Originally Posted by cheers (Post 10417416)

I think there is a simple answer...why should they? It use to be in the UK the retailers had a take it or leave it attitude whereas in the US the retailers always wanted to stay ahead of the competition, so in this case, free refills.

Cheers

Originally Posted by perthhomeschool (Post 10417745)

Thanks to everyone who responded to this johnny-come-lately lol! I so appreciate your welcome. I have posted a couple of times elsewhere and received some great information on where I might live in the UK (since I don't have family outside of London...WAAAAY too expensive), and also about claiming benefits, including US social security. But what I didn't find was the kind of camaraderie and emotional support I have been reading here -as well as just how much fun you were all having...and I wanted in on it :rofl:

Been in the US (Florida) for over 30 years, with a couple of years back in the UK in the late 80's. Married 21 years, one daughter, 20 years. She started the bug in me of wanting to go back when she became enamoured with Dr. Who. This was about a year ago. At that time, she thought she might want to go and live in the UK, and as we talked about it for a bit, and went ahead and applied for her UK passport, I started to like the idea for myself more and more. Of course, now she is not sure if she might want to move there, or stay here, or maybe go to Israel. So we are planning on going without her and letting her take the time to decide. We will take a trip over in about 2 years when she has finished nursing school to look things over.

Funny thing this...it's been about 6 months since this whole things started, and now I think about going back constantly. In fact, whenever I sit down to read the first forum I have to make sure I have a tissue or two nearby :o But in all reality, the number one reason I have for wanting to move back is healthcare security. Especially since my husband is 12 years older than me. He is the picture of health, whereas I am not exactly, but our plan is to move when he is 70 and not a year older.

I have made one British friend here who is also planning on moving back. She owns a British store in town and I love to go over and have a proper English tea with her and a natter. We understand each other like no one else can. She's thinking of up and moving in a year's time, back to Sheffield, although she wants to eventually move to Costa del Sol. I will miss her terribly.

Something really hit me just the other day. I thought I had left the UK behind me, but in reality I had spend the last 30 years or so doing things in the British way, being British in the way I thought about things, watching things British...Keeping up Appearances, Faulty Towers, Inspector Morse, etc...and my daughter had grown up watching these things with me. I never realised that I WAS being British all along. No wonder I felt like I could never quite fit in!

In any case, I now feel I have an identity AT LAST! And I love it! I can't wait to visit and explore. Thankfully, my husband, a world traveler himself, is all for it and excited to get there too. I am hoping my daughter will move with us, but if not, we will always be a plane ride a way...whether we are here in the US or not. And if she does go to Israel, we will be 4 1/2 hours away instead of 12 1/2. Thank you so much for listening! I am honoured to be here and look forward to catching up (eventually :rofl:)

~Monique
PS: Origin of perthhomeschool: I home schooled my daughter and the name came from an absolutely idyllic summer in Perth, Ontario, where I helped an old family friend build her house.

Originally Posted by Fish n Chips 56 (Post 10416526)

The breakfasts really look good, I know my wife would love to see Biscuits n Gravy on that menu, I could eat breakfast for every meal...

OK its time for me to chime in on US Food in the UK, There is a place called Damons near Sheffield, My in laws will make a 25 mile trip for a meal there without the blink of an eye, they love it, its very much an American menu, Ive eaten there many times over the years, its good, heres the funny part, its 5 minutes walk from where I last lived in the UK, its like really going home everytime I drive up that street.

Damons have locations in Lincoln and Liverpol too.

Originally Posted by perthhomeschool (Post 10417745)

Thanks to everyone who responded to this johnny-come-lately lol! I so appreciate your welcome. I have posted a couple of times elsewhere and received some great information on where I might live in the UK (since I don't have family outside of London...WAAAAY too expensive), and also about claiming benefits, including US social security. But what I didn't find was the kind of camaraderie and emotional support I have been reading here -as well as just how much fun you were all having...and I wanted in on it :rofl:

Been in the US (Florida) for over 30 years, with a couple of years back in the UK in the late 80's. Married 21 years, one daughter, 20 years. She started the bug in me of wanting to go back when she became enamoured with Dr. Who. This was about a year ago. At that time, she thought she might want to go and live in the UK, and as we talked about it for a bit, and went ahead and applied for her UK passport, I started to like the idea for myself more and more. Of course, now she is not sure if she might want to move there, or stay here, or maybe go to Israel. So we are planning on going without her and letting her take the time to decide. We will take a trip over in about 2 years when she has finished nursing school to look things over.

Funny thing this...it's been about 6 months since this whole things started, and now I think about going back constantly. In fact, whenever I sit down to read the first forum I have to make sure I have a tissue or two nearby :o But in all reality, the number one reason I have for wanting to move back is healthcare security. Especially since my husband is 12 years older than me. He is the picture of health, whereas I am not exactly, but our plan is to move when he is 70 and not a year older.

I have made one British friend here who is also planning on moving back. She owns a British store in town and I love to go over and have a proper English tea with her and a natter. We understand each other like no one else can. She's thinking of up and moving in a year's time, back to Sheffield, although she wants to eventually move to Costa del Sol. I will miss her terribly.

Something really hit me just the other day. I thought I had left the UK behind me, but in reality I had spend the last 30 years or so doing things in the British way, being British in the way I thought about things, watching things British...Keeping up Appearances, Faulty Towers, Inspector Morse, etc...and my daughter had grown up watching these things with me. I never realised that I WAS being British all along. No wonder I felt like I could never quite fit in!

In any case, I now feel I have an identity AT LAST! And I love it! I can't wait to visit and explore. Thankfully, my husband, a world traveler himself, is all for it and excited to get there too. I am hoping my daughter will move with us, but if not, we will always be a plane ride a way...whether we are here in the US or not. And if she does go to Israel, we will be 4 1/2 hours away instead of 12 1/2. Thank you so much for listening! I am honoured to be here and look forward to catching up (eventually :rofl:)

~Monique
PS: Origin of perthhomeschool: I home schooled my daughter and the name came from an absolutely idyllic summer in Perth, Ontario, where I helped an old family friend build her house.

Originally Posted by Bud the Wiser (Post 10418180)

Yes you're right. Why should they, it's business after all. I'm just surprised that no one, as far as I know, has tried it, to, as you say, stay ahead of the competition. Especially when you consider that a fair amount of people must have experienced the free refill experience on their travels you'd have thought they would have liked/demanded that service upon their return to the UK. A gap in the market? Who knows.

Originally Posted by between two worlds (Post 10418703)

Hello Monique, and welcome!

Yes, of COURSE we still welcome people in your position, and many of us still are not re-settled back in the UK.

In fact I think the name of this thread should be changed to reflect these things. As you've probably gathered in reading old posts, there were once two threads, the main 50s and 60s one, and this ancillary one just for chit-chat. In the end, the activity on the main one slowed, and the mods understandably decided one thread was enough.

But I think the name is misleading now, as although we do chit-chat, many serious issues are raised here as well. When the original thread starter Trottytrue came back recently after being away due to illness, it sparked a lot of talk about not putting the decision and move off for too long. Also we've recently had a very important conversation about how some returning expats fit right back into the culture, others who've been away a long time find it more difficult. It seems to depend on how "British" you felt while living overseas.

From what you've said, that might interest you. Thanks for telling some of your story. Especially familiar to many of us here, I think, is the way, once you started thinking seriously about going back, you suddenly thought about it all the time--as if giving yourself permission to think about it, instead of repressing the desire, opened the floodgates!

You're lucky in that your husband is all for it and your daughter is keen...and that you have this great point of view that even if she isn't in the UK she's "only a plane ride away!" Very true and worth remembering for some of us who agonise about this issue of being far from adult children...and of course as you say, if she's in Israel then you'd be closer to her in UK than in US.

I think it's great that you're starting to plan now.....many's the tale on here, as you know, of SO much decluttering etc to do at the last minute.

Thanks so much for coming on board!

Tina

Originally Posted by perthhomeschool (Post 10419380)

Thanks Tina! What a lovely welcome! Yes, your grown children can surprise you. Mine said, Mom the last 20 years has been all about me. It should be all about you now...:cry_smile::wub:

I have no doubt in my mind that I will be completely shell shocked when I get there, since I haven't been since 1989:eek: That's one of the reasons why I think it is actually a good thing that we don't go back to where I came from. Start somewhere new. Like it's a new country (which it just might be). I have lived overseas with my hubby though his job, in Pakistan and Swaziland, so we are used to this sort of thing. We'll treat it as another adventure!

Already started decluttering and had the first of two major yard sales. First gets us set up to sell the house and move into an apartment. We have a small business in interior foliage to sell too and we don't want to do both at once. Will sell house when DD graduates nursing school as she will be coming back home to do that, and then downsize when she moves out.

We do have a dog but will not be taking her with us. The trip would be too much for her. We will leave her with DD if she decides not to come, or with her second family, dear friends of ours who dogsit for us.

Getting excited about planning our exploratory trip over. Have made copious notes as I read the 1st Over 50's and 60's about what to check out while I am there re rentals, banks, council, etc. Hubby will have a bus pass but I will still be 59. We don't want to have a car so still trying to settle on an appropriate place. Thinking of CANTERBURY. Also (a less expensive option) CARDIFF, but not sure I could handle the constantly rainy weather. Any thoughts on either appreciated.

Originally Posted by Bevm (Post 10419311)

I think so. Assuming we're talking people who buy a meal, even a simple one, free refills of coffee would be good business. Most people won't have more than one, but it would feel good. After all, most places will provide more hot water to tea drinkers who buy a pot.

I think it lingers from times when coffee was a rare luxury.

The actual cost of a bit more tea or coffee is very small in the whole -- the building, heat, service et al.

Bev

Originally Posted by jasper123 (Post 10419161)

A great big WELCOME to you from me Monique, Im sure we all appreciate that you took the time to tell us a little about yourself, good post too,
And you must have a lot of patience to read through all the years of our posts on over 50,s & 60,s and your on 2010 now, thats great!!! but its good that you are doing this because in those years 2009/10/11 we had a lot of members, and as you say our thread is different in the way that not only do you learn a lot from everyone on all the physical things that people went through and are still going through, but also all the emotional things that affect us all in planning this big move, and then you hear of all the different emotions people have gone through even on there return home for quite some time,
You have four years to plan your trip, and you are not alone there either, because there are many posters on here that have been on this thread since I joined in 2009 and for one reason or another have not found it possible to return yet, through a lot of different circumstances, but most will eventually make it back home :)
So you belong here on this thread as much as any of us, so please continue to post, and good reading through all our posts, and enjoy!!!!
take care,
Rodney.

Originally Posted by Mallory (Post 10419410)

Canterbury would be a lot drier than Cardiff! :lol:

Originally Posted by perthhomeschool (Post 10419420)

I used to go to boarding school in S. Devon, by Totnes and would love to go back to that area

Originally Posted by jasper123 (Post 10419413)

My view on free coffee re-fills in UK is this, I think it all stems from Britons businesses relentless greed and always trying to squeeze every penny they can from there customers in any way they can, which is part of the old British Business Mentality that used to be all over, where politeness and good service from the staff really was not there priority either, ----- Well since Ive been back Im so happy to observe that all that is out the door, at least where I live, all the employees in every store I go to large or small are always so polite and helpful :) so (THAT) is definitely progress, we are getting there slowly but surely,
For example when I came home for a visit sometime around 10 years ago I went into Mcdonalds here in Portsmouth, and I was amazed that all the napkins/sugar/salt/pepper and those little ketchup packets were all kept behind the counter, and you got (one) napkin on the tray with your meal, and anything else you had to ask for, and there was an additional charge of
5p for each little ketchup pack, and the rest you had to ask for like sugar they would give you one and if you asked for 2 you got a stare, and you didn't feel comfortable asking for more then one salt and pepper packs,
These days they have all the condiments displayed in areas within the restaurant just like in America, so thats progress,
I think businesses in UK are slowly learning about how important competition is and good customer service is, if they want to survive, and especially since the crash in 2008 I think it gave a lot of British Businesses a well needed wake up call,
Rodney.

Originally Posted by cheers (Post 10419695)

There is the problem of 'free loaders'. Put those condiments out and some people would load their pockets and take them home.

I had an experience in Las Vegas when I was driving a limo and I was stopped at a traffic light and some young tourists from Ireland asked me if the limo had liquor in it? They apparently wanted to ride a short distance and raid the liquor. Free loaders!

Note. limos usually don't usually have liquor in them. The limo I owned in California had a stocked bar. One passenger told me the liquor tasted funny. I don't drink so I wasn't aware that there was a problem. I have since thought that previous passengers could have peed in the decanters and mixed in with the liquor, ewe. So not a good idea to have a stocked bar unless you pour it out after each trip.

Cheers

Originally Posted by scot47 (Post 10419722)

18 months after my retirement I am still puzzled as to how I have managed to adapt to livinbg on a Scottish island after spending most of my adult life working ion Africa, the Balkans and the Middle East. But I have, and have some sort of life for myself in an area I had noit even visited until 2010 !

Small community and peop;le talk to eacjh other in public - even to strangers. I do nopt think I could have handled coming back to live in a big city or larger town. The Isle of Bute is okay for me ! (And housing is affordable - and available if you want to rent at a fair price !)