LooseChippings

The washing machine is [I]resting! No kidding. It locks the door on you, turns a couple of times, takes a tea break, turns, rests, adds a teaspoon of water, then stops for a full lunch break after a few minutes. All in the sacred goal of offering the highest energy ratings and using the least water (but the maximum amount of your time). So I defiantly use the 'daily quickie' cycle - only 40 mins for max 2kg of laundry.

LooseChippings

Sunday trading is silly - our little village shop opens quite early, but on Sunday I had to wait at the counter watching the clock until precisely 10 am to buy newspaper, milk and a bottle of wine. Don't know if that still applies to matches and candles.
Re food, I love to indulge in unlimited quantities of Branston and Almond slices - (not together).

treasuredr

UK washing machines I could live with, but parking in the UK, no way!! Things had become so bad where I lived in Caversham that you couldn't park anywhere anymore without either paying or having to watch the clock to make sure you got back to the car within your alloted time. I went back for a visit in September last year and although I enjoyed the fish and chips, great restaurants and M&S etc., it would never compensate for the lack of stress having a car here gives me.

LooseChippings

Agreed, you have to organise shopping like a military campaign, stopwatch in hand. I think that's why everyone's shopping online and the high streets are struggling.

Snap Shot

Whilst I agree with that, I accept it comes with the territory when shopping in Britain. Yes parking rates are exorbitant. However, I use the, 'time up' feeling of getting back to the car before my paid parking expires as a budgeting tool !

I guess, being British, I get a smug sense of satisfaction knowing that I've found free inner city parking while the shops are open. Or I've parked in a free supermarket car park, bought something in the supermarket to justify leaving the car there, well, sometimes anyway ! Then visited other shops.

Or confirming, every time I go to the local theatre, that the parking is free after 5pm.

Let's just agree it's a, 'culture clash' between shopping in Britain and shopping in America and leave it at that !

britwhore

I'm probably going to get berated for this but I actually prefer the washing machines here. Yes they do take ages but I run mine overnight....it's cheaper!! I also like that it heats up the water so I can actually boil wash things at 95 degrees instead of the hottest wash being whatever the temp the water comes in from the tap. For every day stuff I wash 40 degrees on quick cycle.

Yes paying for parking everywhere is stoooooopid!!!!!! No wonder the high streets are empty!!!

Mummy in the foothills

I find this a bit baffling. Why are they complaining that high streets are empty if they can do something about it.
Make the parking charge really cheap or free and people will shop longer and more often.
I remember having to run into town with my mother for something, we were lucky that someone was leaving the expensive car park and handed us her all day ticket it still had a couple of hours left on it. We were in town for all of 20 minutes then handed it to a nice older lady who was parking. I know they don't really allow that, but if you have to pay for an hour at the least and everyone stays 20 minutes they have been paid three times for that hour. That is plain greedy.

britwhore

I know. I don't understand it either.

sallysimmons

You guys all need to have moved from New York ;-) Then you'd be saying "wow, look how cheap the parking is!"

One thing I love is how in lots of towns and villages there's a public toilet in the town centre car park. (It's the small things that make me happy).

cheers

So instead of saying I need to spend a penny, you now say I need to spend £2 (for parking)