C’mon, England….really?! (Paula)
In so many ways, you have enriched the world: The Magna Carta, the Industrial Revolution, Thomas The Tank Engine. So, what is so difficult about having both hot and cold water coming out of the same spigot?
I know, I know. Historically hot and cold water systems came through unrelated plumbing parts in old buildings. But that was generations ago. And to this day, some people install separate hot and cold taps in new buildings.
So, there you are in the local pub. After a few drinks, you go into the loo and are faced with freezing the germs off your hands or or risking the hot faucet and emerge with lobsters where your hands were. Sure, you could use a plug to fill the basin to add some of each, mixing with your hands to unsuccessfully strive for comfy. But then, the niggling worry when you reflect on how many others have used that basin since it was cleaned. This. Just. Isn’t. Right.
And let’s talk about laundry, people….there are these new-fangled machines called “Clothes Dryers”. Not a water extracting piece of cr*p, but an actual way to fluff clothes around in hot air and the clothes come out *DRY and not wrinkled*!! No need to risk hanging everything out on a sunny day, only to need to rush in when the weather (inevitably) turns to a downpour. And no need to end up with towels which resemble the sheep we see everywhere. (Wait: maybe they *aren’t* all sheep. Hmm. Maybe some really *are* towels put out to dry….)
But, then again, maybe pegging out your laundry is the great equalizer for the masses. Everybody is in the same boat, waiting for a sunny day, not daring to complain about the sprinkles falling from the grey skies.
And last but not least, England. There are spoons sized between your (adorable) diminutive ‘tea spoons’ and your place spoons which are nearly swimming pool sized. Like Goldilocks, I want a spoon which is just right!
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My attempt at humor. Overall, things are going great and I like it here a lot.
England has great food and it is cheaper to eat well here than at home. They excel at dairy and meat. Loads of choices in the groceries for produce and it is fun to try new kinds of things. But I steadfastly refuse to try blood sausage or haggis.
3 thoughts on “C’mon, England….really?! (Paula)”
glad you posted… hello paula.
This morning I had to deal with separate hot and cold taps in the sink and a piece of flatware we would call a serving spoon for soup at lunch. Do you slurp from the side? Pour from the front with your head flung back? Laundry day is coming up soon. I have my fingers crossed that Peter’s friends in Glasgow has a real dryer. I suppose that one good thing about pegging your clothes on a line outside is that you can be sure that they will be thoroughly rinsed before they are mostly dry.
Soup spoons – dip in your bowl, and then sip (do not slurp) from the side of the spoon. When the bowl is close to empty, tilt it away from you to get the last of the soup into your spoon. On no account tilt the bowl towards you or attempt to put the spoon in your mouth.
When eating with a knife and fork, the fork stays in the left hand with the prongs pointing down. Do not turn your fork over and use it as a scooper, or move it to your right hand. This means it is impossible to eat peas without the assistance of mashed potato as a binding agent.
Fish and chips may be eaten with the fingers if you are out of doors, but a knife and fork should be used if you are indoors, unless you are watching television. (OK, I made that one up, but it might be true.)