Thursday

I've been a bit lethargic today.   Lethargy usually afflicts me when I feel overwhelmed at all that I have to do.

Going through all the 'last things I will do" and yesterday was the last Wednesday meal.  I wasn't required to make a dessert as it was team Mexican, who provide their Mexican dessert - a sort of pastry.   

My friend Jack had put aside a non-spicy portion for me - everyone else, even children in their high chairs have the spicy portions.    Kevin said he would come and cut my grass.  I do appreciate all these kind friends I have made here, and will miss them all.

Today, Thursday I went to Communion, and the last Thursday lunch, there was nine of us altogether.   We went to a Mexican restaurant - Mexican restaurants here are as ubiquitous as the Chinese at home.   It was all very pleasant in spite of being a little sad at the fact that it was my last. When I stepped up to pay my bill I found a friend had settled it for me - people are all so generous.

And tomorrow, Friday, I am off to my last chaplaincy round.

Tuesday 26th

The last few days have been mainly, with Phyllis's help, sorting through stuff ready to start packing.

Looking around me now it all looks a bit chaotic, although we have cleared out a massive amount of stuff.    Phyllis helps two families particularly who will benefit from things I have turned out. As well as some other things  I am donating my reclining chair to her, and she is very grateful for that.   

I took a pile of office and stationery supplies to Kate at the Senior Centre, so things are finding good homes.

Although I am sorry to be saying goodbye to good friends I have made here, I am so happy to be coming home and living near Tim and family in Oxford, and Jeremy who is not too far away in Surrey.

Just realized - I hadn't published yesterday's blog, so here it is, it was entitled "I'm 77".

Now I am really pushing 80, and this is no longer a laughing matter.

Been engaged with frustrating banking issues - like not being able to access my Lloyds account.  I hope they are dusting off the welcome mat at the Summertown branch.   The only thing that can be said for banks here  is that they have realistic opening hours - they don't shut at 3.30.

Just did a little shopping.  Needed some milk which over here is all healthy, fat reduced 2%, and I don't do healthy eating.   I am just so looking forward to the full fat, full cream, unhealthy Channel Island milk.  That's going on the shopping list along with the Melton Mowbray pork pie, and Ambrosia creamed rice.

postscript to Thursday

Although I knew it was the Queen's 90th birthday it really rather passed me by until I reflected on the fact that I was a child - well 13 - when she came to the throne, and now she is 90!!!   Remembering her when she was young, dark haired and glamorous, I can't tell you how incredibly OLD that made me feel.   

If it is not too late to ask, could someone please save me a newspaper, I expect there are some souvenir editions with pictures of her.

I read somewhere that she has stopped breeding corgis because she doesn't want to leave any behind.

Thursday

Today I have had both trial and blessing.    The trial has been my desktop pc which I fear has died, instead of having icons on my screen I had blank pages, so I took it yesterday to Staples, went back for it today and the bottom line is that they couldn't fix it.  

They first of all wanted $159 to fix it, which I gave them yesterday (because I have a lot of photos and data I wouldn't like to lose) then today they wanted more money to fix it....and I balked at the more money, so requested a refund of the $159, and left the store with the defunct pc.   The manageress was not happy and flounced off scowling, the young man attending to me did his best and I thanked him.

There is a computer place downtown, I might just ask them to look at it tomorrow  - see how they handle it.

That was the trial - the blessing was my friend Phyllis, who came round, rolled her sleeves up and set to work helping with the turning out and sorting.   There are still things to go through and she said she'd be back on Monday.  

So that has been my day.    Going back to my book which is a biography of Queen Mary (the mother of George V) it is fascinating.

Tuesday

Driving along my road I caught a wing mirror on a wheelie bin (dustbin, but they're taller than ours) and it sheered right off.   So I rang Terry this morning - Tuesday - and he put a new one on, which meant I didn't get to the hospital because I had to wait in for him to get the mirror, then call me to say he was ready to fit it.

It didn't take as long as I thought it would, so I went along to the Gospel Singing at the Senior Centre and was pleased to catch up with my friend Faye there.   Her son Wayne is a member of the Kiwanis group I belonged to for quite a few years, and Faye was telling me the family are excited because her grandson in Britain is getting married in July and Wayne and family are going over for the wedding. 

.........................this is how far I got writing up my blog yesterday, Tuesday, on my desktop pc but when I went back to it I found I had serious problems with the computer, which went from bad to much worse, and has now totally crashed.   I will have to take it to Staples in the morning to be fixed, because even if I leave it behind here I have got photos and data on it I need to retrieve.

There is a message at the top of this page which says....

"The browser we detected is unsupported and may result in unexpected behavior.
Please choose from our list of supported browsers for the best experience".   

I am not sure I know what a supported browser is, but I wanted to send this before I started tinkering with the lap top, looking for supported browsers - whatever they are.

Saturday/Sunday

Was out and about yesterday, Saturday.  I went to the AARP meeting in the morning, it doesn't really interest me, I went because Phyllis and Joe were there.   The speaker was the publisher of the local paper, I took my knitting and just half listened.   I passed up the dreary cafeteria style lunch (the meeting is held in a school hall, imagine what the food is like), Phyllis got me a slice of cheesecake though which was quite nice.

 

In the afternoon Bruce and Rosalyn invited me to a meal at the China Buffet and that was very pleasant, and I was pleased to spend time with them, commenting that our days together are numbered.

 

This morning Sunday, I went to the eight o'clock at Emmanuel.  It was a BIG DAY with the Bishop and baptisms and confirmations, which is why I didn't go to the main service at ten thirty, I'm getting too fidgety for a very long service, and the eight o'clock was actually very good because it was conducted entirely by the Bishop, which was a refreshing change.   For the most part he usually sits in his bishop's chair.    

I went back after the ten thirty for the free meal and more importantly, the chance to sit and have lunch with other people.  The church provided the beef,  pulled pork, drinks and cake, and people took side dishes and dessert.   I think it must be the first time though that there wasn't any red or white wine, the drinks were cold tea and lemonade.   I'll be glad when (or if) I am eating out back home and able to order tea and know (or at least expect) that it will be made with boiling water - oh joy, oh rapture.   I never could get on with the cold tea they drink here.

I took some photographs of the cake etc. and although I have two card readers I can't get either of them to work.  I blame the very tiny film card in the latest camera, I didn't used to have a problem.  I think I might need a trip to Staples tomorrow.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday

The weather is lovely at the moment, so warm and sunny, I thought I should make the most of it - with our northern climate in Britain it might be the only summer I get.   Was sitting out on my front porch this afternoon.

 

I went to the bank and thought that I should add to "things I'll miss" are banks providing tea, coffee, chocolate and hot spiced cider.   And popcorn on Fridays - not that I like popcorn but it adds a welcoming touch to the foyer.

 

This evening I went to the movies downtown and saw "Eddie the Eagle".   Anyone my age and British will remember Eddie the Eagle, the British Olympic ski jumper (the only one) in the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics.   He was not athletic, and a very unlikely champion but he loved ski jumping and dreamed for years of competing in the Olympic games.   I think it is what they call a "feel good" movie, and I left the auditorium feeling good.   

 

I was somewhat surprised though that there were other people in the auditorium, I am used to having it to myself.

 

 

Tuesday

I went to the hospital this morning without incident, but when I went out again in the afternoon I found I had  another flat tyre.  I thought I have HAD it with cars and driving, I can't wait for my bus pass.

I called Terry and he came out and put a little air in the tyre, enough to get me to his workshop so he could repair it.  Unfortunately though I must have driven over something jagged, he described the nature of the damage to me and said he couldn't repair it, I would need a new tyre.  SIGH.   I hope that $75 is the last I will have to fork out on a car.  

I was surprised at how long it all took, I was practically a couple of hours in his workshop while he went for a new tyre then fitted it, but I passed the time crocheting.

Trump is still falling in the polls, and there is no fury like a Trump scorned.   ha, ha.  He has the emotional maturity of a ten year old.   Someone was commenting on the fact that he is always 'tweeting'.   How Presidential is that.   I wouldn't have thought he had a snowball in hell's chance of being elected, but time will tell.

I haven't got very far finding a shipping company (one that will provide me with a wooden box and knows what I am talking about).  I know that shipping takes weeks, it did when I came over here because I shipped all my books.    I did e-mail a company that advertises its global activities but haven't had a reply.  

So that has been my wildly exciting day. 

Monday

I haven't  done a great deal lately apart from sorting out and getting things together which I want to take home with me.   I e-mailed a shipping company this evening to ask how much a box would cost to ship.   Actually there are two shipping companies in town but they seem to send everything by air, or perhaps I need to get into the 21st century.

Phyllis stopped by unexpectedly today and gave me a hand with a cupboard I was turning out, which was very helpful because I can't reach the top shelves of my wall cupboards, and it was lovely to see her and natter.

The news is all still non stop political campaigning.  I am curious to know what news is on at home where I'm sure they're not covering the US election to the extent that it is covered here.

Hilary Clinton was on television this evening, dismissing the FBI agents investigating her and insisting very firmly that it is a "security review" and all will be well.    I don't know how many Americans buy that because even I have learned that there is no such thing as a security review in the FBI, they investigate crimes.

Donald Trump is falling rather in the polls and is spitting feathers, saying the process is all rigged and it is NOT FAIR.     Heaven only knows what he will be like if he is not elected because he is a terrible loser.    He is also shouting that Kasich should not be allowed to run, it is unfair, he will split the vote.

Kasich - taking the mickey out of him - says with a great deal of pouting that's "it's not fair Trump wants his votes, he (Kasich) wants his votes".    I have a deep down intuitive feeling that it will be Kasich, rather than Trump or Cruz who will be President.   Kasich has been a good governor of Ohio, and Trump doesn't even know how to run a state, never mind the nation.

Saturday

Harking back to Wednesday I didn't remember what I said and time has moved on - what happened to Thursday and Friday I ask myself.

The campaign for President is front and centre of the news.  At one time I couldn't stand Trump but am beginning to warm to him - a bit.  He has a lovely family who obviously think the world of him so he can't be that bad.  I can't imagine what kind of President he would be though because I don't think diplomacy is his strong point, the President of Mexico has been on television and is pretty teed off with him saying Mexicans are all criminals and rapists, and he supposes some of them are alright.  But one would hope that if he were to be President he would surround himself with advisers who would calm him down, if I were American I'd certainly hope so.

I think the FBI have finished investigating Hilary Clinton and her e-mails and server, I'm just waiting, practically with bated breath, so see what is going to happen next.   She merrily laughs off any suggestion that she might be in trouble, might be indicted, says very confidently that is just not going to happen.   If it is revealed that there has been some criminal misdoing - even if it is just negligently handling  classified and top secret information - and she is let off the hook I can foresee a furious uprising.    Bernie Sanders is shouting from his podium that she is not "qualified" to be President.   I think qualified is all that she is.  She's been married to a President, lived in the White House, knows what the job entails, has travelled extensively as Secretary of State meeting world leaders.  How 'qualified' does he think she should be.  How qualified is he.   But I'm not for one moment suggesting that she should be President, she is not 'honest and trustworthy' to use a phrase constantly bandied about.

Changing the subject...............    

Sigh.   This idiot who thinks he is heir to the throne actually has a lawyer who is taking him seriously!!!!  That's what I find unbelievable.   

Maybe he is Charles and Camilla's secret son, but anyone with just a passing acquaintance with English history would know that monarchs and heirs to the throne have sired  illegitimate sons over the years, and they don't, and never had, and never will, stand a chance in the Line of Succession.   His lawyer should have laughed him out of his office. 

Wednesday

Oh, the chagrin!!   I wrote several paragraphs just now, thought I hit publish, but it has all just disappeared into cyberspace.    I will try and remember what I said and send it tomorrow.

Monday

It has been a lovely warm day today – Monday – and pleasant crocheting out on the porch.  The outdoor cat kept me company, and Bubbles sat indoors on the back of the sofa, looking out of the window and keeping an eye on both of us.

Yesterday, Sunday, I went to Emmanuel and in the afternoon saw the movie 'I Saw the Light' about the singer Hank Williams.  It wasn't bad but a bit slow, I'm glad I saw it though.

The world leaders have returned home from their Nuclear Summit and President Hollande – who   doesn’t believe in pussyfooting around terrorists who plant bombs in airports etc – referred to them as ‘Islamic terrorists’, but Obama whose political correctness and naïveté has reached a new level of insanity has decreed that they must not be called that, lest they take offence.  I forgot what he said they have to be called instead because it is too long and convoluted to remember.  

This is the Obama who once called Islam “a religion of peace”.  Yeah. If he just spent five minutes reading the Prophet’s writings on spreading Islam throughout the world, exhorting his followers to kill the unbelieving rest of us, he would realise how fallacious that is.

Of course I appreciate that there are billions of Muslims around the world living decent, law abiding lives but it would be helpful if Muslim leaders spoke out and denounced the terrorists carrying out atrocities in the name of Islam – why don’t they?

Bravo President Hollande!!

 

Saturday

It has been a lovely warm, sunny day, 73 degrees as I drove through town.

 

This morning Fr Bill gave a talk on praying the rosary, which has never been part of my tradition, or churchmanship,  but I am always interested to learn something new so I went along.  I thought it was simply a matter of telling us what is being recited as one is holding the rosary, but apparently there is a lot more to it than that - to the extent that on the first Saturday of every month he is leading a little group in praying the rosary.

 

This afternoon I had planned on going to the movies to see the story of Hank Williams, whom I've always liked, but was progressing with my sorting and crocheting and have put it off until tomorrow.

 

Hilary Clinton became very irate today when someone asked her about the FBI's investigation into her e-mail server.   She very irritably brushed aside the question, said it was just a "security review" and everything was going to be alright (some security review, there have been 147 FBI agents working weeks, if not months, on it)   And interestingly - at least from my perspective - is the fact that the guy who actually set up her e-mail server has just negotiated immunity from prosecution in return for evidence.   So it would seem to me - the puzzled bystander here - that there surely has to be a lot more to it than a "security review", we don't know the half of it.  And I wonder why she is so confident nothing is going to come of it, is she expecting Obama to bail her out rather than see her indicted.