Friday 20th February

I did post a blog on Shrove Tuesday, wrote about the nice pancakes I'd had at Emmanuel which the young people made in aid of their summer camp.   Also had a bit of a rant about ISIS, and Obama's  "pretending it is all not happening" attitude, but then thought you probably didn't want to read my rant so took it down.

Today I am doing my chaplaincy round this morning, then going to the lovely Episcopal Retreat Centre, St Crispin's, about 40 minutes away for an overnight retreat, the theme of which is 'Popcorn Theology' which I gather is all about God and movies.  It sounds just up my street.   I packed my overnight bag when Bubbles back was turned.   As I am only away overnight I haven't got anyone coming in, will just put down some extra food for her.

And will be in touch again when I get back.

Monday 16th February

Looked outside this morning, 8am, and decided I am not going anywhere, doing anything.  I had intended doing a chaplaincy round in lieu of next Friday, but everyone knows my uninsured status, and that if there is any danger of slipping or falling I don't go out.

 

Compare this picture with Saturday, when it was summer, and I photographed the new restaurant.  It is certainly true, there are 3 seasons here - tornado (which won't kick in until April) summer and freezing.  Today is freezing.

 

Bumped up the heating, filled the hot water bottles, moved the cat to the bottom of the bed (she likes to snuggle down where I am)  got the tea on the go, and plenty to read, not only on my C-Nook but paper books from the $1 store.

Valentine's Day

And I for one am glad it is nearly over.  I'm teed off with all the tv adverts for pyjama-grams; chocolate dipped strawberries, and four foot teddy bears which "she will love and is SURE to pay off for you, WINK, WINK".

 

And as you can see, tulips are the new roses....

 

 

 

Am I missing something here?   When did Prince William become next in line of succession?   Has Prince Charles died and no one told me?

 

This is the latest restaurant which opened in town yesterday.  It's specialty is a chicken sandwich, but who among us can't make a chicken sandwich.  I just stopped to photograph this on my way to the Mall this afternoon.  I might try it tomorrow, but I'm not over excited.  I don't know how many people were inside, there were a lot of vehicles queuing up for the drive-through.

 

I never did find Thursday's post which disappeared somewhere into cyberspace, but I mentioned the trial which has begun of the killer of Chris Kyle, the American Sniper, and his best friend Chad Littlejohn.  Chris Kyle's widow testified first, she was very upset and has every right to be, poor dear.  But apparently all the women on the jury were weeping as well, and I think they should brace up.  

 

It has emerged that Chris Kyle and his friend were texting each other in the front of the car, on the way to the gun range, and they were uneasy even then.   The killer was in the back seat,

'Six' is military slang for 'back'.

 

In today's hearing the killer said he shot them because they weren't talking to him.   The defence counsel is pleading insanity.   The killer will either go to prison with no possibility of parole ever, or he will be committed to a mental hospital, and in due course could be released.  If my understanding is right, they have the death penalty in that state, but it can't be applied in cases of insanity.

 

I think I should start a new segment called "The Presidential Campaign".   Scott Walker, the Governor of Wisconsin is this week's favourite candidate, edging out Jeb Bush, who was last week's.

But SHOCK, HORROR, Scott Walker didn't graduate High School!!!   If that is the worst they can drag up about him he's not doing too bad.

 

And all these other losers didn't graduate either.

 

Holding my breath while I hit 'publish' that this post is going to make it........

 



Friday 13th February

I don't know what happened yesterday, I did a long, full blog and thought I'd posted it.  It was there when I checked it, but seems to have disappeared.

Am off to the hospital, so can't look now.  But hope to get it back.

Tuesday 10th February

I tried catching up with this yesterday, Monday, but had a headache and went to bed.   I've said there are three seasons here; tornado (which will come in April, I think - that's when I throw the duvets in the bath, in the middle bathroom that has no outside walls) the other two are summer and freezing.  Yesterday was summer.   Cloudless blue sky, temperature 76 as I drove through town.  Today is bright and sunny, but going back to freezing.

 

I've had a couple of outings in the last couple of days.  Pattisue and I went to the China Buffet for lunch on Sunday.  It is a relaxed place for a Sunday lunch.  Just cruise around the buffet - and there is so much choice.  They have a selection of sushi, and after I've had some of that I move on to the fish.  The salmon, the prawns, the roasted crab, they have oysters but I've yet to have those; crab legs which I'd love if someone else cracked them.    Then there is a wide selection of chicken and beef dishes.   And finally desserts - dainty little cakes and pastries.   All this isn't too expensive either, all you can eat for about $11, which at the current rate of exchange of £7.22.   Goodness, that is reasonable.   

 

The only issue I have with the place are the Chinese staff who don't speak English.  When asked what I would like to drink I carefully enunciated "a glass of water with no ice".    But of course I got ice.  Pattisue said it is a cultural problem, EVERYBODY here has ice in their drinks.     

 

Speaking of Chinese.   A member of our church who speaks Chinese taught at Oklahoma Baptist University here -  and was responsible for the exchange of students they have - and he was telling me and someone else that he is about to go back to Beijing to teach for six months.   I was bragging about all the places I've been, The Great Wall, the sights of Beijing.    

 

I find somewhat curious the fact that there must be all these Chinese people on the OBU campus, but I never see them in the restaurants or around the town.

 

Last night, Monday, we went to the movies and saw 'The Imitation Game'.   It was about breaking the Enigma code in WW11, and I can't speak too highly about the acting, I believe the lead actor, Benedict Cumberhatch playing Alan Turing, has been nominated for awards for outstanding performance.    He suffered from Asperger's syndrome, and was also convicted of being a homosexual (Alan Turing was)   He saved hundreds and thousands of lives during WW11 and was convicted for being a homosexual,.......................................  How heartbreaking is that.

 

I can't believe I am so OLD I grew up in a world where homosexuality was a crime.  When I was a kid - I suppose about 12 - some friends of my parents took me to the Old Bailey because they knew someone there who showed us around.   And our guide opened a court room door - he didn't know the nature of the trial - and asked if we'd like to go in and listen.   Two men were being tried for sodomy.  I had no idea at the time what that even meant.    I remember being ever so confused and the people in charge of me being extremely embarrassed.  I don't know how they explained it to my parents.

 

I started this thinking I didn't have much to say, but seem to have rambled on.

 

 

 

Friday 7th February

Woke up this morning sniffling and sneezing all over the place so felt I couldn't go to the hospital, I rang Bill with my apologies,  then Bubbles and I snuggled down among the hot water bottles.

 

So as you might imagine I have been watching the news.   And the big item in the news is an address Obama made at the National Prayer Breakfast* telling Americans that they can't get on their high horse condemning Muslims because Christians have been just as bad in the atrocities they committed in the name of Christ, and citing the Crusades and the Inquisition.    But actually, bad as Christians might have been they did not perpetrate the unspeakable horrors on children that Muslim extremists are currently inflicting.

 

And he really should have known better than to cite the Inquisition in which 2200 people died over a period of 450 years, which is 5 a year - and yes, someone else did the maths.  Whereas, on 9/11 - in one day - 2996 people died at the hands of Muslim extremists.    I took the trouble to look that number up.

 

I don't know why he cited the Crusades either because, unlike the war ISIS is currently waging, the Crusaders met every criteria of a just war, in that they were defensive.   Basically, in a nutshell,  Muslims had taken over and were occupying all the holy places sacred to Christianity - Jerusalem, Rome, Constantinople, and in 1095 the Pope said "ENOUGH" and so began the First Crusade. 

 

*The National Prayer Breakfast takes place on the first Thursday in February and is hosted by the United States Congress, and is organised on their behalf by The Fellowship Foundation, a Christ centred organisation.   Since the 1980s it has been held at the Washington Hilton, and attended by about 3500 guests, including international guests from over 100 countries.

 

It was said that Obama was trying to salvage the reputation of Islam, but it would be more to the point if he were to fight those who are perverting it.   Christianity has reformed itself from its past, and it is time Islam did the same.

 

I said the other day that what ISIS is doing can be compared to the Nazis in the Second World War, and someone made the point today that the Nazis tried to establish a Master Race.    ISIS is trying to establish the Master Faith.

 

I think I've been on this soapbox long enough.   It's time for bed.

 

 

 

Thursday 5th February

Only 2 people read my blog yesterday, ha ha, am I getting boring?

 

After being all lyrical about Hobby Lobby someone said they thought Staples was my favourite shop, and Staples in Shawnee certainly has a lot going for it.  I would really like a new computer chair and I was swinging around on them wondering which one I would buy if money were no object, and a salesman offered to move it down to the technical department if I wanted to swing around down there with James and the technical guys.   I wasn't quite sure how to take that.     Anyway, I have just heard that Staples are being taken over by Home Depot - I am not really surprised, it must be the quietest store in town and  it ought to be bustling with shoppers buying stuff, not a home-from-home for batty old women who need to get a life.

 

The last few days I have just been about my usual routines - I bought some cakes from Kiwanis bake sale and took them to Emmanuel for dessert last night.   The meal was Jambalaya, a spicy southern dish, but nothing is too spicy here - even the kids are tucking into it.   This morning I did a stint at Emmanuel handing out lunches to the homeless, then went to Communion and six of us had lunch at a sandwich shop on Main Street.

 

In the news..............  (or rather, the more minor items, not the war raging in the Middle East)

 

 

As Putin wouldn't cooperate in a brain scan neurologists have been analysing the way in which he moves, which apparently is different from those who don't have a disorder.  I wonder if they informed him of their findings.   And what are they going to do with them.

 

Thinks "wonder if they are handing out tax refunds to legal immigrants.   As our Inland Revenue aren't handing out any refunds to me, perhaps I should re-think my UK tax status - perhaps even keep quiet about my residency, claim to be illegal".