One Tuesday I took the day off work and we went to Washington D.C. to finally try and see the postponed DC United versus Houston Dynamo Major League Soccer Match. Well, for the second time we did not get too see it because of a power outage that affected RFK Stadium. However, the reason for my post is not this but an observation that both Jenn and I made whilst driving around the City. That is the amount of homeless folks living in and around the parks. It is, in my opinion, criminal, that in the seat of Government of the largest and most powerful Country this can happen. This year we are going through the election where every month the candidates are announcing how many millions of dollars they have all raised and yet, in some cases yards from their offices, homes and legislative buildings there is poverty in the worst case. There has to be something wrong with this picture? I realise I am nieve, utopian and this is a problem World Wide, but, it really struck me and upset me on Tuesday.

-Richard

(as a side note the game was eventually played on Wednesday, but, we could not go. Houston won 2-0 and that was after the game was delayed a couple of hours due to more bad weather and outages)

The next cat we fostered was Henley. He came to us in a really bad way. I got a call from a lady in Charlotte, North Carolina about an injured kitten. He was sick a running a fever. She drove him to to Raleigh, were we took him straight to an emergency vet. It turned out he had been run over by a car and shot with an air-pistol. After a touch and go few hours a pulled through and he came to us. He was about 6 months old and a very sweet and friendly Siamese. He came in on Sunday, May 9th 2006 and after a full and speedy recovery he was adopted out on Saturday, June 24th 2006.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"The Turn of the Screw" written by Henry James. I did not enjoy this book. It was only 88 pages, but, it was for me a "painful" 88 pages. I think if it had been much longer I would not have finished it.

This book also had lots of commentaries and essays. This is something I do not enjoy and do not read. Why? There was a reason I did not like reading when I was at school because I read for fun not for study.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Jane Eyre" written by Charlotte Bronte. I read this book many years ago, so picked it up and decided to read it again. I enjoyed it as much the second time as the first.

The Bronte's were from the small Yorkshire town of Haworth, which is almost a suburb of The City of Bradford where I spent three very happy years whilst I was College. I visited Haworth several times.

-Richard

Summer Nights

Quiet!
Silence!
Long summer nights
Clear blue skies
Stars twinkling
No cars
No pollution
No bustle
Just birds singing

And hearts beating.

Peace!

4th May 1996 - Sutton, Cheshire, England

-Richard

The next cats we fostered were Root Beer (right) a momma and her two babies, Coke and Pepsi (left, together). They came into the week May 3rd 2006. They were not with us very long before they got adopted. Coke and Pepsi got adopted the week of June 27th 2006 with their Mam following a couple of week later on July 18th 2006.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Grave Secrets" written by Kathy Reichs.

Jenn got me this book because it is the series the TV series Bones is based on. To tell you the truth I did not expect to enjoy it, but, I did and will probably get some more from the series. I also learned something that I was not aware of whilst reading. Namely how bad the troubles where in Guatemala during the 80's and 90's to the point where there was a genocide of the Mayan people. This is something that I will need to research more.

-Richard

I have a Citizenship Update (finally). Yesterday, I got in the mail the notice of when my Citizenship interview will be. It will be in the middle of September, so hopefully, everything will go well and I will get a chance to vote after all. It will be close, as after the interview (assuming that is ok) there is still the swearing in ceremony before I become a Citizen. I guess I need to practice my English and US History between now and then!!

-Richard

The Telephone

Dialing the number I know so well
Hearing the voice I love to hear
What more could I ask?
Our love declared through cables
Holding an impersonal machine
I hate the bloody telephone!!
I want to see her face,
Hold her hands,
Feel her lips.
Hoe can I express how I really fell
To an inanimate object?
Is it all we've got to bridge the miles?
No, we've got our love.
We've got our prayers.
But I still need to tell her
"I love you!".
So like it or not
I need that bloody telephone.

1st May 1996 - Uxbridge, Middlesex, England.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Sacred Clowns" by Tony Hillerman.

See, as my wife says I don't always read "snobby" books. I do enjoy themed mysteries, but, my main enjoyment out side the "classical realm" for want of a better expression are Cold War and WWII spy novels. I think this also links into my fascination with the Russia as well as most the ones I choose have something to do with that. I have enjoyed the Hillerman Navajo Cop series featuring Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. I think I have only one to go. An interesting thing is that there was a connection between this book and the last I read (The Wayward Bus) as Kit Carson was mentioned in both.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"The Wayward Bus" written by John Steinbeck.

Although I am a big Steinbeck fan I was a bit disapointed with this book. It just didn't catch me. I can't really say why. I guess, it seemed to meander along and then just stopped.

-Richard

Jesus for President??

I found this interesting article on CNN.com a couple of weeks ago. In essence it talks about young Evangelical Christians and politics. Essentially, it's something that I've been saying for years, that, as a Christian it is impossible to be doctrinally and ethically joined to a particular party on everything. I think people are realizing it. There, in a way is not right or wrong answer as we all fall short of where we need to be in God's image. We live in a flawed world and very flawed society and political system. Again, it's a matter of looking at each candidate individually, on each issue and look at the Bible teaching and make as honest, prayerful compromise as possible.

I have not looked, or had time to look into detail into the groups mentioned in this article, however, some things appeal to me. (I would need to study their theological doctrine (when I get time) to see what I think on these individuals and Churches.) By this I mean looking at the Heart of God. We should be Peacemakers, care about the Poor, needy and sick, care about those without a voice, care for the prisoners etc.. That teaching, or attitude is controversial and considerd in some cases "liberal" by the established Church. Why? It come from the Sermon on the Mount and other teachings of Jesus. I have often myself had my views called "Communist" or "Socialist", which is incorrect because both those systems dismiss and negate Jesus and Salvation. No, my views are the community of the Church following the Heart of Christ to take care of all in this World.

The funny thing is, the study we are currently looking at in our Small Group is going along similar lines.

I guess the question is where do I fit into this in my life? A question I struggle with every day. I have a job, a home, gadgets, don't really struggle financially, well compared to the vast majority of the world. Essentially I (we) are comfortable. I work for a company that cares only about money and profit. Where does that fit in? The conundrum of the Modern World. We need to live and survive or we can't help others, but, where do we draw the line? I wish I knew. All I can do, is my small part of following the Gospel of Christ, which in a very simple break down has two parts...Salvation through the Blood of Christ and trying to be Christlike in everything we do.

Those who say becoming a Christian is a cop out, because you are playing safe with eternity should try being an Evangelical (Bible Believing - following the Word) Christian in today's world where one essentially has to live against the current trends. It is not easy. The easy cop out would by to live an earthly life, with the current value systems of greed, selfishness, money, sex etc... It is easy. I fall short every single day and every day I wake up I try and start again and again and again.

I think, as the election gets nearer and I take a closer look at the candidates and break down who I would have voted for (or for if my Citizenship somehow comes through) some more of the issues will come to the surface.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Custer Died for Your Sins" written by Vine Deloria, Jr. I do not have a photo as this book does not have a front cover.

When I finish a book I am going to start to try and write a little more about them rather than a cursory mention. This will be time dependent as I never seem to have enough time to post on here at the best of times.

This book was a lot better than I thought it would be. I almost passed it over. It was also one I intended to give away when finished. Due to the fact that most of books come from sales I generally give a lot back when finished and only keep those I am likely to read again. Mainly the ones I keep are history, classics and anything to do with Russia. Well, this book kept me interested all the way through with lots of interesting arguments. It is probably somewhat out date now as it was written in 1969, but, never the less it was worth reading.

-Richard