quick like a bunny

This weekend I shall be saying goodbye to the house with the red door. It has been BEYOND fabulous living with this family. I really could not have asked for anything more amazing :)

Nevertheless, it is time to find a place of my own to settle down in. You know, simple things like being able to NOT live out suitcases will be excellent, and not having a hour commute into work.

All I've been hearing is how fast this has all happened. I fully agree though. It was only a week and half ago that Melissa and I even saw the flat, but it's more than we could have ever imagined. Location is amazing! It's right in-between the bus stop we'll need to get to work and the train station to get into the city; grocery store a few minutes walk up the hill; cafes and cute little bread of many nations restaurants close by; a HUGE park about 10-15 minute walk away; nearby a police station and a post office. Most importantly, we aren't in an area where we will likely run into clients!

Oh, and the rent is not too shabby either. For future guests, the reception room (aka living room) has a door; which means you can sleep-in and not feel like you're in every body's way :)

This is what the new place will look like.

We're going to have the top floor. This means we won't have to deal with anybody stomping around overhead!

Come see us soon!!!!

P.S. I would be remiss if I did not send out my love to my favourite newly engaged couple.

Celebrating the excitement of this awesomeness all the way over here in London-town.
I love you guys dearly!!!!

misadventures of me

Work was done for the day, Melissa and I had just finished getting some sodas at Tescos, and she dropped me off at the train station on her way back to her "home". I continued walking into the sketchy station that is nearby where my office is and heard this slightly rotund middle-aged man say behind me, "Hey, sister"

Obviously, I didn't respond; I mean, the only person who could legitimately say that to me lives in South Florida.

And is a female.

There happened to be a train load of people getting off at the platform that I needed. Since it's a smaller station, there was no way that I was going to be making my way down the stairs with them all flowing up towards me like salmon on their yearly migration upstream. Waiting at the top of the stairs took a couple of minutes, and during this time the man that I previously mentioned had made his way in front of me.

He turned and looked at me and said, "Are you in a haste?"
I was confused. Did he really just say "haste" to me? "Pardon?" I replied.
"Are you in a haste?"
"Oh...? no"

We made our way down the stairs, eventually.

He didn't leave me alone, as I was grabbing for my mp3 player in my bag.
I'll be honest, I can't even remember how he even segued into the next part of the conversation. Perhaps there was no segue. Maybe he is beyond forward.

He stood there and then proceed to ask me, "So, are you married?"
"Huh?"
"Are you married?"
HOLY CRAP! What is this man getting at?
"Not yet"
"Why not?"
"Oh, I'm not ready yet."
Please, just leave me alone!!!
"So, what do I have to do to marry you?"
Seriously, what is going on here?
"What?"
"What do I have to do to marry you?"
He wants my hand in marriage!!!! Why do weird, older, foreign men always do this to me?
"Oh...I'm really not ready to get married right now."
Isn't he getting the hint?
"Well, I can be your friend. Everybody needs friends."
"Pardon?"
"I'll be your friend."
"Oh...right..."
::brain explodes::

Silence

"Was that your sister out there?"
"Who?"
"The girl who left before you entered the train station."
"Oh, no. She's a co-worker."
Because he wasn't creepy enough already...Doesn't he notice I'm NOT giving him much to go on?

He then asked me about what I do in the area, where I've come from (since he could tell I didn't sound like the Brits), etc. Which were all answered with the bare minimum answers...During this point I found out he's originally from Nigeria and is "self-employed," but I'm not convinced by the latter part of this.

"So, do you have your mobile with you?"
"Yeeeeaaaahhhhhh???"
"Oh good! Here get it out. I'll give you my number."
SHIT (yes, that was the first thing that came to mind...)
"Oh...well...the battery is actually on it's last leg and I'm really trying to conserve it at the moment."
Is that really the best you could come up with?
"Well, how am I going to get your number?"
How about not?
"Ummm...why don't I write yours down? ::as I grab some pen and paper::"
Please work, please work. Why isn't anybody saving me and pretending like they know me?!?
"Well, how am I going to get yours?"
I should just run over to one of the random young guys sitting on the benches and act like I was supposed to meet them....
"I'll just write yours down. What's your number?"
"It's ::insert lots of numbers:: and my name is Ekema."
"Awesome, great, thanks. ::puts notepad away::"
Oh, please let it die. My brain is made out of mush after legal proceedings all day long...No good escapes come to mind...
"Well, why don't you put it into your phone now and text me so I can get yours?"
Crap, this man does not give up easily...and where the heck is his train?!?
"Ohhhhhhkay....::as I reluctantly pull out my phone and text him::"
I should ask him for the 10p he just wasted me ;)
"Great, so what are you doing this weekend? Saturday? Sunday?"
"My family already has plans for me. It's really good to be able to spend time with them now that I'm back in the country."
He looks sceptical... but that is mostly the truth. Better than the stupid battery lie...
"What about during the week?"
Oh good his train is pulling up!!!!!
"I can't make any promises."
"I'll text you."
Doesn't mean I'll reply! Excellent, he's leaving!

You can't make that kind of stuff up! How does that sort of crazy always find me? I told my rental mum about it once I got home, and she just laughed and said that things are never dull with me. She then put in a request for me to get a random proposal from a man in Italy who happens to own some property. That way she could finally get her Italian summer holiday set ;)

Oh! Don't worry dad, I've already saved that number in my phone as "Don't Answer Nigerian Marriage"

P.S. Sorry for the lack of photo, but nothing I've got could do justice to craziness of the story. Today's was a word picture hopefully!

secret admirer?

Flowers arrived for me early this morning, while I was still sleeping.

The family that I am staying with was desperately trying to figure out the mystery of who was sending me a HUGE bouquet of flowers. The consensus was a secret admirer; despite the fact that I've only been in the country two weeks.


When I emerged after getting ready, the dad was the only one home and asked me who was sending me flowers and telling me about the secret admirer theory they all had. He left, and their son popped in quickly between a hockey game and a rugby game. He questioned me concerning the sender of the flowers as he was searching the kitchen for food. The secret admirer theory was also discussed. He left quickly thereafter to make it to the next game. Then, the mum got home and asked me about the flowers. She was saying how they all were rather impressed, thinking that someone spotted me rather quickly, etc.

The truth is, that it was NOT a secret admirer who was sending me flowers. It was my lovely Auntie Mary and Uncle Paul who sent me the flowers to congratulate me for completing my first week of work! So kind and sweet.

We all had a good laugh at the secret admirer theory though. The mum said it's probably a good thing that one of the Croydon boys hasn't taken notice of me yet. That I could do better ;)

TCP

They do not sell rubbing alcohol in this country. Store clerks have looked at me like I've had five heads whenever I've asked if they have it in the store. I even asked for "Isopropyl" and explaining that it is a disinfectant that is ethanol based. Still, I'm the strange one asking if they sell crack cocaine on aisle one.

Instead, the lady in Boots told me to get something called "TCP." That it serves the same basic purpose. She forgot to mention that it smells like butt. Well, not literally. You get the point, it smells nasty and it lingers. (Yes, I'm aware that rubbing alcohol does not smell like roses either; however, the smell doesn't linger in my nasal passages.)

Word Fest

London's Word Fest started this past Saturday. My cousin's brother-in-law, Jon Bilbrough, was playing on Sat. night, and him and his wife had invited me to join in the fun with them. Let's just say that I'm rather glad that I did. He had a pretty legit set.

Jon's last piece was in collaboration of some friends of his who own a printing press, Henningham Family Press. It really was one of those "You had to be there moments," but maybe some visuals will help you slightly understand the ingenuity of this piece. (Must apologize for the fuzzy quality of them!)

So, you've got him up in the front, strumming along, singing his song.

While the Henninghams' are starting to do some screen printing, on top of the story/lyrics of the song, in the back.

It became a hive of activity then. They put the posters on a clothes line with directions printed on, telling Jon what to do next.

They then move the posters down the line.

When it came to a light, that was strategically placed in the middle of the clothesline, Jon did what the poster told.

Things moved along in this fashion for the course of the song. It was quite interactive, to say the least.

Obviously, they sold them. I mean, seriously, why would anyone NOT want to buy one?

Whenever you come to visit, it's your job to spot where I've displayed mine ;)

In other news, had my first day of work today. We were shown around all the council buildings that we'll need to know, and introduced to heaps of people that I don't remember their names. All in due time though. Training/Intro stuff seems to be planned for the next 2 to 3 weeks.

That's all.

p.s. check out Jon Bilbrough on itunes.

a letter

Dear friends and family,

Sorry I have taken so long to actually update on life since I've made it safely over here in the UK. There are several things that we probably need to catch up on. Such as, what was it like leaving, have I started work yet, what is the place like that I am staying at, am I doing alright, what have I done so far, have I seen any of my family yet, and probably plenty of other things you are curious about that I can't think of? We can't possibly touch on the plethora of things that we need to in just one post though. Could you even imagine the length of that monstrosity? No, we won't go there. We'll spilt this up, but where will we start?

A couple of these are easy. Work, no, I haven't started yet. I start on the 9th. Family, yes, I have seen a couple members of my family here. We met up in London and caught up for a bit. It was lovely.

What is my place like? Let's do a picture tour. This will be more exciting for all of us.

Random sidebar: The family I'm staying with is absolutely wonderful. I could not have asked for a more welcoming and kind family to randomly end up renting a room from.

Brief reminder, this is only meant to be a short-term accommodation. I will be looking for somewhere else to lay my head eventually, a place of my own. Most likely a flat, and then you can be super cool and say you have a friend who lives in a flat.

Now, please buckle up, and keep all hands and feet inside of the tour bus. First we have,

the view looking into my room from the hallway.

Then, when we turn left at the door, we find this old-ish fireplace type thing. Looks pretty awesome even if it is probably not used for fire anymore!

From the awesome green fireplace (which you can see in the mirror on the far wall), we can see where some of my clothes and toiletries are. Along with the sink.

In the next corner we have the radiator, desk, and shoe area. The window has a view of the back garden. This all is right next to....

the bed!
Last but not least, the wardrobe that is behind the door leading us back out to the hallway.

Now, my nephew asked me the other night, on video chat, what is outside that door. To which I said, "the rest of the house." I believe that is a prime example of being cheeky. Shall we do a picture tour of that next?

And by that, I mean the rest of the house.