More about increased food prices -

I feel vindicated. See entry from London, July 17. The President's Office of Economic Development has made the estimate that about 3% of the 40% rise in food prices world-wide is due to the production of ethanol from corn. The most outrageous statement I heard is when movie theatres in the Southwest raised the price of their super-large boxes of popcorn to $5 because of the biofuel production from corn. Folks--ethanol is not made from popcorn!

The cornfields seem to be thriving on the rain forest climate we have had this summer. Many rural roads are closed from overflowing creeks at present. We have seen seven crop-dusters at work almost daily for a couple of weeks now as it is too wet to get into the fields to spray. Enough planes to make it sound like the Blitz!

Home again. . .

Pardon a little old-fashioned sentimentality. . .

So it's home again, and home again, America for me!
My heart is turning home again and there I long to be,
In the land of youth and freedom, beyond the ocean bars,
Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars.
Henry Van Dyke 1909

London Newspapers

Less American news than usual while I have been here, however, I have read articles about several current issues which have clarified for me what is going on, and British reporters have expressed approval of the direction we are moving. Example: the Boeing, Northrup, EAD aircraft contract. As usual, there is overall friendliness to the USA in spite of cynicism. People will cross a crowded room to visit when they hear an American drawl in your voice!

From Gerard Baker in the July 18, 2008 issue of The Times: What people dislike about President Bush is what they think they know about America--its' ignorance, its' arrogance, its' narrow-mindedness--all caricatures fed by the media coverage of the country and its' politics and culture. But there was, it is true, always the other side to the ambivalence of the world's thoughts
about America. The rise of Senator Obama is a reminder of what the rest of the world still admires--sometimes grudgingly--about America: a constant capacity to renew itself.

Summer Picnic at St. John's Church, Hyde Park

Private gardens behind Susanne's church were opened to the congregation for a huge barbecue today. Jens went early to grill and Richard tagged along. He was pressed into service to serve red or white wine or ginger beer. Not your Midwestern sort of church picnic! Nick met a 12 year old boy from Kuwait who came down to the garden from his grandparent's eighth floor apartment in the tower block to see what was going on in the garden. He is spending the summer here and told us about how week-ends begin on Thursday there because of the Muslem Holy Day on Friday and that they all go out to the desert to camp for the week-end, cooking out of doors and riding ATVs on the sand dunes. He checked his cel phone and reported the temperature there is 122 Fahrenheit today. It was a fun visit.

I always love attending St. John's, a friendly Church of England parish. A baby was christened today and champagne was served at the coffee hour. Weekly study groups meet at a nearby pub. Susanne is on the church board now and thoroughly enjoys the international flavor of the congregation. The event was called a "summer barbecue" because of grilling meat outdoors--not to be confused with the spicy red sauce as we know it. "Meat, wine, and strawberries provided."

Togetherness in a London Flat

Traveling with our 14 year old Texas grandson has been an adventure. Seven of us (counting the two little London boys) in a two bedroom flat. All Susanne needs, I told her, is a large dog like the ones we see being walked in Hyde Park! Nick usually talks in monosyllables to adults, but he has been charming and sociable. We see a side of London we never noticed before. . .the makes of every car parked on the street. As we saw a Lambragini, the trip was not in vain. The London Dungeon was the highlight of the week. Richard, Grandfather of the Year, went along on this amusement park type event, including a personal experience, the simulated hanging of Jack the Ripper. "Next time, someone else goes. . .,' he said.

The population density of the flat was relieved for several days as Jens went to Abu Dhabi to check on the big airport project.
He returned today, and we try to accommodate so that everyone can get along in the limited space. Susanne is busy launching Kindermusic classes for ages birth to seven years beginning in the fall.

Renewing our acquaintance with King Henry VIII, Shakespeare, Christopher Wren, and World War II history has been stimulating.
Time with families is a great blessing to be enjoyed!

The States as seen by British media. . .

The cardinal rule for our visits to London is to spend as little money as possible.   We stay with Susanne and Jens in their flat and eat primarily at home.   However, I do require a daily newspaper as the perspective on American news is enlightening.   Immediately, I was rankled to learn that British food costs are up 40%, and the cause is determined to be  production of ethanol from corn by American farmers.   Of course, a grain of truth exists  (no pun intended!), but I suspect a conspiracy to cover up real facts.   Transportation costs have to be a major factor, and the oil industry tries to deflect attention to biofuels.   We live in such  a fog of misinformation.  

The Times and The Guardian fret over the American economy and credit card debt.   Lionel Shriver says tersely, `SUVs are petro-pigs. . .they emblemize everything about Americans that the rest of the world detests:  greedy, wasteful and oblivious to the future.'

Always eye-opening to see ourselves as others see us.

Sad to see Susanne's neighborhood Woolworth's decimated by shoppers at its' closing.   Likewise, Linens and Things and a number of other stores in the Midwest are shutting their doors.     "Under a Tenner" has opened in the next block.   Americans, read that "Under a Twenty Dollar Bill."   Our Dollar Stores would be trampled by desperate bargain hunters in the UK.   Travel advertisements for vacations in the States  are very reasonable; shopping is a big draw.   Our country is the great bargain basement at the moment!   

Night Sounds

No roosters crowing to greet the dawn

No midnight freight train wailing

No chirping crickets or the 'ta-whoo' of owls

Rumble of the night-time underground mail route

Plaintive cry of the sea-gull

Police cars siren. . .'wee-oh', 'wee-oh'

Arabic laughter in the darkness*

LONDON!

*Middle Eastern people gather on the streets to socialize in late evening because 

they stay inside during the day in their homelands because of the heat.