Date: Thu, 17 Jun 2004 09:50:18 +0100
From: Dave Coull <coull-AT-onetel.net.uk>



I wrote

 > Keri's mother has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Her dad
 > is (so far) a survivor of throat cancer. Apart from being tired of
 > the dubious attractions of Dundee, that is what has prompted
 > this desire to return to California. One good thing is that Keri
 > has now decided she really  MUST  quit smoking.

and Heather says

 > Tell her to get Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0140277633/ref=pd_sr_ec_ir_b/026-5977054-5327615
 > Worked for 2 of my friends

Thanks for the suggestion, anything that might help her quit is welcome.

 > California sounds like it might be worth a go then-anythings better
 > than schemie life I reckon. Good luck

Well thanks for the "Good luck", but I only said Keri was
  _trying_  to  _persuade_  me, I didn't say I had agreed!

We might move to Edinburgh, or to some other place
in Scotland. We might move to Barcelona. My daughter,
son-in-law, and grand-daughter live in Barcelona,
and we do like the place. But Keri would probably
object to me being asked to do a lot of babysitting.
Still, someplace in continental Europe is a possibility.
Keri has even spoken favourably of Belchum, although
Erik seems keen to get away from the place. The only
thing that is certain is that we want out of Dundee.
And I do recognise that Keri has particular family
reasons for wanting to go "home" to California.

Carp writes

 > California is too diversified.

Do you mean as in "ethnically diverse"?

Keri reckons that after living in an ethnically-unvarying
housing scheme in Dundee, that is a definite plus!

 > Come to the eastern mid-west U$ with an islander
 > accent--lay it on real heavy

There is no need for me to "lay it on heavy".
All I have to do is open my mouth and speak.
Of course my step-daughter comes from California,
but she speaks with a strong Scottish accent nowadays.
Last time she was over there, she met a small relative
whose reaction to her speaking was "I want an accent!
My cousin has an accent, why can't I have one?"

 > --and people will feel so enthralled with knowing somebody
 > from the home islands that you could hustle the rest
 > of your life's needs for shelter and free meals from britophiles
 > who want to seem uppity.

Well,  _they_  might be britophiles, but I'm not.
Scot.
Not Brit.

Besides, like I said, Keri has family reasons for wanting
to return to California.

Greg writes

 > where i'm from in upstate ny an accent'll getcha
 > the 'yerrr not frum arrround heeeere arrre ya?' look.

Keri gets them sort of looks here in Kirkton.

Come to think of it, so do I.

Dave C