Not! It's raining. But that's what how our car guy always opens his emails so I thought I'd do the same. Here's an update of the latest and greatest...
ON HEALTH CARE
So Finbar and I, even though we have private medicine, have been advised to register with the NHS. Luckily for us, there is a surgery office (not as it sounds, that's a general practice here in the UK) just around the corner. So off I went, armed with the mail pile from today which proves we actually live here (another story). I'd walked by this door a million times already and would never have noticed it's actually a medical establishment. It's one door over from a relatively scary curry house, one that while tempting thanks to their lunch special, I likely will not ever enter. Anyway, after a rather long chat trying to schedule a patient for an appointment, the young woman behind the desk turns to me. She's quite nice, offers up the forms, and off I go to the seating area to fill them in. Down a small narrow stairway, I find some chairs and sit myself down. Across from me is the sort of couch you'd see left on a deserted block on the Bowery with a rather mutt-looking dog sitting on it. I was taken aback by that but then again, the paint was peeling and nothing in this office gave me sterile, medical confidence. Finbar and I do need to go back to meet a consultant but hopefully that will be quick and painless (if not clean!).
I sought comfort in a Pret a Manger sandwich and headed back to the house to collect myself for the next task at hand. First, that task.
PARKING
We live in the Royal borough of Kensington and Chelsea. We're quite lucky about that, apparently. We get sweet parking! But it costs. As I've already indicated our mail pile today was a windfall and in it, our council tax bill proving our residency. So off I went to The Parking Store (I'm not even joking). To get there, it's normally a nice 3/4 mile walk but given the brutish weather, I opted for the underground, one stop. Got out, located the "store," and to my wonder and amazement, my ticket indicated there were only two people in front of me (previously I had scouted this place out and it was packed so I was prepared to be there for the long haul). I head up to the counter, nervous but confident that I had all the appropriate documentation to pay them what is equivalent to about $200 to park for a year on my street (alongside all of the Ferrari's, BMW's and Porsche's but more on that later). Lo and behold, because I am not specifically named on the lease for our flat, I was shot down! I was devastated. We've made such an effort to have my name put on things so I would have an identity here in the UK (granted, it's as Mrs Finbar) but alas, it was not to be today. Luckily for Finbar, myself, and our new, old (gold!) BMW, I can go back tomorrow with Finbar's driver's license and complete the transaction. Oh well, at least I do have all the time in the world, for now.
FOOD
So far, I really can't complain. This is a country of sandwiches and good ones at that. New York, at least in my childhood, had a reputation for being a sandwich town but that is long, long dead. Too much bread! But here, you get beautiful, fresh ingredients on lovely, healthy bread that would please even Dr. Andy Weil. And then there are the crisps! Love them. All sorts of flavors. I promise not to eat crisps for lunch every day for the next three years but I'm enjoying them now. And then there's Cadbury. We all know I love Hershey's and that I'm not a chocolate snob in any way, shape, or form. But Cadbury, ooohh la la. I love their milk chocolate! And god bless a country that sells this blessed snack in the underground. I mean really, how civilized is that--you are waiting 3 minutes for a District line train and you can have a delightful snack.
Seriously, our neighborhood is bursting with wonderful food. We have two "wet fish" stores (fishmonger to those who like me had never heard this term before!), a handful of gourmet grocers and a wonderful organic market that sells everything from organic salmon to organic diapers (which could come in handy this summer, save that Finbar purchased over 200 Pampers before we left the states) with either a smoothie or a latte thrown in too!
This morning I had breakfast at Ottolenghi. This is a marvelous place just blocks from us. If you go early, you can watch them bringing out one gorgeous tray after another of pastries, tarts, sandwiches, and more. I had a latte and a chocolate croissant which was still warm from the oven. I washed that down with what they call their morning pot--yogurt, raspberry jam, and delicious house-made granola! Don't worry, I went to use the gym afterwards! Baby Jakey needs nutrition!!!!
Hey, the sun just came out. I see blue sky! Mazel tov.
So I'm going to leave it at that. I have some more internet research to do and in these internet cafes, time is money. Mind you, I've paid for the privilege of typing on a keyboard that is completely crusted over with food detritus. Nice. And then there's the mouse. I'm going to need a wet wipe after this!
No comments:
Post a Comment