at the desk, then sat down with an up to date 'Woman's Journal'  (so far so good, I am on fairly familiar ground).   

 

It is from there it all becomes unfamiliar.   I am called into an office by a young man and 'interviewed'.  This young man actually used to work at my bank  (that's a problem with being a foreigner, everyone remembers you) and it is his job to find out why I think I need to see a dentist (no lying back in the chair and telling him myself)  and - most importantly - how am I going to pay for it.

 

When he has finished all his paperwork I go back into the waiting room to continue my Woman's Journal until I am led away again by a young woman for an x-ray.  This x-ray machine seemed incredibly old fashioned, like we would expect to see in Britain; the dentist in Norman has one connected to a computer beside the patient.   Anyway, I digress.

 

Finally, when I've practically finished the Woman's Journal, I am led into the dentist's surgery and the assistant goes away to tell this obviously very IMPORTANT man that I am waiting.   I was somewhat surprised therefore to find he was a modest, pleasant, unassuming young man.  He confirmed that I did indeed have an abscess and the antibiotic I was taking would clear the infection in the gum, but it wouldn't reach the infection which was inside the tooth, and for that I needed a root canal treatment.  

 

I told him of my fears of losing the tooth because it held my dental partial and we discussed the options.  It was bad news to me that if I have to lose my lower teeth (the three or four remaining) the upper teeth will have to come out as well, one can't just have a lower denture (he did explain the reason why).    He warned me that there is no telling how long the tooth will last when it has had the root canal done, it might be five years, but if I were his mother he would try everything to save the tooth.    So I opted for that and just pray that I will be dead before it gives out and I have to consider a full set of dentures.

When I had finished talking to the dentist I was led back into the waiting room, then ushered back into the office to make an appointment for the root canal treatment, and given a fully comprehensive detailed plan of exactly how much it is all going to cost.   Which is better than dying of shock when it is all over.

 

MEMO to my loved ones.   I assume you have electric toothbrushes.  Brush your teeth several times a day, like your life depends on it, and have very regular, frequent dental check-ups.

 

To change the subject.    I was talking to my neighbour over the garden fence,  admiring her garden.  She loves gardening and in spite of her rather bad health works very hard in it, she has just put in a pond with all the digging and heavy work that involves, and she was pointing out the flowering plants she has in it.   

 

She used to own the house I'm in and sold it to Mark Roberts, but has a problem understanding that she also sold the garden with it, so she is very proprietorial about it.   A mulberry tree has grown up on my side of the fence, and she is tugging at it, saying she will  come round and dig it up.   WHAT!!!  I say, "I don't want it dug up, I like trees, leave it alone".   She pursed her lips and muttered something about it getting under the fence. 

 

Pattisue rang me while I was doing this to suggest a movie.  I said I would go along with whatever she would like to see, so I am off shortly to see 'Heaven is for Real'.

 

 

Thursday 8th May

Woe is me.  Yesterday I fell and hurt myself.  Today I have been preoccupied, consumed even, by a raging toothache.   Earlier in the day, when it was not too bad I made an appointment with a dentist in Shawnee.  You may remember I have been going to one in Norman 40 odd miles away, which is madness, but in this country they think nothing of driving 100 miles to get a taco.

So I went online to 'Find me a Local Dentist'.   Within 15 seconds of submitting the little online form I received a call from a very nice, helpful person based in southern California, but in this technological age that doesn't matter, she asked me several questions then put me on hold while she contacted a dentist in Shawnee, told them my problem,  connected us both, wished us well, and bowed out.    I was given an appointment for 2 o'clock tomorrow.

The afternoon progressed, it all got worse, my suspicion that I had an abscess became a certainty, and I then began running round town trying to get a prescription for an antibiotic.  I tried my doctor first but she is on holiday this week.   I went to my pharmacy but helpful as they are, they couldn't give me one without a doctor's prescription, but they did tell me about an Urgent Care Centre I didn't know of.

So I set off there, told them my problem, said I wasn't insured, would it cost hundreds of dollars.  She said if I saw someone and they did something for me it would cost $125, otherwise it won't cost anything (she added that $125 was a first time charge, in future it would always be $40 less)  I was prepared to pay $125 for some relief and an antibiotic so a doctor looked at it and confirmed that it looked like an abscess, and he would prescribe an antibiotic.   By this time my pharmacy was closed so they sent it to an open-all-hours drug store pharmacy that was on my way home (they don't hand out prescriptions in this country, they are always sent electronically to the pharmacy).

So now my preoccupation with the pain has been replaced with deep anxiety about the tooth.  It is a critical tooth that holds my partial denture, and I don't know what will happen if it has to be extracted.   I wasn't very happy that the dentist in Norman extracted seven teeth when only four needed to be, and if I find he has in fact wreaked untold havoc on my mouth, I will sue him.   After all, that is the American Way.

Tuesday/Wednesday

I got to the Senior Centre early Tuesday morning and the Kiwanis bake sale was in full swing.  Look at the cakes, they are so nice and all home made, and everything is $1 - or 59p - I think they can go for $2, but Louise says we are providing a service to the seniors, or in my case to the youth at Emmanuel.    I bought the usual brownies to support the sale, which go down very well after the Wednesday meal at Emmanuel.   Today, Wednesday, I knocked up some Scotch shortbread as well because it is so quick and easy, and it went down very well.   It is important to make it with butter and brown sugar, that gives it its melt in the mouth flavour and texture.

Picking up the flowers from Emmanuel on Tuesday morning to take to the hospital chapel I tripped over the kerb in the car park.   I put my hands out to save myself and fell very heavily on my hands and wrists which were sore and painful for a while, but THANK YOU GOD I did not break anything.

I am going to sue the church for $5million for having the kerb there.  It's man made, so it is their fault it is there.    That is no more bizarre a legal action than someone suing McDonalds because the coffee was too hot.

I went round one floor of the hospital this morning, then had lunch with Chaplain Bill.  When I got home in the afternoon there was a bag on my front doorknob.   This was the contents -

My first thought was that Santa's elves were getting a bit ahead of themselves - followed by 'it must be Phyllis' and it was, bless her.  The drink which I've never had before, is Dandelion and Burdock cordial, so I will get some nice mineral water to dilute it.  And that's my favourite marmalade.

Monday 5th May

Weather today has been very hot, in the 90s, and is going to continue tomorrow. 

Another hazard of this part of the world are wildfires, and there was one today in Guthrie, just north of OK City.  It was 4 miles long, a mile wide and destroyed 20 homes.   1000 people were evacuated and one died who refused to evacuate.    I'd sit tight for a tornado or hurricane warning, but sure as hell would get away from a wildfire.

The major news story here which is resurfacing is the Benghazi terrorist attack in which four Americans died.    Like all scandals it is the cover up which is worse than the story, and is making the news.  People are comparing it to Watergate, but saying at least no one died in Watergate.  

Democrats just want the matter to go away, but no one has been held accountable, no one has actually said what happened, no one knows where the President was at the time, it has just been established today that he wasn't in the situation room - where these events are monitored.  Hilary Clinton's whereabouts haven't been established either; the Ambassador who died had actually asked for extra security and it was refused him, in spite of the fact that the British had evacuated their staff. 

Democrats are treating it like an old story and feel everyone should move on, but Republicans are determined - quite rightly - to get to the bottom of it.    I am not even American and I want to know what happened and who is responsible.   And if I were the mother of one of the dead Americans I would be pounding on the doors of the White House demanding answers.

Hilary Clinton, as Secretary of State, was being pressed some time ago in an interview for answers and threw her hands up, saying "what does it matter".   I used to like Hilary, but you can go off someone.    Until now it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that she would run as President, but it is now looking less and less likely.

Changing the subject -

Was her brother really murdered in New York?