this was my reply after someone saw my crime report on frost!! and found it funny (see pervious post) but then said "I wish people treated other people in the same way we treat our plants" this was a forum so I haven't put every thing if you wish to see my origianl post I had copied and pasted it from a previous post to the garden website!
after a day of beating myself up for being sooo stupid, I had indeed, early that evening ventured out to inspect "the troops" as I call them and came in telling hubby "gosh its parky (cold) out there", about an hour later I suddenly said oh no! I haven't covered the troops and I went out in my PJ's and it was sooo cold I ran in again and thought, they will be alright I've hardened them! even though I knew they where all heat loving plants! Bad, Bad, mummy! And I agree about the if we all cared about people as much as we care about plants...it would be a better place, I check my children in the morning then my plants, that said I wouldn't leave my kids uncovered, I hope I would run barefoot over coals for them! but don't test me on that! haha, but why do I feel so stupid? I can buy food!
and the reason I agree is that unfortunatly there are people out there who have cottoned on to treating plants badly as well as people and you hit them all ways, Pol Pot, Mugarbe! "little bit of politic there" Ben Elton comedian UK well at least he was in the 80's and early 90's now he does Andrew Lloyd Webber Musicals....ahh! PS: I call them the Troops because that's what my Pop (Grandad) and Dad called them, and Ex Army both of them I think they where allowed to do that! haha, dad and grandad used to come in and say man down when a plant died....I can't believe I have only just remembered that this minute! actually thats good next post on dead plants should be army action based movie???
Friday, April 24, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Susan Boyle , My Teeth and other stuff
I for the most part will think this woman is amazing...how not discovered before ect, ect but in Americia they are going wild, how can some one so ugly be soo good, well wake up! I find alot of your talent is insisting on perfection in looks, and the UK is creeping towards that, and I hate it I want real people.
I am fed up with the bad teeth jokes about UK people, my boys are tracing every scar on my face since we move to the US, I have 3, one on my lip... from the, "don't run with a knife in you mouth!!!", 2nd on my forehead from a car accident at low speed, with seatbelt on, but agreed by insurance company seatbelt failed, £1oo for that and a basal cell carcanoma on my cheek, my body is covered in scars one for every year of marrage,haha! laproscopy, appendix, femoral for my heart op, breast op where the dear old NHS for all everyones complaints treated my head not my body, I know It was a fibroid insect bite...but I was still worried it was Cancer as I had lost my mum to it, cut my finger on a toliet, we where throwing out another stich, another finger scar inflicted by a consultant who throw his scalpel at me and hit my finger...maybe I should sue?
and my greatest scar ever my c-section, my body will never be the same but by heck what a way to loose you figure? you actually produce people? its seems so improbable, and they are going to drive you wild but amazing all the same, 10 years 10 scars and all much loved. I used to hate my forehead scar but it has calmed down, the nurse who repaired it unfortunatly commited suicide 2 weeks later...you learn this stuff when you are a nurse in the same group of hospitals, Ifound this out 9 months later moaning that it wasnt a great fit (the scar) not bad but not brilliant...then you think "biggest wake up call ever"(amanda holden) what is a small scar compared to a life.
In 1995 I had an American friend come to stay and I showed her" men behaving badly" and "Abfab" she sat there stone faced but refused to go to the pub with me, I arrived home and she said they are sooo funny but your actors are soo ugly, I'd never even considered that they where ugly before I just thought they are normal! but now Britain is heading that way with Hollyoaks ect, thank god the next Doctor Who is quirky looking, Please, Please Britain lets celebrate normality, bad teeth, and our scars, wear you life with pride!
On the note of bad teeth, I have the worst teeth ever, they are small and pointy, covered in stains, from tea, I used to think it was smoking till I gave up for several years andthey where still as bad, they are crooked, I had 4 adult teeth removed at 11 but my mouth is still overcrowed, but I only need to visit the dentist once a year the last four dentist I have had have had to replace a filling I had as I child, and asked ..."was you dentist Australian..?" unfortunatley yes, I have small pointy, stained teeth but as strong as diamond! and I have looked into cosmetic dentistry and decided to give it a miss and they all weaken your teeth! my dad died with all his teeth intact (appart from wisdom teeth) at 67 and my Grandad is 90 and still has his own teeth, he was my mums father, so I think on two side of the family I have inherited rock hard teeth, all be it not pretty but rock hard, so back to the point America wake up and realise that ugly people are talented as well and Britain don't go down Americas route... we want good people not pretty people... but of course pretty people can be talented, it just a lot a talented people get lost amongst the beautiful people!
I am fed up with the bad teeth jokes about UK people, my boys are tracing every scar on my face since we move to the US, I have 3, one on my lip... from the, "don't run with a knife in you mouth!!!", 2nd on my forehead from a car accident at low speed, with seatbelt on, but agreed by insurance company seatbelt failed, £1oo for that and a basal cell carcanoma on my cheek, my body is covered in scars one for every year of marrage,haha! laproscopy, appendix, femoral for my heart op, breast op where the dear old NHS for all everyones complaints treated my head not my body, I know It was a fibroid insect bite...but I was still worried it was Cancer as I had lost my mum to it, cut my finger on a toliet, we where throwing out another stich, another finger scar inflicted by a consultant who throw his scalpel at me and hit my finger...maybe I should sue?
and my greatest scar ever my c-section, my body will never be the same but by heck what a way to loose you figure? you actually produce people? its seems so improbable, and they are going to drive you wild but amazing all the same, 10 years 10 scars and all much loved. I used to hate my forehead scar but it has calmed down, the nurse who repaired it unfortunatly commited suicide 2 weeks later...you learn this stuff when you are a nurse in the same group of hospitals, Ifound this out 9 months later moaning that it wasnt a great fit (the scar) not bad but not brilliant...then you think "biggest wake up call ever"(amanda holden) what is a small scar compared to a life.
In 1995 I had an American friend come to stay and I showed her" men behaving badly" and "Abfab" she sat there stone faced but refused to go to the pub with me, I arrived home and she said they are sooo funny but your actors are soo ugly, I'd never even considered that they where ugly before I just thought they are normal! but now Britain is heading that way with Hollyoaks ect, thank god the next Doctor Who is quirky looking, Please, Please Britain lets celebrate normality, bad teeth, and our scars, wear you life with pride!
On the note of bad teeth, I have the worst teeth ever, they are small and pointy, covered in stains, from tea, I used to think it was smoking till I gave up for several years andthey where still as bad, they are crooked, I had 4 adult teeth removed at 11 but my mouth is still overcrowed, but I only need to visit the dentist once a year the last four dentist I have had have had to replace a filling I had as I child, and asked ..."was you dentist Australian..?" unfortunatley yes, I have small pointy, stained teeth but as strong as diamond! and I have looked into cosmetic dentistry and decided to give it a miss and they all weaken your teeth! my dad died with all his teeth intact (appart from wisdom teeth) at 67 and my Grandad is 90 and still has his own teeth, he was my mums father, so I think on two side of the family I have inherited rock hard teeth, all be it not pretty but rock hard, so back to the point America wake up and realise that ugly people are talented as well and Britain don't go down Americas route... we want good people not pretty people... but of course pretty people can be talented, it just a lot a talented people get lost amongst the beautiful people!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Frost in Killing Spree!
At 9am this morning a peaceful neighbourhood in Connecticut was awoken to a sight of complete devastation, Frost had killed 3 sweet peppers outright and a egg plant and Tomato are on the critical list, Frost had fled the crime scene and believed to be heading for the Canadian Border.
Officials are said to be looking into the rumour that an incompetent Gardener may have contributed to the disaster by not following official guidance on the Health and Safety of plants.
"it has come to our attention that despite warnings that Frost was in the area, the gardener responsible for these innocent plants, did not follow basic safety procedures, in this instance the covering of her charges with a upturned 2 litre soda bottle, our investigators have found evidence that this equipment was just inches away from the beleaguered plants and they must have been tormented in their last few hours that the means to save them was so close" stated Artie Choke, lead investigator into the tragedy.
Sources close to the gardener have reported that on realising the dangers to her charges, attempted to save them and on getting to her door is said to have been forced to retreat back due the the cold, stating "f23k me! its brass monkeys out there!"
The investigation continues and charges of negligence have not been ruled out.
Reporter Tom Mater, for Yukon Gold News Network.
***News Update Eggplant and Tomato dispite heroic attemps to save them, where pronouced Compost at 2pm ECT***
Officials are said to be looking into the rumour that an incompetent Gardener may have contributed to the disaster by not following official guidance on the Health and Safety of plants.
"it has come to our attention that despite warnings that Frost was in the area, the gardener responsible for these innocent plants, did not follow basic safety procedures, in this instance the covering of her charges with a upturned 2 litre soda bottle, our investigators have found evidence that this equipment was just inches away from the beleaguered plants and they must have been tormented in their last few hours that the means to save them was so close" stated Artie Choke, lead investigator into the tragedy.
Sources close to the gardener have reported that on realising the dangers to her charges, attempted to save them and on getting to her door is said to have been forced to retreat back due the the cold, stating "f23k me! its brass monkeys out there!"
The investigation continues and charges of negligence have not been ruled out.
Reporter Tom Mater, for Yukon Gold News Network.
***News Update Eggplant and Tomato dispite heroic attemps to save them, where pronouced Compost at 2pm ECT***
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Don't let them get you money without a fight!
Ways to save money! first don't spend it! simple but brilliant rule! this is easier than it sounds, we all waste money buying things we don't use, just go into your bathroom and count how many part used bottles of shampoo and conditioner, bubble bath and shower gel you have? no don't hide! go and look! right, its embarrassing isn't it? and everyone of these product promised luscious locks or silky smooth skin right? and you fall for it! no don't cry, its not your fault, billions and billions are spent by companies finding out what makes us tick, its psychological warfare and they want to win, by getting your money!
So what to do? well I would start by packing away all but 1 of you shampoos and conditioners, bath oil and shower gels and use it til its finished! then get the next one out, radical idea isn't it? what you don't like brand x? why not? because it didn't give you hair which would have Rapunzel cutting her own wrists for? be honest, do you like any of them? No! because they don't deliver the promises, they just clean hair! they can't repair hair as hair is dead, split ends? get a haircut its the only cure! dry hair, don't wash it so often! you pay to have the oil striped out of your hair then pay to put it back in with conditioner! only if your genuinely allergic or sensitive to a product should you pitch it straight in the trash.
And moisturisers don't even get me started! most of what they claim is complete boswelox!
"There is always toothpaste in the tube" Bill Bryson, and he is right! I normally get another week out of my tubes by sniping the end and shoving my toothbrush in, seal with a paperclip or peg, if this seems too difficult, I would add that I find getting in the car to buy stuff is difficult! loading and unloading the car is difficult!
So you think putting off buying something for a week is not going to save you much money? well no it isn't but when you add up all the little savings they can be substantial, the saying "look after the pennies and the pounds (dollars) will look after themselves" it very true.
here are some more tips:-
Jar of instant coffee finished, next time you want a drink boil the kettle pore in a little of the water to the jar, swill it round and then pore into your cup and top up! you may even find that this is a little strong, so pore a little into 2 cups, enjoy.
Sweet pepper about to go past its best, next time you put the oven on for something chop it up toss it in veg oil (for UK readers I originally wrote toss in veg oil! you and your nasty little minds :0) ) put on tray whilst oven is heating or cooling down after cooking, leave it til you can smell it and it has gone soft(!! stop it, you UK people!), take out and freeze use it next time you make pizza or pasta sauce it breaks up easily and doesn't take up much room in the freezer, this also works for egg plant and zucchini. and tastes delish, other veggies and fruit look on Internet and find how to prepare them for freezing, Parsnip is soooo nice after freezing I am tempted to put it in when I have just brought it.
Left over mash/pasta? freeze in small portions for days when you are in a hurry. or cook up you spuds if you feel they may go bad and either part roast and freeze or make mash and freeze, or you could let them go "bad" if the right time of year and plant them out and see what happens! a lot of people recommend you don't do this but I am a chancer that some pest or potato virus will go in the soil. (rice is a biggie for food poisoning, I do it but I am very, very careful!)
other stuff to plant, garlic, ginger, leek bottoms apparently they have a flower, avocado I could go on and I will...only joking! try this you might like it? my favourate are frugal (obviously) veg, square foot, lasagna, winter sow and junk! that's got you thinking! what could it beee!
When you have finished shampoo, conditioner, washing liquid, dishwasher gel, laundry detergent...you haven't trust me, you haven't! like coffee warm water, swill it around a little and hay presto at least 2 more uses.
start looking at things in your house and work out what can work for you and where you constantly waste money on the new wonder product, remember man went to the moon in 1968 we haven't got much further! (I was talking man not robots to mars!) so exactly how new and improved is it?
I will expand on this subject soon, and in the mean time DON'T THROW ANYTHING AWAY! that is my next lecture Haha!
So what to do? well I would start by packing away all but 1 of you shampoos and conditioners, bath oil and shower gels and use it til its finished! then get the next one out, radical idea isn't it? what you don't like brand x? why not? because it didn't give you hair which would have Rapunzel cutting her own wrists for? be honest, do you like any of them? No! because they don't deliver the promises, they just clean hair! they can't repair hair as hair is dead, split ends? get a haircut its the only cure! dry hair, don't wash it so often! you pay to have the oil striped out of your hair then pay to put it back in with conditioner! only if your genuinely allergic or sensitive to a product should you pitch it straight in the trash.
And moisturisers don't even get me started! most of what they claim is complete boswelox!
"There is always toothpaste in the tube" Bill Bryson, and he is right! I normally get another week out of my tubes by sniping the end and shoving my toothbrush in, seal with a paperclip or peg, if this seems too difficult, I would add that I find getting in the car to buy stuff is difficult! loading and unloading the car is difficult!
So you think putting off buying something for a week is not going to save you much money? well no it isn't but when you add up all the little savings they can be substantial, the saying "look after the pennies and the pounds (dollars) will look after themselves" it very true.
here are some more tips:-
Jar of instant coffee finished, next time you want a drink boil the kettle pore in a little of the water to the jar, swill it round and then pore into your cup and top up! you may even find that this is a little strong, so pore a little into 2 cups, enjoy.
Sweet pepper about to go past its best, next time you put the oven on for something chop it up toss it in veg oil (for UK readers I originally wrote toss in veg oil! you and your nasty little minds :0) ) put on tray whilst oven is heating or cooling down after cooking, leave it til you can smell it and it has gone soft(!! stop it, you UK people!), take out and freeze use it next time you make pizza or pasta sauce it breaks up easily and doesn't take up much room in the freezer, this also works for egg plant and zucchini. and tastes delish, other veggies and fruit look on Internet and find how to prepare them for freezing, Parsnip is soooo nice after freezing I am tempted to put it in when I have just brought it.
Left over mash/pasta? freeze in small portions for days when you are in a hurry. or cook up you spuds if you feel they may go bad and either part roast and freeze or make mash and freeze, or you could let them go "bad" if the right time of year and plant them out and see what happens! a lot of people recommend you don't do this but I am a chancer that some pest or potato virus will go in the soil. (rice is a biggie for food poisoning, I do it but I am very, very careful!)
other stuff to plant, garlic, ginger, leek bottoms apparently they have a flower, avocado I could go on and I will...only joking! try this you might like it? my favourate are frugal (obviously) veg, square foot, lasagna, winter sow and junk! that's got you thinking! what could it beee!
When you have finished shampoo, conditioner, washing liquid, dishwasher gel, laundry detergent...you haven't trust me, you haven't! like coffee warm water, swill it around a little and hay presto at least 2 more uses.
start looking at things in your house and work out what can work for you and where you constantly waste money on the new wonder product, remember man went to the moon in 1968 we haven't got much further! (I was talking man not robots to mars!) so exactly how new and improved is it?
I will expand on this subject soon, and in the mean time DON'T THROW ANYTHING AWAY! that is my next lecture Haha!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
OGD, it offical!
Obsessive Garden Disorder! I am now out wind, rain ect I want to put rulers by them! I am asigning them personalities for gods sake! I have thick pea! no matter how many times I Show him the cane he flops over! when I say show, I mean lean him against!! he is doing my head in! and believe me, he is a he! sad but true!
So British!
a few week ago I was left on my own in a shopping type place very spread out and no car,but no problems I think I have 2 legs and I navigate my way round faily well until I need a drink, then I think as much as fast food joints take plasic will they take it for a coffee? any way unsure and spy a bank! I walk round it twice and conclude no ATM unless you are in a Car!! so what to do? I queued! I draw a small crowd! the car drivers where confused I was even more confused, why no predestrian access! madness!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
tightwad or frugal you decide?
I have for many years taken the piss out of my DH for his frugal/tightwad ways as his father said he would buy shit in a bucket if it said bargin or sale! that said he has found some amazing deals, and truth be known I am on the same page, but I work differently, if I want or need something I start by looking at what I already have, its amazing how many times after thinking for a few days, that I find the ideal item in the house! such as my raised bed in previous post, this grew from a previous idea, when I wanted hubby to take a old bed frame to the dump, as we struggled down stairs with the headboard I suddenly thought! I could use this as a trellis, DH happy all round, not only have I saved money by not having to buy trellis, but I saved him a trip.
any road up I have surpassed my self in the last 2 days, first was I walked down to the local super market and needed eggs noticed a $1 off coupon for land of lakes eggs attached to the rail, but also the store was running a promotion on one of the land of lakes eggs for 99c so I thought I'll give it ago, I bet they don't honor the coupon, there will be something in the small print!!! but no they honored the whole $1 so I ended up being paid 1c to take them away! and today I brough seeds for 20c a packet which where priced at 99c I was honest enough to say these are priced 99c and the girl said oh yer, we haven't got round to putting up the sign, so for 39c + tax I have got 12 eggs, carrots and cauliflower which hopefully should do us a few months??? we will see how they grow?
oh and on other things I have got for free or cheap, today I got my first copies of redbook and good housekeeping, I really like magazines especially when abroad, you can sometimes find a English language mag, and I find these a useful insight into a country, so about every couple of months I have brought both these mags in the super market, and you do learn a lot, such as Americans actually have a very similar humour, bet you did think that, when they let rip it is really funny, in fact I would say there is more humor in these than British mags, also the worries are so similar and then so different we don't have health insurence problems ect, anyway I when not drinking tea which I do by the gallon, I drink Coke by the gallon, and I noticed that there is a coke rewards thing so I signed up and in my first 3 weeks earned enough point to get a free years subscription to Good House Keeping, I would like to point out that I had a few bottles in the garage awaiting the trip to the bottle bank! we are so slack at doing that! for the UK people you get 5c back on every bottle or can you recycle, which seems not alot but I have never got less than $10 for 10 minutes work and the satifaction of the crunching or smashing, can not be measured! so anyway signed up and and got an offer for the redbook and homes and gardens for $10 for a years subscription for both, baring mind I have been spending $2.50 on these each! this is a good deal and delivered to your door, on reflection I should have waited! as I now up to 83 coke points, so not far off another free subscription but hay ho you live and learn!
my caveat would be if you don't actually drink coke this is an expensive way to get these things, but if you do, the awards can be amazing! (I also had a party after the original points splurg so a lot of coke consumed then (not by me :0) )
Hush! are their any boys around? not for the faint hearted this one...Sanitary product! or a I like to call them Tampon and Towel I am having to write thi5 without the aid of an 5 5o I will 5ub5titute with a 5, I can't fix it! the computer i5 buggered for the lack of a 5!!!!! grurr!
ju5t 5o you know if you will out the free 5tuff at walmart I very rarely have to pay full price or actually buy any becau5e there are 5o many offer5!! al5o Ly5ol never pay full price, they have 5oooo many money off, offer5!
I am 5ooo 5mug! except for the I now may need a new computer!!!!, for the want of a nail....
any road up I have surpassed my self in the last 2 days, first was I walked down to the local super market and needed eggs noticed a $1 off coupon for land of lakes eggs attached to the rail, but also the store was running a promotion on one of the land of lakes eggs for 99c so I thought I'll give it ago, I bet they don't honor the coupon, there will be something in the small print!!! but no they honored the whole $1 so I ended up being paid 1c to take them away! and today I brough seeds for 20c a packet which where priced at 99c I was honest enough to say these are priced 99c and the girl said oh yer, we haven't got round to putting up the sign, so for 39c + tax I have got 12 eggs, carrots and cauliflower which hopefully should do us a few months??? we will see how they grow?
oh and on other things I have got for free or cheap, today I got my first copies of redbook and good housekeeping, I really like magazines especially when abroad, you can sometimes find a English language mag, and I find these a useful insight into a country, so about every couple of months I have brought both these mags in the super market, and you do learn a lot, such as Americans actually have a very similar humour, bet you did think that, when they let rip it is really funny, in fact I would say there is more humor in these than British mags, also the worries are so similar and then so different we don't have health insurence problems ect, anyway I when not drinking tea which I do by the gallon, I drink Coke by the gallon, and I noticed that there is a coke rewards thing so I signed up and in my first 3 weeks earned enough point to get a free years subscription to Good House Keeping, I would like to point out that I had a few bottles in the garage awaiting the trip to the bottle bank! we are so slack at doing that! for the UK people you get 5c back on every bottle or can you recycle, which seems not alot but I have never got less than $10 for 10 minutes work and the satifaction of the crunching or smashing, can not be measured! so anyway signed up and and got an offer for the redbook and homes and gardens for $10 for a years subscription for both, baring mind I have been spending $2.50 on these each! this is a good deal and delivered to your door, on reflection I should have waited! as I now up to 83 coke points, so not far off another free subscription but hay ho you live and learn!
my caveat would be if you don't actually drink coke this is an expensive way to get these things, but if you do, the awards can be amazing! (I also had a party after the original points splurg so a lot of coke consumed then (not by me :0) )
Hush! are their any boys around? not for the faint hearted this one...Sanitary product! or a I like to call them Tampon and Towel I am having to write thi5 without the aid of an 5 5o I will 5ub5titute with a 5, I can't fix it! the computer i5 buggered for the lack of a 5!!!!! grurr!
ju5t 5o you know if you will out the free 5tuff at walmart I very rarely have to pay full price or actually buy any becau5e there are 5o many offer5!! al5o Ly5ol never pay full price, they have 5oooo many money off, offer5!
I am 5ooo 5mug! except for the I now may need a new computer!!!!, for the want of a nail....
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Impatient Gardener!
I am frustrated I live in zone 6 which means that you can't really plant alot of stuff til the end of April, serious bummer to those of us used to Feb and temporate climates! in the UK I mainly did Runner beans, strawberrys and toms, with varying degrees of success and enthusiasm! but on moving to The US and the real lack of lovely veg, I feel forced to grow, however within days of ordering my first catalog the forced as changed to obsessed!I started by thinking about fooling nature, we have sun room, first mistake, although it is south facing the plants are west facing and are stringy looking for the light, still, those buggers will be planted and they can take their own chances! my other thought on cheating nature is using my basement which is a constant 60-65 is to grow early plants for the fall, which otherwise couldn't be grown due to the heat of summer and the cold of winter.
I have harnesed the unexpendable energy of my boys (4 year old twins) they are useful diggers, not in a methodical way, but in a random haphazard way in order to find worms and "put them in their house" and sing songs about worms to them!, it has saved me a lot of digging! I just rake level, after liberating the worms of course!
I have planted radish (very quick growing) beans (I use runner beans they tend to be in the flower section in the US but can be eaten after cooking, Yum!)sprouting seed again quick. I am prepared to sacrifice some veg along the way to show them the growing process (tried to do it when thinning out but quite frankly I go with their agender, they will never want to know when you want them to! and they will want to pull them out! so use it as thinning process)
I used a litre plastic juice bottle cut about 3/4 way up and 3/4 round, roll up newspaper, quite a thick wodge and put it in the bottle, push runner beans (a couple will do in case of failure, never happened yet though) down between the paper and plastic to about half way down, put about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom, basically so it touches the paper for about 1/2 inch, the water will soak up the paper. seal the cut bottle with tape and leave the lid off, put on a window sill, with the beans facing into the room, and wait, it only takes a few days for the root to become visable and this caused great excitement, not just from them! at this point I attempted to cut a ungerminated bean seed...managed and the lack of a finger isn't such a handicap these days I'm told!!! my husband then said I should have used a peanut! it shows, easily the root and stalk parts! DOH! so do this not the bean! the root grows down and down to find food, but because it has a good food source the stalk will eventually also appear, at this point (which was today) you need to plant them although I am sure I have left them longer without ill effects! one of mine was so happy today when I showed him, he hugged the bottle and said "thank you sooo much Bean" sweet! I never tried but I'm sure other beans would work, anyone know?.
I also gave them a small part of the garden to be theirs and a piece of paper each to plan their garden, I printed out a sheet of pictures of veg (which I stole off on line garden garden catalogs)(use powerpoint if you have it to save paper) got them to cut out the pic and stick them on the paper limit 6, they made some interesting choices, obviously brocolli and carrot which they love, but cauliflower, which they hate, its for you mummy, no fruits such as strawberrys? and they wanted flowers again for mummy, I gave in and we are using sunflower and nasturtium, sunflower spectalcular, seeds attract bird which my two like and if any left after the birds! can be eaten, nasturtium, because my aunt assures me they grow quickly! I have never grow flowers before so an interesting experiment for me. I only intend to let them have say 6 carrots and hope they grow! because they really need ownership and responsibily at this age not quantity, thats my job!, be prepared to tend their plots when they get bored and above all enjoy it, I built some raised beds on a slope yesterday and was amazed how much I got done without them around but found my self bored because they weren't around to sing "there's a worm at the bottom of my Garden, and his name is Wiggley Woo" I made the raise bed from an old toddler bed! and until my birthday last week I was using their yellow plastic watering can! check out making newspaper pots on the web, don't buy a shaper it easy, just damp the paper first, egg boxes for seed starting, I got hand tools from the dollar tree, they may not last long but they are a handly size for children.
the pictures above are of my raised bed! literally! IT is an extendable Ikea bed, the ground is really stoney and is a pig to dig (a poet) its also on a slope which is far from ideal, to the right is the previous owners terracing, stone free but still on a slope, so decided on raised beds, but my skill level really isn't great (me and powers tools? big no no!) then I saw the bed? I split it into the two half's and put them in upside down. haven't finished the top part yet. you can see how stoney the big rock next to the top part was so heavy I couldn't move it any further, my neighbour calls them stones! but when you see the rocks in my garden, it is more understandable to say stone! by the way, this bed had died after 4 moves, the boys still have beds! it was second hand for 25 quid in the Uk
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Party
One thing I had been warned about is Americans except invites, but suffer no guilt if a better offer comes along and blow you out of the water, I had a demostration of that last night, the Brits gave appologies if they couldn't make it to the extent that one person turned up looking like death, to say she wasn't coming cos she was ill, which clearly she was. the Americans just didn't turn up, that said the Americans who did turn up where great, really nice and funny, I really enjoyed their company. and bless them they watched Mitchel and Webb and tryed to enjoy it.
I had such a good time the people who came to a man and women where great, the best people on the list turned up, I had never met Raj before...what a man great with kids, and he's invited us for food at his house....most definatley going, Anne and her husband, didn't have much convo with her but her hubby, we talked for ages about our rellys, he is such a sweety I may well have to adopt him, they may have kids of their own? don't know , but I am going to kidnap them they are soooooooooooo nice and fun.
Then there was Nick and his wife, they are way to glam for their age, his wife looked younger than me, dispite her having almost but not quite 10 yrs on me, how does she do that...not fair!
and they brought me cook book which anyone who knows me, know that is a fabbie present, I still can't cook but I love cooking, and I left such a lot of cook books in the UK.
Ali and Nick what can I say Brits and fun, and better still they have 2 amazing kids who get on with mine, Grumper is in love with H (girl), and Dobby is great friends with D (boy)they share a mutual love of Roary the racing car.
Julie and John, Brits again good fun, but can't give them an age I think they started young, their daughter V is 22 and she reminds me of my friend from childhood Helena, smart, clever and no nonsence! she is fab with kids.
Gill and Simon, great to see them, the only friend I had before America couldn't believe they came, again I wanted to kidnap them....please stay the night...please....unfortuatley they saw my stalker tendancey and went home.
well anyway I enjoyed my party and I got some fabbie presents, 2 bunches of flowers, 5 bottles of wine which unfortunately I can't drink, cos they are all red and I don't drink red as it makes me melancholy.. a watering can so I can retire the boys yellow plasic one, a best buy voucher and a candle, my boys brought a outside thermometre from a dollar store, all in all a good Birthday.
I had such a good time the people who came to a man and women where great, the best people on the list turned up, I had never met Raj before...what a man great with kids, and he's invited us for food at his house....most definatley going, Anne and her husband, didn't have much convo with her but her hubby, we talked for ages about our rellys, he is such a sweety I may well have to adopt him, they may have kids of their own? don't know , but I am going to kidnap them they are soooooooooooo nice and fun.
Then there was Nick and his wife, they are way to glam for their age, his wife looked younger than me, dispite her having almost but not quite 10 yrs on me, how does she do that...not fair!
and they brought me cook book which anyone who knows me, know that is a fabbie present, I still can't cook but I love cooking, and I left such a lot of cook books in the UK.
Ali and Nick what can I say Brits and fun, and better still they have 2 amazing kids who get on with mine, Grumper is in love with H (girl), and Dobby is great friends with D (boy)they share a mutual love of Roary the racing car.
Julie and John, Brits again good fun, but can't give them an age I think they started young, their daughter V is 22 and she reminds me of my friend from childhood Helena, smart, clever and no nonsence! she is fab with kids.
Gill and Simon, great to see them, the only friend I had before America couldn't believe they came, again I wanted to kidnap them....please stay the night...please....unfortuatley they saw my stalker tendancey and went home.
well anyway I enjoyed my party and I got some fabbie presents, 2 bunches of flowers, 5 bottles of wine which unfortunately I can't drink, cos they are all red and I don't drink red as it makes me melancholy.. a watering can so I can retire the boys yellow plasic one, a best buy voucher and a candle, my boys brought a outside thermometre from a dollar store, all in all a good Birthday.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Games People Play
One of the things I like about Americans, they are after convenience, all the great time saving inventions of the last say 150 yrs if not invented by an American have been taken by the American public and they have run away with them, I remember the jealousy I had when watching American programs as a child, the Microwaves, dishwashers, Garbage disposal (they never clicked in the UK) Video recorders etc and who of my age group and above didn't marveled at the start of the Rockford Files, "hi this is Jim Rockford, leave your name and message after the tone" brilliant!! the first answer machine of my life was the mid to late eighties...I remember the first video I ever saw Gregory's Girl, March 20th 1983, 53 Kingsgate Ave, phone 63147, (family and phone numbers have long since moved on!) hired for me by my Aunt Chris and Pauline, that how momentous that was to me, the space age had arrived...
I love technology, whenever I had the money I would buy the latest thingamajigs, sport it proudly for a few months, then a new thingy would appear, and I would save and save to get it, for my 18th I convinced my parents to buy me an Amstrad word processor, which I kept til I was 24, a computer of any sort was still so unusual in 1994 when I final said my sad farewells to it, a friend took it on for a year or so, I think I was the only student at that time amongst about 200 to have a computer of any sort.
I remember about 95 I had an American Friend who would walk miles to the university to "borrow" their computers to send "e-mail" I had never heard of it, even when he explained I couldn't understand how computer if you just put an address in knew how to talk to another one to which it wasn't directly connected!
Just before this the hospital we worked at got computers 1 per ward, for the nurses to use (another American idea) for care planning, which would be good except for 3 small problems, care plans are updated at the end of a shift, at the hospital I worked at this was 15.30 so from 15.00 till 15.30 you had 4 staff nurses near killing each other to enter their records on 8 patients and it was a slow system so they could go home, (I bet in this day and age it would be 2 staff nurses to 16 patients) hospital managements answer was...start earlier...conveniently missing the point that the report was about the patients condition at the END OF THE SHIFT! not at 13.30 not at 11.30 the END of the shift!
second problem was all staff and enrolled nurses where given passwords, straight off, as it was a nurses care program, Doctors reasonably not given them, only the Consultants and all doctors further down the food chain started to complain "we need to see the nurses care plans"...since when? never in my career has a doctor felt my plan was imperative, and never since the novelty of the computers wore off has one looked at them, in fact until a patient is discharged they are kept separately from the medical notes...any road up, the doctor won their battle after oh.. a week! and from that moment on nurses couldn't use the computers, especially at weekends as a golf game had been installed!!!
Third problem the care program was crap! I remember and bare in mind I am the person, people go to with computer problems! that the patient has a bed bath the minimum amounts you could put in per day was 54!!! I feel hospital management saw technology, wanted to follow and brought it off a guy called Garry (with 2 r's , so he was slightly sophisticated) out of his old motor in a car park!
In 1994 my Mum and Dad bought me a mobile phone cos they where sick of never being able to get me, it was on a contract sort of thing, in those days you could actually understand them! ANY WAY,I kept that phone for about a year, and it pissed me off, I'd be out and it would call my parents to report my misdoings, without my say so, they would hear me out! I couldn't actually say to anyone Oh sorry missed your call!! mobile where expensive then, so people expected them to be clamped to your side, and 3rdly I got very drunk one night, someone phoned me as I got out of the cab, I pulled it out of my pocket, and it went flying into a bush! we tried calling it but I had let the battery go a bit flat....never seem again...and this is the start of my problem with technology...but I still love it also....
I love technology, whenever I had the money I would buy the latest thingamajigs, sport it proudly for a few months, then a new thingy would appear, and I would save and save to get it, for my 18th I convinced my parents to buy me an Amstrad word processor, which I kept til I was 24, a computer of any sort was still so unusual in 1994 when I final said my sad farewells to it, a friend took it on for a year or so, I think I was the only student at that time amongst about 200 to have a computer of any sort.
I remember about 95 I had an American Friend who would walk miles to the university to "borrow" their computers to send "e-mail" I had never heard of it, even when he explained I couldn't understand how computer if you just put an address in knew how to talk to another one to which it wasn't directly connected!
Just before this the hospital we worked at got computers 1 per ward, for the nurses to use (another American idea) for care planning, which would be good except for 3 small problems, care plans are updated at the end of a shift, at the hospital I worked at this was 15.30 so from 15.00 till 15.30 you had 4 staff nurses near killing each other to enter their records on 8 patients and it was a slow system so they could go home, (I bet in this day and age it would be 2 staff nurses to 16 patients) hospital managements answer was...start earlier...conveniently missing the point that the report was about the patients condition at the END OF THE SHIFT! not at 13.30 not at 11.30 the END of the shift!
second problem was all staff and enrolled nurses where given passwords, straight off, as it was a nurses care program, Doctors reasonably not given them, only the Consultants and all doctors further down the food chain started to complain "we need to see the nurses care plans"...since when? never in my career has a doctor felt my plan was imperative, and never since the novelty of the computers wore off has one looked at them, in fact until a patient is discharged they are kept separately from the medical notes...any road up, the doctor won their battle after oh.. a week! and from that moment on nurses couldn't use the computers, especially at weekends as a golf game had been installed!!!
Third problem the care program was crap! I remember and bare in mind I am the person, people go to with computer problems! that the patient has a bed bath the minimum amounts you could put in per day was 54!!! I feel hospital management saw technology, wanted to follow and brought it off a guy called Garry (with 2 r's , so he was slightly sophisticated) out of his old motor in a car park!
In 1994 my Mum and Dad bought me a mobile phone cos they where sick of never being able to get me, it was on a contract sort of thing, in those days you could actually understand them! ANY WAY,I kept that phone for about a year, and it pissed me off, I'd be out and it would call my parents to report my misdoings, without my say so, they would hear me out! I couldn't actually say to anyone Oh sorry missed your call!! mobile where expensive then, so people expected them to be clamped to your side, and 3rdly I got very drunk one night, someone phoned me as I got out of the cab, I pulled it out of my pocket, and it went flying into a bush! we tried calling it but I had let the battery go a bit flat....never seem again...and this is the start of my problem with technology...but I still love it also....
The Mobile phone, I began to hate it, I was never free, even though in those days it was expensive to phone a mobile, people did it, and because they could get me at any time any place, thay stopped making definate plans ( I wasn't the only person to have mobile phone at this time) "I'll ring you at 8 and tell you where we are. "no tell me now and I'll meet you!" lossing my mobile is the best thing I ever did, took me till 2003 before I brought another one, and that was because I missed 2 trains on the trot, by phoning my hubby on a payphone saying I'm on the... my dad was very ill, so his care home also needed a number, so I got a mobile, Pay as you go in 4 years I spent £60 the phone died with about £7 on it!!
And back to convenience, a mobile phone is a useful tool but it has made us lazy, rather than a list when you send you other half out to the supermarket do you give them a sort of half a list? and they call you endlessly?
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Drive in
I love the convenience of America, but sometimes Americans are fooled by this, I do Drive in lotto, I look at the car in front of me in the drive in and see if I can beat it...by going into the store?... say for instance Mac'o'Donalds can you order and eat before the car you saw in the queue? answer yes? bonuses you use Mac'o'donalds heating or air conditioning, get to sit down and save on gas...go figure, best fave of this game is at Bank of America very rare not to be in and out before the first car in the queue let alone the one I would have been behind, I often wonder if there is a button on the drive in call "rob the bank!" that is the only reasonable explanation I can come up with! the amount of time is ridiculous! try it you might find you like it!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Sunday bloody Sunday
I decide as all male members of family are trying in various comical ways to maim each other that I will go upstairs and tidy our room, big mistake! the room on the surface looks pretty tidy but look closely and the picture tells a different story, the mirror is covered in small persons finger prints,the floor has a candy floss layer from our new rug and indeterminate sticky stuff on the floor, my monies on Apple juice! which then attracts every bit of dirt and hair, oh and fluff from the carpet! so I decide to start easly by making the bed on trying to smooth it down I discover a lump? (in the bed, don't worry) so I decide to do the job properlt unlike my midweek pull it up and that'el do, so I untuck the sheet and I kid you not it was like the Disney Lemming film where they hurl themselves off the rock, 7 sock in all jumped under the bed! I would like to point out it is bloody colded in this neck of the woods at night!
so onwards I convice hubby to leave me at Joann fabric, before I had spent a justifiable about of money they all turn up, home and that for me was sunday,,, not that bad I suppose
so onwards I convice hubby to leave me at Joann fabric, before I had spent a justifiable about of money they all turn up, home and that for me was sunday,,, not that bad I suppose
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Sunday, Sunday so bad to me
Hi this is my Sunday... you may need counseling after this! I know I do!
okay up 6.30 am, which was Bliss... for some reason my twin things had predicted the clock change 3 days ago and had been waking me at 5.30. in actual fact it was 7.30 with the change which is their normal wake up, mummy it's day! 6.30am amazing.
So I got up breakfast, PBS Kids, Ciggie, cup of tea, last two me, I am not conducting experiments!!!! and outside....Ciggie that is!
So far so good, go upstairs at 7am (or 8 with time change) to get dressed, wake up at 9.30! (10.30) DH tells me he was woken at 7.15 (8.15) by the small people, so I get up another cup of tea, and cunning plan...
DH I whisper, I am going to have a bath, this is not sexual, its just I haven't managed a bath on my own at home for 4 yrs... so I creep up the stairs, fill bath and decide in my moment of decadence that I will crack open my Jasmine candles...I opened one! small person 2 appears...looks at the bath and starts to strip off...........No!!!
I give in, and put the candles to one side, dip one toe in the bath and number 1 son appears, strips off and is in the bath before I can react!!!!
so I get in... the bath is the biggest bath known to mankind it is a huge spar bath thing and even me at my 5 foot 7 and 3/4 inches can lye comfortably with room for maneuver... not that I have ever had the pleasure! anyway, today was the worse ever, the boys have discovered the "bubble seats" so I end up width wise with my knees by my ears, and the Bill Bryson I am trying to read somewhere near the plughole!
Little bit of history here, I have twins and number 2 son was potty trained at 2 and number 1 son has steadfast refused to be potty trained, but the last 3 weeks hurray mostly dry, as in every third day an accident, which is hard to understand as number 2 son had 2 accidents on the first day and since then 2 accidents, both my fault "can you hang on?" and an hour later I had forgotten....bad mummy...
So on this note bath! number one son says I need wee wees, I try and get him out of the bath and he is reluctant to go to the toilet, forcibly eject him and he comes back saying I've been, I haven't heard a flush so I ask DH when he appears with a cup of tea, can you check...nothing...number 1 son "did you do a wee wee in the bath?" big smile "yes it made the water yellow"!!!!!!!!!
So, So much for my bath, hair remained unwashed for obvious reasons. got dressed and came down stairs, both boys dressed and out in the Yard, my plants in the sun room! jury out... number 2 son thinks that when a leaf appears its ready for picking!
Outside... both sons exhibit a wilful disregard for living beyond 4, rock jumping, running each other over, by means of the victim actually lying in front of the moving object!, hitting each other with big sticks, you may think why don't you stop them? but they have an amazing telepathy with enables them to communicate without words, and one of them will act as a decoy, I learnt this to my cost when they where 13 months old and couldn't speak and one locked me in the toilet whilst the other escaped out the front door by means of a chair!! believe me it isn't dignified to run up the road hauling you underwear and trousers up...
TO BE CONTINUED....we are at 11 am!
okay up 6.30 am, which was Bliss... for some reason my twin things had predicted the clock change 3 days ago and had been waking me at 5.30. in actual fact it was 7.30 with the change which is their normal wake up, mummy it's day! 6.30am amazing.
So I got up breakfast, PBS Kids, Ciggie, cup of tea, last two me, I am not conducting experiments!!!! and outside....Ciggie that is!
So far so good, go upstairs at 7am (or 8 with time change) to get dressed, wake up at 9.30! (10.30) DH tells me he was woken at 7.15 (8.15) by the small people, so I get up another cup of tea, and cunning plan...
DH I whisper, I am going to have a bath, this is not sexual, its just I haven't managed a bath on my own at home for 4 yrs... so I creep up the stairs, fill bath and decide in my moment of decadence that I will crack open my Jasmine candles...I opened one! small person 2 appears...looks at the bath and starts to strip off...........No!!!
I give in, and put the candles to one side, dip one toe in the bath and number 1 son appears, strips off and is in the bath before I can react!!!!
so I get in... the bath is the biggest bath known to mankind it is a huge spar bath thing and even me at my 5 foot 7 and 3/4 inches can lye comfortably with room for maneuver... not that I have ever had the pleasure! anyway, today was the worse ever, the boys have discovered the "bubble seats" so I end up width wise with my knees by my ears, and the Bill Bryson I am trying to read somewhere near the plughole!
Little bit of history here, I have twins and number 2 son was potty trained at 2 and number 1 son has steadfast refused to be potty trained, but the last 3 weeks hurray mostly dry, as in every third day an accident, which is hard to understand as number 2 son had 2 accidents on the first day and since then 2 accidents, both my fault "can you hang on?" and an hour later I had forgotten....bad mummy...
So on this note bath! number one son says I need wee wees, I try and get him out of the bath and he is reluctant to go to the toilet, forcibly eject him and he comes back saying I've been, I haven't heard a flush so I ask DH when he appears with a cup of tea, can you check...nothing...number 1 son "did you do a wee wee in the bath?" big smile "yes it made the water yellow"!!!!!!!!!
So, So much for my bath, hair remained unwashed for obvious reasons. got dressed and came down stairs, both boys dressed and out in the Yard, my plants in the sun room! jury out... number 2 son thinks that when a leaf appears its ready for picking!
Outside... both sons exhibit a wilful disregard for living beyond 4, rock jumping, running each other over, by means of the victim actually lying in front of the moving object!, hitting each other with big sticks, you may think why don't you stop them? but they have an amazing telepathy with enables them to communicate without words, and one of them will act as a decoy, I learnt this to my cost when they where 13 months old and couldn't speak and one locked me in the toilet whilst the other escaped out the front door by means of a chair!! believe me it isn't dignified to run up the road hauling you underwear and trousers up...
TO BE CONTINUED....we are at 11 am!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Supermarket sweep
My local Stop and Shop is a very interesting place, it contains a million and one things I don't recognise and don't know what to do with them, on the plus side the staff are really friendly, happy and helpful which makes a change from some of the misery's I have encountered over here in retail, forget what you think about service in the US this little bit of CT seems to not want you to shop! any road up I like the staff they are really good (oh another notable exception Big Y Groton) my biggest complaint after "why didn't you give me a job???? I have rarely failed an interview before! I am a broken Women! (actually I think the lady was pretty honest at the time and said the hours I could do wheren't what they wanted, but we had a great chat anyway, she had twins too) is that the shop seems designed to stop you from shopping and Stop and Shop is not alone here and is not the worst by any means, some good mum friendly stuff is the wagons or carts or carriages can't remember the name, my people call them trolly's if that helps?? they have fabby cars on the front which you can tie down and trap your little darling or darlings, or one where they can sit facing the traffic as it were, by the handle and they have enough of these that I have always managed to get one even today at 14.00 on a Saturday...brilliant, I can also normally find them in the car park so transportation into the shop is eased, small males of the twin variety are hard to herd, and from that moment until I reach the door of the store bliss...
then it goes down hill... some of which is my ignorance of brands, words, etc and an inability to communicate in the same language, "your after Oregarknow herb?" it should be Oregano erb!, coriander? cilantro! aubergine-eggplant, -barcarb-baking soda, toilet roll- bathroom tissue, that ones raised some eyebrows I can tell you, at least I can be thankful I didn't ask for Bog Roll!
and then sometimes it becomes really, really confusing, Milky way is a Mars bar and Milky way is 3 musketeers??? Marathon is a snickers! oh no hang on that's my age! Snickers are Snickers, Chips are Fries and Crisps are chips!
one thing is that at Americans pronounce words as they are spelt which make sense its just 38 yr of pronouncing one way is hard to brake.
Oh and hands up UK people, who knew that Tuna comes in white? me neither! and it looks really odd, I like to pride myself on my knowledge of all things tinned and fishy and would regularly expound my theory's on pink and red salmon, farmed and wild, but White Tuna! who'd have thought it? I am having to reevaluated my whole life now.
Okay I am at the door of the shop, carts, trolleys whatever are difficult to navigate at the best of times but one heavily loaded with small boy twin things and about 1/2 mile long, the openy door things opens and I spend half an hour try to get through the EXTREMELY narrow corridor to the next openy door thing, I am shunting, 3 point turning, think Austin Powers in the transporter in Dr Evils lire! that me, not funny! I am forming a queue behind me! fortunately Americans are very polite, well I suppose they don't know who has a gun! and I am sure that I look like I am about to go postal by the time I burst through the second set of doors, it actually like being reborn as you shoot out of that narrow entrance!
As said before I don't understand alot of products, but I am getting better and "thank you globalisation" there are brands I recognise, hurrah!
So I go round the shop, well I say go round, I have to stop every 15 seconds as more that two carts and people browsing means that you are stuck! or if looking yourself, blocking other people! nightmare!
The pricing makes nooooooooooooo sense at all it has a unit price, I don't know what a units is? and sometime it will say on a paper ticket, for instance $1.25 and under price 4/$5! UH! of course it is! but another item will say $1.25 on the paper ticket and then 5/$5! which is a saving, whats going on?
Alcohol! don't even get me started! you can buy beer in a supermarket now, but not on a Sunday! no alcohol anywhere on Sunday it is a religious based law...in a secular country! mad!
Then the Bacon, forget it, gone is my smoked or unsmoked, back, middle its poverty bacon all the way (streaky).
Sausages again forget it, Italian is all on offer, sweet or spicey both yukky, but on a more positive note sausage meat is pretty much sausage meat yum!.
Veg- see previous post.
Then the check outs, forget queue busting...20 lanes 3 open and a mad women with a million coupon in front...oh no hang on that's me! see previous post- although once a checkout was opened and I was first but I think the supervisor saw my going postal look and thought it best to hurry me along.
Again on checking out the birthing process, I actually feel like cattle about to be milked the way they corral you at a funny angle, and the sweets and kiddy stuff on display! well what can you do with 2 children hassling you? that's right you take them off the small person and drop them on the floor! or in the magazine rack anywhere but where they are supposed to be! it makes my blood boil that they do this! I never buy, once in the UK I was in a super market (most in UK don't do this due to consumer pressure) and one of my boys 18 months at time took a bite out of a chocolate bar, wrapper and all, the cashier asked to scan it, I asked him who I should write too, to sue for my son ingesting a wrapper! and did he know what chemicals where in the ink! NO CHARGE!
Then home relief over for another week.
Stuff
what I really wanted when I went home
Indian-got
Chinese -didn't get
Chinese-curry and chips-didn't get
Wagamama's got at airport, lovely nearly missed flight! RAN A LOT!
Nando's (chicken shop) -got
Fish and Chips- got
Saveloy and chips- got
Kebab- got
Indian-got
Chinese -didn't get
Chinese-curry and chips-didn't get
Wagamama's got at airport, lovely nearly missed flight! RAN A LOT!
Nando's (chicken shop) -got
Fish and Chips- got
Saveloy and chips- got
Kebab- got
Friday, February 27, 2009
politness
One thing I can't do is American politness, it is very hard to do when you are used to asking for the toilet... in a home it's the bathroom and in shops ect it's restroom...how can you rest????, I need a wee, or pee if your American why do I need a Bath??
in the UK we talk sanitry towels, in America femine hygine products, UK toilet tissue, US bathroom tissue! whats wrong with bog roll? you will not believe the amount of Americans who have heard that expression and loooove it.
Underware is intimate apparell! or Delicate items!
Although I always snigger that trousers are called Pants..haven't worked out what Pants are called yet???? I think something like underapparell???
American don't sware, seriously, i have a neightbour and she has started swearing cos she has clicked I don't care, I don't swear very often but when I do (actually that said as a British person of my age I don't swear! alot) words that don't count Bloody, crap, shit, wanker, bollocks, slag and thats becouse my Mum didn't think they where swear words seriously, from a young age I could use these words and my mum wasn't worried but the F or S word with or without an Ite' ! forget it beaten bottom and to bed without any supper, but now even the F and the C words are very excepted in the UK and I use both without thinking.. I do wonder when I post this to an American site what will happen??? different values..(I swear very little as a UK person people remark apon it at home, but maybe because I was brought up in an atmoshere where in the right circumstances it was permitable, just a thought!), that said Brit swear alot, and you don't even see it, they are discriptive and poetic, try it you might like it?
in the UK we talk sanitry towels, in America femine hygine products, UK toilet tissue, US bathroom tissue! whats wrong with bog roll? you will not believe the amount of Americans who have heard that expression and loooove it.
Underware is intimate apparell! or Delicate items!
Although I always snigger that trousers are called Pants..haven't worked out what Pants are called yet???? I think something like underapparell???
American don't sware, seriously, i have a neightbour and she has started swearing cos she has clicked I don't care, I don't swear very often but when I do (actually that said as a British person of my age I don't swear! alot) words that don't count Bloody, crap, shit, wanker, bollocks, slag and thats becouse my Mum didn't think they where swear words seriously, from a young age I could use these words and my mum wasn't worried but the F or S word with or without an Ite' ! forget it beaten bottom and to bed without any supper, but now even the F and the C words are very excepted in the UK and I use both without thinking.. I do wonder when I post this to an American site what will happen??? different values..(I swear very little as a UK person people remark apon it at home, but maybe because I was brought up in an atmoshere where in the right circumstances it was permitable, just a thought!), that said Brit swear alot, and you don't even see it, they are discriptive and poetic, try it you might like it?
What I like
Its very rare I assume, (and never Assume anything cos it makes an ass (out of)U (and) me (old joke) for any of us to think about what we like, so here's my list in no particular order, although the first two are my most important.
Watching, listening to my children, I have learnt a lot from them, what they see that I miss and their own particular takes on the world, such as "I want to go to the Park" "the parks too far" "I have an idea Mummy? we could run"
Laughing, I love it, I read that as we get older we laugh less and less, but I hope I'm not, I noticed that in the UK, we laugh such a lot with complete strangers, unfortunately in the US, I joke and either time delay (although I find that gratifying) or NOTHING, I have been to American Doo's and no Laughing...weird! although when I get started they seem very responsive to the idea or maybe they are laughing at me? who knows...I don't care.
Standing, do you ever do that? just stand and take it in? helps if it is you garden or somewhere amazing, but standing is great.
Skipping along, I have an aunt who asks the question, "when do we stop skipping?, children do it all the time" news for you! I have never stopped skipping (not as in boxers/fitness we are talking skipping down the road) don't do it every day but when happy, I skip.
Spinning round and round or rolling down a hill, rediscovered the joy of this through my children.
Cycling, can't do this due to small children and now they are getting to a age to join in, we have moved to a place with hills... I don't do hills!
Wine- can't beat it, but in moderation...not!
Projects - love um, whether inflicted by others or thought up by myself, I go mental, I should win awards for some of them. current projects; veg gardening, home schooling, sewing a quilt, recycling EVERYTHING, blogging and inventing ways that DH has to get up at the crack of dawn to deal with children, so I can lye in!
Walking- this will throw up some memories for some friends, I love walking and recently I spent 7 weeks in the UK using public transport, which involved walking to bus stops, rail stations and some time I just chose to keep walking... and I loved it. the memories are, I had a car and I used to walk to the supermarket and none of you could understand me! I only used the car when buying heavy items. I once thought my car had been stolen, I went to use it and it wasn't parked in the car park, I worked back and I hadn't used it for 6 wks and it was still parked outside the pub!
Public transport, I mean buses, coaches, and rail NOT TAXIS AND CABS (not that I don't like them but public transport?) I like double Decker's the best cos you can nose into gardens!
Being nosey! nothing better, double Decker's, gossip, local papers, up my street, zillow, you name it, I am being nosey!
Keeping secrets! if you tell me something in secret I will not pass it on, I enjoy the knowing, and nobody else does, this weirdly has upset a few of the people who said "don't tell any one this..."???Uh! (part of the nosy stuff I think)
Beer; see wine.
Running/swimming- haven't done these in a while, if you don't count running after the boys as they run rampage! I love the being in your "own head"
Comedy; mainly British but a few notable exceptions, Scrubs and My Name is Earl, well two!
Radio 4 and 7
Friends- I have and amazing bunch of friends, in such interesting jobs or interests, I even have one who has a wiki entry, very short but he's there (Dick Millington). My friends are without exception insightful, caring, funny, educated and/or intelligent and care about the world and world politics but retain their sense of humour! most times!
Meeting new people.
Funny/useless facts...I lap them up, MISS QI soooo much, thank you, You Tuber who puts them on in high def so promptly whoever you are.
A good sneeze.
A cuddle
A weepie movie/tv program which isn't sickly, I am thinking A Matter of Life and Death or EXTREME HOUSE MAKEOVER!! just kidding about the extreme makeover!!
My Family, they are a really amazing bunch, the last year I have really understood how good and selfless they are, plus they have humour and the girlie's of the family have a great business idea.
Reading, I read anything, backs of cereal packets, rubbish book, I read and enjoy.
so that some of the stuff I like, by know means a exhaustive list but, take a minute to think about what you like and enjoy.
Watching, listening to my children, I have learnt a lot from them, what they see that I miss and their own particular takes on the world, such as "I want to go to the Park" "the parks too far" "I have an idea Mummy? we could run"
Laughing, I love it, I read that as we get older we laugh less and less, but I hope I'm not, I noticed that in the UK, we laugh such a lot with complete strangers, unfortunately in the US, I joke and either time delay (although I find that gratifying) or NOTHING, I have been to American Doo's and no Laughing...weird! although when I get started they seem very responsive to the idea or maybe they are laughing at me? who knows...I don't care.
Standing, do you ever do that? just stand and take it in? helps if it is you garden or somewhere amazing, but standing is great.
Skipping along, I have an aunt who asks the question, "when do we stop skipping?, children do it all the time" news for you! I have never stopped skipping (not as in boxers/fitness we are talking skipping down the road) don't do it every day but when happy, I skip.
Spinning round and round or rolling down a hill, rediscovered the joy of this through my children.
Cycling, can't do this due to small children and now they are getting to a age to join in, we have moved to a place with hills... I don't do hills!
Wine- can't beat it, but in moderation...not!
Projects - love um, whether inflicted by others or thought up by myself, I go mental, I should win awards for some of them. current projects; veg gardening, home schooling, sewing a quilt, recycling EVERYTHING, blogging and inventing ways that DH has to get up at the crack of dawn to deal with children, so I can lye in!
Walking- this will throw up some memories for some friends, I love walking and recently I spent 7 weeks in the UK using public transport, which involved walking to bus stops, rail stations and some time I just chose to keep walking... and I loved it. the memories are, I had a car and I used to walk to the supermarket and none of you could understand me! I only used the car when buying heavy items. I once thought my car had been stolen, I went to use it and it wasn't parked in the car park, I worked back and I hadn't used it for 6 wks and it was still parked outside the pub!
Public transport, I mean buses, coaches, and rail NOT TAXIS AND CABS (not that I don't like them but public transport?) I like double Decker's the best cos you can nose into gardens!
Being nosey! nothing better, double Decker's, gossip, local papers, up my street, zillow, you name it, I am being nosey!
Keeping secrets! if you tell me something in secret I will not pass it on, I enjoy the knowing, and nobody else does, this weirdly has upset a few of the people who said "don't tell any one this..."???Uh! (part of the nosy stuff I think)
Beer; see wine.
Running/swimming- haven't done these in a while, if you don't count running after the boys as they run rampage! I love the being in your "own head"
Comedy; mainly British but a few notable exceptions, Scrubs and My Name is Earl, well two!
Radio 4 and 7
Friends- I have and amazing bunch of friends, in such interesting jobs or interests, I even have one who has a wiki entry, very short but he's there (Dick Millington). My friends are without exception insightful, caring, funny, educated and/or intelligent and care about the world and world politics but retain their sense of humour! most times!
Meeting new people.
Funny/useless facts...I lap them up, MISS QI soooo much, thank you, You Tuber who puts them on in high def so promptly whoever you are.
A good sneeze.
A cuddle
A weepie movie/tv program which isn't sickly, I am thinking A Matter of Life and Death or EXTREME HOUSE MAKEOVER!! just kidding about the extreme makeover!!
My Family, they are a really amazing bunch, the last year I have really understood how good and selfless they are, plus they have humour and the girlie's of the family have a great business idea.
Reading, I read anything, backs of cereal packets, rubbish book, I read and enjoy.
so that some of the stuff I like, by know means a exhaustive list but, take a minute to think about what you like and enjoy.
coupons, promotions and free stuff
Here something I love, stuff for nothing, or reduced price, I am a bit of a magpie on such things and I dip into it from time to time, as anyone who disturbed me in my lunch break would find, I love suddenly getting something in the mail I have forgotten I ordered, these things take 4-6 weeks to be delivered.
The main disadvantage is of course these thing start blocking up you e-mail so top tip, get a Yahoo or Google account which you use for free samples and signing up and never look at it! you might think that giving your address to companies will clog up the mail box, but it doesn't seem too, I think the companies rely on e-mail to save money.
It is very female centric as most offers appeal to women and it make me chuckle to think that the new inmate at our old apartment is male and still receiving sanitary and make up freebies.
Make up is brilliant, well lippie, glosses and body washes you get a lot of sample sizes which is great for travel and handbags.
Some great stuff I have found in the US; Upromise, cash back and discounts $50 dollars so far and saved about $450, Example Best Buy- Internet price for plasma TV $50 less than in store price, $40 best buy loyalty credit, Free Portable DVD player, store price $175 (not available free in store with TV) and $30 back on Upromise, and best of all ordered at home for in store pick up which we did, and got it 1 hour later without waiting BRILLIANT!
Even if you don't want or need College credit of (this is what it is set up for) you can donate your savings or request a check to be paid into any account but my feeling is this maybe taxable income so ask an accountant.
Upromise is also for anyone thinking of college education, so not just for children and family and friends can sign up to help you.
Ebates, same principle only straight cash back, sign up for both as the rebates differ between sites, so Upromise Joann Fabric 6% back, Target 2%, Ebates Joann Fabric 5% back, Target 3%.
Research before buying, no point in buying from best buy at say 2% back if radioshack is cheaper without rebate!
Coupons- proper coupon hunters will change brand willy nilly to secure the best price, which I do on certain items, but I do have some brand loyalty, such as ONLY Hellmann's Mayo, so I wouldn't brand swap, on the other stuff I don't care about such as tomato ketchup, I will only use the coupon, if it make the branded item cheaper, but another cool thing here is that supermarkets do coupon doubling, so say in Stop and Shop (my local) I have a coupon for 75c they will make it a discount of $1.50, up to 99c, so a coupon for $1 is actually $1.99 (I think having read their policy?, not actually check my till receipts cos I only found that out today, all I know is recently a cashier said "wow! that's one hell of a saving on those coupons you have there") they will not give you the product for free so say the coupon is 75c but the product is $1.30 they will not double you may pay a nominal charge.
Best time in life for hunting, early 20's all that make up, pregnancy and babies,menopause but only if you want tenalady and multivits!
happy hunting
The main disadvantage is of course these thing start blocking up you e-mail so top tip, get a Yahoo or Google account which you use for free samples and signing up and never look at it! you might think that giving your address to companies will clog up the mail box, but it doesn't seem too, I think the companies rely on e-mail to save money.
It is very female centric as most offers appeal to women and it make me chuckle to think that the new inmate at our old apartment is male and still receiving sanitary and make up freebies.
Make up is brilliant, well lippie, glosses and body washes you get a lot of sample sizes which is great for travel and handbags.
Some great stuff I have found in the US; Upromise, cash back and discounts $50 dollars so far and saved about $450, Example Best Buy- Internet price for plasma TV $50 less than in store price, $40 best buy loyalty credit, Free Portable DVD player, store price $175 (not available free in store with TV) and $30 back on Upromise, and best of all ordered at home for in store pick up which we did, and got it 1 hour later without waiting BRILLIANT!
Even if you don't want or need College credit of (this is what it is set up for) you can donate your savings or request a check to be paid into any account but my feeling is this maybe taxable income so ask an accountant.
Upromise is also for anyone thinking of college education, so not just for children and family and friends can sign up to help you.
Ebates, same principle only straight cash back, sign up for both as the rebates differ between sites, so Upromise Joann Fabric 6% back, Target 2%, Ebates Joann Fabric 5% back, Target 3%.
Research before buying, no point in buying from best buy at say 2% back if radioshack is cheaper without rebate!
Coupons- proper coupon hunters will change brand willy nilly to secure the best price, which I do on certain items, but I do have some brand loyalty, such as ONLY Hellmann's Mayo, so I wouldn't brand swap, on the other stuff I don't care about such as tomato ketchup, I will only use the coupon, if it make the branded item cheaper, but another cool thing here is that supermarkets do coupon doubling, so say in Stop and Shop (my local) I have a coupon for 75c they will make it a discount of $1.50, up to 99c, so a coupon for $1 is actually $1.99 (I think having read their policy?, not actually check my till receipts cos I only found that out today, all I know is recently a cashier said "wow! that's one hell of a saving on those coupons you have there") they will not give you the product for free so say the coupon is 75c but the product is $1.30 they will not double you may pay a nominal charge.
Best time in life for hunting, early 20's all that make up, pregnancy and babies,menopause but only if you want tenalady and multivits!
happy hunting
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Other things to worry about...
A couple of years ago my husband had to go on a business trip to Switzerland and he phoned me to confirm the dates, I said "No way, you will be away on my works Christmas do", so he changed it, arriving back at Heathrow at 4pm (ish) on the day of the do. I wasn't happy, "What if your flight is delayed?" (we have 2 children so babysitting was needed), "Oh don't be ridiculous, the fight isn't that long and it's scheduled BA"... tornado in London, flight delayed, didn't get to Christmas do.
Now interestingly, Britain has more tornadoes per square mile than the US, but like most British stuff compared to American, eg; teenagers, chicken, steak, cars, portion sizes, the British equivalents are pretty puny in comparison (and the US is consirably larger with huge tracts that never see tornadoes).
Now I worry about tornadoes and hurricanes, apparently not unusual in this neck of the woods, but normally not as bad as some areas of the USA, thankfully. I read an article this week that said 57% (I think it said 57%, I can't be bothered to run upstairs to check my facts) of Americans haven't got an adequate supply of water in their disaster kits... which means that most Americans have a kit, all be it inadequate, I don't even own a band aid! help! Actually, on further checking, I have 3 band aids of the Scooby Doo variety, 2 are stuck together, phew I thought I was in trouble then!
I also live near a nuclear power station, so I should have my iodine tablets... should... you see my problem. It's not something I remember, not top of the shopping list, eggs, sugar, iodine tabs... escapes me completely.
Guns here's a biggy. Now a little known fact to a lot of Americans, we Brits can hold rifles, and a licence is not difficult. I have been shooting and enjoyed it, and have many friends who have weapons at home, the difference and the big difference is that they have to be stored in secure cupboards with internal cages so the cupboard can't be broken into easily. Also, rounds are not allowed to be kept with the guns. This was brought home to me early on in the US; I joined a group of lovely mums; mainly wives of Navy personnel, and we had a play date. All the children were in a back bedroom playing, whilst the mums where in the front room. Suddenly there was an almighty bang (as someone who has heard gun fire at a distance, I know that the sound is a sort of a crack rather than bang) we all rushed through and a chest of draws had fallen over and injured the hosts son; relief all round that he wasn't badly injured. Big chest with TV on top and small child. Later on, when we where laughing with relief, the host said "I was so worried one of the kids had got the gun out of my bedside table". UH! I noticed I wasn't the only one to make a swift exit soon after that remark, what worried me was she had a gun but clearly not fired one, because you can't mistake that sound once you have heard it. It wasn't locked away with small children in the house and for me it had never occurred to me that guns would be unsecured!
I have since found out from a neighbour it is acceptable to ask in a unfamiliar house if the owner keeps a gun and if it is secure!
I quote, guns don't kill people, people kill people... well, I find people with guns are more effective at killing people than say a watermelon or knife!
I was reminded of these 2 when the removal men unpacked our school desk, one reminised about his childhood then started telling me of his fears for his youngest children who are at high school. He asked me if such things as Columbine happen in the UK, and I said yes and told him about Dunblane and remembered the year 1996, you're not about to forget that... he said yes you are, we have so many multiple shootings that you do forget, not just the year but the incident.
Dunblaneen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunblane_massacre verses St Luke's PrimarySchool, Wolverhampton en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Potts and a big thank you to the teachers who saved lives.
Now interestingly, Britain has more tornadoes per square mile than the US, but like most British stuff compared to American, eg; teenagers, chicken, steak, cars, portion sizes, the British equivalents are pretty puny in comparison (and the US is consirably larger with huge tracts that never see tornadoes).
Now I worry about tornadoes and hurricanes, apparently not unusual in this neck of the woods, but normally not as bad as some areas of the USA, thankfully. I read an article this week that said 57% (I think it said 57%, I can't be bothered to run upstairs to check my facts) of Americans haven't got an adequate supply of water in their disaster kits... which means that most Americans have a kit, all be it inadequate, I don't even own a band aid! help! Actually, on further checking, I have 3 band aids of the Scooby Doo variety, 2 are stuck together, phew I thought I was in trouble then!
I also live near a nuclear power station, so I should have my iodine tablets... should... you see my problem. It's not something I remember, not top of the shopping list, eggs, sugar, iodine tabs... escapes me completely.
Guns here's a biggy. Now a little known fact to a lot of Americans, we Brits can hold rifles, and a licence is not difficult. I have been shooting and enjoyed it, and have many friends who have weapons at home, the difference and the big difference is that they have to be stored in secure cupboards with internal cages so the cupboard can't be broken into easily. Also, rounds are not allowed to be kept with the guns. This was brought home to me early on in the US; I joined a group of lovely mums; mainly wives of Navy personnel, and we had a play date. All the children were in a back bedroom playing, whilst the mums where in the front room. Suddenly there was an almighty bang (as someone who has heard gun fire at a distance, I know that the sound is a sort of a crack rather than bang) we all rushed through and a chest of draws had fallen over and injured the hosts son; relief all round that he wasn't badly injured. Big chest with TV on top and small child. Later on, when we where laughing with relief, the host said "I was so worried one of the kids had got the gun out of my bedside table". UH! I noticed I wasn't the only one to make a swift exit soon after that remark, what worried me was she had a gun but clearly not fired one, because you can't mistake that sound once you have heard it. It wasn't locked away with small children in the house and for me it had never occurred to me that guns would be unsecured!
I have since found out from a neighbour it is acceptable to ask in a unfamiliar house if the owner keeps a gun and if it is secure!
I quote, guns don't kill people, people kill people... well, I find people with guns are more effective at killing people than say a watermelon or knife!
I was reminded of these 2 when the removal men unpacked our school desk, one reminised about his childhood then started telling me of his fears for his youngest children who are at high school. He asked me if such things as Columbine happen in the UK, and I said yes and told him about Dunblane and remembered the year 1996, you're not about to forget that... he said yes you are, we have so many multiple shootings that you do forget, not just the year but the incident.
Dunblaneen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunblane_massacre verses St Luke's PrimarySchool, Wolverhampton en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Potts and a big thank you to the teachers who saved lives.
Mineral
Not a lot to write about here, just to moan about the amount of stone in the lawn and garden but that is understandable when you see their big brother!
Animal!
I am a bit of a country girl at heart, well fully, and have prided myself on my knowledge of the countryside. Some little known facts, even to some of my closest friends, are:
I have stock judged
I have shown cattle at the Kent County Show; involves months of planning and practise with your cow... seriously, its hard work, you and the cow have to learn how to stand and walk, I came 5th and highly commended, in case your interested. The cow came last!
I was on a Staffordshire team which came 5th in the National Finals of the Same-Lamborghini Agricultural Quiz.
I was a Young Farmer for 8 years in 4 different Counties (like 4H only you're older and drunk)
I have killed a rabbit with myxomatosis (eyes closed; mine, the rabbit was already blind!)
I attended Hunt Balls, despite the fact I hate fox hunting, but in my defence alcohol was in the offing and serious that's hard to turn down, I am but flesh and blood.
I was guest for 5 weeks of the Kenyan Agriculture Ministry and had an official dinner with President Moi... okay not a nice man but when will I ever meet a President again, let alone eat with one.
I have dipped sheep, milked cows and eaten goat, mutton and a cow I had previously been acquainted with.
I have been pooed on, wee'ed on and stamped on by the best of British and Kenyan Animals and I thought I was hard...
It seems to me that moving to a place with a disease named after it probably wasn't the best move however Lyme's disease seems like a walk in the park compared to the Brown Recluse Spider! I don't even know what one looks like, oh I've googled them, they cannot survive the winter here and only a few cases of bites in CT due to shipment!! what are they posting themselves? only the Northern Black Widow to worry about then? phew! there's a relief!
Termites and wasps will eat your house... notice, I am still in the insect world!
Connecticut has apparently 14 snakes and I have seen one of them already, 38 yrs in the UK never saw a snake in the wild... but again don't worry, only 2 are poisonous, the Timber Rattle Snake and the Copperhead, and a useful web site ct.gov states they only bite if you annoy them! cue Craig Ferguson joke, only that was wasps (and stinging) !
Moving up you have your chipmunk, which eat your house, Bobcat reclusive and dying out and Possums, which strictly speaking are not dangerous but try telling my husband that after he trod on one in the dark and screamed like a girl after it lifted him off the ground... (they can be quite big, or that's his excuse)
Skunks... I have been Skunked when the car in front of me nearly hit one and it sprayed as I passed YUK! and I now understand Pepe La Pew, as it looked and moved like a Cat from a distance, smell told me otherwise!
You have your Coyote, and I saw one in my first week here when up at dawn with jet lag.
Then you have your Moose and Deer with suicidal tendencies, they like to throw themselves in front of cars, which can lead to fatality of the driver and themselves, I assume.
Finally the Black Bear which, apparently, rarely attacks!
Oh and rabies, just in case I wasn't scared enough!
So, on that note I am looking into buying a concrete house, a Hummer, wellington boots, tight trousers (pants, why do I grin when I write that?) and not accepting mail from areas where the Brown Recluse lives... not that blooming reclusive obviously!
I have stock judged
I have shown cattle at the Kent County Show; involves months of planning and practise with your cow... seriously, its hard work, you and the cow have to learn how to stand and walk, I came 5th and highly commended, in case your interested. The cow came last!
I was on a Staffordshire team which came 5th in the National Finals of the Same-Lamborghini Agricultural Quiz.
I was a Young Farmer for 8 years in 4 different Counties (like 4H only you're older and drunk)
I have killed a rabbit with myxomatosis (eyes closed; mine, the rabbit was already blind!)
I attended Hunt Balls, despite the fact I hate fox hunting, but in my defence alcohol was in the offing and serious that's hard to turn down, I am but flesh and blood.
I was guest for 5 weeks of the Kenyan Agriculture Ministry and had an official dinner with President Moi... okay not a nice man but when will I ever meet a President again, let alone eat with one.
I have dipped sheep, milked cows and eaten goat, mutton and a cow I had previously been acquainted with.
I have been pooed on, wee'ed on and stamped on by the best of British and Kenyan Animals and I thought I was hard...
It seems to me that moving to a place with a disease named after it probably wasn't the best move however Lyme's disease seems like a walk in the park compared to the Brown Recluse Spider! I don't even know what one looks like, oh I've googled them, they cannot survive the winter here and only a few cases of bites in CT due to shipment!! what are they posting themselves? only the Northern Black Widow to worry about then? phew! there's a relief!
Termites and wasps will eat your house... notice, I am still in the insect world!
Connecticut has apparently 14 snakes and I have seen one of them already, 38 yrs in the UK never saw a snake in the wild... but again don't worry, only 2 are poisonous, the Timber Rattle Snake and the Copperhead, and a useful web site ct.gov states they only bite if you annoy them! cue Craig Ferguson joke, only that was wasps (and stinging) !
Moving up you have your chipmunk, which eat your house, Bobcat reclusive and dying out and Possums, which strictly speaking are not dangerous but try telling my husband that after he trod on one in the dark and screamed like a girl after it lifted him off the ground... (they can be quite big, or that's his excuse)
Skunks... I have been Skunked when the car in front of me nearly hit one and it sprayed as I passed YUK! and I now understand Pepe La Pew, as it looked and moved like a Cat from a distance, smell told me otherwise!
You have your Coyote, and I saw one in my first week here when up at dawn with jet lag.
Then you have your Moose and Deer with suicidal tendencies, they like to throw themselves in front of cars, which can lead to fatality of the driver and themselves, I assume.
Finally the Black Bear which, apparently, rarely attacks!
Oh and rabies, just in case I wasn't scared enough!
So, on that note I am looking into buying a concrete house, a Hummer, wellington boots, tight trousers (pants, why do I grin when I write that?) and not accepting mail from areas where the Brown Recluse lives... not that blooming reclusive obviously!
Vegetable!
A strange place to start maybe, but it is a subject close to my heart, so here I go, I am a lover of my veggies and will eat all varieties offered with the exception of the broad bean and that is cos I am too lazy to peel the hard shell off, otherwise these are good too.
I had visited America several times before moving here, and assumed the reason I dreamed of veg half way through the second week was due to having the whole American experience and ordering every fat laden item on the menu, but having been here 6 months I have had to face the problem head on and admit that it is probably the high price and lack of variety that is more to blame... Although I have to say the corn on the cob has been the best I have ever eaten and the Apples ummm! the apples are fantastic and I can't wait for the next harvest.
so some of my musings on this subject;
On a menu "seasonal veg" means Broccoli...nothing else, don't get excited, it is always broccoli, this is a fact and I have done extensive testing on this subject without any fear for my own safety or waistline.
Carrots, come in 2 forms, carrot shaped and some sort of FBI witness protection program shape unrecognisable as a carrot except in color!
corn on the cob in a resturant, ask for it without all the rubbish on it, don't be fooled, this is an attempt by veg haters to make it inedible and as stated before, they are lush.
eggplant does not belong on a pizza.
Is it state law that no more than 1 vegatable is allowed on a Pizza? and if more than 1 they must be the most improbable mixing thereby making it yukky, I quote from a random menu selected by me from the menu draw...(I love this country there are so many places to eat the menus need their own draw) "vegetable pizza, onions, pepper, mushroom, olives (so far so good, but wait for it) broccoli !!! and tomatoes...
Broccoli AND eggplant DO NOT belong on a pizza!!
Roast onions and pepper do not exsist on a pizza in this state, you have to have so much of the fresh stuff that it becomes a soggy, slimy mess.
actually this is becoming a little pizza related...
You can't buy runner beans only squeeky ones...don't remember the name, they taste lovely don't get me wrong, I am not one of those squeeky bean haters, its just that they are not runner beans, I did some extensive research on this subject, well googled it, thinking it was possibly a native of Europe or something, but no shock horror! it is a native American plant, and not only that, native to New England!! where I currently reside, much prized food of the Native Americans and rejected by the early settlers in order to cut their numbers, prefering to starve to death! this was also much researched... well a Bill Bryson book on America.
It is illegal to sell prepared potato without fat being added.
Savoy cabbage must be kept until it is a little bit withered and soft before it can be displayed in a shop (of course that could just be my local supermarket)
So what to do? I could go home and be surrounded by all my lovely farm shops again which obviously I don't want to do, after all its only veg and I do like broccoli within reason, or grow my own! genius! I have absolutely no experience of gardening prefering the slash and burn and cover it in grass method, however I have a large plot which the previous owner kindly put over a small part to gardening and some lovely top soil by the looks of it, don't ask me how I know this, cos I don't really, I am an optimist.
so $100 later I await my seeds and even managed to track down the elusive runner bean, helpfully located in the flower section of my Johnny's seed catalog!!!!!!
I had visited America several times before moving here, and assumed the reason I dreamed of veg half way through the second week was due to having the whole American experience and ordering every fat laden item on the menu, but having been here 6 months I have had to face the problem head on and admit that it is probably the high price and lack of variety that is more to blame... Although I have to say the corn on the cob has been the best I have ever eaten and the Apples ummm! the apples are fantastic and I can't wait for the next harvest.
so some of my musings on this subject;
On a menu "seasonal veg" means Broccoli...nothing else, don't get excited, it is always broccoli, this is a fact and I have done extensive testing on this subject without any fear for my own safety or waistline.
Carrots, come in 2 forms, carrot shaped and some sort of FBI witness protection program shape unrecognisable as a carrot except in color!
corn on the cob in a resturant, ask for it without all the rubbish on it, don't be fooled, this is an attempt by veg haters to make it inedible and as stated before, they are lush.
eggplant does not belong on a pizza.
Is it state law that no more than 1 vegatable is allowed on a Pizza? and if more than 1 they must be the most improbable mixing thereby making it yukky, I quote from a random menu selected by me from the menu draw...(I love this country there are so many places to eat the menus need their own draw) "vegetable pizza, onions, pepper, mushroom, olives (so far so good, but wait for it) broccoli !!! and tomatoes...
Broccoli AND eggplant DO NOT belong on a pizza!!
Roast onions and pepper do not exsist on a pizza in this state, you have to have so much of the fresh stuff that it becomes a soggy, slimy mess.
actually this is becoming a little pizza related...
You can't buy runner beans only squeeky ones...don't remember the name, they taste lovely don't get me wrong, I am not one of those squeeky bean haters, its just that they are not runner beans, I did some extensive research on this subject, well googled it, thinking it was possibly a native of Europe or something, but no shock horror! it is a native American plant, and not only that, native to New England!! where I currently reside, much prized food of the Native Americans and rejected by the early settlers in order to cut their numbers, prefering to starve to death! this was also much researched... well a Bill Bryson book on America.
It is illegal to sell prepared potato without fat being added.
Savoy cabbage must be kept until it is a little bit withered and soft before it can be displayed in a shop (of course that could just be my local supermarket)
So what to do? I could go home and be surrounded by all my lovely farm shops again which obviously I don't want to do, after all its only veg and I do like broccoli within reason, or grow my own! genius! I have absolutely no experience of gardening prefering the slash and burn and cover it in grass method, however I have a large plot which the previous owner kindly put over a small part to gardening and some lovely top soil by the looks of it, don't ask me how I know this, cos I don't really, I am an optimist.
so $100 later I await my seeds and even managed to track down the elusive runner bean, helpfully located in the flower section of my Johnny's seed catalog!!!!!!
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