US @ 250
Will it weather the current storm? Will the guardrails hold? The only energy outside the toxic maga tent seems to be coming from the social democrats. The US doesn't have much of a social democratic tradition because 'greed is good' has always trumped the communitarian ethos found in other countries. It's hard to turn the tide in a place that puts such a premium on wealth. In my opinion.
Anyway, I returned on 9 July from two weeks in the US. While there the Fourth of July celebrations gave us lots to do. First was a very entertaining concert by Straight No Chaser, a male a cappella group. Here we are departing for the concert.
It was at Peoples Bank Theatre in Marietta, Ohio, a charming town 20 minutes from mom. Mom was in good form and enjoyed our various outings.
Which included three trips to the pool as well. And a few shopping trips. I got to go to the Unitarian Church twice, always a treat.
Our second cultural outing was the musical 1776 performed by a local amateur group. The man playing John Adams was brilliant – he gave a very good rendition of Adam's prickly nature, that of a committed idealist who struggles to win people to his side. The men playing Franklin and John Dickinson of Pennsylvania were also very good and drove home the difficulty of steering the Declaration of Independence through some very choppy waters (state vs. federal powers, slave vs. free states).
On the Fourth we enjoyed watching the tall ships in New York harbour – from all over the world.
There were lots and lots of flyovers by various air forces, including the terrorist-sponsoring UAE (Yemen and Sudan are some of their projects). The emissions from these jets boggle the mind – all while NYC is baking.
Our final outing was the Marietta Symphony.
Selections from Copeland, Sousa and Tchaikovsky (1812 overture). My favourite was a medley of songs from the musical Mame. The orchestra was outstanding.
I was up early most mornings to walk a neighbour's dog. She is managing her husband's decline due to Alzheimer's so I took it on myself to give the dog a walk through the forest at 6:30 each morning. It was good to keep an exercise regimen going for me and the dog. I did a lot of cooking and enjoyed fresh picked corn and tomatoes. Mom and I watched a bit of the World Cup. I can't imagine a European footballer surviving two 45-minute halves in Mexico City or Miami, but they did.
After travelling 26 hours home (including a 12-hour layover in Charlotte), I drove 50 minutes south to collect my dogs and take them to a beach. Then out for a late lunch at a pub (they got a sausage). Then home – 31 hours of travel at this point. I took a nap for an hour then stayed up until 11 pm finishing Robert Harris's Precipice. I read 400 pages in Charlotte and finished it off at home. Really good.
It is so good to be home and reunited with my furballs.
9 July