Friday

This evening was a little triumph for Bubbles, the most nervous cat on the planet.  She refused to go out on the porch when she thought Chaos might be there, but I think Chaos has got the message that it is not open house - or open porch - so over the last few days I have been trying to encourage Bubbles to go out, as it is warm and pleasant out there in the evening, and she loves sitting on her chair, watching the bugs flying around.   This evening she managed - one cautious little paw at a time, like she was stepping on eggshells - to make it to her chair.   Honestly, it was like rehabilitating an invalid.   I look out every twenty minutes or so to see if she wants to come in, but she's looking quite happy.

 

I didn't get to the hospital this morning.  I had a bill yesterday from the cable company for my  phone and internet connection, I was thinking of changing it anyway as $113 a month seemed excessive, but this bill was something just over $250.   So I called the television providers - who have just bought out a local internet provider - and they are 'bundling' a package to something more reasonable.   But it meant staying in all day as they couldn't tell me what time they were coming.

 

It also meant another engineer had to come and run a telephone cable from the post in the road to the house, so I hope snow and ice and falling trees don't bring it down in the winter, otherwise you might not be hearing from me.

 

That has really been my activity for the last couple of days.  I was at Kiwanis yesterday morning, then Communion at Emmanuel, and afterwards six of us went to lunch at a new restaurant which has just opened in Shawnee.   When I first looked at the menu I was impressed and excited - North Atlantic cod and chips.  GOLLY ME,  we can't get North Atlantic cod in Britain, how do they get it over here???   Then someone familiar with fish and chips in Britain  reminded me that it won't be the chips I'm expecting, they will be American chips, ie crisps.   So I ordered lobster macaroni and cheese, but I had a hard job finding the lobster in it.  However, I won't write off this new restaurant just yet.  I might try it again.  And the lunch generally, with friends, was very pleasant, for someone who lives alone it is a big deal to share a meal.

 

Fr Clark had a Cuban sandwich, which was a big deal for him.  He's a staunch supporter of Castro and Cuba and his wife makes him Cuban sandwiches twice a year, on the two nationally important days in Cuba, so he was pleased to be having an extra one.  His lunches with us are numbered, they have had an offer on their house so hope to be moving to Sand Springs, near Tulsa, at the end of next month.

 

 This day in history.....1959
Khrushchev was visiting the US for an extended visit and a summit meeting with President Eisenhower.   He said he would like to see Hollywood, and on September 19 he and his wife arrived in Los Angeles.   The trip was all going swimmingly, he was enjoying himself, everyone I think was fawning on him.  Then he said he would like to visit Disneyland.   And the fawning - for some reason I can't quite fathom - seemed to abruptly stop, he was told he couldn't go to Disneyland, and he had a massive tantrum.

But in spite of his childish outburst the visit continued the next day, then he went to Washington for his summit with the President.