And a happy Fourth of July!! Nothing much on here -- especially as we don't have an American ambassador at the moment. The ambassador always throws the biggest July 4 party in the country, and it's one of the best and most important diplomatic soirees to be invited to, always good fun. But in two of the three years that we have had a Bush-appointee in the ambassadorial post, there's been no party, because the ambassador hasn't actually been in office -- which must set some kind of record, certainly an odd one for this small country that has always had a large relationship with the US of A. In nearly two decades of living here this is the only time I remember anything like this happening -- much less twice.

Instead, today I've been invited along to the American Chamber of Commerce lunch at the Four Seasons, which should be a pleasant if more sedate affair. I won't feel starved of fireworks, though, since we had plenty at the opening and closing Special Olympics ceremonies.