I had a group of trick or treaters tonight!
I had just cooked my dinner, sat down in the living room (thankfully the curtains were shut) and had like two bites of dinner and the doorbell rang. I freakin' froze, they kept ringing the doorbell. Finally I succumbed and opened it. It should be noted that I was wearing by hubbie's Gap pajama bottoms that are completely baggy and basically hanging off me (blue stripes) with a gray long sleeved shirt that totally didn't match. So, here I am answering the door only to find like ten kids standing there yelling trick or treat with all of their dads standing out at the sidewalk. OMG! I had to say sorry I don't have anything and attempted to explain that I just moved in. The kids kept yelling trick or treat and the dads said something but of course I couldn't understand their English! I said something about next year I'll know better; what the hell? Who cares about next year? Only when I shut the door did I realize what the hell I was wearing. OMG again!
I went back to the living room literally had five more bites and the doorbell rang again. This time, I didn't answer. When I thought the coast was clear I slithered to the back of the house to the dining room, shut off all the lights at the front of the house and have been hiding back here ever since. Nearly two hours.
It's just past 8 and I'm wondering if it's safe to go back to the living room. I think I'm going to make a go of it again. One can only sit at the dining room table for so long.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Green beans & mushrooms
I enjoy cooking.
Who knew?
If you have to understand for the past twenty years, I rarely cooked. I didn't need to, D is the best cook. The guy seriously cooks with so much love that his food tastes incredible. Impossible for me to compete against that.
So, here I am in Wilmslow and lo and freakin' behold - I'm cooking! And ya know what? Not only am I enjoying the process but it tastes really good! Perhaps all that sitting around drinking wine and watching D cook food I was actually learning and preparing for this very moment.
Here's my food diary for today.
Breakfast: 10ish am
Decided to go to RISE, the local independent coffee shop and have an egg with toast. What I got was a scrambled egg that lacked any taste and brown toast, a side of butter and an Americano coffee. The coffee came first, the eggs arrived cold and the lady forgot the butter. The toast was cooling off while I waited for the butter. Hello, the whole point of putting butter on your toast is so that it melts into all the nooks and cranies. I desparately wanted some orange marmalade and a bit of salt and lots of pepper for the eggs. But I didn't ask; I just wasn't in the mood, wasn't up to dealing with people. Apparently I had already pissed off some guy when I mistakenly sat at his table. Although there was no reason we couldn't share. He was part of a larger group of people sitting at the next table but it was full. Of course, I apologized and started to get up to move and he said no and instead he moved. They just looked at me - the whole lot of them. One, they're not very pretty and they all have sour faces. To be honest, they just kinda made me want to say f you and walk away. But I had my breakfast and my newspaper - The Guardian. The Guardian has a great magazine insert each Saturday, worth the entire cost of the paper. So I proceeded to eat my cold eggs and toast and by now luke warm coffee. And of course, the magazine insert had stories full of very sad stories. People this wasn't my idea of how I wanted to start of my Saturday.
Tatton Park afternoon
I love the space at Tatton Park, I walked on trails next to a lake, through a field of sheep and deer grazing, I stopped at a bench that overlooked the sheep grazing and ate two perfectly ripe small sized bananas. Yumm!
3:30ish
As I was leaving the park I started thinking of what I was going to cook once I got home. Here I am hungy and instead of thinking about take out or eating out I'm thinking of what I want to cook. Who have I become? Seriously.
Got home and got out all the ingredients: small onions, a ton of garlic, fresh ginger, mushrooms, green beans, red pepper, tempeh and bok choy. Chopped the onions, garlic and ginger - a lot! Added some sea salt, hot curry, turmeric and cinnamon and let it cook down, added the green beans and red peppers, after they cooked down added the mushrooms. By this time the pan was completely overflowing so in a seperate pan cooked the tempeh and added it all together. I had the bok choy to add at then end but there was simply no room.
What's amazing is that I was completely starved with low blood sugar. And anyone that knows me, knows I can't go long without eating. I nibbled on some left over steamed brocolli as I cooked, but then once I started chopping I really got into it. It was actually like a meditation. I didn't eat until an hour after I started and I was completely okay with it.
I really need to try and upload some photo's. Problem is that I'm taking them from my iPhone and am having synch difficulties. Too lazy to figure out the problem.
Who knew?
If you have to understand for the past twenty years, I rarely cooked. I didn't need to, D is the best cook. The guy seriously cooks with so much love that his food tastes incredible. Impossible for me to compete against that.
So, here I am in Wilmslow and lo and freakin' behold - I'm cooking! And ya know what? Not only am I enjoying the process but it tastes really good! Perhaps all that sitting around drinking wine and watching D cook food I was actually learning and preparing for this very moment.
Here's my food diary for today.
Breakfast: 10ish am
Decided to go to RISE, the local independent coffee shop and have an egg with toast. What I got was a scrambled egg that lacked any taste and brown toast, a side of butter and an Americano coffee. The coffee came first, the eggs arrived cold and the lady forgot the butter. The toast was cooling off while I waited for the butter. Hello, the whole point of putting butter on your toast is so that it melts into all the nooks and cranies. I desparately wanted some orange marmalade and a bit of salt and lots of pepper for the eggs. But I didn't ask; I just wasn't in the mood, wasn't up to dealing with people. Apparently I had already pissed off some guy when I mistakenly sat at his table. Although there was no reason we couldn't share. He was part of a larger group of people sitting at the next table but it was full. Of course, I apologized and started to get up to move and he said no and instead he moved. They just looked at me - the whole lot of them. One, they're not very pretty and they all have sour faces. To be honest, they just kinda made me want to say f you and walk away. But I had my breakfast and my newspaper - The Guardian. The Guardian has a great magazine insert each Saturday, worth the entire cost of the paper. So I proceeded to eat my cold eggs and toast and by now luke warm coffee. And of course, the magazine insert had stories full of very sad stories. People this wasn't my idea of how I wanted to start of my Saturday.
Tatton Park afternoon
I love the space at Tatton Park, I walked on trails next to a lake, through a field of sheep and deer grazing, I stopped at a bench that overlooked the sheep grazing and ate two perfectly ripe small sized bananas. Yumm!
3:30ish
As I was leaving the park I started thinking of what I was going to cook once I got home. Here I am hungy and instead of thinking about take out or eating out I'm thinking of what I want to cook. Who have I become? Seriously.
Got home and got out all the ingredients: small onions, a ton of garlic, fresh ginger, mushrooms, green beans, red pepper, tempeh and bok choy. Chopped the onions, garlic and ginger - a lot! Added some sea salt, hot curry, turmeric and cinnamon and let it cook down, added the green beans and red peppers, after they cooked down added the mushrooms. By this time the pan was completely overflowing so in a seperate pan cooked the tempeh and added it all together. I had the bok choy to add at then end but there was simply no room.
What's amazing is that I was completely starved with low blood sugar. And anyone that knows me, knows I can't go long without eating. I nibbled on some left over steamed brocolli as I cooked, but then once I started chopping I really got into it. It was actually like a meditation. I didn't eat until an hour after I started and I was completely okay with it.
I really need to try and upload some photo's. Problem is that I'm taking them from my iPhone and am having synch difficulties. Too lazy to figure out the problem.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Another Friday
Somehow I made it to another Friday.
The work week suprisingly goes very fast. Even though I'm working from 8-7 most days. And then again get online after my yoga practice and have had a bit to eat. No wonder by Thursday night I've had enough; I'm just completely depleted.
I realize it's my own doing; and I have many excuses to back up this behaviour, but I need to make some changes. Set some boundaries for my own well being.
This is what I'm going to think about today as I hibernate and work from home.
The work week suprisingly goes very fast. Even though I'm working from 8-7 most days. And then again get online after my yoga practice and have had a bit to eat. No wonder by Thursday night I've had enough; I'm just completely depleted.
I realize it's my own doing; and I have many excuses to back up this behaviour, but I need to make some changes. Set some boundaries for my own well being.
This is what I'm going to think about today as I hibernate and work from home.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
NPR & The Splendid Table
I decided to download all my favorite NPR podcasts, including Car Talk, Fresh Air, Wait, Wait Dont tell me, This American Life and The Splendid Table.
Back in Portland, The Splendid Table came on Sunday evenings at 6pm - which was generally maybe the only night of the week that I might actually cook, and that rarely happened. But, I loved listening to Lynne Rossetto Kasper, the host of this cooking show. So, for the first time since arriving here, I was feeling notalgic and listended to her podcast.
I'll be honest, it was so nice to hear familiar voices with no British accent. I realize that in a way I have it much easier than most expat's in that they live in a country where another lanuague is spoken. But in my defense, English is so very different than American English. Plus the accents! Geesh, so many times I have to say what? It can be very hard to understand the accent.
It's 10pm, I had a really nice week-end, yoga, yoga, a sleep over and more yoga. I'm even a bit proud of myself in the fact that I stayed with it all. Meaning that many times I really didn't want to do any of the pre-scheduled events that I had planned. Which is interesting. I generally think of myself of someone who likes to have plans and stay to schedule. But I found myself this week-end wishing I was doing something diffenent than what I had planned. Perhaps all these years with D, who prefers to see how he feels for that day before making any committments has actually worn off on me.
Summary:
Yoga workshop Friday night - was supposed to end at 9, ended closer to 10. I was absolutely starved and stopped at the Indian restaurant and ordered take away on the way home. I should never order take away when so hungry - ordered way too much. Thankfully I had some self control and didn't eat it all.
Saturday morning - slept in, went to RISE, the little independent coffee shop minutes from the house and had a soy latte. Did some grocery shopping, home by 11am. Was absolutely famished and prepared an awesome breakfast/lunch - toast with Greek sytle yogurt (full of fat - yumm), topped with smoked salmon lox. OMG - it was awesome!!!
Saturday afternoon & night - off to yoga workshop from 1-5, actually got out at 5:30. Rushed home, showered, packed bag and went over to Jillian and Chloe's house for dinner and sleep over. Of course was starved by the time I got there and after a couple of glasses of wine chowed down on the dinner she prepared. Chloe, who is 6 years old is just the sweetest! Stayed up til midnight talking with Jillian - shared family stories - was fun to relax and hang out. Glad I stayed over.
Sunday morning - up at 8, passed on the coffee and white bagel and Jillians and got home around 9ish. Of course was starved! Made tea with toast, topped with almond butter, sliced banana and a bit of orange marmalade. So tired after eating this that I went to bed to take a nap (in my defense I didn't sleep well the night before). Got up at 10:45, showered and was out the door.
Sunday afternoon - hunted down the food co-op called Unicorn, apparently this is the best local, organic food co-op in Manchester. Hmmmm. Let's just say Manchester has a long way to go. Portland really is amazing when it comes to local organic produce and grocery stores. Did my shopping, found a coffee shop to have a quick soy latte and called home to D and then off to yoga workshop for the rest of the afternoon.
Sunday evening - home at 6ish and guess what? I was starved! Fortunately I had left overs. So, cooked up some of the dark green kale from the co-op and added my left over veggie stir fry.
After pre-reading this it does seem that I'm a bit obsessed with food. Perhaps I am, but then I realized instead of eating all day long which is my norm I've only been eating two meals a day. I don't think that really works for me. Granted I've totally slimmed down due to the lack of food, but I don't think it's good to be soooo hungy before eating. I will try to do better this week.
Back in Portland, The Splendid Table came on Sunday evenings at 6pm - which was generally maybe the only night of the week that I might actually cook, and that rarely happened. But, I loved listening to Lynne Rossetto Kasper, the host of this cooking show. So, for the first time since arriving here, I was feeling notalgic and listended to her podcast.
I'll be honest, it was so nice to hear familiar voices with no British accent. I realize that in a way I have it much easier than most expat's in that they live in a country where another lanuague is spoken. But in my defense, English is so very different than American English. Plus the accents! Geesh, so many times I have to say what? It can be very hard to understand the accent.
It's 10pm, I had a really nice week-end, yoga, yoga, a sleep over and more yoga. I'm even a bit proud of myself in the fact that I stayed with it all. Meaning that many times I really didn't want to do any of the pre-scheduled events that I had planned. Which is interesting. I generally think of myself of someone who likes to have plans and stay to schedule. But I found myself this week-end wishing I was doing something diffenent than what I had planned. Perhaps all these years with D, who prefers to see how he feels for that day before making any committments has actually worn off on me.
Summary:
Yoga workshop Friday night - was supposed to end at 9, ended closer to 10. I was absolutely starved and stopped at the Indian restaurant and ordered take away on the way home. I should never order take away when so hungry - ordered way too much. Thankfully I had some self control and didn't eat it all.
Saturday morning - slept in, went to RISE, the little independent coffee shop minutes from the house and had a soy latte. Did some grocery shopping, home by 11am. Was absolutely famished and prepared an awesome breakfast/lunch - toast with Greek sytle yogurt (full of fat - yumm), topped with smoked salmon lox. OMG - it was awesome!!!
Saturday afternoon & night - off to yoga workshop from 1-5, actually got out at 5:30. Rushed home, showered, packed bag and went over to Jillian and Chloe's house for dinner and sleep over. Of course was starved by the time I got there and after a couple of glasses of wine chowed down on the dinner she prepared. Chloe, who is 6 years old is just the sweetest! Stayed up til midnight talking with Jillian - shared family stories - was fun to relax and hang out. Glad I stayed over.
Sunday morning - up at 8, passed on the coffee and white bagel and Jillians and got home around 9ish. Of course was starved! Made tea with toast, topped with almond butter, sliced banana and a bit of orange marmalade. So tired after eating this that I went to bed to take a nap (in my defense I didn't sleep well the night before). Got up at 10:45, showered and was out the door.
Sunday afternoon - hunted down the food co-op called Unicorn, apparently this is the best local, organic food co-op in Manchester. Hmmmm. Let's just say Manchester has a long way to go. Portland really is amazing when it comes to local organic produce and grocery stores. Did my shopping, found a coffee shop to have a quick soy latte and called home to D and then off to yoga workshop for the rest of the afternoon.
Sunday evening - home at 6ish and guess what? I was starved! Fortunately I had left overs. So, cooked up some of the dark green kale from the co-op and added my left over veggie stir fry.
After pre-reading this it does seem that I'm a bit obsessed with food. Perhaps I am, but then I realized instead of eating all day long which is my norm I've only been eating two meals a day. I don't think that really works for me. Granted I've totally slimmed down due to the lack of food, but I don't think it's good to be soooo hungy before eating. I will try to do better this week.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Friday - working from home
I have a tendency to give too much energy into my work, so that by Friday I'm just mentally drained. I know I have to be careful as the office here, as it can just suck the life force out of ya - or at least someone like me. I don't want to write about work as you never know who might be reading, so won't go into details. For the record, I do enjoy the work very much, it is challenging to a certain degree. But it definitely lacks some of the people energy that I had at Nike. I tend to give a lot of energy to people, but am not receiving much back.
So, today I decided to work from home and re-energize myself. Plus, it's nice and quiet here so I can focus and plow through stuff. I took a quick break and walked to the little local hardware store to buy some replacement light bulbs. Most stores here are only open during regular work hours, it can be quite challenging. For the record the light bulbs are different here, some of them don't screw in, they just kind of pop in. Anyway, I just find that interesting. I had to take the two different light bulbs with me so that I'd get the right replacements. After I purchased them I asked if she could recycle the dead ones. She replied and said no, I need to take them to the @#%. I said what? She said, you need to take them to the @#%. I asked what's that? She loooooked at me. We both gave up. I have no idea what she said. This happens to me at least once a day. Not understanding the English word or someone's accent. I didn't think I'd experience that much of this, it's rather interesting.
Okay, this has to be one of the most boring posts ever. I am definitely low in energy, it's showing up in everything I do. I'm looking forward to the yoga tonight - I think that should help.
So, today I decided to work from home and re-energize myself. Plus, it's nice and quiet here so I can focus and plow through stuff. I took a quick break and walked to the little local hardware store to buy some replacement light bulbs. Most stores here are only open during regular work hours, it can be quite challenging. For the record the light bulbs are different here, some of them don't screw in, they just kind of pop in. Anyway, I just find that interesting. I had to take the two different light bulbs with me so that I'd get the right replacements. After I purchased them I asked if she could recycle the dead ones. She replied and said no, I need to take them to the @#%. I said what? She said, you need to take them to the @#%. I asked what's that? She loooooked at me. We both gave up. I have no idea what she said. This happens to me at least once a day. Not understanding the English word or someone's accent. I didn't think I'd experience that much of this, it's rather interesting.
Okay, this has to be one of the most boring posts ever. I am definitely low in energy, it's showing up in everything I do. I'm looking forward to the yoga tonight - I think that should help.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
week-end plans - yes I have some!
Friday night - yoga workshop
Saturday afternoon - yoga workshop
Saturday night - invited over to my first girlfriend's house (she's the wife of a co-worker here at Umbro, she's from the states - another expat). She's making dinner, I'm bringing the wine.
Sunday afternoon - more yoga!
I am very excited.
Saturday afternoon - yoga workshop
Saturday night - invited over to my first girlfriend's house (she's the wife of a co-worker here at Umbro, she's from the states - another expat). She's making dinner, I'm bringing the wine.
Sunday afternoon - more yoga!
I am very excited.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
I need to make a friend - or two
I just got off the phone with Melissa (thank you for calling) and OMG it's apparent I don't have any friends. She barely asked how I was and I talked up a freakin' storm.
hmmmmmm, I think I need to make some friends. I do go out, so it's not like I hole myself up at home - but I really want to be careful not to make work only friends. I need to have a seperation.
The other day before yoga class a few of us were waiting for the teacher to arrive and unlock the studio. I took it as an opportunity to start chatting it up with some of the locals. The one girl barely replied and then turned away and walked into the garden and the other girl got on her bbery. Really people, not only am I nice but I'm actually rather interesting and fun too.
hmmmmmm, I think I need to make some friends. I do go out, so it's not like I hole myself up at home - but I really want to be careful not to make work only friends. I need to have a seperation.
The other day before yoga class a few of us were waiting for the teacher to arrive and unlock the studio. I took it as an opportunity to start chatting it up with some of the locals. The one girl barely replied and then turned away and walked into the garden and the other girl got on her bbery. Really people, not only am I nice but I'm actually rather interesting and fun too.
One perk of living solo...
.... after work I can choose between going home and making dinner or going shopping and buying a pair of cool boots that I was eyeing earlier in the week.
One more hour of work - I've made a promise not to work past 6:30 tonight - make that 18:30 for any Brit that might be reading this. (still trying to get used to the 24 hour time clock)
One more hour of work - I've made a promise not to work past 6:30 tonight - make that 18:30 for any Brit that might be reading this. (still trying to get used to the 24 hour time clock)
Monday, October 18, 2010
Monday
Need I say more?
Okay, I will.
Monday's seem to be toughest when living alone. On one hand I really don't mind going to work, only by the end of the day when you're ready to come home, you come home to an empty house. I'm not used to that and frankly I don't want to get used to it.
I had to be home by 6 to meet some new delivery guys, two more pieces of furniture arrived. One is a console for when you first walk into the house to set keys and have various crap displayed. The seoond is a giant and very heavy mirror is meant to be hanging above the console, but for now is leaning against the wall in the living room. The mirror was delivered in a giant box. I thought the delivery guys would remove it and place it on top of the console, but again the British customer service is just freakin' non existent. Instead they came in the house with their dirty shoes (I was prepared for that as I have hard wood floors in the entry and expected to clean up afterwards). But then they continued into the living room on the new very light carpet with their f'ing dirty shoes. I know it's only dirt, but my god, they really didn't even notice.
After they left, I managed to get the mirror out of the box by myself, not a simple feat. Only to find that the mirror has a slight defect. Damn! Actually I said something else as I was also pissed about the dirty carpet that I had yet to clean up. Another issue that I have to deal. In the US it would be easy, but most stores here are only open from 10-5 and it's not always so simple to return something. After cleaning up the mess I called D and kinda a lost it. It's Monday afterall. Instead of getting sympathy he laughed - not at me, but at the whole situation. Obviously this wasn't what I was in the mood for; sometimes you just want someone to empathize.
Made dinner with wine of course because it's official - I'm a wino and spent the rest of the evening knitting; it's becoming a form of meditation.
Tomorrow I'm finally hauling my ass out of bed and going to my yoga class at 5:30am, then directly to work (thankfully they have a gym and showers so I can clean up). Tomorrow night I'm going out to dinner with the HR Dirctor - Margaret. That should be interesting to say the least.
I'm off to pack for Tuesday.
Okay, I will.
Monday's seem to be toughest when living alone. On one hand I really don't mind going to work, only by the end of the day when you're ready to come home, you come home to an empty house. I'm not used to that and frankly I don't want to get used to it.
I had to be home by 6 to meet some new delivery guys, two more pieces of furniture arrived. One is a console for when you first walk into the house to set keys and have various crap displayed. The seoond is a giant and very heavy mirror is meant to be hanging above the console, but for now is leaning against the wall in the living room. The mirror was delivered in a giant box. I thought the delivery guys would remove it and place it on top of the console, but again the British customer service is just freakin' non existent. Instead they came in the house with their dirty shoes (I was prepared for that as I have hard wood floors in the entry and expected to clean up afterwards). But then they continued into the living room on the new very light carpet with their f'ing dirty shoes. I know it's only dirt, but my god, they really didn't even notice.
After they left, I managed to get the mirror out of the box by myself, not a simple feat. Only to find that the mirror has a slight defect. Damn! Actually I said something else as I was also pissed about the dirty carpet that I had yet to clean up. Another issue that I have to deal. In the US it would be easy, but most stores here are only open from 10-5 and it's not always so simple to return something. After cleaning up the mess I called D and kinda a lost it. It's Monday afterall. Instead of getting sympathy he laughed - not at me, but at the whole situation. Obviously this wasn't what I was in the mood for; sometimes you just want someone to empathize.
Made dinner with wine of course because it's official - I'm a wino and spent the rest of the evening knitting; it's becoming a form of meditation.
Tomorrow I'm finally hauling my ass out of bed and going to my yoga class at 5:30am, then directly to work (thankfully they have a gym and showers so I can clean up). Tomorrow night I'm going out to dinner with the HR Dirctor - Margaret. That should be interesting to say the least.
I'm off to pack for Tuesday.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Sunday night Skype date
Tonight after returning from my yoga class, I skyped D.
Video skype is great - it feels like the other person is in the room with you.
I have a tiny little laptop with my web cam attached to it. So during our Skype date tonight I can move from room to room. I had just finished dinner and was having a glass of wine with some raisins and pumpkin seeds (desert), followed by knitting my scarf, I finished making tomorrow's lunch (roasted veggies), showed D the stuff I bought at IKEA today, finished the laundry, washed the dishes, put away the clothes, and got ready for bed. Finally said good bye once I was in bed; at which time I realized we had been together for two hours.
We're having another date tomorrow - I really should make some other friends. But the Brit's are a bit of an odd lot.
Video skype is great - it feels like the other person is in the room with you.
I have a tiny little laptop with my web cam attached to it. So during our Skype date tonight I can move from room to room. I had just finished dinner and was having a glass of wine with some raisins and pumpkin seeds (desert), followed by knitting my scarf, I finished making tomorrow's lunch (roasted veggies), showed D the stuff I bought at IKEA today, finished the laundry, washed the dishes, put away the clothes, and got ready for bed. Finally said good bye once I was in bed; at which time I realized we had been together for two hours.
We're having another date tomorrow - I really should make some other friends. But the Brit's are a bit of an odd lot.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
back from Amsterdam
This past Tuesday I had my first trip to EHQ, Nike's European Head Quarters, I just returned late this afternoon. I stayed in the south part of Amsterdam. As I commuted back and forth to the office from the Amsterdam Zuid station I felt like I was a local. Simply put - I loved it; in fact I could see us living there. It's interesting how I can feel such a connection to places (like Buenos Aires - I want to live there too). Amsterdam South, is such a great neighborhood; with organic fruit and veggie sore, with an awesome bakery and excellent coffee shops and bistro's.
Who know's, maybe after living in the UK I can get a job at Nike EHQ and we could move to Amsterdam. I'm beginning to understand Andre's comment on the challenging transition back to Portland.
Who know's, maybe after living in the UK I can get a job at Nike EHQ and we could move to Amsterdam. I'm beginning to understand Andre's comment on the challenging transition back to Portland.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
afternoon in Tattford Park with no voice
Tried out my new TomTom today. TomTom is a satelite navigation system for the car; or as the locals like to call it - sat nav. I never used one before; I have to say they are very nice! Just enter in your address and not only does it show you where you're going it tells you when to turn. And even when I screwed up at the round about today it just recalibrated and I wasn't any for the worse. Sweet!
So I went to the small village of Knutsford - very cute - small one way narrow streets with little shops and cafe's. Definitely will be taking any guest there. Plus at the edge of town there's an amazing park - Tattford. It's so English, sprawling rolling green hills, a lake, herd of deer, yes a herd, and the pathways are just wide pathways that they have mowed down. I love the vastness of the place; just so open. Loved it! Oh and there's even some old castle/house that you can tour; I didn't do the tour, will do that another time. They had a little garden shop (picked up some candle votive holders), a tacky gift shop and a little cafe where you can sit outside. You could easily walk for a couple of hours there - again, loved it!
I got back home around 4. I was planning to do my yoga practice; but instead had a cup of tea and curled up in my new purple chair and took a short nap. Decided to return the end table that's defective back to John Lewis; loaded the big box in the back seat, drove over there and learned that they closed at 6:00. I got there at 6:05. Nice. Went to the grocery store next door and came back home; unloaded the box back in the house.
I woke up this morning and have almost completely lost my voice. I have a slight cold; but I say very slight as I basically feel fine except that my throat is very, very dry. And if I talk I can end up in a coughing fit. I know I got it from a couple of people at work that I had meetings with; one girl had almost completely lost her voice and another guy had a terrible cold. So frustrating to say the least.
Tomorrow is Sunday. I think I'm going to make a pot of soup in the morning and then head over to the mall. Yes, the mall. I need to get a few things for the house and some shoes for me. I don't feel like walking all over Manchester and apparently this is a very nice new mall - so gotta check it out. Plus all the shops here in Wilmslow are closed. Tomorrow night I'm going to my yoga class - finally.
So I went to the small village of Knutsford - very cute - small one way narrow streets with little shops and cafe's. Definitely will be taking any guest there. Plus at the edge of town there's an amazing park - Tattford. It's so English, sprawling rolling green hills, a lake, herd of deer, yes a herd, and the pathways are just wide pathways that they have mowed down. I love the vastness of the place; just so open. Loved it! Oh and there's even some old castle/house that you can tour; I didn't do the tour, will do that another time. They had a little garden shop (picked up some candle votive holders), a tacky gift shop and a little cafe where you can sit outside. You could easily walk for a couple of hours there - again, loved it!
I got back home around 4. I was planning to do my yoga practice; but instead had a cup of tea and curled up in my new purple chair and took a short nap. Decided to return the end table that's defective back to John Lewis; loaded the big box in the back seat, drove over there and learned that they closed at 6:00. I got there at 6:05. Nice. Went to the grocery store next door and came back home; unloaded the box back in the house.
I woke up this morning and have almost completely lost my voice. I have a slight cold; but I say very slight as I basically feel fine except that my throat is very, very dry. And if I talk I can end up in a coughing fit. I know I got it from a couple of people at work that I had meetings with; one girl had almost completely lost her voice and another guy had a terrible cold. So frustrating to say the least.
Tomorrow is Sunday. I think I'm going to make a pot of soup in the morning and then head over to the mall. Yes, the mall. I need to get a few things for the house and some shoes for me. I don't feel like walking all over Manchester and apparently this is a very nice new mall - so gotta check it out. Plus all the shops here in Wilmslow are closed. Tomorrow night I'm going to my yoga class - finally.
Friday, October 8, 2010
friday night
A purple chair was delivered to the house today - the first living room piece of furniture. For most of the evening I remained sitting on the floor just leaning against the chair. But minutes ago I decided to give it a try.
Nice.
I can sit cross legged with my laptop.
I think my purple chair is a good replacement of the yellow chair we had in Portland.
That's all.
Nice.
I can sit cross legged with my laptop.
I think my purple chair is a good replacement of the yellow chair we had in Portland.
That's all.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
I love Skype
Last night Dariush and I actually managed to do our first video Skype session. I didn't think it was going to happen as the internet was causing problems; but we finally connected. Was very glad; I felt like absolutely crap, had the worst sore throat and was crying. It really sucks when you don't feel well and you're alone (damn - do I sound like mom?).
I had my laptop in the kitchen so he could watch me make dinner. It was as if he was with me and making dinner was much more enjoyable. He was holding Juju and so I could talk to her as well. I swear she was looking at me on the camera. Here's pic of the two of them.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
My first solo week-end
Overall I think I handled it just fine.
It's one thing to know that you're going to have a week-end alone but then go back to your sweety. It's another thing to know that you're going to have the week-end alone followed by the entire week and the next week-end, etc. It IS different. With that said my goal was to stay active and I did.
Saturday:
Friday night I had to sleep on the air mattress in the living room as I had moved all the bed frame parts upstairs to the bedroom. In the morning, I got up hungry, made my fruit salad with yogurt and flax seed. I thought I'd really miss having smoothies, but I'm really enjoying making different combination fruit salads topped with yogurt - it takes longer to eat so I feel like I've actually had a breakfast. I putzed around the house for awhile and then went to RISE - the independent coffee shop in town for my morning coffee. So far this is my favorite coffee shop in town. Granted at this point I haven't been to the others but they are the chain shops - Starbucks, Costa Coffee. This is just a little independent place - as the name says! And they make a great Americano plus my favorite part is the milk that I ask for, comes in it's own little pitcher and they steam it - so it's nice and hot and it doesn't make your Americano cold. Yumm. I spent sometime there reading the paper and writing in my journal - something I'm trying to do much more regularly. It was amazingly sunny and in the back of the coffee shop where I sat it's like a little conservatory with glass windows so you can actually get quite warm sitting under the sun.
I went for a walk, picked up a driving map to study and then back home. I didn't want to go to far away as I was expecting a call for the guys to put together the bed. Around 1:30 I got the call and they came over about an hour later. I cleaned the house - yes, one person can make the house dirty. Plus stuff still needed to be organized. Oh - I ate a huge mango that Dariush bought before he left - it took a week to ripen, but if finally did. It was incredibly tasty - I had to eat it over the sink as juice was running down my fingers. Didn't you want to know that?
Okay - the delivery guys came over and put together the bed and I finished cleaning up the house. 3:15 time to get in the shower as I was heading over to friends (Daniel, Jill and daughter Chloe) to go out for dinner. We were going out for dinner early so I didn't eat lunch - excpet for that giant mango. :) Anyway I cabbed it over there as I didn't know how to drive there (24 pounds later - that's like $40 bucks!) I was there. As it turns out I'm glad I went. Jill is a talker and we had so much to learn about one another. Plus a couple glasses of white wine on an empty stomach didn't hurt. We went to a great little Italian restaurant - I had an arugula salad (they call it rocket; I have no idea why, but arugula = rocket) and pumpkin stuffed ravioli like pasta - it was delicious! I ate it all. They drove me home - thank god. I thought it must be 10, but no, it was 8pm. So I made myself some tea and waited for the dryer to finish drying the mattress cover. We have a small dryer and I think the mattress cover was too big. I took four different cycles to finally get it dry. Made the bed and then went to bed.
Sunday
I woke up and my back kinda ached. Not used to a real mattress I guess or the 700 pound mattress is worse than our air mattress! But then I havne't done yoga since I've been here so I think that has something to do with it.
Made breakfast; including a cup of coffee with my little stove top coffee maker. I love it.
I organized all the my clothes in the closets. For some reason, I hadn't done that yet. I had all my clothes in little piles in one of the guest bedrooms since we moved in. Partly because we needed to clean the closets, but then we were always running around and I just never got around to it. I was going to do it last week-end, but instead we spent both days in the city. Anyway, two hours later and the closets were organized. Finally, the entire house is as organized as it can be. I'm still waiting for living room furniture... but still things feel much better here.
By noon it was still pouring rain outside. I decided to be lazy and drive to the grocery store; on the way I stopped at a store called Lakeside. It's basically a Kitchen Kaboodle; picked up a few items for the house and decided to drive back home as it stopped raining and thought I could walk to the grocery store in my neighborhood - plus it's a nicer one. As I entered Wilmslow I saw the sign for the A34 to Alderly Edge - a cute little village just over 2 miles down the road. So I went, the freeways here really aren't freeways, they have all these round abouts which I successfully navigated. Anway after I was there I turned around and decided to drive to Didsbury (another little village) and see if I could navigate to my yoga studio. Suprisingly I made it; I stopped in Didsbury, picked up a couple of candles and two chocolate bars.
On the way back home I stopped at the grocery store in my neighborhood and did my shopping. Got home around 2:30 - starved. Fortunately had left over soup, heated it up - yummy. Called D and around 3:30 he was trying to convince me to take the train into Manchester to get a bedroom lamp - I was going to, but it's seemed like such a long trip to do solo. So instead I went to Starbuck's had another coffee and journaled. On my way home I picked up two new bed spreads that D had ordered before he left. Interestingly enough it was total bright sunshine outside (after such pourdowns!). So, I went for a long walk in the neighborhood, came home and finally, finally - did my yoga practice. After two and half weeks off I was quite suprised how easy it was. Showered and made a giant salad followed by a pot of mint tea and well, now it's 9:43pm.
I've been trying to Skype Dariush but he's out. Guess I'll go and read now. I'm still debating if I want to get a TV. I don't want to just plant myself in front of it when I'm lonely and I'm afraid that's all I'll do. So, I'm going to wait and see how I feel.
It's one thing to know that you're going to have a week-end alone but then go back to your sweety. It's another thing to know that you're going to have the week-end alone followed by the entire week and the next week-end, etc. It IS different. With that said my goal was to stay active and I did.
Saturday:
Friday night I had to sleep on the air mattress in the living room as I had moved all the bed frame parts upstairs to the bedroom. In the morning, I got up hungry, made my fruit salad with yogurt and flax seed. I thought I'd really miss having smoothies, but I'm really enjoying making different combination fruit salads topped with yogurt - it takes longer to eat so I feel like I've actually had a breakfast. I putzed around the house for awhile and then went to RISE - the independent coffee shop in town for my morning coffee. So far this is my favorite coffee shop in town. Granted at this point I haven't been to the others but they are the chain shops - Starbucks, Costa Coffee. This is just a little independent place - as the name says! And they make a great Americano plus my favorite part is the milk that I ask for, comes in it's own little pitcher and they steam it - so it's nice and hot and it doesn't make your Americano cold. Yumm. I spent sometime there reading the paper and writing in my journal - something I'm trying to do much more regularly. It was amazingly sunny and in the back of the coffee shop where I sat it's like a little conservatory with glass windows so you can actually get quite warm sitting under the sun.
I went for a walk, picked up a driving map to study and then back home. I didn't want to go to far away as I was expecting a call for the guys to put together the bed. Around 1:30 I got the call and they came over about an hour later. I cleaned the house - yes, one person can make the house dirty. Plus stuff still needed to be organized. Oh - I ate a huge mango that Dariush bought before he left - it took a week to ripen, but if finally did. It was incredibly tasty - I had to eat it over the sink as juice was running down my fingers. Didn't you want to know that?
Okay - the delivery guys came over and put together the bed and I finished cleaning up the house. 3:15 time to get in the shower as I was heading over to friends (Daniel, Jill and daughter Chloe) to go out for dinner. We were going out for dinner early so I didn't eat lunch - excpet for that giant mango. :) Anyway I cabbed it over there as I didn't know how to drive there (24 pounds later - that's like $40 bucks!) I was there. As it turns out I'm glad I went. Jill is a talker and we had so much to learn about one another. Plus a couple glasses of white wine on an empty stomach didn't hurt. We went to a great little Italian restaurant - I had an arugula salad (they call it rocket; I have no idea why, but arugula = rocket) and pumpkin stuffed ravioli like pasta - it was delicious! I ate it all. They drove me home - thank god. I thought it must be 10, but no, it was 8pm. So I made myself some tea and waited for the dryer to finish drying the mattress cover. We have a small dryer and I think the mattress cover was too big. I took four different cycles to finally get it dry. Made the bed and then went to bed.
Sunday
I woke up and my back kinda ached. Not used to a real mattress I guess or the 700 pound mattress is worse than our air mattress! But then I havne't done yoga since I've been here so I think that has something to do with it.
Made breakfast; including a cup of coffee with my little stove top coffee maker. I love it.
I organized all the my clothes in the closets. For some reason, I hadn't done that yet. I had all my clothes in little piles in one of the guest bedrooms since we moved in. Partly because we needed to clean the closets, but then we were always running around and I just never got around to it. I was going to do it last week-end, but instead we spent both days in the city. Anyway, two hours later and the closets were organized. Finally, the entire house is as organized as it can be. I'm still waiting for living room furniture... but still things feel much better here.
By noon it was still pouring rain outside. I decided to be lazy and drive to the grocery store; on the way I stopped at a store called Lakeside. It's basically a Kitchen Kaboodle; picked up a few items for the house and decided to drive back home as it stopped raining and thought I could walk to the grocery store in my neighborhood - plus it's a nicer one. As I entered Wilmslow I saw the sign for the A34 to Alderly Edge - a cute little village just over 2 miles down the road. So I went, the freeways here really aren't freeways, they have all these round abouts which I successfully navigated. Anway after I was there I turned around and decided to drive to Didsbury (another little village) and see if I could navigate to my yoga studio. Suprisingly I made it; I stopped in Didsbury, picked up a couple of candles and two chocolate bars.
On the way back home I stopped at the grocery store in my neighborhood and did my shopping. Got home around 2:30 - starved. Fortunately had left over soup, heated it up - yummy. Called D and around 3:30 he was trying to convince me to take the train into Manchester to get a bedroom lamp - I was going to, but it's seemed like such a long trip to do solo. So instead I went to Starbuck's had another coffee and journaled. On my way home I picked up two new bed spreads that D had ordered before he left. Interestingly enough it was total bright sunshine outside (after such pourdowns!). So, I went for a long walk in the neighborhood, came home and finally, finally - did my yoga practice. After two and half weeks off I was quite suprised how easy it was. Showered and made a giant salad followed by a pot of mint tea and well, now it's 9:43pm.
I've been trying to Skype Dariush but he's out. Guess I'll go and read now. I'm still debating if I want to get a TV. I don't want to just plant myself in front of it when I'm lonely and I'm afraid that's all I'll do. So, I'm going to wait and see how I feel.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Customer Service?
This term appears to be non-existent in the British language. (I know that seems like a harsh statement - but all the locals have warned me)
My bed was delivered today - yeah. Except they don't set it up. What?!?! I'm supposed to haul the mattress up the narrow flight of stairs by myelf? Are you kidding me?? Well, actually I tried and practically ripped out my shoulder doing so - that will be good for the yoga when I eventually get back to it.
I'm so pissed.
I called John Lewis, the department store where I purchased it and they said there was no record of arranging for set up. Argh... so frustrating. After throwing a fit, the store manager arranged for someone to come out tomorrow to set it up.
Being alone and knowing that I'm the one that has to deal with is frankly new to me. D normally handles all this crap at home; he likes to be the bad guy; I don't. So it works out well for us.
Now I have to be the bad guy too and I don't like it.
My bed was delivered today - yeah. Except they don't set it up. What?!?! I'm supposed to haul the mattress up the narrow flight of stairs by myelf? Are you kidding me?? Well, actually I tried and practically ripped out my shoulder doing so - that will be good for the yoga when I eventually get back to it.
I'm so pissed.
I called John Lewis, the department store where I purchased it and they said there was no record of arranging for set up. Argh... so frustrating. After throwing a fit, the store manager arranged for someone to come out tomorrow to set it up.
Being alone and knowing that I'm the one that has to deal with is frankly new to me. D normally handles all this crap at home; he likes to be the bad guy; I don't. So it works out well for us.
Now I have to be the bad guy too and I don't like it.
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