I forgot to mention my great find at the market. While walking along the open air market I came across a fruit and nut stand. Taken immediately back to my days in Mexico where it is advisable not to eat the street food. Ahh, it looked ok, and an entire container was only a pound. I bought it! YUMMY!! I ate some last night and am not dead yet, so all those worrying can stop. ☺
My ride home yesterday proved to be quite the adventure as well. After bragging about my new found ability to navigate the tube, I was quite startled to experience a whole new level of “tubing” in London. Clearly, traveling during rush hour is a whole different ball game. Not only must one fight there way on to the tube, gloating secretly as it begins to move at all those falling off as the doors close and it pulls out of the station, but then one must bend their knees slightly and use all the power in them to balance for fear of beginning what would look like human dominoes (should anyone have enough room to even fall forward just a little). Quite a different experience, but wonderful none-the-less.
Being New Years Eve I was told by many of all the wonderful celebrations that occur in London. However, being new to the city and by myself I wasn't quite sure I was ready to brave it on my own. (Yes, mom, I see you smiling right now. I made a good choice. Please, do not worry. I might eat market food but I am not looking to head to Big Ben and navigate my way home alone on New Years Eve.) My solution to what could have been a rather boring New Years… a British film!! I headed towards Blockbuster and had a DVD selected, ready to pay. Ah, but a glitch in the plan. The man at the counter asked for Blockbuster Card… “My US Blockbuster card?!?” I asked shamelessly. “No! That will not work,” he replied. Well, then… after discovering that a US debit card would not work as it did not have a something or other on it, and discovering that, while I had two forms of ID I did not have proof of permanent residency (for crying out loud I’ve not even been in the country a week), I decided that I had no choice but to purchase a movie… 3.99 pound bin it is. Conclusion… cheap movies are crap. Dog Trouble wasn’t even a British film. Rubbish! I should have gone with Alfie. To top off my eventful New Years, I ran to the grocery store on the way home for some guacamole (I’d shoot the stuff up in an IV if it was socially acceptable) and tortilla chips. Guacamole… check! Chips… yeah, let’s talk about that for a moment. After asking several persons where I could locate tortilla chips, I quickly learned that in England, guacamole is eaten with Doritos (yes, the flavored ones. Everyone seemed to recommend a spicy, not sweet, Doritos). EWWWWWWW!!! Good thing McCoy chips aren’t actually the “real McCoy” and have NO flavor to them… it was like eating a plain nacho chip. Unhealthy day… did I mention that I skipped breakfast and had EXPENSIVE chicken nuggets and a McFlurry from McDonalds for lunch. (Which, after several comments relating to the matter, apparently smarties here are like m&ms – not the nasty things in the clear wrapper. Thanks for the clarification guys!)
Upon arriving home, Ingrid said she didn’t know when I had to get up and that is why she did not have breakfast set out. Clearly I said 7:30, clearly she knew that as her alarm had been going off since well before I left the house. Did I mention ms. Perfection of health herself also has leaky ears and keeps cotton balls stuff in them… yes.. perhaps she doesn’t ear as well as I once thought. Did the honey and cinnamon thing say anything about leaky ears or hearing loss? Oh well… she is still wonderful!
That about covers yesterday. This morning Ingrid had breakfast ready at 8:00, and once again I went back to bed after eating. I’m on vacation, tell me you wouldn’t sleep in too. Plus, I had a very sweet wake-up call at midnight (my time) from Jeff wishing me a happy New Year. So sweet, not to mention that by waking up I had the opportunity to view the most beautiful fireworks from outside my window. By the time I thought to grab my camera to take a few pictures it was too late. So, back to this morning… by the time I awoke for the second time I headed straight for the coffee shop to use the Internet. Lots to today regarding finding housing closer to where I will be working. Let’s just say I might have “skyped” for four hours and didn’t get a bit of work done. Yippee for free international calling!! By the time I finished there it was time to head home as I promised Ingrid (see picture) that I would help her take down some of her larger pieces so that she could dust the back of them and clean the wall. I was happy to help, but seriously would have liked to have offered to trade some more of my cleaning services for a little rent reduction. Don’t worry, I didn’t ask. I might show up for breakfast in my pj’s but I wouldn’t never go as far as to mention something like that. (Side note: Ingrid totally came to breakfast today in her bathrobe and slippers. Apparently Ingrid and I have reached a new level of comfort. Should I mention that I was in my pajamas again this morning too.) After dusting large pieces of artwork with Ingrid she was kind enough to drive me to my new flat where I sit comfortably now (borrowing Internet from “BenG” whoever that might be!) The new flat is fantastic. I am in a bottom flat this time, not sure that I enjoy ground level quite as much, but I feel safe enough. I sure would like a roommate… lucky for me, Ingrid informed me that should someone be interested, I could be getting one. Could be interesting… As for the new place, its so nice!! I like it much better than Ingrid’s museum (not that I didn’t totally appreciate the beautiful artwork around me). And, it’s so nice to have Internet at home!! It’s cute too though, quite quaint. After Ingrid dropped me off, she walked me down to the corner and I got some dinner (Pizza! Another healthy choice! I’m on a roll!) SO sweet of her. In addition to Internet I also have a t.v. here – a whole 20 channels!! Before you get too excited… there are only three shows on all twenty channels. “The Bill” – a British want to be CSI type show was on about 15 of the channels – same episode! Not sure what that is all about… good thing I’m not much of a t.v. watcher!!
More fun tid-bits…
- Patrons leave their cups, plates, trash on the table at Starbucks and they have someone that comes around every 15 minutes or so to clean up. Takes a little getting used to when you are used to throwing it away yourself.
- I doused myself in steroid cream and it appears to have helped the spot situation. YIPPEE!!
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