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.

Must feel very strange, Anorak.

I do hope that you have a speedy recovery after the op. I have no idea how long it takes to feel ok again but I'll be thinking of you tomorrow and your new nork

I don't think it is disrespectful at all, Bunny. I have a hard time on here, because I feel I should use the British spellings and terminology, especially "mum", but I can't do it, as I feel very fake when I do that. It just isn't who I am, and I imagine people pointing and laughing and thinking I'm trying too hard, which, I'm sure nobody does, or would even notice, I just feel it sticks out like a sore thumb if I typed it. I will, however, use the word trousers instead of pants on here, because I know I'll get laughed at on that one. Trousers is a very hard word to wrap my head around.

Oh Dooney, I'm sorry you struggle with trousers!

I have a friend who mimics my accent (I think subconsciously) but really badly and always says, "DS, here's your woTTerrr" which is meant to be water but just makes me

Hope it went well, Cali.

I have been given a large box of Hershite Pot of Gold. Even though I am desperate for chocolate, it sits unloved, in the kitchen. What shall I do with it? Take it to work?

Thank God my DH isn't the only one who does awful accents when he's trying to talk like people we know. Everything comes out sounding Chinese and stupid. It makes me cringe. That is exactly what I imagine myself sounding like if I would use the British word instead of the American word. Even though I like most of the British words better. Except trousers.

Put the Pot of Gold down. I'm sure it qualifies as hazardous waste somewhere. I don't even think it is "chocolate" anymore, it doesn't contain the right ingredients. It is a "cocoa product". I could be wrong about that, but I know a lot of their products aren't technically chocolate anymore.

Dooney, you are right! Nowhere does it claim to be chocolate, only 'confections'. The ingredients include chocolate but made with HFCS

I think I asked this before, but where would one buy a 12 inch pedal bike for a small boy? I don't want a Diego or Batman one and I don't want DS to have stabilisers. Do I need a bike shop? I really want a Puky but I can't seem to get one over here.

(slight lol @ MrDooney)

Bike shop ones are really expensive. At least around here. DH has a friend that owned a bike shop, and could cut us a deal, and it was way more than we were going to pay.

I made our meatless dinner for the week today. It was a butternut squash in Thai coconut sauce. I thought the recipe looked a little bland, but it had lots of raves. Guess what? It was more than a little bland. So I kept throwing things in it, and it ended up tasting like a pretty good curry. I don't think I'll make it again, as I have no idea what or how much of what ended up in there, as I wasn't paying attention.

I have enough recipes I'm going up to twice a week. At least after next week. In-laws are coming up, and they won't complain at all, but they're not really big on international foods of any kind, or foods with "odd" spices, and that is mostly what I've got up my sleeve.

I was intending to get dd a bike from Target. They seemed very cheap to me. Now we have moved and have no Target I think I might check out Craig's list as a second hand bike would make a lot more sense, given that she will grow out of it in a year or so.

nooka - very savvy economising friend says Walmart is good for bikes, so perhaps look there too.

This seems similiar to the Puky. It's similiarly expensive, at least.

Hi Earlybird, yes I'll check out new too. The Walmart here seems much smarter than ones we have gone to in the States in the past, so I wonder if they have gone a bit more up market, or if they vary from branch to branch (I thought that they were pretty much at the plastic tat end of the market, with fairly chaotic stores from previous encounters).

I'm also going to check out the strange Canadian stores like Canadian Tire.

Thanks all - the Kettler one looks good. I'd much rather buy one for $50 from Target but I am being too picky at the moment. Will look on Craigslist later - hadn't thought of that.

Had a lovely day with DS - went downtown to see the christmas windows.

MaryMungo, are you a namechanger or a visitor or are you joining us?

Just wandered on from active conversations. Playing internet scavenger hunt distracts me from the morning sickness

Oh, ok - welcome! I had actually searched on Amazon for 12" bikes but hadn't found the one you linked to so thanks for your help.

Right, I need to take something for Thanksgiving Dinner. I usually do dessert but 2 other people are taking them so I should do 1 or 2 of:

stuffing
green beans
sweet potatoes
mashed spuds
rolls

What would be easiest to do in advance (day before?), cart down the street and heat up?

I'm going to steal Dooney's recipes if I can. Not sure how to make veggie stuffing - the family we are seeing do it out of a bag.

Anorak, I know you won't be out of hospital yet but I am thinking of you and hope all went well this morning.

I do my sweet potato thing the day before, and you can either heat it up in the oven or even microwave if you are totally desperate. Don't recommend doing the stuffing the day before. Total mush. Veggie stuffing would be totally easy, though. You could easily get enough flavor out of carmelized onions and fresh herbs, or something with dried cranberries, or something with pine nuts or such? Do they do the nasty green bean thing with soup and fried onions? It would be easy to take some trimmed green beans and make some on the stove if they don't do that.

Do you have the recipes? I've got my Thanksgiving folder open right now, as I'm planning my shopping list for next week.

I have the recipes from you links on old thread. Will def do sweet pots and do 1/2 the proper way (as the recipe says) and the other half with marshmallows on top for those who need it. Bleurgh.

Will look for veg stuffing.

Last year they did green beans with almonds which was good. Year before was soupy stuff so maybe I should take them on. Might just do rolls instead cos could bake them in the morning, I suppose.

I found rolls actually gets you the most praise. People (that I know anyway) are amazed if you make them from scratch, and I get more comments on them than anything.

So are you going to make homemade marshmallows for the topping?