Phase 1 Continues . . .

    Phase 10 -- Phases of Living in London – Experiences

• Carrying heavy groceries home is a bit of a trick, as the stores are not terribly close by.  Enter the pull cart (hooray) or option 2 – grocery delivery!   Some stores have on-line selection and next day delivery.  An interesting evening was spent perusing the offerings.  Most brands and many items are a mystery to us at this point.  We cheered when we found Heinz ketchup and Arm & Hammer baking soda and figured we’d give the rest of the items a go and be surprised.  Fruits and veg are best purchased at the amazing farmer’s markets nearby.  My favorite, Borough Market, is celebrating its 1000 (yes, there are 3 zeros in that!  I had to read the market’s banner twice to make sure) year at that location.  Antiquity!  Still can’t quite get my head around that kind of age.  I was pleased to see the produce was much fresher than that though!
  

• Travel passes for tube (subway) admittance are helpful for commuting.  They’re called “oyster passes”.  Do you think they get you in to the beach, too?
• Umbrellas and hats/scarves are necessary daily accessories for this time of year

• Comical, but only a little while after the living abroad "glamour"?!? ( i.e. inconveniences)  culminated in the absurd perfect storm on Friday the 13th.   Thankfully, nothing bad mind you, just lengthy in resolution on a day there wasn't time for it.   For now, suffice it to say it involved hot water, heat, and a lack of both, a clandestine meeting with a mystery notary at a designated coffee shop and an epic DHL goose chase that took hours on foot and by taxi.   And yes, I actually had to say to "K" (the notary to whom I was "M") that I would be the lady wearing the brown and gold scarf and sitting by the window.   Felt like a movie!   Haha!  I walked in some places scouting DHL stores that weren't there in places I’m not sure I would ever wandered on purpose, but I can now tell you where to buy scrap metal, find a butcher’s slaughterhouse and the back of a wholesale flower warehouse, get your taxi serviced and go boxing.  Who knew?  Kinda was missing large U.S. hot water heaters, central heating, notaries at every bank, and Office Depot with a Fed Ex just around the corner.  But then, where would the story be in that?!  ;)