Hello you all!

Howdy ChrisA
Welcome to the site.........

Welcome, I went to college at UK......University of Kentucky that is....:)

Welcome. Don't worry about any questions. We are much nicer to the newbies than we are to the old geezers who have been around here long enough to develop tough hides or die.:D:D

The only dumb question is the question not asked. We all are ignorant on different subjects. But, between us we can answer danged near any question you can come up with...................except...................the secret to understanding how women think.

My interest in the UK is tied to any ancestral roots there including:

Last name: Isherwood
This interesting name, with the variants Esherwood and Usherwood, is of English origin and is locational from a now so called "lost" village in the Parish of Bolton-le-Moors, Lancashire. The name is first found in Lancashire records in the 13th Century and is still largely confined to that area.

Thanks for joining us!
Terrible attack in Manchester BTW. Praying for all involved...

That poster, RADAR; sure is a swell guy.

Welcome
Where in the U.K.?

How women think...
They use their minds.
Your welcome!
N

A Harris - Thank you very much

rberry - Ha, nice one and thanks!

gschrock - Ahoy there, congratulations on having today's best tongue twister. If I can assist I certainly shall Sir.

Holy Cow - Very kind, thank you! A very novel method of dealing with newbies and the more mature and refined users 🙂

What a great attitude, and you're quite right, there are many things we don't know...although knowing what women think is no doubt going to be the battle we all fight during the course of our lives!

Fascinating backstory to your name, you'll have to visit one day and see your origins. They're a tough lot up there, mainly because the weather is mostly bloody awful. I have been there a few times though, although not for historic reasons but for the largest roller coaster in the UK (In Blackpool, "The Big One"). Sadly my own background is a little mixed, my surname is Irish, however my father's parents died when he was very young and so he went through 4 foster parents, all of which were evil. I think he just tossed a coin to see which name he would choose....not realising that one day Phone Banking would exist and we'd have to spell it out clearly! On a more interesting side, my mothers background stretches all the way back to Sir Francis Drake (1540-1596). Apparently we had a whore in the family who decided to interact with him, how proud am I!

douglass - Thank you and for your thoughts. I only hope those in power make the right decisions and not snap decisions.

Robert - Near Tunbridge Wells Sir.

Nate - If only it were that simple!

Hi from the other side of the sea (North Sea:-))

Welcome. Lot's of advice and knowledge here!

ChrisA, post: 430267, member: 12770 wrote: Robert - Near Tunbridge Wells Sir.

Welcome.

"I am used to Tunbridge Wells, where we are all hopelessly behind the times".
E.M. Forster A Room With a View

I think your part of England is what most Americans envision when they think about the English countryside. I haven't been there in decades now, but of these days I'm going to take two weeks off and walk the North Downs Way. Oh, and if you spend much time here you will discover that I (and a few others) consider "hopelessly behind the times" to be a compliment of the highest order.

Welcome Chris, there's no such thing as a simplistic question here. How else can anybody learn. Enjoy yourself here and don't be shy to present any question that comes to mind.:cool:

Welcome friend.

[USER=12770]@ChrisA[/USER]

Two years ago we had a client who once lived in my part of the world but now lives in your part of the world. She is only about an hour from you in Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex, England. Her ex-husband believes that is not enough separation.

Beuckie - Many thanks, I can just about see you from here at low tide 🙂

James - Ha, E.M. Forster was correct in his time, that's for sure. I would certainly agree with you about how American's can imagine England, of course we do have our horrible areas much the same as pretty much anywhere. North Downs will be very enjoyable I'm sure, especially if you catch the weather right - something that few are able to achieve! I've been over to America a few times and I found the people to be as friendly as can be, I was even invited to a Thanks Giving meal. When the police turned up (someone sneezed in a quiet suburb), I spoke to the officer and he was just as friendly and he was very inquisitive about England...shame I never got a picture with him.

FL/GA - Thank you, although you don't know just how simple my question is going to be yet, so prepare yourself! 🙂

Brad - Hiya and thank you.

Holy Cow - Ha! That's a little extreme for a separation, although Essex is fairly well spread out, so perhaps there's hope. Of course my definition of spread out is far from America's - mine is that you could walk for a a few hours and find another house!

G'day from Down Under Chris
There's quite an international flavour here so your culinary skills will no doubt be tested.
Being of Pommy descent I have an affinity for the old country. (Ruddington)
Then there's the Convicts! Tasmania being the capital.

James Fleming, post: 430270, member: 136 wrote: I think your part of England is what most Americans envision when they think about the English countryside.

My Ma n Pa live back in England now and for the past 5 years I've visited them in Summer. Nothing more beautiful than England on a long hot summer's day. What always gets me is how much countryside there is, and with the public walkway system anyone can use the walkways and you get to go through places like this (near Stratford-upon-Avon, looking north with Birmingham somewhere over the hills):

You could literally walk forever but be at a pub in 10 minutes for refreshment. Or you could go to Stratford itself, by the Royal Shakespeare Theater and hire a boat with Camilla PB in it:

Richard - G'day, how nice to have a welcome from Ozz. Ah, originally a Pom', by chance in our family my mothers sister migrated to Ozz in her youth. To make it worse, my brother-in-law is 100% Australian 🙂

Richard Imrie - I'm really pleased with your review and opinion of the UK, it can be really nice in places. My only complaint is not the temperature but the humidity - I've been in dry places and can easily cope with higher temps (I prefer cold to heat!). Here it just feels horrible at times! I'm really pleased you enjoyed yourself though, should you ever come back again, I might buy you an over priced cup of coffee as a treat.