IKEA West Chester Opening

I've been counting days. I've sponsored the local fan club. I've been driving by the consturction site. And now: I've never lived so close to an IKEA store in my life! Amazing 5 minutes drive.

First time for my friend Snow. She had Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes for lunch, I took the salmon and bought a bag of meatballs to take home for dinner instead. Otherwise today's purchase was the classical: candles, napkins and bathroom brushes. Got to teach Snow the first important steps of IKEA shopping!

//Hanna

Snow!

Look what we've got in Ohio! This weekend the snow came like everything in America: plentyfully. We had some 15 inches of snow over a night, and it was a total success in the neighborhood. A great fun in the snow. Of course, there was a severe trafic chaos, too. Winter tires? Nothing for Ohioans. The police announced that no one should be driving unless it is a case of an emergency, or you're on your way home from work. We needed food and a DVD, so I guess that was an emergency. The shelves at the local grocery store were half empty, they actually closed the store at 11 p.m. (it's normally a 24-7 store). In the evening, we had a bunch of neighbors over at our house having pizza & beer and playing the Wii. Cozy!

//Hanna

Go Hillary, Go!

Middle class of America blooms. It's like there's a whole new sparkle in the neighborhoods. Suddenly you see this pride in decency of an average American. Homes with a pick up truck and a Chevy parked outside, kids shooting basketball on a driveway, mom is a teacher and dad is an accountant. The kids do their best at school, the whole family gathers around their activities. They might even go to church every Sunday, but mostly because of the social aspect. Life has its struggles, but nothing major. Although, if one of the adults got laid off, there would be a major stress: the house mortgage, the health insurance, the college tuition...

Mostly everything, and everyone, in the USA is still measured in money. Unlike in Europe, rich people are truly admired here - they've lived the American dream! But I can see a new trend of acceptance of the middle class, too. I would not call it glorifying, but recognizing and certainly appreciating it. In my European eyes it's kind of nice, homey. Normal down to earth people.

No one here talks about McCain. He, just as his party's campaign, seems to be totally uninteresting. The Republicans go and vote for him, I guess, without any closer analysis or questioning.

For now, we're enjoying the fight between Obama and Clinton - and to be honest, in the end it doesn't really matter which one gets the nomination. They're both pretty good. Their argumentation with each other is substantial. It's also fun to have a non-verbal fight with your neighbors; did someone just steal our Hillary sign on the lawn or was it really the wind?

//Hanna