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I might add that although we are officially metric - have been for a very long time - there are some things that just never caught on, our milk may be sold by the litre but although butter says 454 grams, we all know it really equals 1 lb. In fact converting lbs to grams and kilos in almost anything is really an afterthought and gives me a headache.
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Sorry, wasn't thinking - just wanted to get it down and out of my head! Gourmetsleuth-dot-com does a good quantities converter.

I'm part of the awkward in-between generation, CW - I can cope with metric, if I have to, but I think in imperial (250g of tuppenny rice, 250g of treacle doesn't quite have the same swing to it, somehow, does it?). As, I might add, do even most young Brits when it comes to their height and weight or distance from home or shoe size... But almost all recipes get published in just metric nowadays, there's probably an EU regulation about it. Cups I never did get the hang of properly, though.

I actually prefer weighing honey and syrup to using a volume measure, because so much of it clings to the spoon or cup that I'm never sure how much is going in the bowl and how much gets "rinsed off" (i.e. eaten) before I put the spoon in the dishwasher. It's easy, anyway - you just put your mixing bowl on the scales and keep adding.

But any system is better than none. There was the new bride trying to learn how to make lokshen noodles by watching her grandmother:

B - Now go slow, and I'll write it down.
G - Oo-kay. Ready? So you take your flour...
B - Flour, how much flour?
G - ??? As much as you'll want lokshen.
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I've spent the last hour reading up on cookery - specifically methods of measuring ingredients - and OMG I've just discovered that the american cup is smaller than the canadian one. I suppose it makes sense, given that liquid measures here are (were) based on the imperial gallon vs the american gallon. It certainly explains why so many recipes gleaned off the internet don't seem right when I go to make them, cookbooks published here probably have been adjusted for the difference.

I found a whole discussion about "why" we refuse to learn to use a kitchen scale in north america. I think the answer is incredibly simple, the recipes aren't written that way. And the thought of converting old recipes... not gonna happen.
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In 1948, The name Centigrade was changed to Celsius
to further confuse everyone.
It's not you Countrymouse.
We have jars of marshmallow creme here in the U.S. and easily make our fudge out of that without any softball stages. heh heh.
But thanks so much for your efforts to pass on that evil recipe!
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U R a B R A T!
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Last time I went to the Uki looked at gas (petrol) prices and thought how cheap they are. Then I realized it is now sold by the liter!!!!!!!!
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Goodnight everybody.
The dmv will have to wait-I am procrastinating on purpose, but the smog passed ok. I cannot put my hands on the bill yet...it's here somewhere. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz:)
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£1.11 per litre, Veronica, and that's come down from last week.

Scowl.
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Now you have sent me on an expedition comparing gas prices across the world, thankfully google can even help me convert from litres to US gallons so I don't have to strain my brain at all.
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Well CM riding a bike is better for your health!
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Yeah Veronica. CM can ride her bike to the gas station
(petrol boutique?) to buy her liter and carry it home to her car.
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Cwillie,
Here is a real expedition for ya:
Make a documentary (via I-phone selfies) of gas prices across the country by riding your bike. You can take a bus back home if you get too tired. Lol?
Be sure to stop at scearze to get your bike tires filled--before they close.
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Gershun,
Was going to say something, but forgot what it was.
Sears dear, and have a good night?
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Do you think the restaurant minds?
Coupons-I brought coupons. But then, just for fun, I handed the other coupons out to their other customers, saving the customers a total of $15.00, U.S.
People watcher that I am.....
A couple-the man wouldn't speak to me because of cultural differences, so I had to give it to his wife. On their way out, he turned to catch my eye and gave a brief thank you nod. Reminded me of several scenes in "Under the Tuscan Sun" where the writer went out every day, waved at a neighbor passing by as he put flowers on a memorial, but he would never wave back due to cultural customs. Then, one day, he looked up at her on the balcony, and tipped his hat. She was ecstatic.

Only problem was, I accidentally gave our $5 coupon away and kept only the $2 one. It was still too too much fun.
But, I think the restaurant wants to ban me now.
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I was at Sears stocking up on vacuum bags the other day and one woman ahead of me in the long line line was paying with change. The clerk was wonderfully patient as they counted out over $20 dollars in nickles, dimes and quarters, me not so much. When it all was counted the poor woman didn't have enough. But was she poor, or just annoyingly clueless?
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Did you see what she was trying to buy, CW? If it was something essential it's a worry; but maybe she just cleared out her sock drawer and the back of the sofa and thought she'd treat herself to some nice hand cream as a reward..?

She might still have sorted it properly beforehand, tsk. But good for that clerk, deserves a pat on the head.
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Leaving Scearze the other day without me buying anything, I saw an elderly lady leaving, barely walking properly with swollen legs, too tight and too small dangerous slip on shoes. Where were her people? Who is taking care of her? Another person who refuses care?  Walking alone to her car.
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Reading on the forum has certainly opened my eyes and made me cynical about the motives of both the elderly and their caregivers. If a "sweet little old lady" has family who refuse to have anything to do with her I now wonder, are they evil/heartless, or was she?
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Cwillie,the answer to your question is YES.
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CM,
The cynical view is that the counting coins lady at SEARS was
another one of those elderly scam artists who make people feel sorry for them and then pay their bill.
Those scoundrels then take their money and buy a candy bar, or something extravagant.
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"Another" of those elderly scam artists, Send? You mean there's a lot of this about?!

We've got a situation bubbling up locally that's making me more tender-hearted than usual: there's an elderly man who goes to the same newsagent as I do, and he was in there this morning with the new cellphone that his niece bought for him when his old one died. T, the shop owner, was helping him work out how the charger works; but T and I started exchanging worried glances when the old man got puzzled over the standard 3-pin electric plug on the charger. The only socket he could think of at his home was the two-pin shaver socket in the bathroom, and he seemed pretty sure that there weren't any others, and he was trying to work out how to break the earth pin off so he could charge his phone in the bathroom. Er... let's not do that...

T promised to go round to his house later and show him what to do. After the old man had toddled off, T told me that he and wife had been round to the house before and his wife was in tears over the state of the place. The man never married and has no children, and his wider family is some distance away. Time to call social services, we think.

He's very active, this elderly man, and always well turned-out; and he has a standing order for Camembert cheese to go with his Saturday newspaper (in spite of the rest of us customers complaining about the smell, which is verging on nuclear). It's awful to think he might be terminally losing the plot.
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There was a lady in our community some years ago who made a habit of pushing her groceries up against the person in front in the hope that the cashier wouln't notice and ring them up with the other person. One day I was at a stop light when she just got into my car and demanded to be taken somewhere which i did. She ended up in a local rest home and was notorious for stealing other people's belongings.
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Yes, but we still try to help. They are all vulnerable adults, whether they have little money or a lot.
One man used his taxi driver to take him and his wife to the casinos, he could not pay his caregiver he said, because he loaned the taxi driver $300, and had to wait to get paid back. At the same time, he is shuffling down the street in too small slip ons, the neighbors giving him shoes, food, treats, rides, and lotto tickets!
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CM,
Your story tells it all-these are the elderly that refuse help when social services calls and nothing can be done, until they fall.
Veronica,
Muah ha ha ha. We will be keeping our doors locked.
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I think he's changed very recently, Send. I've seen him regularly for over a year and he's been absolutely fine. Don't know if there's been a crisis of some sort - he was upset a couple of weeks ago about a friend being in hospital too far away for him to visit - but this oddness about the phone charger was not at all like him. Fingers crossed he'll accept some help. If we can get anyone to go and see him, that is... :/
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It was sad, when our guy (a neighbor) was picked up off the ground 3 times by 911, refused to be transported.
He was given 6 birthday cakes by well meaning neighbors.
Another time (UTI) he was confused and was left on his porch to sit by another do gooder. When a neighbor said, "Oh he's fine, I just saw him go inside this morning"....
at noon he was found on the floor, ending in a NH to die 3 weeks later.
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CM,
Your guy might appear ok later, but all the signs are there.
Someone could help program the cell phone and take the family's number to call, report your concerns to family first, imo.
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I don't think a candy bar us extravagent unless it's from See's 🍫
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See's chocolate. ..oh my!! Now I have SUCH. A craving!!!!! 😁
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I don't know.............I see these helpless old things going about their business and just feel sorry for them. Hubs always tells me I'm too soft-hearted. He says there are a lot of elderly people that are real a-holes. They aren't all sweet. Well, duh, I know that...........I felt like saying , Yeah, just wait until you are old. I pity the person who ends up changing your diaper. It sure as h*ll won't be me.
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