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.