Early October, I had dinner with a friend and told her about a book I really liked. After I got home, I checked Amazon.com, found the book, ordered it to be shipped to her, and told her it was on its way. That was on October 6th.

I wondered why I didn’t hear from her about getting the book, but an email from Amazon on October 24th – that’s 18 days later, said:

It’s Saturday, 3:30 PM, and I’m sitting here, clicking around aimlessly. Eric is upstairs, fighting wars or something, and Phillip is at work. The weather is ugly – only 62° – and gray and cloudy. Definitely too cold to be outside and enjoy it. We’ve even decided to cook chili for dinner – it feels that wintery.

Other than that, we had company for most of March. Eric’s Mom and Dad from Indiana and an aunt and uncle from Michigan came to visit and escape the Winter. They were here almost 4 weeks, and it was quite fun. I enjoyed having dinner cooked when I got home from work and to have people around to talk to. The time just flew by. They are all invited back for more of the same next year, but we haven’t heard how they feel about putting up with us again. But just wait – give them a few more cold and snowy months between coming September and February…….

I’ve been in the States since July 1992. That’s 16 years. And I won’t even count the approximately four years I was here in the early 80s. So far, I’m here on a ‘Green Card’ as a ‘Resident Alien’. But ever since Alien, that word has a whole different meaning…..

I have on and of considered obtaining the American citizenship, it would just make sense. Germany will always be home, but I don’t see myself living there ever again. The kids are in the US, and now the grandkids, and I forgot where the German commas go, not to mention that my domain name ends in ‘.us’…. However, those Krauts are stubborn – they decided that if one voluntarily adopts another citizenship, they default on the German one. And I do not like that one bit. Just because I accidentally landed in this US of A (twice…) does not mean that I ever decided AGAINST Germany. I am German and I want to stay that way.

Eric has been pointing out that a bad smell seems to be coming out of our garbage disposal. I hadn’t really noticed, but garbage disposal odor is no less embarrassing than bad breath or body odor. Luckily, I remembered I still had one package of garbage disposal cleaner left from a box I bought many years and one move ago, and I even found it in the cleaning supply stash under the sink.

The stuff comes in a yellow paper-like package with the instructions written on it. There were four steps, and I wanted to make sure I did it right:

1. Run hot water into disposal
2. Add paper pouch to disposal and start disposal
3. … and I guess we’ll never know what steps 3 and 4 were…

I admit, I have never ever before voted in my life – not even for any of the American Idol contestants. But this time, I’m quite interested in the upcoming US presidential election. I really wanted Hillary to be the nominee, but that didn’t happen. I think Bill did good work as a president, but I wasn’t the least impressed with his stance on fidelity. Screw that- or blow that, whatever!!!

I must say so, I read Hillary’s “Living History” and my opinion about both the Clintons has changed. I understand that her book may be partially fiction, but I also know that press coverage can just as easily be tainted. One just has to have faith and decide to believe ‘something’ – of course while keeping an open eye and embracing new knowledge and information and being ready to revise one’s opinion. Be that as it may, it has convinced me that both Clintons (aside from sexual influences – damn, Bill!!!) have very good intentions. I think they are honest and do strive to better life in the U.S. for everyone there.