GEEEEEZ- been here three years and still I am unpacking the differences between UK and US English (let along Irish English which is a mixture with its own peculiarities.  The new information/understanding that came to light on Friday night was that cardigans are not jumpers.  Here I had thought that jumper was synonymous with sweater - after all in most cases you hear it when you are referring to sweater.  What I did not realize was that cardigan (which I would maybe call cardigan but most likely title sweater as well) is clearly NOT included here in the jumper category.  Oh no  - cardigans are not jumpers even though both are sweaters. Got that straight? How about your puddings?  Are they sweet or savory?  Savory is not a word that I used in the states but here it is a clear delineation with foods being either it or sweet.  Puddings on the other hand are NOT the semi gelatinous but cloudy variety that cluster in the chocolate, vanilla or tapioca range.  Rather puddings are (or so I have sorted it out as of now) to be any desert.  But just as with sweater in the US there are many varieties.  Whether or not cakes or pies are included in puddings, I am still not clear, but I am sure that cookies are not because they don't have cookies here, they have biscuits.  Cookie, when it was used in the home of one of our friends ONLY referred to the classic Toll House or chocolate chip (as that is the one that is truly linked to America).  It is also the one that does not necessarily appeal to the tastes of our neighbours. But then you know what they say about taste and the fact that there is no…

  This is for all the people in the world who feel as though they “don’t fit.” Certainly that means the majority of people who have moved out of their culture to live somewhere else in the world, that also likely includes most of the gay and lesbian population, youth, etc. Maybe it includes all of us. My message to myself is to “mind the gap.” Like the trains in London that come into the station 6” away from the platform, we can get caught in the difference and hurt ourselves if we don’t watch out. Last night was one of those occasions for me – lots of well meaning people and a very fun event and yet I have to confess that as much as anything I didn’t mind the gap and ended up hurting myself.