UK mags with swag

i am missing UK magazines - they are just awesome.

smaller than their US counterparts, UK mags fit easier into your handbag.

plus, UK mags almost always have a free gift - hand lotion, nailpolish, lippy, chocolate, make-up brushes or a teeny-tiny makeup bag. the kids have their own magazines to boot, there's one for every single out there that a kid could be into: thomas the tank engine, barbie, disney princesses, bob the builder, sesame street, in the night garden, high school musical, et al. and the kid's free gifties are even better - jewelry, train sets, cars, backpacks, crayons, jewelry boxes.

i sometimes found myself buying the magazines just to get the sh-wag.

and sainsbury's had a deal sometimes where you could get 3 mags of your choice for 5#. awesome sauce.

fairy dish soap

especially missing the pink grapefruit mint scent.

how are the some many scents available in the UK? pink grapefruit was even in italy. here in the US, we have like 2, 3 different scents, tops. and one is always lemon, which smells so chemically engineered and frankly, reminds me more of vomit that clean dishes. sure, there is now green apple and lavender but they smell rank.

fairy dish soap in pink grapefruit mint, i really really miss you. please hop across the pond. or someone please be my mule and smuggle a few bottles home for me.

washer/dryer

missing the efficiency of our washing/dryer combo in the tyndalls park road flat - one machine, 2 jobs, less space, less water = awesome

and the lavender persil tablets used to clean our daily loads of laundry

scaffolding

apparently bristol is under constant reconstruction, hence the appearance of scaffolding all over the city. scaffolding went up on the flat we were renting yet we could not discern any type of work or upgrades being done to 29 tyndalls park road.

the scaffolding did put us on constant guard - especially in the AM, when workmen would be milling about our bathroom windows, doing "work". i also feared opening out one of the swivel windows and knocking one of said workmen toppling 4 stories to the parking lot below.

that did not happen.

happy april fool's!

red spanish grapes

from sainsbury's - #1.49 -so fresh, so sweet, so devoid of any pesticides and my kids devoured them like they were candy.

wilkins cider farm

in north somerset.

the location of wilkins cider farm initially scared the american in me because something that out of the way, usually leads to no good here in the states. it usually involves sadistic rednecks who don't just kill you but keep you in their hovels of horror. but i digress.

where was i?

oh, yes. wilkins cider farm. how i wish i could pop down for some fresh cider (sweet was my personal fav) and a pound or so of that awesomely sharp farm made fresh cheddar whilst watching the geese and cows.

primark

i miss your retail offerings: 1# legwarmers, resin rings for 2#, hair goodies for 1#, your range of girls clothing fit me well although i am an adult (i must admit that i am about the size of your average 6th grader), fantastic graphic tees from the guys department for 3#, 6 pack of sock for 2#, cute sequin clutches for 4.89# - i could go on and on and on.

but i am missing you so, primark bristol.

and there is no one like you here. not old navy. not target. not american eagle outfitters, although i love their jeans because they fit shorties like me. not even h & m.

oh, primark - will you ever come stateside?

you can stay at my place.