jemima55

British, how did you get a poppy?

British

Getting Poppies ?
Twas all about timing.
My trip to London was in October, and every trip to Tesco gave me a chance to donate and pick up half a dozen.
I felt very proud to pick them up, wear them - and explain to my American co-workers their significance.

Sacrifices were made both British as well as Commenwealth soldiers - so I relate to both as a Brit of Indian origin.

I also got some English Holly clippings/seeds - I'm going to try them out in the next few weeks!

jemima55

It`s that kind of little thing I miss. If Mr Jemima doesnt take a trip back around Oct/Nov I can always get a relative to put one in an envelope and send it.

Lothianlad

Right, I didn't know that - it's just that the name Surbiton flashed into my mind probably because I am reasonably familiar with that area as I live in Putney SW15 whenever I'm working in London - I just thought it was quite "posh" and knew, from the repeats on a Freeview TV channel, that mega snob Margo Leadbetter and her husband Jerry in "The Good Life" live in Surbiton, and by no stretch of the imagination would anyone assume that the Leadbetters would anything but true blue Conservative, and Conservatives are very fond of waving the Union flag.

My grandparents live near Ledbury in Herefordshire, England, and it's not all that unusual to see the English flag of St George fluttering from garden flagpoles in that area....maybe that's because the Welsh border is not all that far away to the west. I must admit I can't remember seeing the Union flag outside private properties though, come to think of it.

I fail to see what's "odd" about flying your own national (UK) or constituent national flag here in the UK! It's got bugger all to do with racism of any kind, in my opinion. That's a crazy notion. What is prominent though is the massive display of English St George flags on homes, cars, lorries, HGVs, bicycles, taxi cabs, shop windows or wherever all over ENGLAND whenever England competes in the World Cup. Suddenly the flying of the national flags is acceptable, practically compulsory.

Lothianlad

Does holly not grow in North America then? Or is it a different variety of there? How about mistletoe? I once accompanied a Ukrainian lady and her daughter (from Ivano Frankovsk) on a literary trip down to Stratford-upon-Avon and when we saw this holly bush in a park laden down with ripe red berries she claimed never to have seen holly before.

Bluegrass Lass

We have about 6 holly bushes in our flowerbeds. I don't know if it's the same variety as the UK though. I've bought mistletoe, but I have no idea where it was grown.

Yorkieabroad

There was a thread about this last November....I can't find it now. I got our poppies at the British Isles store in Houston, but that thread also had a link (from Bob?) that gave local stockists all over the US. I seem to remember there was also a mailorder place you could get them. Google British Legion Poppies and you'll probably find them - you've got 7 months....on your marks, get set.....

rpjs

They actually filmed The Good Life in Harrow. Allegedly the BBC felt that the real Surbiton wasn't posh-looking enough.

To be fair, I think there's more flag-flying in the UK today than there was back when I was a kid (I'm 44 now).

Personally, as an amateur vexillologist, I'm all for flying flags, and am quite looking to forward to us getting our own house here in due course, and adding a flagpole if it doesn't already have one. I have a schedule of flags already worked out: St George's (I am English) and the Welsh Red Dragon (I studied and lived in Wales) on the respective national days, maybe the UJ for official UK flag-flying days. I'll fly the Stars and Stripes most other days though, and I'd like to get a 13-star "Betsy Ross" original pattern for 4th of July and Flag Day.

If I dared, I might get a Cambridge Flag for 4th of July - this is the actual flag the United States was using when they declared independence: the thirteen red and white stripes but the (18th-century pattern) Union Jack in the canton. I suspect any future neighbors wouldn't know that though and might think I'm taking the piss!

Bob

Yup, The Royal Legion will send you some, also Brit consulates would have them if you can pick them up. The Boston one had loads, but they still went fairly quickly.

jemima55

Up until a few years ago the only car with little flags flying (in the UK) belonged to the mayor. when other people got them(say, for football matches) I was puzzled, thinking that the mayor got around a lot!

CAdreaming

One week in and I find that Im speaking like the Queen!! I seem to have developed 40 plums in my mouth!!! what's happening to me!!

Sally Redux

Are you saying 'orf' and 'hice'

CAdreaming

I am indeed --anyway Orf I go leaving the hice to take a little poodle down to er Winco --do they realise the Queen shops in Winco Eureka??

cindyabs

Sally Redux

Wonderful image - glad you're having fun