trottytrue

Ifitweremyhome....I looked at that website and I question all the information. Its a vast amount of statistics and cannot be proved, they say they got it from the CIA website but it would take forever to check that they put it all together correctly.

Books....I have a friend who is an author and she publishes her books in both the UK and the US. She has publisher in the US and they have someone who edits her books for American consumption. Not to dumb them down but to change the spelling and some descriptions. I loaned a friend a book that had been published in the Uk and she kept calling me up asking me to interpretate certain words. I remember one was the WC. She did not know what it was. I had to explain it to her there were many others but I cannot remember them all. When we first came to the US I use to help my children with their spelling words. But after many mistakes I was forbidden from helping them. My husband took over the job till I got use to the differences. I still spell my old way but my children spell the US way.

Tyrone...Sounds like the UK is going through some tough times. I realize that this is happening from talking to my family and friends but they seem happy enough, they are not very happy with the new VAT of 20%. I find my younger relatives complain more, probably because they see more money being taking out of their wage packet.

My niece called me today. She was not happy. She had an X-Ray done 2 weeks ago and called her Dr's office to see if the results were in yet. The answer was no they had not received them yet. She said the hospital is just down the road from the Dr's office.


I was thinking about all of us who have been away from the UK for many years. Do you still have a British accent or do you have an accent of the country you now live in. I wonder even though we know we are British if we no longer have the accent will we be accepted as one of them or just be another foreigner in our own country. In the US having a British accent has been a plus in many ways. Not sure how an American accent will go down in the UK.

Maybe Jasper DDL or ED can answer that one for us.

DDL..The Queen and Royal Family. I think I respect the Queen the most she is the most hardworking but so are Prince Charles and Princess Anne. I think because they were part of my life from childhood they are in my blood. I remember watching the Queens Coronation on our little black and white tele and in 1977 the street my mother lived on had a big party and we also had one in Sandbach it was such alot of fun. I dont know whether todays generation feel the same way about Royalty. I do know that England has such wonderful history and I love it all. Legend has it that when the Ravens leave the Tower of London it will fall and so will the Kingdom. The attraction for many to visit the UK is the History and Royalty.

Rum baba's. Marks and Spencers had the best I have ever tasted.

Sainsbury's....
Thank you for your comments, which I have passed to our buying team to view. We have discontinued rum babas in our stores. However, if we have enough customers interested in seeing rum babas return we will do all we can to get them back in store. In the meantime, you may like to try our rum baba recipe at sainsburys.co.uk. The link is as follows:

http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/food/rec...%3drum%2bbabas.

I hope that you will enjoy trying the recipe.

trottytrue

This is the recipe from Sainsbury's. Ignore the calories.

Rum babas
Light sweet buns filled with cream and seeped in a rum syrup.

5/5stars Av. customer rating Serves: 8

Preparation time: 65 Minutes

Cooking time: 20 Minutes

Nutrition per serving: 556 cals, 32g fat, of which 19g saturated fat, 33g added sugar, 0.4g salt
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Rate this recipe12345You will need275g strong plain flour, sifted
2 tablespoons caster sugar
25g fresh yeast, or 1 sachet dried yeast
300ml warm milk
3 medium eggs beaten
125g butter, softened
50g currants (optional)
125g sugar
150ml water
Strip of lemon rind
2 tablespoons rum
300ml whipping cream, whipped
8 glacé cherries (optional)
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Method1.Make the dough by combining the flour and sugar in a large bowl. Dissolve the yeast in the milk and add to the flour with the eggs. Beat for 5 minutes until smooth and some bubbles are beginning to form. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
2.Add the softened butter to the batter in pieces with the currants if you are using them. Beat with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes. Divide the mixture between eight 10cm baba moulds and leave in a warm place for 5 minutes.
3.Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6 for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
4.Make the syrup by dissolving the sugar in the water over low heat. Add the lemon rind and boil for 5 minutes. Remove the rind and add the rum. Spoon the syrup over each baba and leave to soak into the bun for a few minutes before filling with whipped cream and decorate with a glacé cherry if you are using them.
Cook's tip: To freeze, pack in a rigid container, seal, label and freeze. To serve, thaw in the container at room temperature for 2 hours, then place on individual plates.

dontheturner

Hello TT, Hope you are well.
Never favoured M & S cakes, myself.

However, The best I used to buy were made by Wimbush, and distributed all over the West Midlands, to their stores.

Does anyone remember Kunzle Cakes - No one ever ate more than 2. - Coffeee cups, spring to mind - all Milk Chocolate. - would be frowned upon today, as very sickly, and full of Cholesterol. Take care ( 30 Days - and Oh! British Airways Cabin Crew may go on Strike in February) dontheturner

Beedubya

RHUM BABA'S 556 CALORIES and 32g FAT!!!!!!!!!

I will be keeping well away from them, I am still trying to lose the weight I put on in my last few months in the UK!!!

I will be more sensible this time, I promised myself.

Beedubya

I heard that about the BA staff strike Don, hope they can wait until after you have flown out!! How are you feeling about leaving Thailand and how is Mrs Don feeling about leaving her country?

I am a wee bit behind you at 35 sleeps!!

But first we have Jackie off the blocks with 4!!

Fish n Chips 56

I remember the name, Do they still make them???

jasper123

Hey thanks Barb for that, prices are quite steep, but if you want it its there right, didnt see miricle whip though, but A.1. steak sauce and different spices they do have, and also if American/Brits miss there pankakes then they have pancake mix ---- just add water, and also Aunt Jeminas Pancake syrip,
Rodney.

dontheturner

M8 , Miracle Whip is called Whip Cream, and in an aerosol Right? by the Ice cream freezers! Don

dontheturner

Barb, My Wife (Tippawan - or Tim for short) is so keen. Cannot wait. All bags ready. - bar squeezing in, Tooth Brushes, and razors, and shaving mirror. Oh! and Top Coats, for the other end!. (We are not even hauling those, from here on the internal flight, the family, are taking them by road in the Pick Up, right to Bangkok) - so we are just bored, till we go, Bar having a cheap haircut, and a couple of massages, before we go. - even gifts are in, and my hat, which not worn since arrival. Wishing our Jackie all the best, and hope to invite her and rod, for a break/get together. Love don

dontheturner

F&S,,,Unfortunately no, but there is a web site, with recipes. dontheturner

PAT M

DDL, I am very fond of the Queen and respect the way she has honoured her vows, I was shopping in a market in South London during the Queen's Golden Jubilee, I think in 2002, a stallholder looked up at the lack of street decorations and said "Look at that! All that woman has done all these years is serve this country - and look at this! no bunting, no flags, no nothing!" As it turned out the actual day was wonderful, we watched her on TV when she came out on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to greet the thousands of wellwishers and view the RAF fly past. Ofcourse I also have memories of my parents' and relatives' attitudes to the Royal Family, some not very respectful but not with any hint they would change anything. Back in the 50's and 60's, the BBC would report that "The Queen/Queen Mother has a slight chill and will not be attending engagements planned for today..." My dear Mum had 8 children to look after whether ill or not and would say "Oh, poor cow, how will she manage".

jasper123

Hi Jackie,
Well yeah a nice liquid lunch with your friends ---- just the ticket !!! now dont be getting nervous just cause you only have 3 days to go, dont get yourself all in a Tizzy as my dear old Mum would say
Just thought I would mention ---- about banks, if you intend like I did in keeping a US bank account open this is what you must do before you leave, you must go into the bank and tell them you are going to be living in England, I just told my bank that I will be there for 2 years just in case they had any questions, --- it is very important Jackie to do this cause if you dont as soon as you start using your debit card in UK your bank will block it Automatically, and it will take some time and hastle that you dont need to get it sorted out,
Another thing is dont forget to call your utility companies now and give them the date that you need your service cut off --- stopped, dont leave till the day you leave, that way you wont forget to call one and your head will be clear to just concentrate on your flight, have you packed yet? if not if I were you I would do it right now, dont leave it till the last minute, --- I had my 4 large suitcases packed one month before my flight which I admit is a bit extreme but does that sound like somebody who just cant wait to get home or what !!!
I wish you a nice comfortable steady flight, and dont look back just forward, I just took a nice last minute look at our Las Vegas, I did shred a tear though I dont mind saying that, I still miss it, it was my home for a long time, and you are going to miss it too thats natural, after all it was your home for 27 years, I still keep in touch with my two friends in Seattle and my friend in Vegas by email and I always will,Well best of luck and have a great life with your Family,
Take care,
Rodney.

islandwoman120

I grew up in a Commonwealth country, and each home had a framed photograph of the Queen in pride of place in the living room. We were ardent Royalists in those days, not so much now. Losing Diana made a huge negative impact on me, and I have to admit that I am not so interested in them any longer (an attitude that suprises me). Being away for such a long time makes a lot of changes in oneself I guess - some things I was keen on before leaving the UK in the 1980s no longer are of interest to me. And unfortunately, the Royal family and their goings on are one of the things I no longer follow. I am very pleased that the young Royals are being cognizant of what is going on around them, and asking for financial donations to charities instead of useless wedding gifts. Good for them.

jasper123

Oh jackie very well put indeed,

Lorac05

No Miracle Whip and Whip Cream are two different things here in the US - Miracle Whip comes in a tub and I really can't think of a similar product in the UK.