A Healthy Dose of Whinging
Disclaimer: Though one of us swore that he would not become a "whinger" after moving to the UK, we just have to get this out of our system. Then we can go on not being whingers.
We have recently noticed that our living situation is far from perfect. In fact, it is a mighty big step down from our lovely Brussels apartment. We are making approximately the same amount of money as we were in Belgium, but getting a whole lot less for it. It has taken the latest onslaught of mold to make us realize how many "idiosyncracies" we have been putting up with so far... without complaint. Working from the front door to the back:
Our living room is four feet from a busy street, so traffic noise is unavoidable. When large trucks go by the windows and front door rattle. We have to crank up the volume on the TV when we watch movies to hear dialogue above the roar of motorcycles.
Speaking of the TV, did I mention that it is directly next to the washing machine? The counter and cupboard arrangement in the kitchen prevents it from being in there and there are seemingly no utility rooms in England, so that leaves the living room in our particular situation. The electric outlet placement means that in order to plug it in, we have to run an extension cord from the washing machine, behind the sink and along the counter. Looks really nice.
Regarding the washing machine, it is a washer/dryer all-in-one. The same tumbler that washes the clothes, also dries it... or tries to anyway. It is a "condenser dryer", so not very efficient. To make sure our clothes don't shrink, we have to take them out before they are completely dry (which would normally take more than an hour) and hang them in various places. From what we've heard, we have it pretty luxurious on that score. Most people only have a washer!
There is only one outlet in the living room which seriously limits furniture placement and makes having a lamp impossible. Our lovely overhead lights do not have shades so we have a bare bulb dangling from its cord. Very crack-den chic.
We have a large under-the-stairs closet which would make great storage, if I didn't have to use it for my clothes. There are no other closets or built-in wardrobes in the apartment so we have had to improvise. We managed to get a small armoire into the bedroom (more on that later) but there is absolutely no possibility of getting both of our clothing "repetoires" into it. So I have taken over the storage area, putting a garish yellow bookshelf in the corner to stack clothes on and hanging various plastic grocery bags off of it for socks, bras and undies. Our shoes are in another plastic bag and all unnecessary clothing (summer stuff) are in one of the two giant suitcases also in the closet. I share my wardrobe space with the ironing board and vacuum cleaner, not to mention several cases of Belgian beer. There is no light source or outlet in the closet so putting an outfit together is a bit challenging.
The lack of outlets is also a problem in the bathroom. Lots of charming old houses and hotels do not have electrical outlets in the bathroom. Our apartment is also one of these places, but not the charming kind. It was probably updated in the 70's with new fixtures and just before we moved in the landlord had a new electric shower installed. In order to take a shower we have to turn on the electric water heater inside the linen closet and then remember to turn it off afterward, but this seems to be a normal feature of UK bathrooms. Most people here take baths apparently. What is missing is an outlet for the hair dryer and electric toothbrush charger. There aren't any outlets in the hallway so we have to run an extension cord from the bedroom, down the hall into the bathroom. Of course I would trip on this if we left it out, so every time we use it we have to coil it back up in the bedroom.
Our bedroom is the tiniest room I've ever seen. There is exactly enough room for a queen size futon mattress and a small armoire. That's it. I usually sleep between Rich and the wall, so if I get up before him I have to goose-step over his legs to get out of the room. To open or close the blinds we have to walk across the bed. There are about five inches between the foot of the mattress and the wall and it is in this space where the room's only outlet is. So this is home of the electric toothbrush and the bathroom extension cord. Almost every night one of us hits the tooth brush with our feet and rattles it around. The room is illuminated by another bare bulb. The walls are painted in glossy white paint so when the light is on it feels like being inside a small refrigerator. We've already talked about the mold issue so I won't go through that again here, but related to that, we have had to add another peculiarity to our mornings. When we have both gotten up for the day, one of us has to remove the comforter and pillows and then tilt the entire mattress up to lean it against the wardrobe so that the moisture doesn't create mold again. This makes the wardrobe inaccessible, so Rich has to make sure he has all the clothing items necessary for the day before we do this.
The back door of the apartment is at the end of the hall, right next to the bedroom. The door opens into a small mud room that we share with the upstairs tenant. There is a gap of about 2 inches between the door and the floor which creates quite a draft. It isn't outside air coming in, but the mud room is unheated so it is definitely chilly. We haven't been able to find a draft-blocker (sausage shaped thingy filled with beans or cat litter or?) so we've rolled up an old parka and put it on the floor inside the door.
Moving is not an option at this point so we will have to put up with all of this until summer. We're thinking of it as "paying our dues" or as an interesting life experience that we will someday look back on and laugh. I wonder when that will be??
~K & RP
Tuesday, November 30
Sunday, November 28
Back from Scotland
Great trip to Scotland. Glasgow is a grungy, but wonderful city. We really liked it. On the way back, we stopped in Edinburgh. Picturesque, but too many tourists. Won't be going back there again. Our stop-over in York (on the way to Scotland) was brief, but worthwhile. Nice little city. Much calmer vibe than Norwich.
Update on the moldy mattress... On Thursday morning, before we left, I sprayed the mold patches with a bleach solution. It worked! The mold turned a pale brown and I was able to vaccuum it off. You can hardly tell it was moldy. Of course, you can never get rid of mold spores, so we have to make sure it doesn't stay moist for long periods of time.
-RP-
Great trip to Scotland. Glasgow is a grungy, but wonderful city. We really liked it. On the way back, we stopped in Edinburgh. Picturesque, but too many tourists. Won't be going back there again. Our stop-over in York (on the way to Scotland) was brief, but worthwhile. Nice little city. Much calmer vibe than Norwich.
Update on the moldy mattress... On Thursday morning, before we left, I sprayed the mold patches with a bleach solution. It worked! The mold turned a pale brown and I was able to vaccuum it off. You can hardly tell it was moldy. Of course, you can never get rid of mold spores, so we have to make sure it doesn't stay moist for long periods of time.
-RP-
Thursday, November 25
Wednesday, November 24
Moldy Consultation
I called the landlord a little while ago and he came over pretty much right away. He seemed to think that the moisture came from condensation. Since our mattress is directly on the floor, the heat from our bodies creates condensation on the floor because it is a "cold slab". He recommended that we get something to raise the mattress off the floor, so that this doesn't happen.
Fair enough, we should have some kind of futon frame, I guess. But the room is SO small, our choices are pretty limited.
Unfortunately, I think he is right about it being condensation. He promised to have a company come out to check for damp problems, however. I don't get it, though. It was cold in Belgium and we didn't have ANY condensation problems, even on the windows! It is also pretty moist in Belgium, so that's not necessarily the mitigating factor either.
Until we get a bed-frame of some kind, we are going to have to tilt the mattress on its side during the day, I guess.
-RP-
I called the landlord a little while ago and he came over pretty much right away. He seemed to think that the moisture came from condensation. Since our mattress is directly on the floor, the heat from our bodies creates condensation on the floor because it is a "cold slab". He recommended that we get something to raise the mattress off the floor, so that this doesn't happen.
Fair enough, we should have some kind of futon frame, I guess. But the room is SO small, our choices are pretty limited.
Unfortunately, I think he is right about it being condensation. He promised to have a company come out to check for damp problems, however. I don't get it, though. It was cold in Belgium and we didn't have ANY condensation problems, even on the windows! It is also pretty moist in Belgium, so that's not necessarily the mitigating factor either.
Until we get a bed-frame of some kind, we are going to have to tilt the mattress on its side during the day, I guess.
-RP-
Gorgonzola
The bedroom in our apartment has been having a bit of a "damp" problem. Our window is always fogged and everything feels slightly damp (sheets, pillows, wallpaper). Gradually, we started to notice the walls discoloring a bit. You can see it underneath the wallpaper. Parts are turning yellow and others brown or black.
Yesterday, Kristen was changing the sheets on the bed and she decided she would rearrange the mattress and our wardrobe. When she lifted the mattress she discovered that there were huge pages of green and brown mold on the bottom of it (the side that has been in contact with the carpet. The carpet was quite damp with some mold on it as well. On one wall, where the baseboard meets the wall, there was a patch of green/grey mold. DISGUSTING!
Needless to say, we are going to call the landlord about this. We've been sleeping in a mold incubator! Not sure how we'll clean the mattress (steamer cleaner). Luckily, we're going to Scotland tomorrow for two days, so we can drag the mattress into the living room to let it dry out. Maybe spray some diluted bleach on the moldy spots.
Not sure what the landlord can do about it, though. But something has to be done. It's not healthy to be surrounded by mold spores!
-RP-
The bedroom in our apartment has been having a bit of a "damp" problem. Our window is always fogged and everything feels slightly damp (sheets, pillows, wallpaper). Gradually, we started to notice the walls discoloring a bit. You can see it underneath the wallpaper. Parts are turning yellow and others brown or black.
Yesterday, Kristen was changing the sheets on the bed and she decided she would rearrange the mattress and our wardrobe. When she lifted the mattress she discovered that there were huge pages of green and brown mold on the bottom of it (the side that has been in contact with the carpet. The carpet was quite damp with some mold on it as well. On one wall, where the baseboard meets the wall, there was a patch of green/grey mold. DISGUSTING!
Needless to say, we are going to call the landlord about this. We've been sleeping in a mold incubator! Not sure how we'll clean the mattress (steamer cleaner). Luckily, we're going to Scotland tomorrow for two days, so we can drag the mattress into the living room to let it dry out. Maybe spray some diluted bleach on the moldy spots.
Not sure what the landlord can do about it, though. But something has to be done. It's not healthy to be surrounded by mold spores!
-RP-
Friday, November 19
Theatre Thoughts
My job at the theatre is fairly mundane. I spend most of my time on the phone with customers either answering questions or booking tickets. The good part is that by the time people hang up, they are happy to have their questions answered or happy to have theater tickets. Every once in a while I have to give someone information they don't want to hear (high ticket prices, sold out shows, etc.) and that can be unpleasant for me and disappointing for them. But over all, the interaction is pleasant or even fun. I get at least one comment every day about my accent which often leads to a conversation about the U.S. (places they've been, family they have in the states, what I'm doing here, differences between the U.S. and U.K., etc.). These calls are always entertaining and I'm constantly surprised by how willing the British are to have a long and fairly personal conversation with someone they've never met (or seen). One day I spent 20 minutes on the phone with an elderly gentleman discussing the presence of American airmen in Norfolk during WWII. The next afternoon I spoke with an American woman who married a Brit, moved to Norfolk, had a baby and then her husband left her. I don't mind spending hours on the phone. Each call gives me hints about the person's life even if we only discuss the current show or where they should park. It is the background noises that capture my attention. I've heard (to name a few) kids talking, televisions and radios playing, dogs barking when someone comes to the door, clattering dishes, exhalation of cigarette smoke, shaky voices of the old or ill, arguments, singing, a cukoo clock, construction noise, mail falling through the slot onto a hard floor, scales played on a piano, and chickens clucking. I automatically imagine what the house looks like and what their lives are like. To the person on the phone I know I am just a voice at the theater. I'm sure they don't think about the few minutes that we are connected and what they might be giving away about themselves.
~K
My job at the theatre is fairly mundane. I spend most of my time on the phone with customers either answering questions or booking tickets. The good part is that by the time people hang up, they are happy to have their questions answered or happy to have theater tickets. Every once in a while I have to give someone information they don't want to hear (high ticket prices, sold out shows, etc.) and that can be unpleasant for me and disappointing for them. But over all, the interaction is pleasant or even fun. I get at least one comment every day about my accent which often leads to a conversation about the U.S. (places they've been, family they have in the states, what I'm doing here, differences between the U.S. and U.K., etc.). These calls are always entertaining and I'm constantly surprised by how willing the British are to have a long and fairly personal conversation with someone they've never met (or seen). One day I spent 20 minutes on the phone with an elderly gentleman discussing the presence of American airmen in Norfolk during WWII. The next afternoon I spoke with an American woman who married a Brit, moved to Norfolk, had a baby and then her husband left her. I don't mind spending hours on the phone. Each call gives me hints about the person's life even if we only discuss the current show or where they should park. It is the background noises that capture my attention. I've heard (to name a few) kids talking, televisions and radios playing, dogs barking when someone comes to the door, clattering dishes, exhalation of cigarette smoke, shaky voices of the old or ill, arguments, singing, a cukoo clock, construction noise, mail falling through the slot onto a hard floor, scales played on a piano, and chickens clucking. I automatically imagine what the house looks like and what their lives are like. To the person on the phone I know I am just a voice at the theater. I'm sure they don't think about the few minutes that we are connected and what they might be giving away about themselves.
~K
Thursday, November 18
Monday, November 15
Saturday, November 13
Wednesday, November 10
When I'm on the phone with customers, I come across funny surnames and regional words every day at the theatre. I will post the best of them...
Surnames:
Bone
Booty
Gooch
Mildwater
Lemon
Word:
Pightle - pronounced "pidle." A patch of ground where the vicar keeps his horse; a small, thin piece of land with a house at the end.
~K
Surnames:
Bone
Booty
Gooch
Mildwater
Lemon
Word:
Pightle - pronounced "pidle." A patch of ground where the vicar keeps his horse; a small, thin piece of land with a house at the end.
~K
We've been here for almost 11 weeks and I haven't posted much about our experiences. I think part of the reason I've been remiss in my writing is a mild case of culture shock combined with the normalcy of speaking English again. The transition from Belgium to England has been so simple that I haven't felt the impetus to put my feelings into words. There are, of course, many new things to talk about but for some reason I feel that it will be much less interesting for people to read about than our year in Belgium entries. Maybe this is because it has been less interesting for us.
The culture shock has been similar to what I imagine moving back to the U.S. would be: in-your-face advertising, fast food, teenagers in scanty clothing and trashy magazines all over the newsstands. Other things are worse than U.S., most notably the food and a sort of general pessimism that seems to be a British personality trait. Despite the pessimism, people are very nice to us and extremely willing to help or offer advice on any possible subject. Almost every day I get asked what I'm doing in Norwich and if I like it here. One thing we've been dealing with is trying to decipher the Norfolk accent. I guess I was expecting everyone in England to speak with a London accent, which is like expecting everyone in the U.S. to speak with a New York accent - very silly. But aside from that we've faced very few surprises.
We have made an effort to retain as many aspects as possible from the lifestyle we had in Belgium. Our apartment is in the city center which allows me to walk to both of my jobs, as well as a small grocery store. We also walk to the movie theatres, shops and restaurants. Rich rides his bike to school most days so our car is only used on weekends if we do a big grocery shopping trip or take a drive in the country.
What is missing, though, is something hard to define. The Belgians live with a certain sort of style that is more European (for lack of a better adjective) than the British do. Quality of life is most important in Belgium. Time for family, for long delicious meals, for sitting in a café with a coffee, for sitting in the park with a dog, for bicycling in the country. England seems to be shopping, television, soccer, shopping, drinking in pubs, clubbing and shopping. The presentation of simple things like a café meal or a bunch of flowers in Belgium is reserved, artful and thoughtful. Here it is fast and cheap. I know comparing the two countries is not exactly fair. Apples and oranges really. But I can't help it! Once you've fallen in love with a place it is hard to be objective.
Having said all of that, there are things that I love about Norwich and England. Coming soon...
~K
The culture shock has been similar to what I imagine moving back to the U.S. would be: in-your-face advertising, fast food, teenagers in scanty clothing and trashy magazines all over the newsstands. Other things are worse than U.S., most notably the food and a sort of general pessimism that seems to be a British personality trait. Despite the pessimism, people are very nice to us and extremely willing to help or offer advice on any possible subject. Almost every day I get asked what I'm doing in Norwich and if I like it here. One thing we've been dealing with is trying to decipher the Norfolk accent. I guess I was expecting everyone in England to speak with a London accent, which is like expecting everyone in the U.S. to speak with a New York accent - very silly. But aside from that we've faced very few surprises.
We have made an effort to retain as many aspects as possible from the lifestyle we had in Belgium. Our apartment is in the city center which allows me to walk to both of my jobs, as well as a small grocery store. We also walk to the movie theatres, shops and restaurants. Rich rides his bike to school most days so our car is only used on weekends if we do a big grocery shopping trip or take a drive in the country.
What is missing, though, is something hard to define. The Belgians live with a certain sort of style that is more European (for lack of a better adjective) than the British do. Quality of life is most important in Belgium. Time for family, for long delicious meals, for sitting in a café with a coffee, for sitting in the park with a dog, for bicycling in the country. England seems to be shopping, television, soccer, shopping, drinking in pubs, clubbing and shopping. The presentation of simple things like a café meal or a bunch of flowers in Belgium is reserved, artful and thoughtful. Here it is fast and cheap. I know comparing the two countries is not exactly fair. Apples and oranges really. But I can't help it! Once you've fallen in love with a place it is hard to be objective.
Having said all of that, there are things that I love about Norwich and England. Coming soon...
~K
Tuesday, November 9
More Reactions
Wow... I have no choice but to put this link on our blog. It's so damn, beautifully poetic! You just have to see it! Click on the link and sift through the galleries.
Apologies
-RP-
Wow... I have no choice but to put this link on our blog. It's so damn, beautifully poetic! You just have to see it! Click on the link and sift through the galleries.
Apologies
-RP-
Saturday, November 6
More Expatriation Projects
A huge number of Americans have apparently turned to the "expatriation option" as a result of Bush's second term. And to them I say... Welcome to the club! There's something really poetic about that: a president who thinks he has won by a wide margin, ultimately driving American citizens out of the country. If these people follow through with it, the west coast and NE will be ghost towns! And the US will consist of neo-conservatives and fundamentalist Christians... a scary place that would be!
The article:
----
"Americans flock to Canada's immigration Web site
Fri November 05, 2004 01:30 PM ET
By David Ljunggren
OTTAWA (Reuters) - The number of U.S. citizens visiting Canada's main immigration Web site has shot up six-fold as Americans flirt with the idea of abandoning their homeland after President George W. Bush's election win this week.
"When we looked at the first day after the election, November 3, our Web site hit a new high, almost double the previous record high," immigration ministry spokeswoman Maria Iadinardi said on Friday.
On an average day some 20,000 people in the United States log onto the Web site, www.cic.gc.ca -- a figure which rocketed to 115,016 on Wednesday. The number of U.S. visits settled down to 65,803 on Thursday, still well above the norm.
Bush's victory sparked speculation that disconsolate Democrats and others might decide to start a new life in Canada, a land that tilts more to the left than the United States.
Would-be immigrants to Canada can apply to become permanent resident, a process that often takes a year. The other main way to move north on a long-term basis is to find a job, which requires a work permit.
But please spare the sob stories.
Asked whether an applicant would be looked upon more sympathetically if they claimed to be a sad Democrat seeking to escape four more years of Bush, Iadinardi replied: "There would be no weight given to statements of feelings."
Canada is one of the few major nations with an large-scale immigration policy. Ottawa is seeking to attract between 220,000 and 240,000 newcomers next year.
"Let's face it, we have a population of a little over 32 million and we definitely need permanent residents to come to Canada," said Iadinardi. "If we could meet (the 2005) target and go above it, the more the merrier."
But right now it is too early to say whether the increased interest will result in more applications.
"There is no unusual activity occurring at our visa missions (in the United States). Having someone who intends to come to Canada is not the same as someone actually putting in an application," said Iadinardi.
"We'll only find out whether there has been an increase in applications in six months."
The waiting time to become a citizen is shorter for people married to Canadians, which prompted the birth of a satirical Web site called www.marryanamerican.ca.
The idea of increased immigration by unhappy Americans is triggering some amusement in Canada. Commentator Thane Burnett of the Ottawa Sun newspaper wrote a tongue-in-cheek guide to would-be new citizens on Friday.
"As Canadians, you'll have to learn to embrace and use all the products and culture of Americans, while bad-mouthing their way of life," he said.'
Source: Reuters
----
So, Canada is apparently ready and willing to accept these American immigrants, but let me put another option out there: Europe. Come on! If you want to expatriate, make it a challenge! Move to a country that is DIFFERENT from the US! Maybe even a country that doesn't speak English!
-RP-
A huge number of Americans have apparently turned to the "expatriation option" as a result of Bush's second term. And to them I say... Welcome to the club! There's something really poetic about that: a president who thinks he has won by a wide margin, ultimately driving American citizens out of the country. If these people follow through with it, the west coast and NE will be ghost towns! And the US will consist of neo-conservatives and fundamentalist Christians... a scary place that would be!
The article:
----
"Americans flock to Canada's immigration Web site
Fri November 05, 2004 01:30 PM ET
By David Ljunggren
OTTAWA (Reuters) - The number of U.S. citizens visiting Canada's main immigration Web site has shot up six-fold as Americans flirt with the idea of abandoning their homeland after President George W. Bush's election win this week.
"When we looked at the first day after the election, November 3, our Web site hit a new high, almost double the previous record high," immigration ministry spokeswoman Maria Iadinardi said on Friday.
On an average day some 20,000 people in the United States log onto the Web site, www.cic.gc.ca -- a figure which rocketed to 115,016 on Wednesday. The number of U.S. visits settled down to 65,803 on Thursday, still well above the norm.
Bush's victory sparked speculation that disconsolate Democrats and others might decide to start a new life in Canada, a land that tilts more to the left than the United States.
Would-be immigrants to Canada can apply to become permanent resident, a process that often takes a year. The other main way to move north on a long-term basis is to find a job, which requires a work permit.
But please spare the sob stories.
Asked whether an applicant would be looked upon more sympathetically if they claimed to be a sad Democrat seeking to escape four more years of Bush, Iadinardi replied: "There would be no weight given to statements of feelings."
Canada is one of the few major nations with an large-scale immigration policy. Ottawa is seeking to attract between 220,000 and 240,000 newcomers next year.
"Let's face it, we have a population of a little over 32 million and we definitely need permanent residents to come to Canada," said Iadinardi. "If we could meet (the 2005) target and go above it, the more the merrier."
But right now it is too early to say whether the increased interest will result in more applications.
"There is no unusual activity occurring at our visa missions (in the United States). Having someone who intends to come to Canada is not the same as someone actually putting in an application," said Iadinardi.
"We'll only find out whether there has been an increase in applications in six months."
The waiting time to become a citizen is shorter for people married to Canadians, which prompted the birth of a satirical Web site called www.marryanamerican.ca.
The idea of increased immigration by unhappy Americans is triggering some amusement in Canada. Commentator Thane Burnett of the Ottawa Sun newspaper wrote a tongue-in-cheek guide to would-be new citizens on Friday.
"As Canadians, you'll have to learn to embrace and use all the products and culture of Americans, while bad-mouthing their way of life," he said.'
Source: Reuters
----
So, Canada is apparently ready and willing to accept these American immigrants, but let me put another option out there: Europe. Come on! If you want to expatriate, make it a challenge! Move to a country that is DIFFERENT from the US! Maybe even a country that doesn't speak English!
-RP-
Thursday, November 4
Wednesday, November 3
Resultless
I didn't stay up to watch the election results coverage after all. And I'm glad I didn't because it doesn't look good and it doesn't look like we'll have an answer anytime soon.
We're actually quite shocked at the results so far. Up until now, we hadn't been overly concerned or giving it much thought. I guess in the back of our minds, we felt like Kerry would definitely win, albeit with a narrow margin. So, we're absolutely shell-shocked to see that it's a narrow margin all right, but in favor of Bush! What the hell is going on in the US!?!? I have serious doubts about the sanity and intelligence of all those overwhelmingly "Red" states! Wyoming, for instance, 69% Bush, 29% Kerry. Or Utah, 71% Bush, 26% Kerry! However, it's good to know that our favorite areas of the US (the NE and the West Coast) are still sane and in possession of a brain!
I didn't stay up to watch the election results coverage after all. And I'm glad I didn't because it doesn't look good and it doesn't look like we'll have an answer anytime soon.
We're actually quite shocked at the results so far. Up until now, we hadn't been overly concerned or giving it much thought. I guess in the back of our minds, we felt like Kerry would definitely win, albeit with a narrow margin. So, we're absolutely shell-shocked to see that it's a narrow margin all right, but in favor of Bush! What the hell is going on in the US!?!? I have serious doubts about the sanity and intelligence of all those overwhelmingly "Red" states! Wyoming, for instance, 69% Bush, 29% Kerry. Or Utah, 71% Bush, 26% Kerry! However, it's good to know that our favorite areas of the US (the NE and the West Coast) are still sane and in possession of a brain!
Tuesday, November 2
Election Day
It's hard to avoid the jitters and excitement of the US elections even over here in the UK. We're waiting with baited breath to hear the results, but we're not feeling very optimistic. Given the look of the polls (a close race), memories of the "slightly criminal" 2000 election, mishandling of absentee ballots this year, and new reports of vote-rigging in the swing states, the outlook is quite bleak.
On the BBC right now, there is live coverage of the Clintons casting their votes, the old-fashioned way, in a voting booth. I wonder who they voted for? Now cut to Kerry arriving in Boston at the end of his campaign trail.
I, of course, cannot vote because I am not a US citizen. However, Kristen sent in her absentee ballot a week or two ago. Then we heard the news that Broward County has "mishandled" 58,000 absentee ballots (a huge percentage of people never received them). If that happened on outgoing votes, what happens to the incoming votes? Will Kristen's vote even be counted?!?
So, to say we're eager to find out the results, is an understatement. However, due to the time difference, the earliest we can find out is around midnight tonight. There is an election results special tonight on the BBC at 23.50, but I don't know if we'll stay up the late! Maybe I will.
-RP-
It's hard to avoid the jitters and excitement of the US elections even over here in the UK. We're waiting with baited breath to hear the results, but we're not feeling very optimistic. Given the look of the polls (a close race), memories of the "slightly criminal" 2000 election, mishandling of absentee ballots this year, and new reports of vote-rigging in the swing states, the outlook is quite bleak.
On the BBC right now, there is live coverage of the Clintons casting their votes, the old-fashioned way, in a voting booth. I wonder who they voted for? Now cut to Kerry arriving in Boston at the end of his campaign trail.
I, of course, cannot vote because I am not a US citizen. However, Kristen sent in her absentee ballot a week or two ago. Then we heard the news that Broward County has "mishandled" 58,000 absentee ballots (a huge percentage of people never received them). If that happened on outgoing votes, what happens to the incoming votes? Will Kristen's vote even be counted?!?
So, to say we're eager to find out the results, is an understatement. However, due to the time difference, the earliest we can find out is around midnight tonight. There is an election results special tonight on the BBC at 23.50, but I don't know if we'll stay up the late! Maybe I will.
-RP-
In Other News
I can never decide which country is more of a "Nanny State", the US or the UK. How ridiculous is this!?!!
Britain Weighs Ban on Smacking Children
I can never decide which country is more of a "Nanny State", the US or the UK. How ridiculous is this!?!!
Britain Weighs Ban on Smacking Children
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