True love?

On my 30th Birthday, Wooley (amongst other gifts and a great trip to Vegas) bought me some Irish bacon, I had been moaning about how I can not get a decent bacon sandwich in Dallas. I know my vegetarian husband loves me when he bought me some bacon, for my birthday cos he knew it would make me happy. True love.

July 4th 2008, Weekend

We had a fun July 4^th Weekend, Wooley and I (well Wooley) drove to Austin on Friday July 4^th, morning. We stopped off at the West Czech Stop, a very unique Texan small town experience. It’s so odd how immigration works, and how many eastern European and European communities moved and settled in Texas. We spent a few hours at the Book people book store, had an iced mocha (well I did) and Wooley had a hot mocha. Again we love the whole keep Austin “weird” the independent stores and “different” vibe in Austin. We had a lovely evening, we went a great place called South Congress Café, I had really spicy crab enchiladas. We then walked down to Town Lake, where the Austin Symphony orchestra played and the July 4^th fireworks were fantastic. The following day we drove to Fredericksburg, we stopped off at the LBJ national historic park. It is very interesting and illuminating as to how that period in history was so full of huge events that have really changed the shape and nature of American government, “ as President he was responsible for designing the "Great Society" legislation that included civil rights laws, Medicare (health care for the elderly), Medicaid (health care for the poor), aid to education, and the "War on Poverty." Simultaneously, he escalated the American involvement in the Vietnam War, from 16,000 American soldiers in 1963 to 550,000 in early 1968.”

We then drove into Fredericksburg, which is a very cute town in the famed “hill country” of Texas, which was pretty. Wooley and I decided when you live in Texas which is both generally so vast and flat the hills in "hill country" take on that extra special “prettiness!” Fredericksburg, is a tourist destination and as such has cute touristy shops, shopping, wineries (there are a few wineries in Texas in the hill country and whilst we had some nice wine in a nice wine bar I was advised by the bar lady not to brave the local wine!) Fredericksburg and surrounding country was populated by German immigrants so beers and sausages are still very popular.

We were fortunate enough to have been invited to attend a beautiful wedding at the Enchanted Château, the weather was so pretty, the evening turned out be a lovely sunny breezy evening, and the ceremony was both gorgeous and intimate. The reception which followed also took place under the stars, and again was pretty and fun!

After some Texan coffee and a German lunch, we headed back to Dallas via Austin. We stopped off in Austin, but resisted the Cupcakes, made another caffeine stop, wandered around the “SoCo” shops, and jumped back into the car for the 3 hour drive back to Dallas which turned into nearly a 5 hour drive due to a big wreck on the freeway, which meant we were stopped for nearly an hour at a standstill, an 18 wheeler had turned over. Good thing we had the GPS aka “tom tom” as when we finally managed to get off the motorway we were able to avoid the heavily congested detour everyone else was being made to go on and speed home by 11pm! I get so freaked out by car accidents, the amount of driving we both do, some of the crazy drivers and the size of our cars compared with some hummers/trucks on the road makes me nervous!

Should children be banned from weddings?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7494823.stm

This is a good question. I do agree that it can sometimes not be the children as such but sometimes the parents who can not or will not even try to calm them down if they are having a tantrum in a particularly quiet or serious moment. I also agree its up to the bride and groom and they can try to be nice about it?

Is America getting bigger?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/justinwebb/2008/07/bitter_bus_passengers.html

Wooley and I had a slight taste of rural Texas this weekend and it was the touristy side of things as well, but we still found that to be somewhat remote, (urban dwellers that we are!) so I cant imagine what being really rural is like, the distances are so vast, its amazing! Even more amazing is the far reach of immigration hundreds of years ago and how the immigrant communities have made a lasting mark on the present day culture. Travel back then was slow and dangerous but so many risked it for the promise of a "better" life. To restrict travel now is both dangerous and a step in the wrong direction. Travel enriches individuals and the world. Its harder to vilify people when you have been to their homes, eaten their food and bought their goods.

You can see how heavily reliant people are upon their cars in the vastness that is some parts of America, and why they have to be. There are no alternatives, and that is scary. The vast open space is great and awe inspiring. The need for physical travel to cover these vast distances has to be re-thought, todays environmental, economic and cultural concerns demands changes in the way we travel and cover these vast distances.

The Elders – and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The Elders. I must admit I was slightly skeptical when I first heard about The Elders. What’s the point? I thought to myself. These people already have the platform, they are already venerated internationally. And then I had a look around at the website, found out a bit more about it and it hit me just how wrong I was. I realised that exactly what I thought was wrong is in fact what is absolutely right. Yes these people are venerated globally – but that’s just it – they are influential and inspirational individuals. There is much strength in this group of people coming together in an attempt to ease human suffering, to try to resolve conflict and bring about peace. Well it’s a mighty powerful group of people, and let’s face it – there is too much suffering in the world. Why not take a different approach to leadership, a different approach to try and end or at least ease the suffering of so many still.

"Never before has such a powerful group of leaders come together. Free from political, economic or military pressures. The only agenda of The Elders is that of humanity."

I will be following their work, and urge you to do so too. And now, onto one of the first things they have done as a group.

The Elders have joined with partner organisations to celebrate. 2008 is the 60th anniversary of the universal declaration of human rights. The Every Human has rights campaign aims to give people the opportunity to discover and indeed rediscover the universal declaration, and also offers us all the opportunity to make our own personal pledge by signing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Everyone should do this.

Are basic human rights something that we should even still be discussing? Why aren’t human rights and freedoms respected and enshrined in everything we do and believe in as human beings? There are many arguments and discussions on this subject and for now, whilst I hold strong opinions on this, I am going to give myself some time to learn, to listen and read more about why we are still debating this issue and what I can do to help to try to protect and promote human rights.

Dhara