I live on an island off the coast of America - ask me anything

[catofdoom]

As requested @IdaBWells

There was a thread before but I can't find it. When Mumsnet has its brain fart a few months ago I could never get back in to my old account.

I live on a little island off the coast of Maine. I moved here after living in London for 15 years.

Beautiful pictures.

@Loopytiles

I feel that it's safe. It's so cold you only go in it for a minute anyway!

Because of Obama care Insurance companies can't refuse to cover treatment for your pre-existing condition or charge you more now.

We don't have healthcare. The deductible would be so high and it would cost so much we just can't afford it.

It's shameful DH's work don't offer him healthcare.

But, if there were a catastrophe, they would pay our bills I think. They recently had a cleaner on their ranch get cancer and they sent her to one of the best clinics in the States. There is also a very large community fund here that the summer people donate to. People use it mostly for healthcare costs, winter fuel if they can't afford it, even help with adult learning or to start a small business.

I don't have financial independence at all. We don't have a pension either. The future prospect of taking over the island paper will give me independence which I'm really looking forward to!

I'm in the process of trying to build up good credit but it's a long haul!

@lilybunnyc I really want to go to Peaks. I've a friend from there and it sounds quite different to here!

Your life sounds amazing. I'd love it and could even stand the hard winters as I lived in a country with very cold winters as a child and teenager 😊

It does sound an amazing place, but at high financial risk, much depends on you all staying well.

@CarolDanvers I'm getting more used to them.

And the pay off is 4 months of amazing summer.

Last winter was too much though, we were icy from December to April.

I still get so excited by the snow though!!

Why did your DH want to move to the UK? And why did you decide to move there instead of him here?

@ComeTheFuck0nBridget he's an Anglophile! I think that's 50% of why he was attracted to me lol.

Loads of American's think Brits are extremely sexy and cool. It's brilliant!

I hear at least once a week 'I LOVE your accent'. Sometimes on the phone or in a shop people will ask me to repeat myself a few times and I never realise it's so they can hear me say something with accent. I always get really embarrassed and annoyed then.

When we've been in the US/Mexico/Caribbean. We get asked by many Americans if we are from Australia!
We are not from Australia just Central England with a bit of moving around the UK.
Cat do you ever get mistaken for another nationality than British?

@JaimeBronde yes! Often people ask me if I'm Australian. I really don't get it, the accents are SO different.

Cat I don't get it either

Did you have to go to the mainland to have your DS? Was it a case of going at 38 weeks and waiting or going during labour?

As a Brit in America I am often mistaken for an Australian. Because we are exposed to so much American TV we assume Americans know as much about us as we know about them. Many Americans have probably never given the UK a thought in their lives, unless there's a Royal Wedding. The British accents they hear are mostly from "Masterpiece Theatre" which are all our costume dramas that they helped fund (that's how they are so lavish) through Public Television. So they just do not hear regional accents from the UK. As Brits we are very self-important and think Americans should know all about us but really, we are just one of the many smaller countries in the world looking for attention from a super power. I can guarantee 98% of Americans wouldn't have a clue who our Prime Minister is and why should they? How is that information remotely relevant to their lives? Most of us would have no clue who the leader of Spain or Italy was.

So yes, especially if you are from London or the SE you can be mistaken for an Australian. I just explain that may be because we carted off so many of our convicts from London to Oz when Australia was a colony (which we also did to America until the Revolution).

I find the people who accurately place my accent, even to London are African Americans. Black Americans are generally more aware of other cultures than white Americans I find. They are also aware of many famous stars of music, TV and Hollywood who are black from other nations. Ellie-Mae the singer for example who my dd and her friends fangirl. They saw her two years ago before she really became big over here. My dd has a diverse group of friends. I was surprised to find two of her best friends who are AA are obsessed with British Love Island. It started playing on Hulu last year and they were constantly texting me their opinions! I find generally AAs are at the cutting edge of popular culture.

Sorry for obnoxiously pontificating catofdoom

@InglouriousBasterd

No I actually had him at home at 42 + 3!

In retrospect I wouldn't do it again. He went in to distress and was born not breathing. He got stuck somehow. My waters didn't break for ages and when they finally did it became apparent he'd pooped. Big chunky bits. His heart rate dropped right down. They couldn't lifeflight me as I guess one of the key things in stopping them ingesting more or suffering brain damage is keeping the mother calm and they didn't want me delivering in the helicopter or on a transfer.

He finally came out after over 6 hours of pushing. It was awful as I had no pain relief at all, they don't use gas and air here. Now midwives are since licensed they may be able to.

He was the first child born on the island in over 30 years and it sparked a trend. Four other people have with the same midwives since.

My sister in law had both of her girls on the island and I attended both. The first one the midwives left it white late before they came and only got there an hour before. The second one they rushed in 10 minutes before! So it was just me and her pretty useless DH! That was bloody nerve wracking. It looks all great delivering a baby yourself on Eastenders but in reality it's terrifying. But of course I had to be all calm and zen and 'it's totally fine I know what I'm doing!'

@IdaBWells most people I know know who the prime minister of the UK is. Maybe it's just my area but people here are obsessed with Britain! When I go home everyone asks me to bring British food back.

Or insist on my looking at their pictures from their trip there over 10 years ago.

Or tagging me in anything remotely to do with the UK on Facebook!

So many people are obsessed with Great British Bake Off it's crazy!

I agree catofdoom same where I am but I am talking the totality of the US. You have to acknowledge your Island won't be typical. For a start those coming in the summer are likely to be the 1% or close to it, well traveled, well educated. There are definitely Anglophiles but for example CA is no longer majority white, I can't imagine people whose background is from Mexico, Central and South America being too fussed about us. Living in Utah, New Mexico, Alaska I'm sure most people would be unfazed (not by our accents but our politics). Although when I first met DHs uncle in Ohio he did ask me if I "rode to hounds?" I assumed he was taking the piss but quickly caught myself when I realised he was deadly serious. (There's not much call for that in SE London). That's when you know an American has overdosed on Masterpiece Theater.

Bloody hell Cat that sounds terrifying!!

Although I dread the well-informed American questioning "Can you explain Brexit to me?".

I hope you said you rode out as whipper-in with the South London Quorn, @Ida, and shouted ‘Tally-ho!’ a few times to give credence to your tale.

cat you were massively brave. I admit I would be leery to give birth knowing a hospital transfer would not be easy. How was your recovery?

NobleRot you seem to know of what you speak?