my tomatoes

John came home with this package of tomatoes. They are special because we originally saw them on TV.

What the...!?

Maybe it's an understated culture jam.

Happy Birthday Jeromy

I've never actually forgotten Jer's birthday, though he would say I have. What happened was I mixed-up the dates once when discussing his birthday long before it was his birthday. I still maintain that he should have entered this world on the 28th, not the 27th. Nice round number and all. I don't like to think how long we've known each other because it's quite scary, but he'll be at Paupers on Friday and someone should buy him a beer for me. After all, I can take most of the credit for corrupting Jer with alcohol--I think his roommates on Marshall St. can take the rest-- and who am I to break with tradition
BTW . I saw someone who looked remarkably like Douglas, of Josh's cousin fame, at the British Library yesterday. He was playing a xylophone. What was strange was that the xylophone was in a mint green case. Who knew that a portable 70s-style xylophone existed!

Every instinct wrong

Things have not being going badly or unfortunately. Things have been going annoyingly. For example, I needed proof of address to get a bank account. I have an introduction letter from BT with MY ADDRESS, but it has to be a BILL from BT. BT sends out bills quarterly. It's fine, I've got used to it. Rather than suggesting that the Co-operative Bank call me as proof that the line is actually set-up and I'm not planning on committing fraud, I just said 'okay'.
Then I accidentally uninstalled Microsoft Office. Computer Geek Friends, I can hear you laughing. It's fine. What do I need Word for anyway.


(Pint glass found on the University of London campus)

Covent Garden circa 2005

Turns out my digital camera has a sepia setting.

St. Pancras

VIEW FROM OUR WINDOW
Despite having quite modest accommodations, this is our view. St. Pancras was built in the 1850's (see above). Today it hides a building site (notice the crane to the right of the tower). Common belief is that King's Cross is horrible and dodgy, but I think its fine. If this is dodgy--amazing architecture, history on our doorstep (but no drunks), people ringing our buzzer at three in the morning--then bring it on!
We got internet and cable hooked-up today. We immediately watched 'The Daily Show', but didn't laugh as much at that as we did at 'Have I Got News for You'. I can only assume that I've lost my North American sense of humour( jury is out on whether or not that is a good or bad thing).
(btw. We is John and I. I haven't become completely insular and insane due to lack of human contact)

My apologies

Sorry, sorry, sorry about not updating my blog. Yes, the hot water is fixed. Great joy on Birkenhead St. But then the bit that connects the tap to the shower part broke off. Sigh. Now that's fixed as well, and the shower is fantastic.

This Saturday was the first time I'd really looked around and thought ' holy shit' I'm in London. This was a result of several things. Saturday was gorgeous. It felt like the beginning of summer. It was warm. There was a breeze. And, because it was 12:30 on a Saturday, the usually congested streets were almost car-free and the sidewalks people-free. I walked down Southampton Row to The Thames in an easy twenty minutes. Sunlight was glancing off the water, and all the recognizable buildings were just outlines (imagine the label on HP Sauce). I was meeting Megan's friends at the Tate Modern (thank you, Megan, for sharing your friends who are awesome and fun).

We looked at this.
http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/whiteread/default.shtm
Actually much more interesting and dramatic than one would imagine. I liked being dwarfed by huge blocks of white plastic that can be touched without getting tossed out of the gallery.

On Tuesday I went on a school trip with Nadine (meg's friend) and her students. They were lovely, smart and exhausting. Imagine herding 20 tiny people into an old-school double decker bus and getting them off again in the middle of Piccadilly Circus. The point of the trip was to see 'Sing along Joseph'. Yes, you've read correctly. It was Donnie Osmond --in all his shaved chest glory-- on the big screen. It was quite a lot of fun.

Tomorrow is the big internet installation day. Soon my blog will have pictures and be updated daily (ahem)

dodgy dealings

The hot water heater is being fixed right now! and the BT guy is coming round to hook-up our phone. Progress. The landlord stopped by last night to pick up rent and look at his crumbling empire. He also left a carton of Marlboro Lights and asked if I could leave it outside my neighbour's door. Could my neighbour -Paul- be some sort of lackey for the landlord, paid for his dirty dealings with smokes? It might be like prison bartering. Maybe I should sneak him a shive, sorting out plumbers and getting light bulbs is a dangerous business.

not in hot water

Our building has been without hot water for a week. or at least do when I have hot water again. It's not that funny right now. And when there is hot water it alternates between dangerously hot and icy cold. Christie St.'s sad little shower is looking pretty good right now. Oh Joni Mitchell, how right you are!

books

so I came across the book The Collector Collector outside a bookshop in Kings Cross. It was free, part of this cool scheme.

http://www.bookcrossing.com/

But I'm the first to get it. I assumed that it had travelled miles, stuffed into backpacks and handed between sweaty palms on buses. But no, it went 3 minutes up the road. I'm going to leave it somewhere good. I want this book to go places, man.

Missing you all

(and don't believe anything that Patricia writes in her blog. shhh, don't tell her this, but she exaggerates)