Erin, please don't unpub this, I promise I'll be good! K?

I saw things last night that I never expected to see in America. I am amazed.

Portland is a cute little town of about a million people. When the election was called, I was alternately crawling around in a very dear friend's itchy attick drilling dusty, nasty holes or tottering on a wiggly ladder two stories up on the side of their house. No, not in the roof or ceiling silly. I was constantly anxious about putting my foot through the ceiling, but instead, I almost rode said undependable ladder to the ground after my wiggling butt dis-steadied me. I didn't totally fall, but I did do stupid things to my shoulder and today c'n'ardly use it.

So, after God managed to steady said bucking ladder for me, and I dropped the drill on the floor, and began screaming like a girl in pain, my hostess banished
me from further ladder dressage. She was really quite insistent and firm that I get down from there, so much so that it really rang my little subbie bells, A LOT, but no spanking, DAMN! :(

So, instead, she forced me to lay on the couch with an ice pack with my feet up. After downing some white pills I carry for such incidents 20 minutes later, I felt much less pain and began to enjoy my altered state of consciousness, complete with new personality.

The totally amazing thing about all this is that she then permitted me to go for a walk, as long as she came along and supervized. I saw things out there that I have never, ever seen in America. At almost every major intersection, people were out, screaming and honking and waving and doing things that I would never expect anyone older than a cheer leader to do.

Later, as we drove the half dozen miles to my home, I saw many such irrational but deliriously happy crowds.

This is a wonderful time in America, not because of who won, I was prepared for either, never having actually decided. I look forward to the days ahead, my faith in Americans having gotten a massive dose of good blood cells.

It was encouraging because there was no one running around firing their guns in the air, as in most any Arab country. I was happy to see that there were no drunken fist fights as I imagine I could see in say Wales, where they fight over some dumb ball kicking game that I shall never understand.

The Police did show up in one place and emperously stood across the street using their best bull horn to tell us to disperse peacefully. Much to their disappointment, we did.

This was truly historic. I feel very much more an American today.

Much love

Gwen