You say EEther

I fear I am going to rant today so my apologies if this offends you. It really wasn't my intention to slate all things American so I will try not to but some things are really such a pain! Today I am missing random things - like ham without sugar/honey/maple syrup/anything sweet, Tesco deliveries, tinned chopped tomatoes that just contain tomatoes and not extra peppers and celery thus ruining the taste of my spag bol, Tesco Hi-Juice blackcurrant, English strawberries that taste of something and most of all my wonderful glass hob that is so easy to buff to a shine unlike this naff (not Neff!) one which I cannot seem to find a way to clean............ I carefully bought a non-stick, gentle scourer thing which appears to have scratched the surface of the hob. When I enquired of a local how I'm supposed to clean it she suggested using a terry cloth which I have tried but it just doesn't clean it so I think I will leave it dirty (thank goodness we aren't liable for the security deposit as it's covered by D's employer).

I now feel very guilty so will have to think of some things I DO like about America..........

1. The turn right on a red light rule - would save so much time at home!
2. The ice cream
3. The ice cream
4. Cheap clothes (esp at Gap)
5. Baskin & Robbins and Haagan Dazs
6. Sunshine and air con
7. Chipmunks - they are very cute running around the garden
8. Hmm!

OK, that will have to be a 'to be continued.........' My foul temper is mostly to do with the fact that the monsters were back today. We had to go and buy D some short-sleeved shirts and they ran riot in the shopping centre once again (M was screaming at the top of her voice because I had put E in the buggy instead of her - he had fallen asleep in the car so it seemed fair). It turned out that M was sickening which may partly excuse her - she seems to have a bit of a tummy bug and I changed 6 dirty nappies in an hour as a result. Now we have to wait and see if anyone else is ill. Oh dear - that's another one to add to the negative list, she's never had diarrhoea at home!!!

9. OOH - Just thought of another positive one - drive through ATMs - you don't even have to leave the car to get cash. Also drive through prescriptions sound good, too (not that I need one!)

10. No Big Brother - that's probably not strictly true, but there are so many channels here that no one programme can dominate. In fact, I'm not sure I've actually watched a TV programme as I usually get fed up of flicking through all the channels.

11. Pay per view/On demand. Quite like this - watched a v funny Will Ferell film the other night. Oh, and the movies are really cheap too (cost D $15 for him and 2 kids)

There we go, I feel that was a therapeutic rant as now feel better. In fact I think I shall go and put my feet up with a nice cup of Tetley tea (brought from home of course) and a packet of M&Ms which I just found lurking in the back of the kitchen cupboard.

So, as the sales assistant in Gap said to me - obviously trying to make me feel at home - Cheerio!