Living in the US - Where we say TO MA TOE and you say TO MAH TOW

[alipiggie]

Wow we filled the thread guys. So as I was about to Say UR you've probably had squirrel if you've eaten Chinese . Think I've had most things. Just don't ask eat. Roasting hot here, very busy but having a blast. Enjoyed our new gym yesterday and picnic in the park tonight which was wonderful. Live music, handsome young men - need I say more.

hi superbunny, found you!

i lived in the u.s. while i went to school and just used any old box. they measure the box height, width and depth to determine postage.

I think I've worked it out actually. So, next question - can I wrap said box in brown paper? Is that allowed. I vaguely remember a Bill Bryson story about US post offices being very particular about how things are wrapped

Thanks Jack's mama.

Where in Canada are you? I have a cousin in Montreal (but I have never met him) and my mum went to Medicine Hat.

Jacksmama not Jack's mama

It really depends from post office to post office. Most are fine as long as it is easy to tell to and return addresses. I wrapped one in brown paper once, because it was a very busy box, and had no problems. IME, the smaller the town, the fussier the clerk, so you should have no problems.

And my figs had no maggots, and the pizza was amazing. Charcuterie pancetta kicks some major arsey.

lol @ Dooney.

Post Office Clerks are notoriously stroppy here. I should probably go out of my way to go to the one where they love DS. We haven't been for ages but they always give him whole packets of cookies and sweets and all sorts. It got to the point where he'd walk in and say, "Have you got any cookies for me?" so I had to start going somewhere else.

Oh, and if you are sending a plastic bread slicer in the mail, put it in another box with packing peanuts. My mil sent me a plastic bread slicer, and it arrived in more pieces than I could count.

You know, in case you are sending a plastic bread slicer. Better yet, if you are sending a plastic bread slicer, send a gift card for a place that sells them instead. Plastic bread slicers are delicate, you know.

I packed a box up then found an envelope which it all fit into. Then I calculated postage and it is cheaper to send a heavier box than it is a much lighter envelope. Only pennies but where's the logic in that?

So, since boxes and more exciting and can be packed better, I will try sending a box. I will learn something. Oh, the excitement!

How did we get to over 900 posts already?

It's my inane wittering, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

you lot are funny

i have to hang out here more often

I was going to sulk and not post but I knew you'd all be desperate to know that I survived the post office. I chickened out of using a box

Califrau - my mum used to send her friend to the P/O in Germany so that she didn't have to face the scary clerks there. Now she takes things back to England if they need more than a stamp.

East Coast
MaNanny - Boston
Twinmommytobe - Boston
MuminCT - CT
Greatgooglymoogly - NY State
Yesthereare4ofthem - NY State
Brooklynmom - NYC
alarkaspree - NYC
MKG - New Jersey
Mummimamma - PA
Poetmum - PA
Twirl - MD

South
Earlybird - TN
jabberwocky - AR
Sunchowder - Florida
Marls001 - Bentonville, AR
Tinpot - NC
MadameDeathStare- AL

Midwest
SuperBunny- Chicago
Dodgykeeper - Dayton, OH
Chocchipcookie - Ohio
MonkeyLover
KickAssAngel - Ann Arbor, MI

Rockies
Alipiggie - Boulder, CO
Ribena

Northwest
AnnieLaurie - Seattle, WA
Dooneygirl - Oregon City, OR

California
SittingBull - nr San Francisco
Califrau - Milpitas
loopsngeorge - Brentwood, LA
Syd - Manhattan Beach, LA
SofiaAmes - LA
LATyke - Redondo Beach

Texas
Texan - Dallas
Tiggyhop - Houston
Vixie78 - Houston
BananaPudding - Austin
Cosmicdust - East Texas

Canada
Hellish - Ottawa
Shouldlistenedtomymum - Hamilton
Caribbean
Barefeete - BVI
Nooka - BC
Jacksmama - ?

Bermuda
Anorak - Bermuda

Trinidad
cq

Brazil
Albert

Jacksmama - Langley, British Columbia, Canada
About 45 min east of Vancouver
About 4 hrs west of Nooka!!

cali you've put me off ever moving to Germany - of course, I never had any intention of moving there so it's just as well

It made me so happy to see that I wasn't the only name under Northwest. I'm not lonely anymore.

Well all very scary here. Mountain passes closed by blowing heavy snow and here in Boulder my friend had to evacuate her house in the foothills because of a serious Wildfire . I hope it's still standing tomorrow.

11000 houses evacuated. Glad I'm not one of them. Luckily so far no-one injured, although a few houses/barns burnt. Hunkered down watching the news all night long.

HELP!! Right if you ladies could just put down your pints of mead and tear yourselves away from the post office and cheese spread sheets, I need to ask a question:

Where can I hire a TENS machine from here in the US? I just did a quick google and only uk companies were coming up.

I am 2 weeks off my due date, starting to get VERY nervous about lack of pain relief options here (ie no gas and air). Got a needle phobia unfortunately, which means really don't want epi or anything else.

Do mums over here use TENS machines? Are they common? I don't think it was much use with DS1, just dangles round my neck buzzing away but am suddenly panicking that I might regret not having one.

Any of you use them (ie people who gave birth in the US)?

Advice please... thanks x

I don't think you can. I'd never heard of one until I found MN, and nobody I know knows what I'm talking about when I mentioned it. Not even my OB/GYN midwife when I asked her what one was after seeing it on here and only knowing when it was used, and what it is. I still really don't know what it does.

I sympathize with the needle phobia. Mine is bad like yours, and I chose 2 natural childbirths over needles.

Oh Dooney, you are not allowed to be the bearer of such bad news - you are my 'Northwest' Buddy

Hell, why does it have to hurt so much, am dreading it...

Anyone else?? (she enquired optimistically!)

I feel awful. I'm sorry. I don't know for sure that you can't get them.