Yes, we feel the ol' crunch here in the US as well. My husband has a government job and our health insurance just doubled in cost for medications, but our increase in salary didn't even make 4%! Add to that his second job is going to go away in the next 4 months with the business going losing market.

So buying art supplies, fixing camera equipment and creating work, just got a wole lot tougher.

Now thats nice a depressing isn't it. On a better note, at least we are both still employed and that is better off than many! ...Is that still kinda depressing or what?

Ah well... Time to break out the Diet Dew, get my sleep off, and get to work! Its nice to be back, I've missed everyone.

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Welcome back Keri Its nice to talk to you across the pond...could you tell me what 'Diet Dew' is...I have such a curious mind ( or maybe Im just a bit thick; no not really)

Catch you later
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The bar tender should be able to set you up with a glass of 'Diet Dew'.

In the USA, Mountain Dew has a large amount of caffiene added to it. A computer programmers 'breakfast' is Mountain Dew and a Donut. Lots of sugar and caffiene to jolt the brain into gear with...

Here in Canada though, Mountain Dew is sold without any caffiene added, and thus does not have the kick, the US counterpart has. (For some reason, in Canada, only dark sodas can contain caffiene.)

We used to call it 'Swamp Water' back when the bottles featured the hillbilly. Not sure when it first arrived in the stores, but somewhere in the 60's or maybe 70's.
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So 'Diet Dew' in actual fact it is just bottled spring water....what a lovely name, almost nice enough to make you want to drink it....cheers for the info Antony
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Dew isn't spring water, but a sugar drink. Soda pop drinks contains a fair dose of sugar (syrup) that keeps it apart from the carbonated spring waters like Perrier.

The drink is a whitish transluscent drink and tastes similar to maybe ginger ale but more on the sweet side.

I've never had the US version.
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Oh in that case I will definitely give it a miss ..I hate UGGGGHH!! sugary, sweet drinks...I'm sweet enough...... I dont need extra syrup...
Thanks for putting me in the picture...

Bar person could you please pour me a Perrier with ice...it's mighty warm here in Cornwall today...

The local old fisherman would say to the tourists...Its thuuuurstyy weathrrrr we be havin me hansome!! Offering an empty pint pot to the amazed emmet,who is speechless and unable to refuse to buy him a drink....

Lol
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Ah, chilled Perrier (or any carbonated spring water) with a twist of lime or lemon, sure does quench the thirst! Sounds better than swamp water that's for sure.

I'm not a keen one for sugar drinks when thirsty as they really don't quench the thirst like plain water does, but I do like a root beer with lunch. A fun soda drink is ginger beer. It carries a good kick to it (not a caffiene kick a ginger kick).

A round of ale for the fisherman too!
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Ohhhh! Antony you let the old local fisherman get to you too... you old softeeee.lol If they have much more they start singing the old sea shanties and we will be here till closing time...

Well ok I'll get the next round in and we'll both have a ginger beer...
Cheers!

Hang on!...The local pub choir has just started and Bernie has got his guitar out, started plucking!and twanking!Looks like we are in for a lock in...
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Ahoy! And don't forget Elton's Piano! After we tire of sea shanties, we can move over to Scott Joplin tunes!

Pull up an ale, and have a chair! How long til sunrise anyways?
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Hey Hang on Antony... it will be sunset over here, across the pond another 4 hours before the sun goes down its sunny and bright today might be even longer...
Should be a fantastic sunset tonight I might even take some pics!

Oh thats great I like a bit of Scott let him 'Entertain' us Ha! Ha!
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Well, if a sunset calls, you gotta answer!

Yeah, ragtime is a wonderful sound.

Hmmm... I see Willy just came in with an armful of showtune sheet music. This could be good, or it could be bad.


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"Hmmm... I see Willy just came in with an armful of showtune sheet music. This could be good, or it could be bad. "

Antony I think it will be dependant on how many more ales we have or whether we go to the top shelf and start on the shorts...
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You had me at "...More Ales...". Sounds good here!
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Happy 4th o July everybody. (skyrockets go off) Celebrating our independence from those dastardly Brits! lol

This might of been a better country if we'd have stayed with you guys.
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Thanks for that Joseph...

and have a super day, be carefull when you lite those fireworks...now remember the firework code and dont have too much falling down juice before party starts (its mommy telling you now)lol

sorry its the ale Ive been drinking with Antony and the Cornish fisherman, ...

Oh and by the way its 20.40 here in Blighty still Thursday the 3rd of July
but you could we have fire here...in the sky... there is the beginning of a brilliant sunset over the River Fal...
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They don't sell fireworks in Florida, anymore, Georgia. They got tired of all the hayseeds blowing their fingers off. Now, all you can get are sparklers and junk noisemakers that are over-priced. But if you really want to make a bang, put some acetylene gas in a plastic milk container, and cap it with some toilet paper, light it and run. That's usually good for breaking a few neighbor's windows. lol

By the way, it was still July 3 when I made the previous post. I get the celebrating over with, a day ahead of time, if I can.
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How did your celebrations go anyway ....with a bang I hope....
its seems people in the midlands in the UK celebrate the 4th of July, with you all across the pond ...driving up country yesterday I heard of all the different events happening on the car radio. So fun being had by all...

Don,t worry I'm not missing out I have double celebration tonight with family in Worcestershire
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Actually, the 4th has been mostly rained out. Over now, on to the next holiday.
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It seems that I work just about every holiday so for me they are just like every other day. Our fireworks went off very well this year, this is the 4th year I have been apart of the crew that lights them off so I only get to see them from under them. Still pretty cool though.
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I had a bit of a mental weekend. Was really chilled out and relaxed Saturday morning, until we realised our brand new kitten was missing! We only had her a few days and shes not meant to get out for a couple of weeks until she gets to know the place, and us. Well we looked all over the house for hours, and was sure she must have got out somehow. We walked all around where we live for hours, up and down the street, asking people - Becky even made a sign for the local shop.

Guess what, I went back to the house and heard a tiny squeak. Turns out that the whole time she was stuck underneath an arm chair. How on earth she got her little body under there I don't know, but she didn't seem very fussed about the whole thing, unlike us!

After than, I drank several beers and started to enjoy what was left of the weekend.

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