Adventures, adventures...

...well, not very dramatic ones. But Auntie has been busy. Flew from Birmingham, Alabama to Charlotte in North Carolina, but the flight was delayed so  missed  connection to London. Kind airline staff  looked up alternatives, but a flight home via Frankfurt seemed less than alluring given the lateness of the hour...so booked into a local hotel. They do cheap hotels in the USA, where you can buy some food which you can cook up , and  there is also (real) coffee, small kitchen area, etc.  Phoned to cancel various meetings arranged in London for next day, left reassurring message for J. etc.  Sat working and had a cosy evening.

Flight to london the next day was not until late  afternoon. Billboard  at airport adverised the Billy Graham Library, evidently a big museum of his life and work. Got a taxi down the motorway - which is also named after him. Lovely spot in beautiful countryside, a barn with a big glass doorway shaped as a cross, and inside a whole series of interconnecting studios with commentary, films, exhibits, all streaming and slick, telling the story of Graham's life and work... rather touching to see posters etc from the 1950s, vanished world, Britain in black-and-white, everyone in smart clothes, attending rallies as if dressed for a wedding or job interview.  Graham's preaching is stirring, and he has consistently taken a solid stand on moral issues:  banned racial segregation at all rallies back when segregation was standard in the southern states of the USA, has been pro-life, supports man/woman marriage etc etc. He is now 94 - when he dies, a chapter of American history will close...

Back at airport, sat reading and making notes for book reviews, flew to Gatwick, train journey home through icily beautiful countryside and London, all grey and stark with freezing fog above snowy fields and streets and office blocks.  Even ugly slabs of buildings look better in mist and snow. Home. Slept.

Now: dealt with letters, domestic stuff, kitchen etc. The week ahead:  various meetings re the Govt's ghastly plans to redefine marriage, the mess this will create for schools, freedom of speech, etc...media  reports Obama's inaugural speech in which he has promised to do a similar wreckage-attempt on America...