Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

[QUOTE=islandwoman120;10092818]I found golliwog dolls for sale locally - thought they were outlawed. Guess not. These come from China. For those of us from the USA, this is regarded as a racist emblem. Found them for sale on the Internet when I did a worldwide search. What next?

Rosie...

I would try not to let this golliwog issue bother you, it may be seen as Rasict in America, from my memory its was never seen that way in the UK and there was certainly no Hate attached to it at least in my mind...

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

There is a thread about golliwogs in 'the barbie' as they are openly on sale in Australia

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=758829

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

islandwoman, you just reminded me of this hilarious clip from Extras

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2pniymmkpg

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Hello,
here's something that comes to mind since you are close to 30 years in USA;

Have you heard of US Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)?
http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10045.html#a0=4

In a nutshell, if you have potential pensions that were not subject to Social Security withholding (US teacher, UK Social Security) then WEP may reduce your US Social Security:- but it doesn't apply if you have over 30 years earnings that were under US social Security withholding.

So my tip would be, if WEP may apply, is to extend your US earnings to over 30 years.

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

IF1 yes I had soooo many CD'S and also music dvd's of my favorite artists like you do, like whole concerts, Cher, Madona, Barry Manilo, Cliff Richard, Bruce Springsteen, Libarache, Willy Nelson, Johnny Cash, Barbara Striesand, and my all time favorite Shirley Bassey and lots more, about 300 CD'S and DVD'S altogether, so I did the same as you, I wanted to keep all in there original CD and DVD form, so I bought a real nice compact CD holder made of strong cloth with a handle, that zips up all way around when closed, and each CD goes into its own sleeve with another sleeve above each CD to put the page from the original case with all the titles of the songs from that CD,
and it didn't take hardly any space up in one of my suitcases,
Good luck on sorting the closet and everything else, I dont mind telling you that its such a relief when its all sorted and everything either sold, donated, dumped, whatever, you feel soooo darn free of all that stuff that you have just acumalated for decades, its all so wonderful when its all done,
And it teaches us when we start our new life in the U.K. not to ever hord stuff anymore, it makes life so much more simpler if we keep down the clutter, especially all the paper work, with that now I just keep recepts and paid bills and statements etc etc for no more then 6 months then it all gets shredded, I dont care what it is, ----- with the exception of my U.S. IRS tax returns, I keep all of them, I had over 30 years or tax returns that I brought home with me, and so far I have filed two IRS returns since I have been home, I do that electronically every year, I never owe anything but we all should keep up our returns every year from what ever adopted country one is from, with the U.S. its the Law!!!!
Take care,
Rodney.

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

IF1, Did you ship any of your big stuff back to the UK?

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

I hear that Shirley Bassey will be singing "Diamonds Are Forever" at the Diamond Jubilee Concert for HM The Queen ;)

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Thanks for that, I will look into it. Can I ask what made you want to move back to the UK?

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Yes, I am shipping some things back. I have been saying to people that I am not shipping much back, but I had the movers in yesterday to firm up their pricing and as I walked through the house showing him what was going, I began to think where am I going to put all this stuff.

I will be sharing a container with others, so it could be a while before the stuff actually arrives, but that doesn't matter as most of the things are sentimental. I have a couple of antiques which belonged to my gran and I grew up with them, so I can't even think about parting with them. One piece is not in great condition, due to the dry climate here and I am not sure if it will survive the journey.

I am taking a few pieces of furniture, some lamps, paintings, books, dvd's, china and clothing.

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

I enjoyed looking at these few home movies taken by the queen. Well not all because she is in the picture of some of them but they are private movies. Well they were:)

Cheers

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18290805

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Hi,

My wife!!
Well, not entirely, she didn't MAKE me. It had been her long time desire to move back to UK having never felt she fitted in to where we lived in USA. She would have stayed longer in US if I had really wanted to.
We had good jobs in US, a nice home, all was well.

But then work upheavals disrupted the smooth running and as we approached retirement we needed a new plan.
I was happy to move back to UK if it made her happy, and it has.
We like the countryside and coast where we live, a big draw to move to UK and here in particular.

But not entirely.
We have been dissatisfied with some of the muddle-through attitude of UK and some societal attitudes. I feel I do not fit in here in UK to the extent that my did with the USA
We did discuss moving back to US or to Spain but concluded the moving aspect and culture shock would be repeated again. It would also be running away, whereas we moved to US in the first place for interest and adventure, not because we wanted out of Britain.
Moving elsewhere in Britain is not out of the question but not while our aged parents remain in need of support nearby here.

In perspective, we moved from a city in the top 10 most desirable places to live in US to an UK district in the top 10% of most deprived areas in UK. I have to bear that in mind when learning to come to terms with this part of Britain.

We feel we lost something of our lives in the move back. Deflated, moved from optimism to pessimism.

OK, so having said some negatives about how we feel, there is a lot to be said for being here.
We have great trips out within UK and Europe. We are both now retired, me early thanks to the income and savings I made while in USA. Our house is ideally located in a safe area and for buses, shops, pubs, trains and best of all, access to the countryside.

I will forever feel grateful for the opportunity and life we had in USA.
I am glad we were able to walk back into UK and pick up pretty much where we left off.

Why are you considering moving back to UK?

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

My daughter has moved back and as i get older I find myself missing the more simple life in the UK. I am 58 and still work very hard here in the US. I am ready to slow down and smell the flowers as they say.

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Hi Rodney,

I had the movers in yesterday and I have realized that I am taking back more stuff than I thought. Maybe I will have to leave some books behind. My OH is busy selling stuff on Kijjii, so the phone might be ringing off the hook this weekend.

I hope you and your mum enjoy the Diamond Jubilee this weekend.:)

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Because Rodney said it is better in the UK!:D

Your asking today when it is 102 degrees outside.:(

OK to be serious!

1. I like to think the voters/government run the UK as apposed to big business and lobbyists running the US government.

2. Independent BBC instead of the propaganda on the US media.

3. The public transportation system in the UK. Again the auto and oil industry influence the transportation system in the US.

4. The existence of the smaller shopkeepers in the UK.

5. The lower 10% of the population have a higher standard of living in the UK (don't ask for me to qualify that) than the US.

6. Social safety net that exists in the UK.

7. Rains more in the UK.

8. You are not dependent on a car in the UK.

9. Beautiful countryside in the UK.

10. The comradery that exists in the UK especially among the men.

more later.

Cheers

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

I love this! Are you in Texas? because it's like a sauna nine months out of the year

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

I live in Dallas and last summer was unbearably hot with this summer predictions even more dire :-( The Northern Ireland weather suits me perfectly :-)

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

I currently live in a cold climate and I can't be doing with the heat. I am looking forward to the Scottish climate, I may miss the blue skies, but at least I'll be looking at green, not brown, grass.

When are you going home? I am looking forward to visiting NI one of these days.:)

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

WOW I did not know that, thanks Englishmum, I will not miss that!!!!
Tonight on BBC 1 they had a special program where Prince Charles was showing very old and some new family film clips of his early days starting when he was 4 and Ann I think 6 and lots of clips of there mother and father when they were young, there were even clips of the Queens Father before he died and also of Charles big day when the Queen officially made him Prince of wales,
As I was watching these clips of the young Queen and young Duke of Edinburgh just playing with there kids just like normal folk, I was amazed at the wonderful feeling of pride I had just being born British, I never ever thought I felt that way, but I do ----- and it feels really good.

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Ive never heard of any of these two guys, but thats nice that you and your Mum are getting along so well,

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

I know a lot of people on our thread over the years have shipped a whole lot of there stuff home when they come, me ----- well I had a lot of big stuff like furniture and lots of other things but nothing was worth all the hassle of shipping home, so I sold all of the furniture, all your electrical appliances wont work in U.K. except your lap top so you may as well leave them behind,
so anyway my advice to anyone is to travel as light as possible, so much simpler,
The thrift stores here have so many good bargains on furniture if you shop around, and really good quality (like new) stuff too at a fraction of the cost of buying new,
For example I was walking up the high street yesterday and I walked into this used furniture store and I saw this lovely big ass solid oak dining room table, it looked like it just came from the showroom, WOW it was stunning like New it was, and it came with 8 oak chairs with beautiful padded upholstered seats, the price was £80 for the lot, would have probably cost a couple of thousand new, I mean it was gorgeous, not a scratch on it, and these stores are everywhere, you just got to shop around thats all, and thats the fun part, and Ive seen 4 seater sofa recliners with matching love seat like new and all leather for £110, ------- try getting bargains like this in America from used furniture stores with the same quality,
the way I look at it the huge cost and organizing the shipment of a lot of heavy bulky stuff is just causing unnecessary stress to an already huge hard move back home, and then worrying if everything arrives undamaged,
Just sayin thats all!!!!
I mean we are all starting a brand new life back home where we all havent been for a long long time, so why bring the stuff back home from your old life?
Me I crammed everything i wanted to take with me in to 4 large suitcases, I had to pay extra for the 3 extra cases but it only cost I think just over $200 for the lot and it was well worth it, I brought one suitcase of clothes and three suitcases of a lot of keepsakes that Ive brought through the years and nice things friends have brought me for presents, they all are special to me and all mean a lot to me, so I couldn't bring myself to leave any of that behind, there was a lot of memories there, but nothing was too big that I could not carefully pack in suitcases,

Just like the very old Cliff Richard's song Traveling Light ------ remember that one? ;)
Happy Packing everyone :)
Rodney.

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

If you want to see photos of Don and Rodney go to the posts on October 12th 2011.

I needed to refresh my memory of the two handsome gents.

Cheers

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

I'm off to Las Vegas for my sons wedding tomorrow.

On Monday we will go to Los Angeles to see our doctor and on Tuesday we are off to our favorite place in California which is on the coast by Hearst Castle.

I will try and stay in touch.

Cheers

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Does anyone remember going for walks out in the country and having to use stiles to cross fences to get into fields. Well I love stiles and field gates and I found this site with lots of pictures of stiles.

http://www.flickriver.com/groups/uks...l/interesting/

I hope some of you enjoy looking at the pictures.

Cheers

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Be prepared for the heat this weekend, its been 109 F today:eek:

We are off to a Diamond Jubilee BBQ, this weekend, we are very lucky there are over 100 UK families here so if you pass a house covered in British Flags thats us:)

Have a good wedding:D

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

They're crime writers Rodney, so there's no reason why you would have heard of them. But I have read all their books. They're appearing at a literary festival in my town. The only reason I mentioned it is that lf1 is a big fan of both of them :)

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Yes, just this past Wednesday :lol:

We went for a walk in the area near our new house and found this wonderful little public footpath through fields and over stiles. One of the fields was just filled with wildflowers, another had cows grazing. There was white blossom in the trees .... ahhh, it was wonderful. I wanted to go again right away, but we've been so busy socializing we haven't had time. I have a friend staying today and we're off antique shopping (browsing) but maybe this afternoon ....

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Hello Cheers

Are you talking about Cambria? It was also one of my favourite places in California, in fact in the USA!

Regards.

Sue

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Hello, this is the Sue I met up with before, we have met a few times now and will meet again this weekend, see Rodney some people DO meet up..........

Well done Sue. :thumbsup:

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

I think the BBC programme was better than the ITV one, the film clips were great, and showed a side of the Royal Family that people just hadn't seen before. The ITV one was a bit more formal, although Wills was very good, but seemd to concentrate more on Royal visits then family life.

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Well shucks thanks cheers, do you know your a real swell guy ;)

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Great list Cheers - the highlighted part - this is the thing about the US that bothers me the most. I despise lobbyists - and you're right - they run this country.

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

I hope we get to see that on this side of the pond. I watched a repeat of a Grahm Norton show and his guests were Shirley Bassey, Michael Sheen and Rhod Gilbert. It was a good laugh and Shirley has a good sense of humour.
I also like Rhod Gilbert, I find his rants quite entertaining, especially the one about the toothbrush. :)

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

You are spot on, it is Cambria. You know all about Moonstone Drive and Linns Restaurant then. We use to like Solvang but it got too touristy for us.
Well we will be there in a few days and the temps are around the low 70's.

Cheers

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

I watched that same repeat, when her helicopter had to be put down? and was laughing so much at it - my OH had to tell me to be quite because he could not listen his "UK Border Agency" on utube! Afterwards we both lamented that we watch more UK tv on computer and how our tv in Canada is just c...
Oh well makes wanting to go home much better!

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

If1 did you see that particular Graham Norton show on U-Tube? or maybe somewhere else, would it be possible if you could find the link to that show when Shirley Bassey was on and post the link for us, I would really appreciate it, thanks!!!! and yes Shirley certainly does have a good sense of humor doesn't she.

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Rodney

I saw it on BBC Canada, but I found this link for you on BBC UK website. I hope it works. I know you are not a fan of some of the new comedians, but give Rhod Gilbert a listen on You Tube, his Toothbrush rant is hilarious, in my opinion.:)


http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006...guide#b00nbsc8

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Still have a lot to accomplish. We are almost ready to put our house on the market. Our divorce is underway. It is not at all bitter and we will always stay friends. We both want to walk down different paths.

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Rodney,

I think that link just gives you details about the episode, but if you go to You Tube and enter Graham Norton Shirley, you will find it. I won't try to link it as there are several segments and I don't know in which order they go.

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Getting ready to put your house on the market is a big job and I am glad that part is over. I'm am glad that you are both on good terms, it makes life much easier and reduces a lot of the stress that comes along with divorce.

I have still a bit to do before we close on our sale, but I have been too busy helping to organize our Jubilee virtual street party on BE Canadian Forum to get anything done in the real world. Anyway, I have had a good laugh doing it. LOL

Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread
 

Thank you soooooo much if1 I just got viewing all 5 parts of that Graham Norton show on you-tube with Shirley Bassey, lovely, I really enjoyed it and watched the whole show, and at the end she sang a song from her then new album (the girl from tiger bay) lovely just lovely it was,
Since Ive been home I always watch his TV show on Friday nights, always good always funny and often has very famous guests that even Ive heard of :thumbsup:
And then the next day Saturday morning I listen to his BBC radio 2 program, and thats always a very entertaining show, he has heaps of talent as a host, a real natural.