IN LONDON, 'TWAT' RHYMES WITH 'HAT'

That's your Random London Fact for the day.

I've also discovered that if you run out of milk for tea in the morning, you should not try putting a tablespoon of vanilla yogurt in it to see if that makes a potable substitute. It doesn't. It makes a rather revolting Tea Smoothie kind of a thing. Not a Good Idea.

All right, so my last post was really depressing, so I should probably make a point of saying that things are actually going very well, and I'm quite happy at the moment. It's nice being able to spend time outside during the day--something I'm not used to. And just walking around. Looking in shop windows--that's always just been depressing to me, but it's not right now. I don't know...it's like I feel like the things I want in life right now are pretty small, and they seem feasible for the first time that I can remember.

I just want to have a little, clean place with windows that let the light in, even when it's a dismal day. And I don't care about having loads and loads and loads of money (although I would never turn down cash), I just want to not have to worry about where I'm getting money for groceries, and I want to be able to walk around outside when it's a nice day and not feel stressed out.

Come to think of it, right now, that's pretty much what I have. I mean, sure, I'm not really in my own apartment, but the place I'm staying is nice and comfortable and clean, and my housemate/landlord is a really sweet guy, and I have enough for the next two months really, and so I can spend a little time every day not worrying about job-hunting or anything, but just walking around without worrying about anything.

That just doesn't sound like it's an awful lot to want. But for a long time, it's been too much to ask for, and right now, it's not. And I'm really happy. It just seems like maybe I'll be able to have a little, simple life for a while. That's seemed so inconceivable.

It's been quite sunny while I've been here. A little cold sometimes, but really gorgeous. I've been enjoying myself immensely, er, when I haven't had the flu, that is. I'm finally down to the last little coughing bits. And gone from not being able to eat anything for two days to craving things like huge, greasy hamburgers and sausages and things.

I think I've forgotten to say something about the Chinese place the other night. It served decent food! Can you believe it?! Decent Chinese food! In London! It was fantastic! And I got to see my friends. I made all of them promise to start filling my schedule so that I have some semblance of a life here. I asked where to buy towels, and got a list of fifteen different shops. And Iain and I had a nice conversation in which he explained a few things about British men to me, and I felt a bit less like The End of the World.

By all rights Iain should be gay.

Anyway, we had a fabulous time, even though I got teased about my disdain for British Beef-Cooking Methods.

So...let's see. I spent the next day mostly in bed. Did a bit of job-hunting and then just went home and didn't even fold out the sofa-bed, just lay down on it in its couch-state, and collapsed. Ended up dragging myself over to Matthew's the following afternoon, and he wrapped me in blankets and made me tea and watched rubbish television with me and made me a really yummy dinner and basically made me feel like maybe life is worth living even if one does have the flu.

The next day we walked along the Camden Canal from Camden to Little Venice, which was really nice because it was a pretty day and there were almost no people around, and it's a gorgeous walk. And we stopped off at the end and went to a pub and had the most wonderful greasy hamburgers you can imagine, served with french fries that Matthew insisted should be eaten with mayonnaise. And we watched a little bit of soccer, and all in all it was just a very pleasant afternoon.

From there, we walked back along Edgeware Road to Oxford Street, then down Bond Street, and Matthew took me into Fortnum & Mason, which turns out to be a very dangerous place. One of these places with fabulous truffles and jellies and cheeses and caviar and things in little golden tins. I'm afraid I'm going to have to stay very far away.

So that's about it. I eventually went home, although before I did, Matthew was really nice to me and explained a bit more about British men so I don't quite feel as much like I will never, ever get it.

Fewer rodents crawled into my lungs in the night, and I spent less time coughing them up again this morning, so I think my flu is on the way out, which also helps my outlook in general.

I think I've spent enough time looking for a job today. It's Saturday, for heaven's sake! So I'm going to go outside and enjoy the hail (it's not sunny today) and see if I can get a tiny little notebook to replace all of the scraps of paper in my purse with Very Important Numbers written on them.

Life is sometimes worth living after all.