Yes We Can
Aug 29th 2010, 5:42 am
#16
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,477
Re: Yes We Can
I love the US - always have. Whatever climate or scenery you want you can find. It is my personal life here that has been lacking. Some of it I couldn't control like a stepmother who hated me and my brother and made life hard but she is gone that can no longer be an excuse. I am trying to change things first getting out of Arizona! Having no ac makes you REALLY realize how hot it is.. I also love England and miss many aspects of it as well.
Aug 30th 2010, 3:01 am
#17
A Cockney Floridian
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Originally-Leyton E10,London, then Harlow new town, Essex, and eventually ended up in Orlando area
Posts: 164
Re: Yes We Can
OK, here is a new thread for the positive ones amongst us on this Forum. It is for positive thinkers only, so the negative (realists) can please find their own place to moan and whine. Thank you.
I have lived in the USA for almost 24 years, have survived at least 2 depressions, have cleaned toilets and hauled trash at Mc Donalds restaurant as my first 'job' for the sum of $3.50 per hour, and still lived to tell the tale. I have moved from the south to the north of this country, and have made many side trips to view places of beauty and history. I have been privileged to have lived at one time in the country amongst the tall spruce trees, in a tiny cottage with wild animals for company and wildflowers for decoration, and little human company. I have had the company of black bear, coyote, fox, prairie dog, squirrels, and so many birds that I could not possible remember the names of them all. In short, my time here in the USA has been wonderful. I have lived a simple life, with a small paycheck and a huge appreciation for the wonders of this country. I have never traveled west of Kansas City, Kansas so have become a Midwesterner in my outlook.
I am willing to exchange all of that for a series of short stories about my American experiences, a wetter climate, less snow than an average Minnesota winter, the cutest historic villages and towns in the world bar none (somewhat biased), a room in someone's house costing the same as my cottage, a decent Cornish pasty, real bacon, NHS when I qualify, a double-decker red bus, an English park with flowers in a real spring, Easter with flowers and bees, and seagulls crying overhead in a tiny seaside village.
I have lived in the USA for almost 24 years, have survived at least 2 depressions, have cleaned toilets and hauled trash at Mc Donalds restaurant as my first 'job' for the sum of $3.50 per hour, and still lived to tell the tale. I have moved from the south to the north of this country, and have made many side trips to view places of beauty and history. I have been privileged to have lived at one time in the country amongst the tall spruce trees, in a tiny cottage with wild animals for company and wildflowers for decoration, and little human company. I have had the company of black bear, coyote, fox, prairie dog, squirrels, and so many birds that I could not possible remember the names of them all. In short, my time here in the USA has been wonderful. I have lived a simple life, with a small paycheck and a huge appreciation for the wonders of this country. I have never traveled west of Kansas City, Kansas so have become a Midwesterner in my outlook.
I am willing to exchange all of that for a series of short stories about my American experiences, a wetter climate, less snow than an average Minnesota winter, the cutest historic villages and towns in the world bar none (somewhat biased), a room in someone's house costing the same as my cottage, a decent Cornish pasty, real bacon, NHS when I qualify, a double-decker red bus, an English park with flowers in a real spring, Easter with flowers and bees, and seagulls crying overhead in a tiny seaside village.
you can open your windows in january in the 60s and have a nice cool breeze, reminds me so much of home.
thats the ONLY thing I like here
and as not to be negative- I wont post my negatives :-)
Aug 30th 2010, 12:57 pm
#18
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: North East Ohio, USA
Posts: 1,943
Re: Yes We Can
There are plenty of things I don't like about the USA, but here are the positive things:
wide open spaces, free parking, affordable housing (in most states) 4 seasons (love spring & fall, not so keen on winter here in NE Ohio - lots of snow), friendly people (for the most part), PBS, NPR, President Obama, Saturday Night Live (though I can barely stay up late to watch anymore - getting old - loved Tina Fey doing Sarah Palin during the 2008 election), good customer service in stores, etc.
Every country has it's problems, including the US. There is good and bad everywhere.
wide open spaces, free parking, affordable housing (in most states) 4 seasons (love spring & fall, not so keen on winter here in NE Ohio - lots of snow), friendly people (for the most part), PBS, NPR, President Obama, Saturday Night Live (though I can barely stay up late to watch anymore - getting old - loved Tina Fey doing Sarah Palin during the 2008 election), good customer service in stores, etc.
Every country has it's problems, including the US. There is good and bad everywhere.
Sep 3rd 2010, 2:42 am
#19
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Up on the Ranches not down on the Springs
Posts: 2,109
Re: Yes We Can
Just back from the UK and Spent a week in Lytham at a very old classic hotel as a break from the outlaws.
My young sun got to build sand castles on the beach for the first time.
Nothing can match that as sandcastles just arent the same anywhere else in the world
Stopped for a pint on the green of a very small village on the way home watching the locals play cricket and the villagers all picknicking. The green was naturally green, the air was fresh as only an English summers day can produce
Cricket just isnt the same anywhere else in the world
Now back in the Middle East cooking at 43 deg C. If only there was no tax in the UK it would be idillic
My young sun got to build sand castles on the beach for the first time.
Nothing can match that as sandcastles just arent the same anywhere else in the world
Stopped for a pint on the green of a very small village on the way home watching the locals play cricket and the villagers all picknicking. The green was naturally green, the air was fresh as only an English summers day can produce
Cricket just isnt the same anywhere else in the world
Now back in the Middle East cooking at 43 deg C. If only there was no tax in the UK it would be idillic
Sep 10th 2010, 8:19 am
#20
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,139
Re: Yes We Can
I am almost on the way back now - 14 days to go, not counting the rest of today. I sold the car earlier this week, so am essentially housebound until I leave - which is a good thing, as I was spending so much time saying my goodbyes that I was not concentrating on the final details of packing my life into 3 suitcases.
Have bought a number of compression bags, the kind that need a vacumn cleaner to draw out the air, as well as the roll up kind. That will help with space, but the weight still has to be watched: 50# per check in bag, 40# carry-on.
So my positive thought for the day - enjoy the sunshine outside the window, and the sleeping cats inside the window!
Hope all who read this are fine - I read all the other posts on a daily basis. This forum is a very helpful place, with an interesting cross-section of posters. Thanks for keeping me informed and entertained.
Have bought a number of compression bags, the kind that need a vacumn cleaner to draw out the air, as well as the roll up kind. That will help with space, but the weight still has to be watched: 50# per check in bag, 40# carry-on.
So my positive thought for the day - enjoy the sunshine outside the window, and the sleeping cats inside the window!
Hope all who read this are fine - I read all the other posts on a daily basis. This forum is a very helpful place, with an interesting cross-section of posters. Thanks for keeping me informed and entertained.
Sep 10th 2010, 9:32 am
#21
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: North East Ohio, USA
Posts: 1,943
Re: Yes We Can
I am almost on the way back now - 14 days to go, not counting the rest of today. I sold the car earlier this week, so am essentially housebound until I leave - which is a good thing, as I was spending so much time saying my goodbyes that I was not concentrating on the final details of packing my life into 3 suitcases.
Have bought a number of compression bags, the kind that need a vacumn cleaner to draw out the air, as well as the roll up kind. That will help with space, but the weight still has to be watched: 50# per check in bag, 40# carry-on.
So my positive thought for the day - enjoy the sunshine outside the window, and the sleeping cats inside the window!
Hope all who read this are fine - I read all the other posts on a daily basis. This forum is a very helpful place, with an interesting cross-section of posters. Thanks for keeping me informed and entertained.
Have bought a number of compression bags, the kind that need a vacumn cleaner to draw out the air, as well as the roll up kind. That will help with space, but the weight still has to be watched: 50# per check in bag, 40# carry-on.
So my positive thought for the day - enjoy the sunshine outside the window, and the sleeping cats inside the window!
Hope all who read this are fine - I read all the other posts on a daily basis. This forum is a very helpful place, with an interesting cross-section of posters. Thanks for keeping me informed and entertained.
Sep 10th 2010, 9:53 am
#22
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,139
Re: Yes We Can
, and play with all of the feline friends during the daylight hours. And say goodbye to the area up on the Great Lakes where I have lived for the last 12 years.
Sep 10th 2010, 1:43 pm
#23
Finally Home!
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Used to be New York, now North Yorkshire
Posts: 3,610
Re: Yes We Can
Good luck islandwoman! Can't wait to hear your updates when you get back.
Today I'm grateful for the refreshing chill in the air every morning and every night (I thought this awful summer would never end!) and for the fact that I am 8 days away from a one-week trip back to the UK, and hopefully convincing my husband to at least consider a return home.
Today I'm grateful for the refreshing chill in the air every morning and every night (I thought this awful summer would never end!) and for the fact that I am 8 days away from a one-week trip back to the UK, and hopefully convincing my husband to at least consider a return home.
Sep 10th 2010, 1:58 pm
#24
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,477
Re: Yes We Can
I'm a huge tennis fan and was watching US open on telly today. Said it was 69 degrees - lovely.. Does anyone from US have same issue i do when go back home? Watch the bloody news and they say "it's 10 degrees celsius". Well of course I need help converting to Fahrenheit - know formula but takes a while for me to figure it out. Also when first go grocery shopping I stand there like a right idiot waiting for someone to bag groceries. Reality check back in UK - bag your own lazy cow! England, my England.. Looking forward to going back at Xmas.
Sep 10th 2010, 2:06 pm
#25
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,099
Re: Yes We Can
I'm a huge tennis fan and was watching US open on telly today. Said it was 69 degrees - lovely.. Does anyone from US have same issue i do when go back home? Watch the bloody news and they say "it's 10 degrees celsius". Well of course I need help converting to Fahrenheit - know formula but takes a while for me to figure it out. Also when first go grocery shopping I stand there like a right idiot waiting for someone to bag groceries. Reality check back in UK - bag your own lazy cow! England, my England.. Looking forward to going back at Xmas.
Sep 10th 2010, 2:24 pm
#26
Democracy advocate
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 12,534
Re: Yes We Can
I'm a huge tennis fan and was watching US open on telly today. Said it was 69 degrees - lovely.. Does anyone from US have same issue i do when go back home? Watch the bloody news and they say "it's 10 degrees celsius". Well of course I need help converting to Fahrenheit - know formula but takes a while for me to figure it out. Also when first go grocery shopping I stand there like a right idiot waiting for someone to bag groceries. Reality check back in UK - bag your own lazy cow! England, my England.. Looking forward to going back at Xmas.
