Ah, 'twas great to be back in England's green and pleasant land. London is looking just a bit cleaner these days. Must be the Conservative government...! Terrific Sargent exhibition at the Royal Academy; really appreciate the late hours. It makes summer evenings more than just the pub and long walks.

Which somehow reminds me- I am so glad Labour is out of government I could piss myself. We have had so much social engineering for the past decade, I wonder if we should ever recover. And don't even mention the bloody economy! The Scottish Mafia has a lot to answer for.

Speaking of Scotland, I took the ScotRail Caledonian Sleeper to Edinburgh while home. What a nightmare that has become: dirty fold down tray, grimy floor, ancient rolling stock, freeze dried coffee, surly attendants- and that was First Class! I can't imagine what the poor sods in standard got. Anyone else had this experience?

Edinburgh itself was looking good. The gardens were in bloom and well-attended in time for the Festival. Mobs of tourists getting a head start on that. Very good boost for the local economy in advance of the Festival start.

Had to go to Paris and took the Eurostar from the new station at St Pancras, my first time since it opened. Great improvement to Waterloo. I enjoyed the train itself, too. They actually had decent food, as well.

Business took me to Canterbury where years of Labour "improvements" in education and ABSOs were visibly working miracles on the yobs in the park along the city wall from the train station. Right. I've never seen so many physically dirty layabouts and bored, sulky teens.

Nevertheless, it was good to be home. There was far more to be glad about than not. I even liked the new London taxis! Much more comfortable. And the new red buses are great with all their security gadgets and signs to tell you the stops. (Yep. I know. I haven't been back in about five years!)

So, now back in the states and longing to go home. Maybe Christmas?

It's about bloody time.

The process for ending "Don't ask; Don't tell" has finally, really, begun. Kudos to the Joint Chiefs, and especially Admiral Mullen, for making the case to end this despicable policy so strongly. Basing it on the principle of integrity- personal and military -was the best start.

I grew up in a Southern family riddled with people in the military, in a military town, I'm in the reserve, and you can't throw a stick, much less a grenade without hitting a gay in uniform anywhere there is a post. There have been gays in the military ever since the first army was formed; what's the big f'ing deal?? I am so tired of all the moronic, redneck, moralistic bullsh*t about this issue. Either shut up, or go stone all the adulterers and stop wearing poly/cotton blends. And put that shrimp down!!