I grew up in Beeston about 100 metres from the Station, Jules is Beeston born and bred.

It's valuable in enjoying Canada, coming from somewhere awful.

Now affectionately called Shottingham... Friend of mine lives there, someone broke into his house, shot him in the knee and left him for dead then made off in his car, which was subsequently used for an armed robbery....

Sadly I believe you are right.

It was a reasonable place as a child, I had many a good time fishing in the Trent, swimming in Attenborough Gravel Pits (no health and safety or parental controls in those days).

we left Nottingham area early 1996, and moved south to Woking (then watched that place go to the dogs as well.

Yep Nottingham wasn't bad, I left in 1990'ish

Still is wasn't great then I don't think its go worse it just that we've grown up
The violence and fight’s outside the pubs were the norm back in the 1980's to 90's

If anything I think in some areas it’s actually got better over the last twenty years

Well, judging by your nightmare commute stories, yes I would agree! However, you can't judge the rest of
Canada by your experiences - or mine. Reading your posts and mine you wouldn't think we lived in the same country. But Canada is like that, from east to west so different, and then there's the bit in the middle - vastly different again.

....and the bit East of "East"

Sensible kick off times.

Not too bad here where lunchtime games would be at 8.00 am. But the further west you go, the earlier the game is.

Friends in BC get frustrated whenever we get a 12.45pm kick-off.

no its oxo sachets!! just the same but they dont get your fingers dirty!!

You also have to use at least twice the amount to get the same flavour.

This only applies when cooking for Britts,give a Canadain a "proper" gravy and they spit it out,the whimps

As for windscrean wash PP in summer buy the summer wash,that gets the bugs of, and in winter use the winter wash, dont muddle them up lass

Hubbies a mechanic - he knows what he's doing when it comes to windscreen wash, fella

When a screen is icy cold and it's -a gazillion outside and the windchill is worse and you squirt washer fluid the wipers spead a thin film over the screen that freezes. Bit scary when your driving.

It is of course a different story if you have started your car 6 hours before you want to use it so it's all nice and warm with a the heater blowing warm on the screen - or if you have a garage space spare to put a car in, in the winter.

Well thats a different kettle of fish, one pressumed the vehical was halfway warm and if you still have difficulty put gravy in the whipper bottle !!!!!!!!!

As scary as it might be the first time it happens to you, it does disappear in seconds.