traffic rumblings just outside my window. Delicious!
As you can see, the house at 43 Bargate sits right on the sidewalk.
The cottages, numbered 41, 43 & 45 make up a single unit – the
white-painted stucco section in the photo above. Sandra warns me to
stick out my head cautiously before stepping out, as one may be
trounced by a passing cyclist or jogger, careening by on the walk.
From the front door, vehicles whizzing past in the street are a mere 8
feet away. Six car-lengths down is a traffic light, so there is the
ebb and flow of stopping and going pretty constantly. My bedroom is at
the top of the narrow stairs on the second story and the window looks
out over the street. If I happen to look out the window just as a
double decker rolls by, I look straight across at the profile of the
passengers' faces only feet away from my nose. The house is situated
on the left side of the street, as, of course, is the direction of
traffic as well. The first time I caught myself in the middle of this
phenomenon, as I glanced up, I was definitely taken aback -- as you
can very well imagine. You may be looking out the window, most cars
down on the street, but suddenly Bam! there are people right there in
front of you!
Woohoo! I've been here for a full week now. Finally know my way around
pretty well, and none too soon as today Sandra leaves me on my own,
for Preston to fulfill her temple assignment. Have money, know how to
work the stove, the locks, the bath, and the washing machine. Oh,
yeah, AND the TV. Heck, I can even choose my own programs for a couple
days! (Speaking of which, seems I've arrived in England just in the
nick of time as on the telly tonight it showed how scores of
multi-national athletes began their London 2012 Olympic journey at
Heathrow this very day!) Got me some HobNobs, I love them so, and
Sandra surprised me with a treat of flapjacks -- which I am also very
fond of – acquired on a short, last shopping trip before she makes her
way out of town, driving with another ordinance worker, leaving around
noon. I'll miss Sandra. She has an infectious belly laugh.
Books are 50p each or 3 for 1£ at Tukes Independent Traders, the
closest charity shop to home that you come to on your way into town.
(I will be going there often! In fact, one of the main ladies who
works there is a Debbie!! We're on first name basis by now.) Took
advantage of the discount and availed myself of: The History of
England, Vol. 1, Peter Ackroyd; The Autobiography of Henry VIII, with
note by His Fool, Will Somers, historical fiction; and lastly, Call
the Midwife, a true story of the East End in the 1950s, Jennifer
Worth. This last one for me now because I grew up in the 1950s and
later for Erin as it tells of midwifery in the London docklands, for
her to compare to current birthing practices in "modern" Eastern
Africa. The lady in the shop told me that this story had recently been
produced by the BBC. Guess the book had had some popularity
hereabouts. (I've had a chance to begin reading it, and to tell you
the truth, I can hardly put it down! I've always had a keen interest
in the health professions.)
Enough of loitering late at McDonald, as the light begins to wane and
the drunks and the druggies come out looking for victims-according to
Sandra (yeah, like a nice, little old, middle-aged lady from America
with a nice hockable computer), found my way to the library for the
first time today and to check out their free wireless service -- just
as Richard had suggested before I left. (Oh, that Richard, he is my
knight in shining armor!) The first librarian I approached, to inquire
about getting online, said Oh, great, got your library card? Aa, no.
Turned out she had assumed I was going to use one of theirs. I
mentioned the signs I'd seen all around saying Free Wifi, and she
confessed, I don't think we have that (turns out she had come over
from Cleethorpes where, indeed, that is the case). However, she
quickly checked with a more experienced librarian who said, oh, yes;
we do. In the end there were a plethora of nice librarians who helped
me figure it all out. So here I sit, in the reference section, where
reception is the best, I'm told. (View from the top story of the
library, see 2nd photo.) The library is hooked up to the PolkaSpots
system, Supafly Wi-Fi, and the password is blue, (but, shush, who's
saying? Mum's the word!)
