Diasfora
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Robin-Graves on October 15, 2009, 02:34:09 PM
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Ok, guys and dolls,,,im in Hamilton Scotland enjoying a nice cup of tea.
I had the most horenous time with imigration, they saw I was from the US and they went for broke searching me for everything.
The flight wasntbad,, other than we hit every bit of turbulance that could be found.
But all in all,, every bit of trouble ive had on the way ( ill detail it all later) its worth it to be here.
Peace all, talk in the morning,, im going to relax and try to rest up a bit..
Told you guys id be here.
BTW,, Indie,, if you read this,, ill get hold of you in a day or two,, im playing tourist for a couple days lol :D :D :D
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Congrats Robin! We're actually on the same land mass. :D
I could probably reach you in 6 hr drive.
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You'd probably have to add a couple hours for me.
Does the water taste funny?
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Where are you then Chek?
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On da west-side (of London)
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I used to live there,Ladbroke Grove.
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Congratulations Robin !
Now you are going to meet Haggis and Nessie?
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Ok, guys and dolls,,,im in Hamilton Scotland
I thought I heard something?..
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As if millions of Scotsmen suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced?
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Glad to hear you made it over just fine Robin!
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Good to know you had a safe trip. :)
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Awesome. Glad you made it there safely :)
Is it too early for snowboarding? I think pictures of you and Indie snowboarding would be cool ;D
As if millions of Scotsmen suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced?
:D :D :D
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Congrats on the safe trip!! Now be sure to have some decent single malt over there, and DON'T START WEARING DRESSES!!!! I know the male dress code is a bit peculiar in that neck of the woods..... ;) ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D
I hope you get a chance to meet some of the folks over there and everyone has an awesome time!!!! I am JEALOUS!!!!
Ciao, CZ
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Congrats on the safe trip!! Now be sure to have some decent single malt over there, and DON'T START WEARING DRESSES!!!! I know the male dress code is a bit peculiar in that neck of the woods..... ;) ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D
I hope you get a chance to meet some of the folks over there and everyone has an awesome time!!!! I am JEALOUS!!!!
Ciao, CZ
Too late,, Im allready thinking about buying the material for a kilt, saw a black leather sporin today that would becool with pyramid studs on. lol
Im going to have to get an ac to dc adapter for my phone so I can pull up Indies number. For some reason the brand new batery I bought in the States went tits up and the damn thing is dead as a door nail.
I do have to say, as usual the People in Amsterdam were amazing, but the flight over to there from Memphis was a bit odd.
We hit a storm and an updraft shot the plane up to over 50 thousand feet in like, a second.
And the flight to Memphis sucked. It was in a plane that seated 15 people and was about as wide as a Mini Cooper.
I think the pilot was trying to take us nose first into the runway when we landed.
Good thing is that they served refreshements,, bad thing nothing alcaholic so you could cope with the pilots inept flying ( we were an hour late for take off and the normal 1 hour flight time was over an hour and a half, I think he saw a shiny spot and wandered off the flight path once or twice).
The flight to Amsterdam was cool,, got to meet a nice couple from Norway ( Family of AJ's?).
We had viewers choice on there, so we had a choice of about 8 movies to watch on the screens on the backs of peoples seats ( that was WAY COOL!!!!!!!).
All in all, it was an adventure. And as nice as Amsterdam is,, I will allways say that the Schopel AirPort is just too damn big.
Anyway,,, more on "The Grave One's UK Tour" later.
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We hit a storm and an updraft shot the plane up to over 50 thousand feet in like, a second.
And the flight to Memphis sucked. It was in a plane that seated 15 people and was about as wide as a Mini Cooper.
>_<
It's good you're having fun after that :)
Stay safe. It's fun to read the updates.
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Thanks Skadi.
Besides Tracy, you guys are about the only people I can talk to.
I do have to mention one bad thing that happened. This female imigration officer threw a screaming fit when she saw my American passport.
Even others said she was over reacting.
She detained me at the airport in Glasgow for3 hours, and ran Tracy over the coals.
My luggage was searched, and she kept my Social Security card.
Im going to notify a freind at the state departemnt when I get back to America.
I think the State Departemnt would be VERY interested to know how badly imigration treats Americans here.
Not to mention that others with less documentation were sent ahead of me and allowed entry imediatly,,and they were from a plane from the Mid East.
Not that it has anything to do with it,, but on my way out to the lobby, I had a fewpeople from security escort me to the doors.
I asked what the problem was and they said that they were ordered by the imigration officer to see to it that I was off thepremises and that they were going to run methrough Interpoll again.
Like they had any reason to the first time.
But,, all in all, it was an experience to write about. lol
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yipes! :-\
Maybe they think you're an immortal highlander.. and you came to kick some ancient ass debt that was owed :D
I hope things are 99% fun and only 1% hassle :P
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Well, I am good with a sword,, and I do have that air of danger and things around me.lol
Oh well, I am decended from Highlanders,,( Im decended from the Mclaren Clan from Boars Rock).
Not to mention I was exhausted and my voice was a bit growly sounding.
Bad thing is they made me set by a bunch of Iraqis who seemed to be alittle afraid of me.
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Well, I am good with a sword,, and I do have that air of danger and things around me.lol
Oh well, I am decended from Highlanders,,( Im decended from the Mclaren Clan from Boars Rock).
Not to mention I was exhausted and my voice was a bit growly sounding.
Bad thing is they made me set by a bunch of Iraqis who seemed to be alittle afraid of me.
It would be VERY cool if the NEWEST Kurgan was sportin around in a McLaren F1 ;) ;)
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Not to mention that others with less documentation were sent ahead of me and allowed entry imediatly,,and they were from a plane from the Mid East.
>:( Hey now!
:D ;)
Have fun RG. Stay safe, and keep us posted. :)
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I had no idea the Americans were such a threat!
>:( Hey now!
heh heh! :D
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>:( Hey now!
:D ;)
Just wanted to see if you were paying attention ;) :DI had no idea the Americans were such a threat!
heh heh! :D
Oh yeah,, you know were at war with everyone,, llmao
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I hope that things going well after friendly welcome in airport.
Picks please.
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It was great hearing from you RG (we talked for about an hour) and we will meet up soon and the rest of you will see the photos. ;D
Hamilton is about 50 miles from me, an hours drive or an hour on the train.
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It was great hearing from you RG (we talked for about an hour) and we will meet up soon and the rest of you will see the photos. ;D
Hurry up,we are impatients. 8)
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I think the jet lag was starting to kick in when I spoke to him. He got to Hamilton about 8 last night.
Check my time clock for RG's posts for the next wee while.
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Yeah,, jet lag is a pain,, but ill survive.
Hell , if i can survive ECW with Terry Funk and Sabu I can survive anything lmao.
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Glad you got through everything RG.
Have fun.
:-*
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Im having a blast,,Tracy mae me feel right at home and hergirs are amazing.
I think of them as mine now. I think they adopted me as a pet they never had lmao.
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:D
You're such an animal RG. :D
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Oh dear heavens.
Im sitting here in the UK watching Dr Who!!!!!!
This is a dream come true!!!!!!!!
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Oh wow, how come you're not being all touristy?
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I did that yesterday in downtown Hamilton.
You know,, the way of life here is so much different than in the States.
Shopping is really different,, and the things that they have here is amazing.
Me and Tracy went to Asda for groceries, I saw things there that were common that I nly see in specialty shops accross the pond .
I cant believe the veriety of fresh veggies here,and the meat selection is just phenomenal.
Makes me think im from a third world nation.
I had to get pics of just the street here in Burnbank,,and took a few of this church in Hamilton.
Its great,, I had to strike up conversations with strangers here to just get my mind around the mentality here in the UK.
I havent met a single unfrendly person in this country yet.
I think I know what it was like for the Russians that defected to the west during the cold war era.
I told myself when I left the States that i would eschew the touristy places and just stick to the real Scotland.
I dont want to be catered to as a tourist,its like cheating yourself.
I can very easily get used to this island.
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Shopping is really different,, and the things that they have here is amazing.
Me and Tracy went to Asda for groceries, I saw things there that were common that I nly see in specialty shops accross the pond .
I cant believe the veriety of fresh veggies here,and the meat selection is just phenomenal.
And if you didn't know, Asda is actually owned by Wal-Mart.
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I knew they were owened by the EvilEmpire.
Cool thing here is that there are still alot of indipendantly owned shops here.
Walmart in America has edged out any local businesses.
Ive seen where people on this side are a little too indipendant to let that happen as easily as we have.
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Good to see,that everything is going well your visit in UK.
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Laama,, its been a dream.
Tracy has made me feel right at home,, I can easily adapt to this place .
Its been an eye opener,, now i see why alot in Europe consider us in the west to be barbaric.
You guys here have a rich history and culture that you just dont understand till your here.
America is only 200 or so years old, and our culture is pretty much ,,,well,, non existant unless you bring it with you from your country when you imigrate.
This is the best thing thats happened in a long time. Its a real education.
Indie said on the phone that ill end up losing my accent soon, and I catch myself using the terminology here and speaking in the same cadence as Tracy now lmao.
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Indie said on the phone that ill end up losing my accent soon, and I catch myself using the terminology here and speaking in the same cadence as Tracy now lmao.
My mother sister has stayed in the US for 40 yrs. When she come's over, after a couple of days to hear her speak you won't know that she had been away.
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Some people hold their accent others change with the environment.
I wasn't born in England ,didn't live here till i was 6, i've moved all over all you can tell is i've a southern English accent,with the occasional hint of Londoner.
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Some people hold their accent others change with the environment.
I wasn't born in England ,didn't live here till i was 6,nit i've moved all over all you can tell is i've a southern English accent,with the occasional hint of Londoner.
Where you from then?
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Ok,, its official,, im fighting to keep my American southwestern accent. Heck,, Im even cathing myself calling my freinds mate and all that rot.
One thing to say about this ,,,BLOODY DAMN! lmao
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Pretty soon, ye'll be applying for this job here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8306582.stm
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go and visit indie , his part of the world is beautifull.
fantastic people and scenary
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OMG!!! Thats a real job?
Thats like " Wanted: fat man with a beard to do absolutly nothing" lol
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Some people hold their accent others change with the environment.
True. And even the common phrases that are used in the area, one eventually picks them up as his/her own. We moved all over the states when I was younger but after finally settling in CA(well, sorta) I used to get picked on because of how I pronounced simple things like Orange or Drawer. It's dumb, I think different accents are nice. Accepting them are even better for the immature people that diss them.
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Where you from then?
I was born in Downpatrick Northern Ireland,moved to Germany for a while,Malta,Italy.
Moved to Colchester briefly as my father was a soldier,he left when i was 6,we lived with extended family in London,until my mother found a place in Colchester with her new man,another soldier who'd left the Army.
Lived in London for about 2 years after leaving home,Ladbroke Grove.
But i'd lived in Yorkshire for 6 months with my parents as well,so im quite well travelled.
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I was born in Downpatrick Northern Ireland,moved to Germany for a while,Malta,Italy.
Moved to Colchester briefly as my father was a soldier,he left when i was 6,we lived with extended family in London,until my mother found a place in Colchester with her new man,another soldier who'd left the Army.
Lived in London for about 2 years after leaving home,Ladbroke Grove.
But i'd lived in Yorkshire for 6 months with my parents as well,so im quite well travelled.
Still a Brit then.
BTW, that is the shortest autobiography I have ever read.
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Born in Texas ( YAY!!!!) and went to the Phillipines when I was three, lived in Japan for a bit, hawaii, Midway Island, and Australia.
Came back to the states ( Texas,,,YAY!!!) and then Ft Smith Arknasas and then Oklahoma.
Been there till recently and planning on moving to Burnbank. Hope its the last move I make.
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Still a Brit then.
BTW, that is the shortest autobiography I have ever read.
My Grandmother's Spanish Argentinian,and my Grandfather's French,so im all sorts really.
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...Colchester ... Colchester...
Did you know the buses werent running in Colchester last week on Monday? I had to take a cab (?8.50!) >:(
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Yeah,, cabs are really expensive where im from.
Just to pick you up is 10 bucks,, then they do you over a table for 5 bucks every time they go through a "zone".
I dont remember so many "zones" when they first started the company
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I've always been a walker,used to live in a village outside of Colchester 15 mile round trip,every day normally.
I got into a fight at work in Harwich once and walked 17 miles home.
Since i had a DVT 2 yrs ago,i like to walk just to keep the blood pumping round,you're more likely to get another if you've had one before.
They're bloody painful.
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Whats a DVT?
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Whats a DVT?
Driving Vehicle Tanked?
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That can be painfull too lol
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Deep vein thrombosis,a blood clot.
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ouch, and yikes. :-\
glad you're ok.
I agree, walking's great and has so many health benefits. I walk miles everyday for the exercise. Either on the treamdill or just around where i live. :)
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I had to inject my belly with an anti coagulant once a day for 6 months.
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Deep vein thrombosis,a blood clot.
OOOoooooo.....damn. So the shot helped break the blood clot then?
I'll call your anti coagulant once a day for 6 months, and raise you with insulin 3 times a day for life. ;D
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BTW, that is the shortest autobiography I have ever read.
That was only the first volume. :D
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OOOoooooo.....damn. So the shot helped break the blood clot then?
I'll call your anti coagulant once a day for 6 months, and raise you with insulin 3 times a day for life. ;D
You win hands down!
@ hmed damn straight,mines an epic. ;D
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;)
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OOOoooooo.....damn. So the shot helped break the blood clot then?
I'll call your anti coagulant once a day for 6 months, and raise you with insulin 3 times a day for life. ;D
Ill see that one and raise you rabies shots for 30 days.
Thats why I hate rodents.
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whilst i was on holiday this week i watched a wrestling match and took plenty of pic's.
as soon as it started i thought of you :D :D :D :D
hope your all well with the dvt thing
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whilst i was on holiday this week i watched a wrestling match and took plenty of pic's.
as soon as it started i thought of you :D :D :D :D
hope your all well with the dvt thing
Where did you go and who did you see?
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apparently its the
WWE wrestlers. http://www.butlins.com/splash-pages/wwe.aspx (http://www.butlins.com/splash-pages/wwe.aspx)
i remember a scottish wrestler in a kilt ( a rather mature chappie )
a red indian called tetanka or similar
when i get time i'll post some pic's.
we were all rather drunk . the ring was small but great fun to watch.
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Roddy Piper would be theone in the kilt,,and hes not really Scotish.
Tatanka is a veteran from lang ago.
Ive met both in the past,, good people in real life.
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both made a good show
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Oh im sure. Piper is awsome.
Tatanka is explosive in the ring.
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You're diabetic OC1?
Was afraid I'd develop DVT back when I was on the pill so I quit the pill. Other option was to quit smoking. I quit the pill.
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You've had a DVT too Sub?
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Nope but was at a risk for it.
Sedentary lifestyle plus vices plus pill.
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Similar really,im not going deep on this thread.
But if you are interested in how i got and how it felt PM me. :)
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I had an Ocular Aneurism back in 2002 ( august to be exact).
Left me partialy blind in my left eye. Glare still bothers me alot.
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You're diabetic OC1?
Yep, going on 20 years now. Even though I was 27 when it was detected it is still considered "childhood" onset. Kinda interesting. Went straight to shooting up. Explains alot about my struggle with lets just say depression in my 20's. Diabetes does whacky things to your personality not to mention your organs when undetected. After I was diagnosed, and started taking insulin, I had a new lease on life. That was the upside! The downside would take more space than I have here. :)
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I had an Ocular Aneurism back in 2002 ( august to be exact).
Left me partialy blind in my left eye. Glare still bothers me alot.
That sounds bloody awful Robin. :o
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It was wierd.
I got in one morning, sat in the chair and lit up a smoke and had this awfullpain in my left eye (actualy the left side of my face.
I couldnt see too well and went to the bathroom to see what was going on in the mirror.
My eye was blood red and it looked like I was crying bloody tears.
Reminded me of a vampire flick I saw once.
Went to the ER and found out a blow to the head the weekend before caused some damamge and it resulted in an ocular aneurism.
I have 10 to 15% of my normal vision in my left eye.
It used to screw with me alot, but I learned to compensate.
Other than minimal depth perception and occasional headaches from glare,, im fine.
And before you askmm closing my right eye and looking out of my left, its like walking through a dim heavy fog.
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Dude! :o
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I don't have DVT, but AVT (Auxiliary Vascular thrombosis) in my right arm. I've had it for about 25 yrs and should take an aspirin every day. Alcohol also thins the blood. ;D
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DVT's are very unpleasant.
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After googling it, i wouldnt doubt it.
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Wow, that's terrible. :( :-\
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Broke my neck back in 2003 too in a practice match with Adrian Lynne
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Ok,,I know,, double post and all,, but wanted you guys to know I made it back here at around 8:30 pm last night.
I brought your weather back with me too, it was pissing cats last night when I arived,,and its bloody cold out there right now.
I miss the UK like an animal m other right now.
I dont fit in here in America anymore ( THANKS GEE!!!! lol)
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Good to hear you arrived home safely RG, and many thanks for getting rid of that rain for us on sunday....
.... problem was though, I don't think it liked America 'cos it came straight back today!
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Broke my neck back in 2003 too in a practice match with Adrian Lynne
There's a film director with the same name.
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I dont fit in here in America anymore ( THANKS GEE!!!! lol)
Buddy.....Ive got news for you. Sit down, this might sting a bit.
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glad to see your safely back in the usa.
when you coming back ;D
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I don't have DVT, but AVT (Auxiliary Vascular thrombosis) in my right arm. I've had it for about 25 yrs and should take an aspirin every day. Alcohol also thins the blood. ;D
That's partially my excuse for drinking so much over the last 3 yrs.
WOW! 25yrs,that's a long time,you wanna be careful it doesn't get worse,or bigger.
A piece could break off,that'd be it.
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Good to hear you arrived home safely RG, and many thanks for getting rid of that rain for us on sunday....
.... problem was though, I don't think it liked America 'cos it came straight back today!
I wish it would have taken me back with it. I dont fit in with these rednecks anymore.Buddy.....Ive got news for you. Sit down, this might sting a bit.
Yeah yeah,, American by birth only lolglad to see your safely back in the usa.
when you coming back ;D
Um,,Im looking at no later than July.
I should be back atlest semi permanent by then
I want to thank everyone accross the pond for making me feel welcome there. When I left, I felt like I was leaving home.
I kinda got a slight accent now ( THANKS GEE!) and people here look at me a little funny.
You know, after being there,,i finaly realized this place is kinda barbaric .
Im not trashing America,, dont get me wrong,, but,,just something doesnt seem right here anymore.
Anyway,, ill be back,,dont worry about that,,Tracy and the girls mean the world to me,, and they made sure to let me know that I have a home in Scotland anytime I want it.
Hell,, everyone there made me feel right at home.
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Now you're going to feel like an alien in the US. ;)
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:o Stay away from Roswell!
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:o Stay away from Roswell!
>_<
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LOL
@RG, welcome back.....mate. :D
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RG,beware or Area51 is your new home. :P
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good to read your safe
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Planes are safer than cars statistically
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Yeah,,planes are,, bad thing is, if you speak German to a Dutch stewardess,, she tends to get mad for some reason.lol
Good thing they spoke English,,my Dutch SUX!
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Dutch women pedal bikes a lot,you know they could kick your arse ;D
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Dutch women pedal bikes a lot,you know they could kick your arse ;D
Experience talks? :P
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She was cool though,,Her name was Ola Van Der Meer,, nice lady. She gave me a free glass of wine.
LOL
@RG, welcome back.....mate. :D
Thanks man!!
Now you're going to feel like an alien in the US. ;)
You know what? I do. It isnt the same for me anymore.
I was in Amsterdam and overheard these two American guys talking,,I couldnt believe I came from the same country as them,, they were so damn rude!
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Whereabouts in the US are you again?
I thought it was just New Yorkers who are hardboiled
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Im in Southeast Oklahoma,,just across the Arkansas line from Ft Smith. Little town of 1200 people called Howe.
Nice place if your into deer hunting, fishing, and lotsa and lotsa friggin trees.
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Sounds very idyllic mate
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Yeah,, till you meet the neighbors lmao
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I thought the same about Norwich too :D
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Oh heck mate,,the arses here make my hair stand on end.
I tried to sleep yesterday before working all night and they were out whooping and hollering to beat the band.
They dont understand some of us have to work for a living.
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The dribblers here start early too.
Thank heavens my bedroom's at the back,all i have to put up with is cats fighting.
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Yeah,, till you meet the neighbors lmao
Isn't lovely neighbors are best moment in the day when you meet them? :P
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It would be nice if they werent so subhuman
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It would be nice if they werent so subhuman
Too true. :)
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I mean,,,whatever happened to manners and concideration of others?
Not everyone likes Bluegrass muzak. Not everyone thinks a pickup truck with loud pipes is a nice sound, and not everyone thinks having 24 inch subwoofers bumping so loud birds disintigrate is a cool thing
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If needed,I can donate more packs of idiots.
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Keep your idiots,,i got enough here,, most are family.
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Im surrounded by them
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I woke up this evening and found alot of family had come over and were staying for Thanksgiving ( for those in Britain its the holiday where we Americans give thanks for driving the native populace into near extinction).
I came into the kitchen and lost faith in the human race .
Im related to Neanderthalls
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I haven't seen my relatives in years thankfully ;D
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I haven't seen my relatives in years thankfully ;D
Lucky you.
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Yeah,,lucky you.
So um,, how did you get rid of them?
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So um,, how did you get rid of them?
I said straight to their face what I think of them.
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I woke up this evening and found alot of family had come over and were staying for Thanksgiving ( for those in Britain its the holiday where we Americans give thanks for driving the native populace into near extinction).
I came into the kitchen and lost faith in the human race .
Im related to Neanderthalls
a classic answer :D :D :D :D
you can choose your friends but not your family. :-[ :-[
my nans on her last legs and my auntie is slowly giving all her things away >:(
trouble is its not worth the hassle to say anything.
i'll just remember my nan the way she was :)
i know i'll never see my auntie again post the funeral so sod her.
my mother is going through hell at the moment with it all.
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I got an Aunt thats like that,, her and her kids ( hellions?) vulture every relative after they die.
When dad passed away, her daughter decided to pick a fight here after the funeral ( RIGHT after the funeral).
Then my aunt decided to try and con my mom out of everything dad had before the will was read.
After I inherited dads guns and his jeep, she tried to buy them off of me for 200 dollars. Shes a creep.
Now shes dying of cancer and her kids are selling everything she has.
Karma is a stone madam.
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what go's around and all that
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Yeah.
You ought to see what she did with her own mother and father..it was a crime ( that dog will never be the same)
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Hello old friends ! So happy that I too made it!
Its so nice to see so many of you again!
Marry freakin Christmas!
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Very nice to see you too Harley.
Welcome and a happy festive season to you.
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Welcome to the fora harley!!
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Hello old friends ! So happy that I too made it!
Its so nice to see so many of you again!
Marry freakin Christmas!
Welcome on board harley. :)
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Heya Harley.
Welcome to our happy little home.