newest observations about UK

I know people are basically the same everywhere, but it is funny how we come up with different solutions for the same issues.
1st item: I cant find cupcakes here. I went to a bakery to order some for B to take to school for birthday celebration. And no, they don't make cupcakes and didn't even act like they knew what I was talking about. I asked another US mom, "nope, don't have cupcakes here unless you make them yourselves" (not possible in our temporary apt.). I asked local realtor, she said ask for Fairy cakes with butter cream and I might get something like what I want. I have a feeling they will be more like petite fours, which are great, but not what a young girl wants to take to school.
Also all birthday cakes I've seen are made with that smooth fondant icing - which looks cool, but tastes bad. It's weird with all the US families living around here that you cant get just regular ole grocery store basic white cake with sprinkles birthday cake. I tried to talk B into taking rice crispy squares, but that isn't the same as a gooey cupcake.
next item, front door handles. None of the houses have front door knobs! When you go out the door, it locks like a hotel room behind you and you must have a key to reenter. The front of the door has a keyhole and that is all. No knob to turn, isn't that weird. We asked the realtor and she said for safety reasons, no front door would ever have a door knob. I mean we lock our doors in US too, but knob is a basic something to hold onto as you push door open. I know some blog in the future will be about me getting locked out of the house, I can already see it.
funny side note, when looking at a house this morning that we are trying to move into, DA picked up a little remote thing to figure out what it was for and just like a kid who has to press all the buttons, he set off the panic alarm. You have to have key to turn it off. Luckily the realtor found a key. It was a nice, relaxing tour of the house. DA then turned around 5 min. later and got locked out of the house - hence the lesson on the front door knobs.

Last observation - TRASH. I know there are millions of people who live here, but they do not under any circumstances want you to have trash or want to deal with your trash. On the entire High Street in our town, I think there is 1 "litter bin". In our apt. there is a trash can in each room and bedroom about size of Big Gulp at 7-11. Kitchen has one trash can with one bag. They only take out trash once a week, so one bag full of trash per week is all you are allowed. In the very busy, public train station, there aren't ANY trash cans. You eat somewhere, and there is no where to throw your cup or any trash away! none! Businesses don't want to handle your trash and there aren't any public trash cans. DA said in the lunchroom at his office, there are 7 choices of recyclable cans and no basic trash cans. and talk on the news is that they want to start taxing people based on weight of their garbage. Restrooms - no paper towels, so no trash can. They are totally into the global warming thing and I guess this is an extension of that. It's funny, while traveling in Paris, one of my thoughts while walking around all the beautiful sites was "hey, they actually have public trash cans here!" that proves how scarce they are in UK.
I mean of all the crazy comforts of home to miss - the lowly trash can!