All those in the US, sign here...

[mamama]

I see all these threads for Aussie people and thought we should have our own thread too. Not sure why, I just felt the need to make us feel special too!

So, who's stateside and where are you?

I'll start:

Mamama - in Chicago

Hi jabberwocky!

My American daughter DD1 (tuesdayafternoon) is at summer camp near Nassau in upstate NY at the moment.

She is waaay to busy to come on here though (waaaay too busy even to speak to us )

Hey Pan!! I called out in MN cyberspace for you a couple of weeks ago.
Still trying to get on a thread with you to hear your dd's school report.

Earlybird, I have to say we've been well pleased with the Sienna. Just got back from a really major trip in it. It's my 4th Toyota, actually, even tho I tried to keep an open mind when looking at cars.

Wendy, oh to be in upstate NY right now Dh is from there and I feel sure the weather is much more comfortable. Am about to go outside to the furnace we are presently living in. Ds1's school is having a cook-out at the park - gads, what were they thinking? Ds2 had to stay with my mother as the heat really gets his excema flared up.

ooh, sorry I missed you.

Itwas a sort of vindication of what we talked about...that she was being viewed as "mistrusting" and "as hard as nails" when she was in reception class, which I knew was wrong, but wasn't sure 'why' I knew this. MN and you helped me know the 'why'.

Her end of year 2 report is stacked with praise for her sensitivity, quiet confidence and her, most of all, trustworthyness. It was as if I could have written it!!

That is so wonderful! I'm getting a bit misty thinking of how dedicated you were in looking for the 'why' and how much your little dd has benefited from all that you have done.

oh, nice. thank you.

We have both benefitted hughly. She has a daddy that 'gets' her, and I have a complex, 'un-shy' and beautiful daughter. Long live Google and MN!

Oh Weewilliewinkie, I missed you on our list, sorry. I'll add you asap.

I haven't lived in VA so can't help much with specifics, although I have friends who lived in Richmond for a long time, so if you need anything, I can ask them.

Shopping advice - depends on what type of shopping but Target is great for most things (and cheap too)! Hope you are settling in ok.

Hope all the car shopping is going well. Mine doesn't seem too happy atm.

Ali, hope things are better with DSs' Dad. Grrr at these useless-waste-of-space-men. My ex is being crappy too. Now there's a surprise

lol @ Califrau's extensive pashmina collection. My EMIL can't say it properly so they will always be known to me as pashmeeneeees

Missed califrau's pashminas. I do love them, too although my collection is much, much smaller

What's the perfect Margarita recipe and do I have to have those soup bowl type glasses?

Can you believe that I had to get a prescription yesterday for a month's worth of tablets and our insurance policy doesn't cover us til we've had it for 2 years - but the point is that it cost me $158.70.

Oh gawd for some Jose Cuervo marg mix right about now!

Kaiser in the West Coast well and truly rocks!

And don't think I've forgotten that I need to thank you, Califrau .

I'm with Kaiser here in CO and they cover everything bar the co-pay so far . Will have to leave sometime due to personal circs but boys are remaining so that's okay.

I had it in CO, ali, and it really was nice.

Like the NHS but with a small co-pay.

I bought privately, as an independent and it wasn't even that dear.

Really, top marks to them.

Yes, Cali. I'll change back. Somebody called me an old hag in another thread and being a naturalised Brit I couldn't resist an opportunity to take the mick.

Wow, you've given me a whole new perspective on Kaiser, Cali and Expat. TBH, we had Kaiser here, and one of the big factors in our decision to move 4 years ago was the fact we wouldn't have Kaiser in Southern Oregon, and I wouldn't have to have DS there. I hated them with a passion. They operated on the wrong leg of someone we knew. Didn't diagnose MIL with cancer until it was too late, didn't diagnose DH's bookkeeper with cancer until 2 weeks before she died and it had spread throughout her body, and told DH he had a broken clavicle, but were too busy to fix it, so they farmed him out to another health system, who asked if the janitor there had read the x-ray and found out he only had a strained muscle.

at health insurance issues

Oldhag I keep reading it as oldhaggis . And that's before the wine. Anyone had any dealings with Humana as that'll be the HMO I'm swapping to???

Everyone here is on Humana. Don't know if its any good though

The current cover story of Consumer Reports is about insurance companies and how they rate individually from a client perspective. Might be worth picking up the mag if you're doing comparisons/shopping.

The company set us up with IMG Worldwide which doesn't cover kids innoculations too - which obviously are compulsory here. The broker is now talking to me directly to get a report from my doc as I've got a major prob with restless legs - he wants me to do a sleep test even though ii get it when I'm awake too - to see if there's any extra indicators but the insurance won't do it as they see sleep tests as related to insomnia. I mean obviously i can't sleep cos of the legs but I'm exhausted just chasing my tail with the insurance and we're on the Platinum Plus everything package - god knows what it's like if you're not! So, we can't change but the broker has mailed me and said he thinks we can get around the sleep test thing - mind you do you really fancy sleeping in a room with a one way mirror wired up to lots of monitors.....gives me the heebie jeebies just thinking about it!

Mind you I am going OUT OF MY MIND with my legs. They were bad when I was pregnant 2nd time around with DS but since we came stateside they've been terrible. They do take me seriously about it here which really helps - makes me not feel liike a total headcase - but I'm on some dopamine style anti seizure drugs and have had to go up to a nearly full dose to achieve anything like normal life - which is totally freaking me out! Anyway, that's boring, margarita anyone?

syd, this is like a margarita but served on the rocks instead of frozen. I can't find the recipe I used last time but it was tequila, cointreau, triple sec and margaritia mix. It's a variation on a Mexican Martini recipe.You could have a blast and/or get very drunk experimenting.

Pour all ingredients into a large cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a large cocktail/martini glass (8+ ounces) with a salt rim.