More apartment pics

Living room

Dining area

Bathroom

Bedroom

Back in Leeds

Welcome home flowers from Richard

The street we're living on

The building

The kitchen

I'll post pics of the rest of the apartment when it's all tidied up :)
The job search is stressing me out, but this morning I realized it's only Tuesday--I've only been looking for a job for 3 days. I need to give it at least a few weeks before I get stressed out...

Back in the States

Me at Baltimore's inner harbor


The S.S. Constellation

Gorilla at the National Zoo

Kelly and Pudd

Tiger

Will with Kelly's sunglasses

Uncooperative lion facing away from me at the National Zoo

Uncooperative baby looking off camera

Nick and Pudd at the zoo's pizza playground





Will at Dave & Buster's

Kelly & Nick playing coin games and neglecting Pudd while he steals their tickets

After finishing up my dissertation, I spent about 48 hours in Leeds--cleaning out my dorm room, celebrating with my coursemates, moving my stuff over to Richard's place, and packing for the U.S.
On the 4th, I flew out to Baltimore and was immediately struck down w/ coughing, aches and a high fever. We worried it was swine flu, but it turned out to be pneumonia and cleared up (mostly) in about a week. By then, I was off to Seattle! I didn't get to do some of the things on the list (didn't go out for drinks at my usual places, missed seeing a few people, never went to Dick's drive-in, etc.), but I had plenty of Mexican food, went shopping with Mom, and got to see some of my friends. When I was in line to check in at the airport, I cried a little. As much as I love England, I love Seattle, too. 10 days really wasn't enough!
Now am back at Kelly's briefly--we had a great time today at the National Zoo and Dave & Buster's with Nick! There's not much else I really wanted to do here--am done w/ my American shopping and food, and I don't want to subject Kelly to the Lincoln Memorial again ;)

August Bank Holiday weekend surprise

My surprise!

Richard & me on Ilkley Moor

View down from the edge of the cliff--yikes!

Sheep


The heather here's much more vivid than it was over in Haworth

That's Ilkley in the distance

More heather

We were pretty much the only hikers there without dogs...


I knew Richard had planned something for the Bank Holiday weekend, because he kept checking with me and reminding me about keeping Saturday evening free. It was driving me crazy--I love spontaneous surprises that you know nothing about, but knowing you're getting a surprise is so frustrating! Saturday morning he finally told me--he'd booked a B&B in Ilkley. We went out for tea, then dinner at an Italian place, then drinks at an ale & wine bar (he'd gotten recommendations from a co-worker who lives in the area). When we were having drinks, he gave me my other surprise--he pulled a little box out of his suit jacket and it was copies of his house keys, with a little key-chain he'd made with a picture of us on each side. When I opened it he said "it's your home now, sweetie" and I almost cried--he's so romantic!
In the morning, after a 'Full English' breakfast, complete with crunchy fried bread and baked beans, we went for a hike on Ilkley Moor. Stopped for tea at Golden Acre on the way home, and now I'm getting back to finishing up my dissertation--just had to post these first!

Fountains Abbey

Abbey ruins

Pheasants take over the Abbey ruins after the tourists leave...


View from little look-out point up the hill

Folly

12th Century outhouse

Another folly




More of the Abbey


The Cellarium--it feels about 10 degrees cooler in there (didn't notice last time, b/c it was freezing everywhere...)

On Saturday we went out to Fountains Abbey--much better weather this time! We had lunch at the cafe and walked around the Abbey and the gardens. Went up the hill to some of the follies I hadn't seen before--amazing views!

The American Healthcare debate: My two pence

These ladies in Lewisham point to the American system in their defense of the NHS...
while right-wing Americans point to the NHS in their defense of the American system! Crazy, isn't it?

It's been interesting watching the healthcare debate from afar. I can't believe some of the ridiculous things the opposition is saying, calling national healthcare a socialist or communist--or even Nazi--policy. Some on the right have more reasonable arguments, like pointing out the flaws of the NHS (waitlists being the main one), but even these are ill-informed.

I love the NHS. Yes, there are waitlists for non-urgent operations, but if you don't want to wait, you can just go to a private hospital. Private hospitals do exist--PM Margaret Thatcher faced a lot of criticism for using them! The American right doesn't seem to understand that the NHS and choice are not mutually exclusive.

I've heard so many nightmare medical insurance stories over the years from friends and family. I've seen my uninsured best friend face huge bills after an emergency surgery. I've seen people who were covered face unaffordable bills, too. I've been uninsured myself and gone years between check-ups (and even when I'm insured, I don't want to pay $20 to get a check-up, just to be told that I'm well...).

The only story I'll tell here is this: At the end of my appointment at Leeds Student Medical Practice, I was handed a green prescription slip. I took it to the pharmacy counter at Boots, waited about 10 minutes, and the pharmacist handed me my packet. Without paying even a co-pay, I was able to walk out the door with my prescription. I wanted to smack the other customers on the back and say "Can you believe this? They just GAVE them to me! For free!!!" But they didn't share my shock and joy--this is just the way it is for them, and has been since 1948.

Obviously, it's not free--we do pay the VAT, and it's around 15%. But the highest sales tax in the US is currently 11.5%, and they don't get free healthcare.

The fundamental thing in the healthcare debate is whether or not you think medicine should be for profit. Should somebody make money off of another person's illness? Apparently right-wingers do...