Beau Nash overlooks the birthday festivities

Soup of the Day - Cream of Tomato with RocketMaurene closes her eyes in delight

Waitress snapped this photo - oblivious to focal length: If you click on this you'll be able to see us

Alive at 55

Maurene and I went to the Pump Room for lunch today to celebrate my birthday. The Pump Room is a rather posh restaurant which I usually only visit to get a glass of free water. We had a nice lunch and the pianist played 'Happy Birthday' when they brought my dessert (complete with candle).

Notice the Cambridge University sweatshirt -my vain attempt to assimilate the culture

Naturalisation - Step 5

As reported in an earlier entry, we are in the process of applying for British citizenship. Today, after our return from the USA we took our next significant step. The photo is of me holding our joint application prior to mailing.

Hopefully, the usually efficient Royal Mail won't screw this up. If so, I can click on the photo to show the Home Office that I did mail the documents.

As the sun sets, Ron contemplates the meaning of life

The Visser compound

Orval Williams used to say: White man build big fire, sit way back; Red man build little fire, sit real close. Maurene's sister joins Maurene and Ron minutes before the s'mores are created.

Dusk at Maurene's beloved French Lake

Our trip back to the USA: Part III

And still more. . .

If God had intended for us to eat only one ice cream cone he wouldn't have given us two hands.

Is this heaven? Ron, like an apparition, comes out of the cornfield at the 'Field of Dreams' film site.

In the name of the Father. . .

Great Nephew Ryan's baptism as the proud parents look on

Our trip back to the USA: Part II

More photos from our recent holiday.

Abby and Andrew

Revellers at the reception: Tiff, Keith, Sarah and Kevin (Kyle and Maggie were blurred)

Sarah and Bob get acquainted with Ryan

Our trip back to the USA

We spent the last two weeks celebrating Abby and Andrew's wedding, catching up with both the Garner and O'Hagan sides of the family, and spending much time driving a rental car to various midwestern destinations.

A few photographs for your perusal. . . (more to follow)

My grandaughter!

Sarah sent me these ultrasound photographs of my grandaughter. Although it might be a bit early to tell, I have taken some of my baby pictures out of the drawer and she looks amazingly like me! No, really. . .seriously. . .I'm not kidding.

Beauty and Brains
Transcript: (please feel free to punctuate)
I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because uh some people out there in our nation don’t have maps and uh I believe that our education like such as in South Africa and uh Iraq everywhere like such as and I believe that they should uh our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S. or should help South Africa and should help Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future for our

Maurene proudly displays her Pass Notification Letter (click on the photo if you want to read the letter)

Naturalisation -Step 4

Today we journeyed to Bristol to take the next step toward becoming British citizens. Actually, this is the final difficult hurdle, the rest is making sure our paperwork is in order and sending the money to the Home Office.

The first step was completed in May of 2000 when we were given an entry visa from the British consulate in Chicago.

Step two required us to travel to Croydon in south London each June for the next 4 years to be interviewed and have our visas updated. They verified that we hadn't committed any criminal acts, that I was still employed, and that we were not making use of the rather generous welfare system. (Part of granting our visas initially was a promise that we would not go on the 'dole').

Step three was taken in June of 2004 when we made our last trip to Croydon. Again, we were interviewed, produced the appropriate letters and were given a Residence Permit. This gave us 'indefinite leave to remain.' Although that step enables us to live in the UK permanently without having to report to Croydon, it does not give us voting rights. But, yes, we could now sponge off the welfare system!

With today's test we took the next significant step. The test covered a bit of British history, demographic profile questions, customs and traditions of the UK, governmental functions, the European Union, the British Commonwealth, and practical matters (i.e. how do you register to vote). You were required to score 75% to pass. Fortunately, we both passed.

Upon our return to Bath in mid-September we will submit our paperwork for naturalisation (all sixteen pages), a tidy sum of money and the names of two referees who have known us for over 3 years. Hopefully, by the time we next travel to the US we will have duel citizenship which makes things move much quicker on both ends as we negotiate airport security. God save the Queen!

Everybody sing! 'I've got a mule, her name is Sal; Fifteen years on the Avon Kinnet Canal

She's a good ol' worker and a good ol' pal; Fifteen years on the Avon Kinnet Canal'

These poor tourists only found out after paying their hard-earned money that the 'below the weir' boat trip really sucks

Green grocers store front

End of Summer Part IV

Children dance around the statue of Mozart

Outrageously priced al fresco dining

Everybody sing! - 'This green and pleasant land'

End of Summer Part III

As opposed to The Fake Meat Company

Pulteney Bridge, The Weir and the Colonnade

Killer Bees

End of Summer Part II

Lazy tourists

Less lazy tourists

Parade Gardens

End of Summer Part I

It has been a wet and rather miserable summer here in Bath. But these last few weeks the weather has improved markedly and we have enjoyed a bit of sunshine and warm (not hot) temperatures. We don't have Labour Day on this side of the Atlantic so the end of summer is marked by a bank holiday the last Monday of August. I had a pastoral visit to do yesterday and thought I take a few snaps as I walked to my destination.

3rd Hole-Crown Course

54 years; 54 holes.

Today I completed 54 holes of golf in 8 hours and 10 minutes from start to finish. It was a fund-raiser for 'Little Scribblers Nursery School' in Larkhall. Little Scribblers is a nursery school started by a member of our church, Emma Whipp. I raised money to help re-turf the play area and the remainder of any money raised will be used to supplement the pay of some of her support staff.

I started at 7.00 am and finished at 3.10 pm. I was ably assisted by two members of our church, Ron Turner and Colin Bowden who took care of the caddy duties. My scores weren't all that good because I was focussing on finishing the 54 holes and was concerned about getting behind slow foursomes. Fortunately, every time we came up on a group they understood what we were doing and immediately signalled us through. Thus, the much quicker than expected finishing time.

As near as I can figure I will have raised a bit more than £700 GBP ($1400 USD) when all of the money has been collected. I actually felt pretty good after the 13 miles of walking and numerous swings (too many) of the clubs. But now, sitting at the computer my feet are screaming and my lower back occasionally goes into a nice sharp spasm.

Bristol International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta

I usually get in 18 holes of golf on Friday mornings. My golf course overlooks the city of Bristol. Yesterday I was treated to the morning launch of hundreds of hot air balloons. This photo was from Saturday's Guardian.

The Seventh Seal

We went to see Ingmar Bergman's defining film this evening. Most appropriate since he died just last week. I must say with each passing year the idea of extending one's life by playing chess with Death seems a bit more credible. Death reminded me of Channel 4s Sammy Terry. On a more serious note, I find myself wondering what insights have I gained since moving to Bath and having an Art House cinema within walking distance? I don't think I have a much deeper understanding of existentialism -Kierkegaard baffles me. But, as Maurene noted when we left the cinema this evening, I am now willing to set through a film with subtitles. Now that's progress!

Why we're in Iraq
These boneheads have the ear of the president and all sorts of Republican congressional members. Scary.

Mike and I in Bristol (thanks Caren)

Abby's Request

Abby wondered why I didn't get a photograph of Michael Bolton at the wedding party (see earlier blog). Regrettfully, I didn't have a camera with me at the time. But, I was sent this great photo of Michael and I at his concert in Bristol when he invited me on stage to jam! Notice the cool purple spotlight they place on me during my solo!

Padraig Harrington lifts the Claret Jug

Why are Europeans so good in the Ryder Cup and so poor in the 4 Majors?

At the start of today's final round of The Open, the BBC Commentators were wondering why the European golfers always do so well in the Ryder Cup but so poorly in the 4 'Grand Slam' events. A European hasn't won one of the big four tournaments (The Masters, The US Open, The British Open, or the PGA) since 1999. And yet, in that same time frame they have hammered their US counterparts in the bi-annual Ryder Cup. Earlier this week, Nick Faldo said that it was because European players are too chummy with one another.

I think it might be sociological. Most European countries are to a great or lesser degree socialist. The United States is capitalist. Europeans learn to handle problems cooperatively and stress teamwork and common goals. Capitalists stress individual initiative and competitiveness. So, an American golfer will tend to go out to play his 'own' game and beat his opponent. Whereas a European golfer might lack the killer instinct but will thrive on foursomes and best ball. Interesting theory.

Well, the drought ended today. And it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Padraig Harrington ended not only the European 8 year drought but was the first Irishman to win The Open in 60 years.

Kath (the mother of the groom) and Maurene after the festivities
Maurene with the happy couple

Maurene signing the wedding register

Francis, our church's Authorised Registrar makes it official. (He looked quite spiffy in his bowtie.)

Wedding photographs

Whilst we were in London we met Alan and Layla. Alan was the son of Kath who attended St. James's Church. Maurene and Kath became good friends and when Alan and Layla decided to marry they asked Maurene to conduct the ceremony. It was a family-only service and I went along to be the doorman, start the CD player at the appropriate time and be an unofficial photographer. The wedding party that evening was held at the Eastern Eye, a great Indian restaurant in Bath. Lo and behold, Michael Bolton came in during the evening. We wanted to ask him to sing 'When a man loves a woman' to the happy couple but his rather large bodyguard seemed a bit intimidating!

I didn't even know Tigger was left handed. . .

I'm taking a week's holiday during The Open. BBC Coverage begins on the radio at 6.00am and on TV at 9.00am and goes until 7.15pm. I wish I'd gone to Carnoustie but I'm going to work on a mosaic so that I want be tempted to do too much 'church stuff'.