February 13, 2012

Leicester Shopping Area

Hello all!

Funny, for someone without a job, I sure have been busy! Yet, it doesn’t feel like it, as most of it has been shopping for the house. I don’t think a day has gone by that we haven’t popped into Leicester for something or other. However, we have new drapes for the living room, especially necessary over the sliding glass doors that lead to our very chilly conservatory. There is an electric heater in there, but we don’t know how to make it work. Apparently, not only is it horribly in the way for any furniture we might want to put in there, but it’s also on ‘frost’ setting, whatever that is. The electrician is coming over to help us figure it out (and get the back patio lights working for us).

Thatched cottage in Desford

Did I mention that I’ve bought a coffee maker and grinder? I think I did. So, we went in search of a place where I can buy whole coffee beans in quantities greater than 227mg. Found a wonderful place in Leicester Market. They roast their own beans, sell fair trade, and have a super selection. However, at £7 per 250mg, this habit of mine is going to break us!! So, I’ll make do with the £3,99 per 227mg at the local grocer and buy at the shop for special.

Blue Tit at the 'fat ball' feeder

We found out what the electrical and heating are costing us. My sweetie almost had a fit when he found out that even keeping the house below 15C had the gas bill sky high. We’ve bought a small electric heater for the kitchen (which bleeds heat) and I start a fire in the wood stove in the living room every morning. We wear woolly socks and sweaters most of the time until the sun (when it exists) hits the windows. Then, we barely need to heat the house at all. I think this is the only house in creation that is actually warmer upstairs than down!!

I now have a table bird feeder and suet balls for the birds. We’ve Robins and Blue Tits in the backyard that I’ve been able to identify with our handy-dandy bird book. We’ve also seen Jackdaws and Magpies. Being something of a Magpie myself, I have a special affinity for those birds.

We keep hearing what sounds like gunfire in the forest and field. Saturday, I heard it and looked over at the lone tree in the field across the road.  There was a puff of smoke emanating from behind it. Dan told us that they’re setting off fire crackers to scare the pigeons. Not sure why, as there isn’t much for them to harm out there with snow all over.

Last week was grey and damply cold. We were supposed to get more snow, but thankfully, didn’t. I hear you lot got it over there!! Saturday gave us brilliant sunshine and we basked in it as much as possible. What a blessing its light and warmth were!! Yesterday was grey again, and today has yet to be determined. Given that I actually saw the sun rising this morning, it could go either way.

On Tuesday evening, my sweetie and I had dinner with the couple that took my sweetie in when he first arrived. I was so grateful to finally be able to hug them, thank them, and toast them in person! We’ve been friends for ten years, but since they live here, the last time I saw them was at their wedding in Winnipeg about five years ago now. That was the last (and only) time they’d met my sweetie, so taking him in was more than kind on their parts. We went to a fabulous Turkish restaurant in Syston (sp??), a few villages over and had a lovely reunion.

Claire, our neighbour, took me to a pretty good Pilates class Wednesday night. So, that will become a weekly thing.

We bought a BBQ yesterday. It was the last floor model they had in stock from last Autumn and was well under half price. They thought we were nuts. “Surely you don’t need a BBQ in winter!”

“We BBQ at 30 below in Canada,” says my BBQing Canuck. “The colder it is, and the more snow there is, the better we like it!”

I don’t think they quite know what to make of us.

The Swans - Dancing on Ice

We were talking about flying to Malaga or Malta tomorrow for a bit of a rest, but there’s so much happening this week, what with the BBQ and piano being delivered on Thursday, the house closing on Friday, UK bank accounts to organize and the furniture arriving Monday or Tuesday (hopefully) next week, we’re putting it off until mid-March. Besides which, it’s the mid-term holiday here this week and we don’t want to go near an airport. And we’re trying to find a pet sitter for Aleks, so she isn’t uprooted yet again. The poor thing has separation anxiety still and follows us everywhere. Her reaction when we come home from an afternoon out is heart warming in its exuberance.

I think one of the biggest things that happened this past week is that I drove yesterday! We went to a local road that many people use to learn to drive and I started getting used to the Beemer there. Then my sweetie had me go through the village and out into the small roads between villages. Then I went onto one of the ‘A’ roads, where you drive 60 mph. My sweetie took over and got us to the gym in the city, then I drove home from the city (not through the city, I’m not ready for that yet), through several roundabouts and safely into our driveway. My god it’s exhausting. You have to concentrate so hard. Not only on staying on the correct side of the road, but even putting the darned car into park, or into gear, as the gear lever is on the wrong side of the car. Then, with the roads being so narrow, you must also be aware of the curb/soft shoulder, in case you hit that. But I did it and my sweetie said I did extremely well. Indeed, he’s happy to let me drive whenever I want.

Tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day. We haven’t decided what we’re doing, but whatever it is, we’re together. That’s all that matters.

Love to you all.