Redecorated my flat . . . Looks more like a beach cottage at home (Maine) now.
I like it.
It's 'me' now.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Got dental insurance today!
Very reasonably priced, too. Through HSA, £17 a month for the highest level of coverage. It'll cover 100% of annual exams, 75% of work (even the bridge I now need, so it'll pay about £600 of the £800 it will cost), and so on. Waiting period for pre-existing conditions is only 3 months on any work, and no waiting period on annual exam, which I need. They pay within 48 hours of receiving a receipt from a patient, and deposit directly into a bank account. Couldn't be easier.
Very reasonably priced, too. Through HSA, £17 a month for the highest level of coverage. It'll cover 100% of annual exams, 75% of work (even the bridge I now need, so it'll pay about £600 of the £800 it will cost), and so on. Waiting period for pre-existing conditions is only 3 months on any work, and no waiting period on annual exam, which I need. They pay within 48 hours of receiving a receipt from a patient, and deposit directly into a bank account. Couldn't be easier.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Things I wonder about . . .
1) When I buy detergent for laundry, the choices are biological or non-biological detergents. What is the difference? What is the good one, and which is bad? Can't tell by the name. Biological could be 'bio-friendly', but it also makes me think of biological weapons (definitely not as friendly). If anyone knows which is earth-friendlier (if either?), let me know? And which is best for the clothes?
2) Are people being rude, or or are they simply ignorant, when they take up every imaginable seat somewhere? It happens all over. 1) On the Tube, parents with little ones will put a toddler in each seat, take a seat each themselves, then park their pram so that it blocks a few other seats . . . while sitting there watching everyone else stand. How about putting the kids on your laps, parking the pram in front of your legs (or in that spot by the doors which is provided for luggage and prams?), and letting a few people sit down? 2) At work, "Bee" sits on one upholstered chair, puts all her bags on another, and then her coat on another . . . Three seats. There are far more of us than there are seats in the staff room, but she takes up three. 3) At the dentist today, a mother with a baby (in an infant car-seat) and the grandmother arrived. They put their stuff on two seats, sat in two more with an empty between them, put the car seat on the floor in front of the seat between them: 5 seats for two adults and a baby. There are only 9 seats in the place, so many of us were standing, glaring at these ignoramuses. 4) On the bus the other day, at the front, where the seats are in an 'L' , this guy was taking up 4 seats. He sat on one in the corner of the L, put his bag on the one next to him, the laid his legs up over the other two seats. He was about 50 or 60 (my age somewhere) and apparently felt he owned the place. Grrr. And those seats are easy for less-mibile people to get into, and are marked as such. Instead they had to find other seatss at the back. It all strikes me as very rude, thoughtless, and inconsiderate. I think the Brits have been resting on their laurels for so many years that they no longer try to think what good manners are really all about. And if you dare say anything (i.e., the girl at work telling us to pull our fingers out), they'll tell you that you're the rude one for pointing it out!
1) When I buy detergent for laundry, the choices are biological or non-biological detergents. What is the difference? What is the good one, and which is bad? Can't tell by the name. Biological could be 'bio-friendly', but it also makes me think of biological weapons (definitely not as friendly). If anyone knows which is earth-friendlier (if either?), let me know? And which is best for the clothes?
2) Are people being rude, or or are they simply ignorant, when they take up every imaginable seat somewhere? It happens all over. 1) On the Tube, parents with little ones will put a toddler in each seat, take a seat each themselves, then park their pram so that it blocks a few other seats . . . while sitting there watching everyone else stand. How about putting the kids on your laps, parking the pram in front of your legs (or in that spot by the doors which is provided for luggage and prams?), and letting a few people sit down? 2) At work, "Bee" sits on one upholstered chair, puts all her bags on another, and then her coat on another . . . Three seats. There are far more of us than there are seats in the staff room, but she takes up three. 3) At the dentist today, a mother with a baby (in an infant car-seat) and the grandmother arrived. They put their stuff on two seats, sat in two more with an empty between them, put the car seat on the floor in front of the seat between them: 5 seats for two adults and a baby. There are only 9 seats in the place, so many of us were standing, glaring at these ignoramuses. 4) On the bus the other day, at the front, where the seats are in an 'L' , this guy was taking up 4 seats. He sat on one in the corner of the L, put his bag on the one next to him, the laid his legs up over the other two seats. He was about 50 or 60 (my age somewhere) and apparently felt he owned the place. Grrr. And those seats are easy for less-mibile people to get into, and are marked as such. Instead they had to find other seatss at the back. It all strikes me as very rude, thoughtless, and inconsiderate. I think the Brits have been resting on their laurels for so many years that they no longer try to think what good manners are really all about. And if you dare say anything (i.e., the girl at work telling us to pull our fingers out), they'll tell you that you're the rude one for pointing it out!
Did a fantastic Thames walk yesterday, from Tower Bridge to Vauxhall, and back. St. George's Wharf, in Vauxhall, is amazing.
For other great pics from the Thames, click here.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Just couldn't take another minute of that article in The Mail on Sunday (newspaper) -- had to write a letter to the editor. (See previous post.)
"Not sure whether to say shame on you for blaming Americans for spreading the thank-you-card 'craze' to this side of the pond . . . or to say 'well done' in recognising that America might actually have better manners than England in this case! Surprising that Brits feel that thanking a teacher for doing the near-impossible every day, under adverse conditions, with an anaemic budget, is unnecessary, extreme, even needless. Unless you've taught, you have no idea what the job is like, end of story. That's a sweet picture (in the article) of 'Miss' holding little Johnny's hand whilst he learns to colour, but the reality is far different. Parents and administrators blame teachers for the children's failures. Parents give little or no support and some curse at teachers more than their children do. Kids come to school unprepared to learn, due to a variety of factors. That's just the tip of the iceberg. And you're trying to convince Joe Public that a thank-you card is ridiculous? At least the kids I work with seem to have more sense than the author of this article; after almost every lesson, school trip, extra activity, etc, they'll say 'Thanks, Miss' as they leave. Better stop that one before it gets out of hand. Another craze from those crazy Americans. What will they think of next?""
"Not sure whether to say shame on you for blaming Americans for spreading the thank-you-card 'craze' to this side of the pond . . . or to say 'well done' in recognising that America might actually have better manners than England in this case! Surprising that Brits feel that thanking a teacher for doing the near-impossible every day, under adverse conditions, with an anaemic budget, is unnecessary, extreme, even needless. Unless you've taught, you have no idea what the job is like, end of story. That's a sweet picture (in the article) of 'Miss' holding little Johnny's hand whilst he learns to colour, but the reality is far different. Parents and administrators blame teachers for the children's failures. Parents give little or no support and some curse at teachers more than their children do. Kids come to school unprepared to learn, due to a variety of factors. That's just the tip of the iceberg. And you're trying to convince Joe Public that a thank-you card is ridiculous? At least the kids I work with seem to have more sense than the author of this article; after almost every lesson, school trip, extra activity, etc, they'll say 'Thanks, Miss' as they leave. Better stop that one before it gets out of hand. Another craze from those crazy Americans. What will they think of next?""
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