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Last year a nine year old boy made headlines nationwide. He had apparently been ingenious enough to sneak on two flights to try to get to Texas to be with his grandfather. While it was reported that he had stolen a neighbors car just before this incident it was not as widely publicized that he had stolen nine cars in five weeks. What probably bothered me the most from the whole incident was his mother leaving the county with him against a court order. She took him to California for the two of them to apprear on the Dr. Phil Show.

Recently the news reported the case of a 14 year old girl being involved in a car accident. She had been drinking and was driving the vehicle. Where was her mother? She was in the passenger seat of the car apparently passed out. The police say she was so intoxicated she said she was the sister and then the cousin of the driver.

I know things can quickly get out of control when you have children and a busy life. But how can a parent explain willfully breaking the law by not following a court order or by letting  anyone (let alone a child) drive a car while drunk? What were they thinking?

So I understand it now costs almost 1.7 cents to produce a penny here in the U.S. But I also understand there are no plans to quit making those eight billion pennies each year. Why? I am not sure. Maybe it is just for sentimental value. The penny was the first American coin to use the likeness of a president on the side of the coin. And next year a new penny is being minted in celebration of the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. I cannot think of anything that could be bought with a penny. There used to be a row of penny candy at the grocery store but no more. Even penny gum ball machines now usually cost a quarter.

Not to be outdone, the nickel now costs almost a dime to produce.

I read today that during an interview with a media representative President Bush was asked about the price of gas going over $4.00 per gallon. He wondered why the news people were reporting such a high number. When told that the government (his administration) were the ones predicting the high figure he seemed genuinely surprised. How could a president who has prided himself on being “one of the people” be so far off base? Does he really have no idea how the rest of us live? What would he do if he had to live from pay check to pay check like so many Americans do?

On another note I understand jelly shoes (yes, jelly shoes!) are back. I remember them as a cute thing little girls wore but I guess they have grown up. They are now being produced by the big names in shoes. Givenchy has a pair for $165.00 and if you really want to make a statement Chanel is making a pair with a rhinestone for a mere $295.

I cannot afford to spend that kind of money on shoes but even if I could I cannot imagine it would be for jelly shoes. I looked at shoes when I was recently in Target and saw they also had jelly shoes. Theirs were in black, red, and clear. They were cute for the price of $8.99. That seems more in line with a jelly shoe.

Here at home the presidential race is taking up most of the news. John McCain has sewn up the republican nomination. That doesn’t really matter becuase surely the American people won’t choose another republican president this soon.

What is important to me is the democrates choice. I have been a supporter of Hilary Clinton from the beginning. It seems to be very close as to who will have enough delegates to carry them through. I think Ms. Clinton is best suited to run the country at this time. And I must admit the idea of a female president is pretty exciting.I believe Barack Obama could do the country some good too but I also think maybe he needs a little bit more experience first. However I also think a president just a little short in experience is better than a president who will just keep the whole country on the same path as it has been for the last two election cycles.

We got up at 5:00 AM to get ready to go. We pulled our luggage (two bags each plus carry ons and purses) about four blocks to the underground. We made it and bought ONE WAY tickets to Heathrow Terminal 1-2-3. We managed to get us and everythng on by working together. We arrived to find we had to use an escalator or call for help to use the lift. Trista thought we could use the escalator. The plan was for Trista to go to the top of the escalator and we would send the bags up to her. NOT a good plan. Some bags turned over and slid back down. It was really a mess. I was the last one up and a bag previously sent up began to slide toward me. It hit me and I dropped my new watch. Chloe hopped on at the top of this up escalator to try to help and the bag (which I was keeping from sliding down) crashed into her because she had fallen. I had nowhere to step off and was yelling at Trista to “drag her out of the way!”. Two security men came running from around the corner and when they saw us with all our bags a mess and Chloe laying on the floor they did not see the humor in the situation. They just told us to “use a trolley”. We did.

We had lots of time and did some last London shopping in the airport. They are so particular about the size of everyones carry ons and even stopped people to measure them. But they did not care about anything we had bought in the airport shops. Seems sort of silly.

The flight was good but, of course, long. The movie channel worked this time which was helpful. Also, a very young gentelman and his two little children sat by me. His wife had suddenly and unexpectedly died in their home in England. The military was sending him to a base close to family so he could have help and support. It was very sad. The children wanted to know if I was moving because I had known their mother.

We had a long delay at Chicago but made it home safely. My husband and Chloe’s Mom were waiting for us and they were such a nice sight. It has been such a good trip and I really enjoyed traveling with Trista and Chloe.