VTRgirl wrote
That was a bit of a fib with the standard winter attire thing. We do get out the lekky blankies & flanno sheets, but to give you an idea, winter started June 1st & I can see a kid playing outside next door in a flanno shirt, jarmie pants... and a tail. Yes, he has a tail on. No, he's not interbred with a kangaroo. Just a play one. Don't ask (btw it's 12:20pm here).
That seems strange to hear that your winter starts June 1st as thats suppose to be when our summer starts! but thats only because i've only ever lived in the UK. I was a bit concerned about the child next door with a tail, until I read the bit about it was "just a play one"
Chris.
VTRgirl wrote
Health system? We actually have the best in the world. Everyone pays into Medicare as a kind of tax levy (how much depends on whether you have private cover also - I think it's 1% or something). Every citizen gets a Medicare card which entitles you to a certain rebate on just about every medical thing (doesn't cover dental). Our public system has fantastic facilities and is generally better equipped than private.
The health system set up you have sounds very simular to our national health system, we also have to pay a percentage of our pay into the system, they call it national insurance. It does cover dental things but a lot of the dentists are going private so obviously you then have pay the full amout. If you are lucky enough to have a dentist who's still working for the NHService you've got to hang on to him/her. I think our health service is probably still one of the finest in the world although not as good as it was say 20-25 years ago.
That's not waffling! I found it most informative and very interesting, i've certainly learned a lot from it.
I wish you well with your op in Dec/Jan, you of all people know you'll be in the best possible place with the best of everything available, they say (well over here anyway) that the hospital staff make the worst patients, you'll just have to prove them wrong!
Chris.
I'm impressed! 
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