Harsh water? What, it berates you if you fail to wash behind your ears?


>The worst I ever had to deal with in Europe that I can recall off of the top of my head was the harsh water - mostly because where I was in Germany it was all surface water and it turned your skin red after showering until you got accustomed to it.

UK water has always been all potable, and safe (AFAIK). Up in Liverpool we had soft water (alkali-free). Down here in the south, where we live on chalk, the water's hard (furs up the kettle element) and, unless I put moisturiser on, it makes me feel like my face is cracking). It amuses me when I go up north and use far too much soap in the bath (cos it lathers up much more efficiently than hard water).

>I remember the locals telling me not to bathe so often :o)

Sure that wasn't France?!


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>>Shhhhh! She said she doesn't do the inspection in Europe!
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>>>Why then are you guys in the EU? Go home!
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>>>>... When you are stationed outside the U.S. (other than Europe typically) everynight is an inspection of every inch of your body.
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>>>>If you come over here I'll do that for you, Tracy! (we Brits don't consider ourselves European) :-)
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>>>>>>It was totally bizarre. I noticed a small red circle on my leg around Christmas of 2005. It started itching and swelling. Within a week the area had started to turn black and I couldn't walk. They misdiagnosed it - common with the brown recluse - and they gave me a moderate dose of antibiotics. Had to go back a day later because of the pain and it was, well, not looking good. They upped the antibiotics big time and the swelling started to subside to the point I could walk. It wasn't until 3 months later when I had a hole the size of a tennis ball in my calf that wouldn't heal that the decided it was the spider bite. Too late though. It is now the size of a golf ball and doesn't hurt as much, but from what I can tell online, I was extremely lucky not to have lost my leg. Anyone lurking with a strong stomach, just type "brown recluse bite" into Google images and you will have an idea. I have the most odd health things happen to me, but I've lived a hard health life (but really fun!)
>>>so
>>>>>>it doesn't surprise me a whole bunch.
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>>>>>>>A friend of mine got bit by a brown recluse on the back while he was sleeping. It was years ago and he still has a hole in his back where the tissue died.
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>>>>>>>>>"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Fight Night at the UT! On the undercard, Jay vs. Peter, and in the main event, Kevin vs. John. Let's get ready to rummmmmmmble!"
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>>>>>>>><vbg>
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>>>>>>>>I'm old, have diabetes, have nerve pain in my legs most of the time, can't see well anymore, can't breathe normally because of heart issues, have two arterial stents, lost a portion of my leg to a brown recluse spider almost two years ago that still hasn't healed, and nerve damage in my face. I can't beat-up a sick 7 year-old school girl!
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>>>>>>>>UPDATE: Um, if anyone from my health care provider is reading this... Just kidding! Ha ha...