March 12th. One year.
In many ways, a year already? And in many other ways, only a year?
1 year
2 different flats
2 different jobs
4 new umbrellas
9 countries
17 visitors
You know it’s been a year when tube names don’t make you giggle anymore and you acknowledge that there is a level of rain that must be achieved before bothering to take out your umbrella. I now like my beer as an ale, medium colour, kind of flat and kind of warm. My skim milk latte is called a skinny latte, my cream is soured, not sour.
Here are some more thoughts, in a list.
Things I can’t beleive I ever lived without:
2. The Tube. Love it, hate it, spend loads and loads of time complaining about it, but at the end of the day I still love the sheer amount of possibilities and the extensivness of the network.
3. Cheap flights to “the continent”. Most flights were on the god awful services of Ryan Air, but i still keep coming back for more because, well, I just can’t resist the travel.
4. Sunday Roast. And Sunday afternoon in the pub for that matter.
5. Pomegranates. Seeds removed from the peel, neatly packaged with a little plastic spoon? If this existed in Canada, I never saw it.
6. Weekends in England (Bath, Cotswalds, Oxford, Brighton, Leeds Castle, Canterbury, Windsor Castle, and that’s only half of the recommended day trips)
Things I miss:
1. Family and friends, obviously.
But in one year our visitors (for work or pleasure) were: my parents, Jason’s parents, Jason’s brother John, Scott, Dave and Kasia (thanks again for crawling on your hands and knees looking for my cats under parked cars, kings cross isn’t the cleanest, that will never be fogotten), Lindsay & Kynan, both Cerniks, all the Oxford ex coworkers: Jaime, Claire, Mike, and Shelly.
Lots of visitors makes it that much easier.
2. Having any sort of pedestrian rights. In London, they are non existent. In fact, I would say vehicles speed up when they see you crossing the street.
3. Closet space
4. Brunch (because I apparently I can’t help it. Everyone’s working for their breakfast
5. A credit rating. 500 pounds credit card limit is a cruel, cruel joke.
6. Owning property
7. Walking to work
What’s coming up for the next year? Lots of travel of course, new things to love and hate, and hopefully more visitors! And maybe some more cheese. It’s been a while…
Happy London Birthday….lets grab some prawn cocktail crisps and celebrate over a warm ale or pint of cider. We’ll bring the heated towels if you bring your wellies, courgettes and a warm jumper.
Happy Anniversary!!! Did you ever make yourself a roast. Let me know because I have a fabulous recipe for one I can send you.
The lack of credit rating is a blessing.
Why didn’t the coffee shop in Notting Hill make the list?
No Roast! You’ll have to come back and teach me (but we’ll have to buy the pan in Canada…).
The list was tough! Kitchen &Pantry, good point. I am in love with that place (but have been cheating on it with my local cafe..)
You know what else occurred to me? I should have also said, I love no snow!
That was one of things I missed while living in Scotland. I loved the snow. That and Ketchup chips.. Have you had the soured cream with chives? Delish.