Tuesday, January 23, 2007
I refuse to be thwarted--so an update without pictures!
OK, since I can't seem to get the picture portion of this blog to work today, I will just WRITE without pictures, which I know is not as exciting, but at least I can feel in touch with the outside world (sort of). We don't have internet, TV, or radio right now, so I feel like we are in a little cocoon of ignorance. That will soon change!
My roommates, the plumbers, haven't been around lately, but they aren't done with their work yet, so every morning I anticipate their arrival and every morning I am disappointed when they don't show up because I just want them to finish painting or whatever they have to do, so that real life can resume.
Last week I had my second domestic frustration--the vacuum cleaner, sub-par broom, and broken washing machine. If you are American and you are reading this, be very appreciative of your industrial strength everything (toilets, washing machines, vacuum cleaners...you name it)! Last week I decided to clean the house with our new, totally ineffective vacuum cleaner, which I have since put in the "rubbish." That thing was worthless and wouldn't even suck plaster powder up off the floor, much less get plumber's dirt out of the carpet. At one point, when I turned the vacuum off, all of the dirt that I had attempted to suck up, came right back down the hose and landed in a pile at my feet. Trying to make up for what the vacuum lacked with the broom, ended up in more frustration, as the plumbers had saturated the broom with plaster powder and thus, my attempts at cleaning up were causing more of a mess. So, it took me about three hours to "clean" our 700 sq foot flat...and it was still grimey.
I have also been battling it out with our washing machine, which wasn't connecting right due to some issue with it's door. Basically I was supposed to push really hard on the door for up to 10 minutes until the connection happened and the washer would start. This was not really the way I wanted to spend large chunks of my time, so yesterday I broke out the toolbox, unscrewed the door handle, and, with pliers, fixed the bent spring that was causing the problem. I don't know how long our landlords had been pushing really hard on the door, but now, thanks to my philips head screwdriver abilities, the problem is fixed! (at least temporarily)
I also want to say that hanging clothes out on the line is not as easy as it looks. We finally had a sunny day (right after a majorly windy and stormy day), so I decided to hang the clothes out to dry (as opposed to putting them on the drying rack next to the heater...how archaic!). Of course, the wind was blowing, so the clothes weren't cooperating. Our sheets ended up with a little mud on them and I was glad to know that at least one of our neighbors was definitely gone, so hopefully not too many people witnessed my domestic failure in the back yard.
That said, I have been enjoying more than just cleaning house and doing laundry. Jim and I are slowly figuring out the bus system here, which is very efficient! WE took the bus to Portabello Market (which we both found to be overrated) on Saturday and then to Hampstead on Sunday to watch the Saints get beat by the Bears at Meg and Dan's house. This morning I ran to and in Hampstead Heath and then took the bus back. It opens up all kinds of doors to be able to take the bus!
I promise more interesting blogs WITH PICTURES soon. For now, let the count down to home internet begin. I will be glad never to set foot in this internet cafe again.
My roommates, the plumbers, haven't been around lately, but they aren't done with their work yet, so every morning I anticipate their arrival and every morning I am disappointed when they don't show up because I just want them to finish painting or whatever they have to do, so that real life can resume.
Last week I had my second domestic frustration--the vacuum cleaner, sub-par broom, and broken washing machine. If you are American and you are reading this, be very appreciative of your industrial strength everything (toilets, washing machines, vacuum cleaners...you name it)! Last week I decided to clean the house with our new, totally ineffective vacuum cleaner, which I have since put in the "rubbish." That thing was worthless and wouldn't even suck plaster powder up off the floor, much less get plumber's dirt out of the carpet. At one point, when I turned the vacuum off, all of the dirt that I had attempted to suck up, came right back down the hose and landed in a pile at my feet. Trying to make up for what the vacuum lacked with the broom, ended up in more frustration, as the plumbers had saturated the broom with plaster powder and thus, my attempts at cleaning up were causing more of a mess. So, it took me about three hours to "clean" our 700 sq foot flat...and it was still grimey.
I have also been battling it out with our washing machine, which wasn't connecting right due to some issue with it's door. Basically I was supposed to push really hard on the door for up to 10 minutes until the connection happened and the washer would start. This was not really the way I wanted to spend large chunks of my time, so yesterday I broke out the toolbox, unscrewed the door handle, and, with pliers, fixed the bent spring that was causing the problem. I don't know how long our landlords had been pushing really hard on the door, but now, thanks to my philips head screwdriver abilities, the problem is fixed! (at least temporarily)
I also want to say that hanging clothes out on the line is not as easy as it looks. We finally had a sunny day (right after a majorly windy and stormy day), so I decided to hang the clothes out to dry (as opposed to putting them on the drying rack next to the heater...how archaic!). Of course, the wind was blowing, so the clothes weren't cooperating. Our sheets ended up with a little mud on them and I was glad to know that at least one of our neighbors was definitely gone, so hopefully not too many people witnessed my domestic failure in the back yard.
That said, I have been enjoying more than just cleaning house and doing laundry. Jim and I are slowly figuring out the bus system here, which is very efficient! WE took the bus to Portabello Market (which we both found to be overrated) on Saturday and then to Hampstead on Sunday to watch the Saints get beat by the Bears at Meg and Dan's house. This morning I ran to and in Hampstead Heath and then took the bus back. It opens up all kinds of doors to be able to take the bus!
I promise more interesting blogs WITH PICTURES soon. For now, let the count down to home internet begin. I will be glad never to set foot in this internet cafe again.
A new hike...which I will have to detail later, due to computer nonsense.
Jim was very excited about our latest country walk, which we took on Sunday. We went out to the Chilterns and were, again, stunned by the beautiful scenery. It was the first pretty cold day that we have experienced since we moved here, so we bundled up. We also were much more prepared for the weather this time around, but, fortunately, it didn't rain. We were thrilled with our new waterproof hiking boots (mine arrived just days before our hike!) and our feet stayed warm and dry throughout the 11 mile walk.
I have a lot to say about this walk, but I'm having issues with the computer I'm using, so I think I'll wait to blog about it until we get our home internet hooked up--January 29!!!!!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Sunday in Hampstead Heath
On Sunday, Jim had to work and it was a beautiful sunny day (for once) so I decided to go take a walk in the Heath. Lucky for me, Dan and Meg were around and wanted to go, so we all went out to slog through the mud and enjoy the sunshine.
But first, here is a picture of brussel sprouts, which were growing in a garden on the last country hike I took. I never know that brussel sprouts grew like this...I actually never really considered how brussel sprouts do grow and now I know...and so do you.
Hampstead Heath is about a 20 minute run from our new house. In fact, we are right between two great parks, both of which are about a 20 minute run from us...so I'm looking into how to take the bus, so that I can spend more time running in the parks instead of weaving in and out of traffic trying to get to the parks. The Heath has several swimming ponds, which I plan to use during the summer, and lots of trails that run through it. There is also the Kenwood house, the picture of which I forgot to put on my memory stick, so I'll have to include the picture in another blog (ahhh blogging from the internet cafe!) Anyway, during the summer, they have concerts from a stage in the middle of one of the ponds and people can sit on their blankets with their picnic baskets in the evening and listen for free from the hill below Kenwood House. That will be a lot of fun. There is a lot to look forward to in summer (maybe less rain!).
Dogs were even happy about the sunshine. If you look closely you can see that one of the dogs is carrying a stick twice his size!
D.H. Lawrence spent some time in Hampstead Heath and lived in this house during the year 1915. I would think that the Heath would be an inspiring place to write.
There is a cute little neighborhood (and I'm sure very expensives) tucked within the park, close to the ponds.
And here you can see the muddy trail that we trudged up. Meg and I were in our Wellies, so our feet stayed dry, but Dan got a little wet.
Jim wasn't able to join us due to engineering work on the tube, which prevented him from getting to us, but we were able to meet later and have some fun in our neighborhood at the Chech bar down the street, where we pondered intestinal soup and snacked on some vaguely peanut flavored chip type things that were actually pretty good!
I love LOndon!
But first, here is a picture of brussel sprouts, which were growing in a garden on the last country hike I took. I never know that brussel sprouts grew like this...I actually never really considered how brussel sprouts do grow and now I know...and so do you.
Hampstead Heath is about a 20 minute run from our new house. In fact, we are right between two great parks, both of which are about a 20 minute run from us...so I'm looking into how to take the bus, so that I can spend more time running in the parks instead of weaving in and out of traffic trying to get to the parks. The Heath has several swimming ponds, which I plan to use during the summer, and lots of trails that run through it. There is also the Kenwood house, the picture of which I forgot to put on my memory stick, so I'll have to include the picture in another blog (ahhh blogging from the internet cafe!) Anyway, during the summer, they have concerts from a stage in the middle of one of the ponds and people can sit on their blankets with their picnic baskets in the evening and listen for free from the hill below Kenwood House. That will be a lot of fun. There is a lot to look forward to in summer (maybe less rain!).
Dogs were even happy about the sunshine. If you look closely you can see that one of the dogs is carrying a stick twice his size!
D.H. Lawrence spent some time in Hampstead Heath and lived in this house during the year 1915. I would think that the Heath would be an inspiring place to write.
There is a cute little neighborhood (and I'm sure very expensives) tucked within the park, close to the ponds.
And here you can see the muddy trail that we trudged up. Meg and I were in our Wellies, so our feet stayed dry, but Dan got a little wet.
Jim wasn't able to join us due to engineering work on the tube, which prevented him from getting to us, but we were able to meet later and have some fun in our neighborhood at the Chech bar down the street, where we pondered intestinal soup and snacked on some vaguely peanut flavored chip type things that were actually pretty good!
I love LOndon!
Thursday, January 11, 2007
A ramble in the country and plumbing woes
I'll start with the low point: our plumbing is completely screwed up. We got the sink unclogged, but now everything else messed up and leaking into our downstair neighbor's flat. Fortunately, our landlords are on it, so it should be fixed in a few days. In the mean time, I'm sharing my flat with two rather large plumbers, who asked if I could make them some tea. So I put the fixings out for them and left. They can make their own tea, thanks.
Yesterday, I went for a nine mile "ramble" with the hiking group from the American Women's Club. I can't remember where we went, but it wasn't as spectacular as the hike that Jim and I took...or as strenuous. It was fun, though, and very muddy, and a few minutes into it we were in a village where a bank robbery had just occured AND where the movie "The Holiday" was recently filmed. In the future, I think I'm going to help out with planning the hikes, which means that I'll do a pre-hike with a couple of other people to check it out and find the pub where we'll eat lunch, etc.
Our meager belongings that we shipped to ourselves are trickling in, so we're feeling more and more settled every day. And we figured out that the scary sound in the night was not a dying cat...it was a fox.
Yesterday, I went for a nine mile "ramble" with the hiking group from the American Women's Club. I can't remember where we went, but it wasn't as spectacular as the hike that Jim and I took...or as strenuous. It was fun, though, and very muddy, and a few minutes into it we were in a village where a bank robbery had just occured AND where the movie "The Holiday" was recently filmed. In the future, I think I'm going to help out with planning the hikes, which means that I'll do a pre-hike with a couple of other people to check it out and find the pub where we'll eat lunch, etc.
Our meager belongings that we shipped to ourselves are trickling in, so we're feeling more and more settled every day. And we figured out that the scary sound in the night was not a dying cat...it was a fox.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
So much for the frequent blogging
We moved into our new flat two days ago and so far it's pretty good except that our kitchen sink is clogged, our neighbors blare their TVs at all hours, and last night there was some horrible sounding animal dying or in heat on the street outside of our bedroom window. We are trying to get used to this new communal living situation after having lots of quiet and privacy in Dallas.
The biggest adjustment is the problem of not having internet at our house because (sigh) we can't get it without a UK bank account. I am thankful for internet cafes, but, unfortunately, I can't download any pictures to the blog at an internet cafe, so this blog will be pictureless for a while.
I also went to Ikea the other day, which was an experience. Of course, there were issues because of my lack of UK bank account, but I survived it and managed to get furniture for our flat. I also learned, after standing in the rain with two huge Ikea bags full of stuff and being passed by by two speeding buses, that if you want to get a bus to stop around here, you have to signal them. I literally chased down the second bus with all my bags and fortunately he stopped, but he was annoyed with me, because I didn't know that just standing at a bus stop is not enough.
Things are not simple here in London. I guess that's the way it is when you are a foreigner. Off to buy a plunger.
The biggest adjustment is the problem of not having internet at our house because (sigh) we can't get it without a UK bank account. I am thankful for internet cafes, but, unfortunately, I can't download any pictures to the blog at an internet cafe, so this blog will be pictureless for a while.
I also went to Ikea the other day, which was an experience. Of course, there were issues because of my lack of UK bank account, but I survived it and managed to get furniture for our flat. I also learned, after standing in the rain with two huge Ikea bags full of stuff and being passed by by two speeding buses, that if you want to get a bus to stop around here, you have to signal them. I literally chased down the second bus with all my bags and fortunately he stopped, but he was annoyed with me, because I didn't know that just standing at a bus stop is not enough.
Things are not simple here in London. I guess that's the way it is when you are a foreigner. Off to buy a plunger.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Back in the UK
After two weeks in Texas and Louisiana, we have returned to London and I will return to updating the blog. I even will add some pictures of our good times back home...but I currently have jet lag and lack the patience it takes to upload pictures, so this will be a pictureless, but descriptive blog.
Yesterday we headed to the Houston airport very early, because that is our way. So, with three hours to kill before our flight, we each had a beer and eavesdropped on some people in the Houston airport bar and grill and then made some Happy New Year phone calls.
Unfortunately, our flight was REALLY full. There were about sixteen screaming babies and children, a number of sick, hacking people, some body odor, very little air conditioner, and my seat was broken, so I couldn't lean back for the entire 9 hours. We were VERY happy to get off the plane and then, after a car sickness inducing cab ride to our hotel, were even more happy to be out of moving vehicles completely and get some much needed sleep.
Refreshed after a four hour nap, we picked up the keys to our new flat and headed over to check it out. Our new neighborhood is quiet and quaint. Our flat, which we finally saw for the first time without an estate agent hanging around, is charming, with big windows and lots of natural light. Our new landlord left us a nice note and guide to where things are to who to contact when we need help. We haven't met our neighbors yet, but our landlord said (in his note) that they seem to be nice and have been helpful.
There is a romantic looking restaurant around the corner from our new flat, a coffee shop, a pub, a little market and, with about a fifteen minute walk, we can get to West Hampstead, which has more restaurants, coffee shops, etc. Regents park isn't too far away and Hampstead Heath is also close, so I will have no excuse for not running. Tomorrow I will start "Mission Get Some Furniture" and hopefully we can get into the flat by the weekend.
Stay tuned for pictures from our holiday visit at home. Happy New Year!
Yesterday we headed to the Houston airport very early, because that is our way. So, with three hours to kill before our flight, we each had a beer and eavesdropped on some people in the Houston airport bar and grill and then made some Happy New Year phone calls.
Unfortunately, our flight was REALLY full. There were about sixteen screaming babies and children, a number of sick, hacking people, some body odor, very little air conditioner, and my seat was broken, so I couldn't lean back for the entire 9 hours. We were VERY happy to get off the plane and then, after a car sickness inducing cab ride to our hotel, were even more happy to be out of moving vehicles completely and get some much needed sleep.
Refreshed after a four hour nap, we picked up the keys to our new flat and headed over to check it out. Our new neighborhood is quiet and quaint. Our flat, which we finally saw for the first time without an estate agent hanging around, is charming, with big windows and lots of natural light. Our new landlord left us a nice note and guide to where things are to who to contact when we need help. We haven't met our neighbors yet, but our landlord said (in his note) that they seem to be nice and have been helpful.
There is a romantic looking restaurant around the corner from our new flat, a coffee shop, a pub, a little market and, with about a fifteen minute walk, we can get to West Hampstead, which has more restaurants, coffee shops, etc. Regents park isn't too far away and Hampstead Heath is also close, so I will have no excuse for not running. Tomorrow I will start "Mission Get Some Furniture" and hopefully we can get into the flat by the weekend.
Stay tuned for pictures from our holiday visit at home. Happy New Year!
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