Team Leader

I know its a long time since I posted, but a couple of thoughts came to me. One you will read below, and the other is this. Since March, I have moved jobs twice, and we are now living in our own appartment.

My second job is grass cutting, and I have been made up to team leader. I am not expected to work any harder, as I was telling one of my team the other day. I am only paid extra for two reasons. First, to stay awake while driving between jobs, and secondly, for the boss to have someone to shout at when things go wrong!

(which happened today)

Communism in the USA

I think I have worked out the difference between capitalism and communism in the USA. Its quite simple really. When the government gives money to rich people, that is capitalism. When the government gives money to poor people, that is communism.

When I first thought of it, it just seemed a funny truth. But there is more to it than just a funny truth. People over here believe in their right to become rich, and wealth is a great motivator in the US. There seems to be a perception that society owes something to the wealthy, rather than the European thought of the weathly owing society.

With that in mind, it seems that the measure of the nation here is not in how it treats the poor and those unable to help themselves, but in how it treats and rewards the rich. Hence, so little political outcry at the millions of dollars spent on banks, but the great protests about plans to government fund some healthcare.

Back on the Job Hunt

I have arrived back in the USA after a three week visit to England.  I visited my sister for her wedding, and Paulie for his wedding celebration.  I have never been happier to arrive in the US, as this is my home now.  I missed my family.

But now I am back here all the old problems of not having a job and squishing two families into one house have come back again.  Not helped, of course by the headlines on the BBC proclaiming 8.2% American Unemployment!  So, now I have to prove myself in the top 91% of workers in the USA.

So, keep me in mind.  TTFN

A telling off

I just had an email telling me off for not posting to this bog in a while.  So here you are, a post.  Christmas was nice, and we are halfway through January.  Still no job, so that is getting a little frustrating.  The kids are happy in the snowy weather, and I'll post a couple of sledding videos to youtube soon.  Rachel is still happy to be home and so we are doing pretty well all told.  If I dont have a job by the end of January I will make plans to travel to England to Dawns wedding.

American Freezers

Is it just me, or are tall American fridge/freezers all designed to work best at the temperature at which ice-cream is most easily scooped? Or may be  I just haven't left the ice-cream in long enough to harden...

Third Week of Snow

It's the beginning of the third week here, and the snow continues to lie thick on the ground. I am enjoying the cold, and am grateful for the 6 foot long wool scarf that I knitted for myself many years ago. It isn't something that was really required in the UK, but its certainly nice to have it here in Minnesota.

In other news, we decided that the Nissan Maxima isn't a car worth keeping. There are three things possibly wrong with the engine, and the rust on the body makes me think that even if it was worth putting money into repairing the motor, the body would rust out before we could get enough miles on it.

Frustrating News: I had a call from the job agency across the street asking me if I had my Social Security number yet. Reading between the lines, this means that they aren't willing to employ me without a number. I can't apply for most jobs online without a number. I cant seem to do anything without a number! I am not a number yet!! So, that's the frustrating news.

Happy News: We got together with Mumum last week. We took the kids over and made black walnut cookies. Yum Yum! Then Saturday was her Birthday and I took Emma to buy and deliver some flowers. Then we got white chocolate and Macadamia nut cookies! Yay (even if the chocolate was topped up with some dark) Grandmas are great for cookies.

On Wednesday I plan to go to the registration class for the GED, which is a diploma certifying that you have reached high school standard in your education. Lord willing, this wont take too long, and then I can see about maybe some kind of further education.

We visited the third of the Churches in this area, Divine Love Fellowship in Champlin, and were treated to dinner afterwards by the Pastor there, Paul Baird. So that was nice. Times are good, and if I can relax about the number and the job, I think I can have a nice time waiting. I've even found time to start on www.scripturestudies.net again. So, go have a look!

Second Week

Its the start of the second week in Minnesota, and it's already snowed twice. It snowed on the day after Julia told us that we are in for a long, cold, snow free winter. She is now considering a career in weather forcasting.

Last week we continued the process of settling in. I bought the biggest boots that I have ever owned, and we got winter boots for the kids too. Here's a photo of Elisha modeling my boots.

It's also been a week of parties and leftovers. On Thursday we had Thanksgiving, and I can proudly say that I contributed by carving the 24lb turkey. I enjoyed doing it, and I was told that I did quite a good job. So that was nice. Then on Saturday we had a welcoming party organised by Evelyn. She went to some lengths to make it a nice get together, even having a special sign made which I was allowed to keep aferwards.

I preached at Grace Ministry on Sunday, which is Don Hoffman's church, and I think it went quite well. I am still looking for the leading of the Lord as to the place where we should settle down.

The car we got has an engine problem. It was diagnosed by Nate as a Throttle Position Sensor problem, and he is looking into what it would take to get that sorted. So once we know we need to make a decision about the worthwhileness of putting money into a car named Rusty. At the moment it doesnt look like it will cost too much, but it's still something we have to think about.

Job hunting is still going on, but it has been slightly hindered by the colds that we have all gotten. Rachel was kept awake on Saturday night by my snoring, and in the morning Emma told me "Daddy, your snoring is funny!" But I dosed myself up with Lemsip, Throat coat, vit C, clementines, hot lemon and honey, and good ol' PG tips, and I didnt snore quite as badly last night.

Catch you all later then, and Lord bless.