Sue, I already appologized for that gravy comment which was flippant. I have lived in the US, and gotten wonderful food. I can give you an explanation of that gravy-thing somewhere else - maybe on tried and true board.
Back to bread machines: I really openly and honestly wondered, because I've seen so many recipes and ISO's and all were for machine bread.
I do have jointproblems and can very well understand people that think they are a blessing, I just wondered how common they were.

In Norway most people buy their bread. I thought on a bakers board I would find other people that shared the good feeling of the dough between habds - and I did.
Last thing, Sue - If I didn't like anything the American way - why would I use time here.