Swans swimming on the flooded sidewalk in Worcester UK

The rains were very heavy in the UK yesterday and the sidewalks turned into little streams:

Meditation: What my friends think I do; what my parents think I do, what society thinks I do…

Life Without Music Would B♭

He who forces time is pushed back by time…

If all else fails, hug your dog…or kitty.

Wayne Dyer: “You cannot be lonely if you like the person you’re alone with.”

What’s with the presidential candidates and their wives?

Dear gentle blog reader,

Between the US and French presidential elections, it’s been an interesting week, especially regarding the candidates’ wives and former girlfriends. On the one hand, we’ve got John Edwards and the courtroom testimony as to how cold and unfeeling he was toward his long-suffering late wife, Elizabeth:

But her grown daughter, Cate Edwards, fled that room in tears Wednesday, just ahead of testimony about the terrible day that Elizabeth, having read about her husband’s love life in the National Enquirer, ripped off her shirt and bra in an airplane hangar and stood bare-chested before him and the world, crying, “You don’t see me any more.”

In a sharp contrast to the “you deserve a prison sentence for your crimes and a life sentence in hell for what you did to Elizabeth” Edwards, we have Mitt Romney. Say what you will about him, Mitt’s has been there for his wife, Ann, throughout her cancer and MS ordeals, which says an awful lot about his character and marriage.

Obama’s ex-girlfriend, Genevieve Cook, has come out of the closet — though I wish she hadn’t — to share her diaries with the world in Dave Maraniss’ “Barack Obama: The Story”.

Is it me, or does Barack look a lot happier with Genevieve than he does with his wife? When he’s around Michelle, Obama’s smile is forced and he always looks so pensive, like a little dog with his tail between his legs.

Finally, there’s Sarko in France. His wife, model Carla Bruni, embodied European chic:

Now, I guess to convince the masses that she’s just your average, middle-class, middle-aged wife and mother, Carla Bruni’s now adopted the overweight hausfrau style. Carla, Carla, Carla, how could you let yourself be photographed looking like this:

My best guess is that if Sarkozy doesn’t get re-elected next week, he and Carla will divorce — they’re just not that into each other unless there’s power, status, and a camera pointed their way. But there’s one good thing that might happen if Sarkozy doesn’t win: Maybe Carla Bruni will dig out her makeup, elegant clothing, and high heels, and start looking like her fabulous self again!

Here’s more on the stories:
What we might learn — but can’t know — from a candidate’s wife and girlfriends

Is the prospect of losing getting to Carla? Normally elegant French First Lady looks a mess as Sarko fights for his political life