Stating the obvious

Sometimes I wonder about the labels producers put on their goods. I mean, come on!? New season?

Yes, well, I rather hope that I don't get last year's strawberries, but I also think it would be pretty obvious if I did!

Time to celebrate

Happy birthday, mum. And happy nameday to grandma and me!

I remember clearly the first time I had a nameday after getting together with Tim:

Me (fishing for something) -It's my nameday today. Shouldn't you do or say anything?

Tim (confused) -Eh, happy nameday?

Me (honest) -Thanks!

Tim (still confused) -So, what is a nameday anyway? Is it like a birthday?

Me (a bit distant) -Yeah, exactly like a birthday.

Tim (worried) - So, you get like presents and stuff?

Me (unfortunately sounding surprised) -Presents? Yeah, eh... sure!

I'm sorry to say that Tim didn't buy it. And I still only have one birthday, instead of four... Bummer!

Just one wish

May the person who invented white kitchen counter tops die a slow and painful death and rot in hell for all eternity.

(We are having a friend staying for a few days. I have been left to do the cleaning. Oh, joy!)

Pink

I think I have already posted a picture of this (last year), but I just cannot get enough of these trees. They make the entrance to our normally pretty crappy basement flat seem like heaven!



I cannot say it enough (especially not after the horrendous winter of this year) - England has some lovely seasons and really great whether (believe it or not!). It's not even May, and I am already enjoying sitting in garden in only shorts and t-shirt. (Having said that, I'll bet the summer will rain away...)

Public transport

I normally try and take the bus when I'm going somewhere. It works for most of central London, but then there's a point when you have to decided that it takes too long time. London is, after all, quite a large city, where traffic at rush hour can be absolutely horrible.

The main reasons for choosing the bus are four: 1) it is considerably cheaper than the tube (at least if you don't have to change, any new bus route you jump on will be charged again), 2) you get to see so much more of the town (and suddenly realizes how everything is connected), 3) it is easier to get out if you're trapped (a decent bus driver will let you off even if you're not at the bus stop, if stuck in traffic - on the tube you are basically very trapped) and 4) on the bus you have the chance to get some fresh air (rush hour on the tube in the middle of August is NOT a pleasant experience - especially if you're stuck with your nose in someone else's armpit (they should make separate carriages for short people!)).

Having said that: I just experienced a very unpleasant smell on the bus tonight. First of all you look around, trying to work out who it might be who hasn't washed for a week, or who didn't make it to the loo in time. Hopefully you then discover a clearly strange creature in a corner of the bus who can be blamed for the stench. The worrying thing is those occasions when there's no one obviously responsible. That's when you start to panic a bit, trying harder to locate the smell. And the fear sets in - have you sat in something (is that why there was a seat available?!?), and how do you get out of the situation?

(I have actually once sat on a wet seat. I freaked out completely, until I discreetly managed to sniff my fingers and realized that it was just coke. However, Tim and I have once seen a teenage girl wee on a seat. We didn't sit down for months after that.)

Who said that travelling on public transport was easy?

Home?

Today, for probably the first time, I actually recognised someone by the tube station. Yes, of course there's the absolutely ancient crooked lady, the guitar playing hobo and the aggressive dwarf (very short person/midget/vertically challenged man/whatever) who usually hang around the area (Tim's first encounter with the latter was when he was trying to find shelter from a rain storm, and headed for one of the phone booths, only to be met by said dwarf who was having a pee in there. I think that pretty much sums up the kind of person we are talking about.)

But it feels a little bit like this is home, when you actually recognise some other people in the neighbourhood. Or have I come to that stage in life when I have seen all faces, and they all start to blend into one?

Happy Skärstordag!

Comfort

Tim travels quite a bit, which is nice on those days when you fancy watching chick flicks, eating popcorn for dinner and having the bed to yourself. But it is, of course, less nice all the other days.

But then there are those little things which makes it a bit easier. Like being given a box of chocolates from Beligum.

They are made with love. Aaaah.... (Obviously only bought because Tim was a road trip with his boss, and she made him, but still!) And who can resist that, then the box contains lovely little pieces like this one:

Diamonds might be a girl's best friend, but coffee and chocolate are pretty close to the top too.