My London Family

Word of the day: handbag
People usually tell me they like my “handbag” instead of my purse.

Place of the day: British Museum -- I finally went here and saw sweet ruins from both Ancient Egypt and the Parthenon in Greece.

... and afterward I enjoyed the American atmosphere of wings and big TVs at the Sports Café in Piccadilly Circus. (It helped alleviate my "American in England" crisis for a second.)

My London Family
When you put it like it is -- mice, bad water pressure at times, sharing a room -- it sounds so negative! But living with my new housemates in a long-term hostel for people like me working abroad is making London even better. It's reminiscent of the summer I spent in Chautauqua, New York, living in the basement of a bed and breakfast: sometimes uncomfortable but the best time of my life.

Now I do everything with my housemates and just like me we are scrounging the pounds in the bottom of our purse at all times. On Friday we all went to a bar together in Canary Wharf where one of the housemates works and got 75% off all drinks. On Saturday one of my housemates and I traversed Portobello Road in Notting Hill, which is only a bus ride away. Last night I went clubbing with my roommate and had someone to eat McDonald’s with on the long ride home on the night bus. Today laundry was fun as we waited for it across the street at the pub. Grocery shopping? No worries, we haul them back together. And right now, The Office (which just started airing here!) is on for us to enjoy in the lounge.

Sigh. It’s college all over again. And London is a lot less lonely!

Photo of the week:

These "Blue Men" by Ofra Zimbalista are crawling up the building across from my office on Borough High Street, which used to be a Roman road:

I am now watching: Ratatouille -- an adorable movie I just watched with the roomies! Well, it’s too bad we can’t just be friends with our mice and let them cook for us.