Copy and Pasting My Life

I feel like if I just posted emails I wrote to people I would actually have a fairly consistent blog.

This is an email I wrote to a friend today. It sums up my day:

I went to a store called Argos for the first time today. I had heard a lot about Argos. It is the closest thing to a British Walmart. Except you walk into the store and it is just books of catalogs. You find what you want in the catalog, write down the number, then go and pay for it. Then you have to wait for your number to be called to pick up the item. I had heard all these bad stories about. People would roll their eyes and say "Argosssss", but I thought it can't be so bad.

It was bad.

It was the exact clientele who might go to Walmart, but crammed into a smaller space, and getting angry because your item doesn't necessarily come in the order of your ticket number. For example I was number 211 and 215, 216, and 217 got served before me. I heard so many people mutter "Fucking hell!" under their breath, and some not so quietly. It seemed like everyone was angry there, maybe because the instant gratification of owning the product upon payment is missing.

And what did I go there to buy? A toilet brush and new kettle.

I am definitely back in England.

Riverbank

I am really fascinated by this photograph. This is an artist/gay witch on the banks of the Thames. I think a lot of elements and even tones here capture an element of life in London.

London Story 2

Yesterday I caught the Maison Martin Margiela '20' exhibit at Somerset House before it closed today. I'd been meaning to go all summer, as did C so it was good that we went in the nick of time. The exhibit is a 20 year retrospective on the fashion house, and I really respected the design ideas and ways that the house pushed the boundaries of conventional design. Photography was politely prohibited, but that's what the internet is for!

It should be mentioned that the day ended with a stroll down the Thames and across Blackfriars Bridge up to London Bridge where we delighted in Borough Market. I'm still thinking about that Haloumi wrap I had. Plus my Turkish admirer is all about discounting Baklava for me. At this rate it should be free by November.

London Story 1

Yesterday I walked all along Clapham Common to find an HSBC. It was sunny! And warm! Well warm in the sense that wearing that wool sweater and leather jacket and short shorts was a good balance. Clapham Common is like a massive field with trees dotting it every now and then. A very well kept field I should mention. The lawns were being mowed and the smell of grass hung over the whole area. It was lovely.

I saw some interesting sites on my walk. My two favourite being the Canada geese who kept a suspicious eye on anyone who stopped to look at them. AND the interesting phenomenon I refer to as "City Fishers". I am surprised every time I see someone fishing in a city pond. The fine folks at this particular Clapham pond would be referred to as "white trash" if they lived in North America. Luckily they don't. But they were hunkered down for an afternoon of tanning and fishing, complete with beer cooler, umbrella, fold out chairs and bathing suits. Again, let me note it was 20 degrees and windy. If I had been more adept I would have photos to accompany this little tale, but I said "I'll take photos later" and then walked home on the other side of the street. Oops.

Today's journey: Greenwich, to find the Prime Meridian!