03 February 2010

Adaptation

Great Burstead
The backyard at the Pump House (the place we are staying)

Everyone in Michigan is always complaining about the weather and, I have news for all of you Michiganders, the weather here is terrible too.  It is gray all of the time and it's cold. The temperature is not as cold as Michigan, but it's a damp biting cold.  Fortunately, there are some signs of spring here with bulbs beginning to sprout, but I think it will still be a while. 

In the meantime, I have some new favorite things:
  • Radiators - you know they give off a really nice cozy heat.   
  • Grocery delivery - well, the idea of it anyway.  All of the grocery stores deliver here and when you spend 50 pounds it is free.  It is really quite sophisticated here.  If you go into the store and purchase something, you can go on-line and it will be in your favorites.  I imagine I will get quite a bit of use out of this. 
  • Prepared foods - Whilst (see, I am really getting into this) on the subject of grocery stores the prepared food isles here are amazing and, most importantly, the meals are really tasty and seem to be fairly healthy.
  • Duvets - Man, I had no idea.  A fitted sheet, I think I would like all of them to be the "valance type", which is like a dust ruffle and sheet all in one and the duvet on top.  No top sheet to bunch up - brilliant!
  • Jaffa Mini Cakes - Well, what can I say, they were on sale and they seem popular here, so I gave them a try.  I wish I hadn't.  With vanilla sponge cake, orange jam in a dark chocolate coating, they are like a fancy Ho-ho.  There are all kinds of jokes on the wrapper about "Jaffaholics Anonymous", but seriously, if I had a phone I might just call. 
There are a few things that I am still getting used to:
  • The "other" side of the road - this is particularly hard when backing out of a driveway.
  • 220v - it scares the bejesus out of me. 
  • The 24 hour clock - way to much math.
  • The plumbing - hmm I'll just leave it at that.
  • Roundabouts - they really aren't free-for-alls.
  • Carrying a sizable amount of money in coins - they coins worth 2 pounds!?
  • Shifting the car with my left hand - I'm just not that coordinated.
  • Writing the date in the day/month/year form - I guess I'm just thick because this is really hard to remember.
  • Driving on "lanes" - sometimes I have to turn my head so I don't have anything in my peripheral vision otherwise I panic.  Really is is just plain SCARRY!
  • Words like: football, trolleys, chips, biscuits, jumpers, trousers, car parks, coaches, lorries, bins, rubbish, and bits...- really this list could go on and on.
  • The expression "cheers", which seems like it is used as a "thank you", oh, and maybe "you okay?" too - I'm really just not sure how to respond.
  • The shopping carts with 4 pivoting wheels - can you say backache?

Whew, and that's just the beginning.  Adaptation - it's not as easy as it looks, but we are getting there.

2 comments:

Leeann said...

This was just so much fun to read. I know some of it is fun for you and probably a good portion is just NOT FUN YET but it will be soon.

And, think of it this way, with all the neurons firing and the new pathways you are laying down in your brain, you are going to be way ahead of the rest of us who are losing brain cells by the minute!

Anonymous said...

Be of good cheer, Leeann says you're adding brain cells and I have it on good authority (Camelot phrase)the moist air is marvelous f/milady's complexion.
Gigi

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