What is happening to our Country .

Nellie [ grin] Spot on!

IMO W.S Gilbert yet again says it all.

"The idiot who praises, with enthusiastic tone, All centuries but this, and every country but his own."

The Mikado.

You tell 'em, number...

It`s so annoying, isn`t it? Our name is Smalley, but the number of calls we get asking for Mr or Mrs Smelly!! I`ve tried asking them to say it correctly, but to no avail, so now I just say that no-one of that name lives here, and hang up.

That reminds me of the time when my OH asked the caller to look again at the name, then asked him to spell it out. Once he had done that, OH asked, "So what does that say?" When the caller managed to say it correctly. OH thanked him - and hung up.

MamaCaz I have a Scottish name, it's not unusual and one of our old entertainers shares it with me. However, so many people get it wrong. When I get a cold caller who rings and asks incorrectly for Mrs..... I say if you can say my name correctly then I'll listen if not.............[put own comments in here you can imagine mine]

Why have I rushed to answer the phone 4 times today, just to hear (after a long pause) a stranger asking to speak to me or DH about goodness knows what?

Why can't said stranger even get our surname right? It's not as if it's an unusual name.

Why do I know that there will be several more similar calls today, some asking to speak to one of our DSs, who don't live here?

Why, when my husband answers the phone, am I afraid that he will lose his temper and swear at the caller, then discover that it is in fact a client/potential client calling? (Yes, that has happened a couple of times.)

Official petite is under 5'2" - however wide is completely immaterial - thank god!

And of course all the best and most famous are vertically challenged.

I am completely proud of being English through and through - apart from some historical foreign bits and bobs. English/England isn't a place/language so much as a symbol.

*think not things!

I am not proud of 'being' English either Feetle

I just things there are more things about GB that are good than not!

I think the main thing that makes me proud of my country is the fact that Bill Bryson likes us and [I think] still chooses to live here. I saw the British in a new light after I read Notes From a Small Island and I liked what I saw.

Petite is 5`2" and under, isn`t it? Well, I`m under at 5`1", but must be about 5`around, can I still be petite?

Feetlebaum, you have me sussed! I once found some of my old university notes and was shocked to find I'd been writing in turquoise ink. What was I thinking of?

Moved, if I shrink a little more, I am going to be officially petite. Unfortunately that shrinkage has been longitudinal rather than latitudinal.

I like living in the UK, but I'm not 'proud of being English' - I had no part in it, after all. It just happened to be where my parents were at the time.

I like it, Moved! I too could then just be petite, which would be very comforting.

anno - Green ink - the universal sign of an unhinged letter writer! Particularly when written on lined letter paper...

nans ban&aej. I agree with you both. There is so much to like and be proud of living in the UK for which I am very grateful.

ban is it possible to be petite if dumpy? I ask so that I can change my description and drop the dumpy.

Oh number; put us together in a social occasion..you with your itches and me with my burping . Oh dear...

dorset thanks for your post, I was checking through this thread feeling with the moaning about how crap this country is. I have pride in Britain and if you look for good it is there .. look for bad and you will find it. British people have a lot to be grateful for.

I am not short, I am petite.
Sugar Mouse is definitely deceased.
My bank manager a very long time ago said: borrow as much as you can, as cheaply as you can, for as long as you can. And I agreed.
My country is the best in the world - and I know, I've lived in plenty of others.

Why is there anything wrong in the world - one word - people.

Why cry instead of laugh - one word - people.

number you are a star

Why do my unreachable and /or rude itches always occur when I`m in the presence of other people?

And to continue the original brilliance of this thread....

Why are we so scared to do what is really going to make us happy

Why dont we realise that life is very short and we should appreciate every day

Why do we choose to cry when we could smile instead

Why do grown Adults bicker like children

Why do we follow our bank managers instructions instead of our hearts

Ok I'm done and really looking forward to reading other granetter's WHY'S

x x

Very sobering, dorsetpennt

When I was told (secondary) kids might find my use of a red pen "psychologically damaging" I just replied that they shouldn't make so many ballymistakes then.
(If there was a ban in 2008 - nobody told me!)