Tornado
Firstly, I cannot blog tonight without mentioning Oklahoma and such terrible devastation.
I can’t imagine what it must be like. We had the tail end of Hurricane Sandy and that rocked our little world in the Autumn/Fall, but this…..
Too sad 😦
Shoelaces
It’s been a troublesome week for my other half, whose main problem has been that he has been unable to find the right shoelaces for his shoes in the land of America.
It’s been a little like living with a hairy, swearing Goldilocks for five days.
‘Crap, these ones are too fat.’
‘Damn, these ones are too short.’
‘Bugger it, these ones are too long.’
Oooh, this Goldilocks nonsense is getting on my wotsits
Giant – check. Out of stock.
Kendals – check. Nope
Target – check. Wrong size.
Etc.
‘You’ll probably just have to buy some new shoes,’ one shop assistant told him.
To me this would sound an excellent excuse to initiate a purchase. To my other half, this is just ridiculousness being spouted forth. (I admit, on reflection, it is a little OTT.)
Such drama over shoelaces
Four way crossing / All way stop
I’m still getting my head round how these work (a four-way stop is when there are four approaches to the intersection)….and every time I reach one I think ‘Why didn’t they just put in a roundabout?’
Anyway, I get told that the rules are whoever got there first can go first. And it’s all a bit stop / start / stop still with me, but I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it 🙂
The interweb also tells me that in the USA, if vehicles arrive at approximately the same time, each driver must yield to the drivers on their right. So now I am even more confused…..
Who the f*ck goes now? Not a clue.
Tea blog responses
What a lot of comments there were on my tea blog!
I am now adorned with knowledge about where to get tea in a pot, not ten miles from here!
I have also been given a tea challenge with my friend Nicole who writes the blog HoCoLoco. I am to prepare and pour her a proper cup of tea and in return she is going to get me an Arnold Palmer (a beverage consisting of iced tea and lemonade, named after American golfer Arnold Palmer) in order to see if I come any closer to liking iced tea (which currently makes me feel like barfing)…..watch this space!
Nice cold, ice cold
To add to the tea theme, Dear Americans, if you’ve never dunked a biscuit in a hot drink, please, go and try it – in fact, try it now!
Dunking biscuits is a British tradition with a cup of tea, and this video explains (in British comedy terms by Peter Kay) all about the perils of dunking biscuits.
I have also been tasked with trying a Reuben Sandwich. I think I might very much like this (the Reuben sandwich is a hot sandwich of corned beef, Swiss cheese, with Russian or Thousand Island dressing, and sauerkraut. These are grilled between slices of rye bread – yummmmmy!), so any advice from lovely HoCo peeps as to where I may find the very best of these would be super!
Where can I get one of these?
No soft toss!
This sign was spotted this evening by yours truly.
Ooh matron!
In the UK this has a very different meaning from the US one (which I had to look up and FYI, fellow Brits, it means this: ‘A no soft toss sign at a baseball field generally means that batting practice type pitching is not observed on the field.’
Now I understand! It still makes me snigger like a schoolgirl, though 🙂
ukdesperatehousewifeusa 
For a Reuben you could try 700 South, which isnt too far (Rt 295 North to West Nursery Rd, just past the airport exit). https://www.700southdeli.com/
Oh, and their cookies are freaking awesome. I recommend the Oreo one, but they’re all good. Good crab soup too. Damn, now I want to go there.
🙂
Woo, theres nothing like a Reuben! Honestly the first one I ever had was when I visited Philly and it was amazing! U gotta try it!
I know I will like!
Ten Oaks Tavern (near the gym) has good Reuben’s.
I’ll get one!!
When you’re at a four way stop and everyone arrives at the same time, who goes first? The most aggressive driver. Actually, a little bit of eye contact is probably in order. Helps figure out who’s in a hurry.
Joe’s Deli (http://www.joesplacedeli.com/) has a good one. They’re kind of tucked away in the office park off snowden at the junction with 32.
Also you can try DSW on Snowden for shoelaces for shoes and any sporting goods store for sneakers (read: trainers or if you’re a bit older plimsoles)
Failing that, there’s always Amazon. They are a really good resource for any number of things you can’t find locally.
Lunch today is one of them (via a four way stop!)
There’s an old joke here. “What goes VROOOOOM!SCREEEEECH!VROOOOOOM!SCREEEEECH!VROOOOOOM!SCREEEEEECH!……(Answer : A blonde at a 4-way stop.
That’s me!!
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BTW if you like the “No Soft Toss” sign, wait till you’re at the baseball field and someone asks if you’d be willing to “shag balls”.
Oh brilliant!
You have to have the reuben at Dusenbergs in catonsville (http://www.yelp.com/biz/duesenbergs-american-cafe-and-grill-catonsville). They make the best sandwiches I’ve ever had, hands down.
Next week I’m there!!
Speaking of food….
http://www.buzzfeed.com/ailbhemalone/18-weird-and-wonderful-british-foods-you-need-to-try
Love it!!
Try the turkey pastrami reuben at the HoCo Grille at Hobbits Glen Golf Course. As for shoelaces, check the shoe repair shop at the Hickory Ridge Village Center. He has a great supply of all things “shoe.”
What a good plan! Golf and sandwiches! 🙂
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I have always heard that in the event that 4 cars arrive at a 4 way stop at the same time, the one on the north has right of way. Since 3 of 4 drivers most likely don’t know where north is, its not always helpful.
I have no idea either!