Twelve Things: Living London

You thought I couldn't come up with more lists? Ha! You haven't been reading this blog long, have you?

Yes, I do have more listing to list. This time, I have twelve things that I shall miss about our daily lives in London. Not the museums we manage to see on the weekends or the things we bother to photograph. Just the stuff of daily life.

Ahem.

Regent's Park (1)

Okay, I lied a little bit. We have a lot of photographs of Regent's Park. But it's just so photogenic! We visited for a long walk daily in the summers. Although we made fewer trips through the fall as the days grew darker.

Regent's Park, November 2011

TFL (2)

I have some complaints for TFL (namely, the weekend planned closures), but for the most part, I really appreciate how efficient the tube and bus systems are. I mean, during rush hour, there are trains every minute or two! It so beats my commute in DC, where trains were at *least* six minutes apart, often eight (or seventeen minutes apart during non-peak hours).

I have no idea why I have a picture of a Royal Oak tube sign.

Politeness on public transportation (3)

This is really just peer pressure, but I enjoy that travelers are conditioned to allow people to exit trains before boarding. So they do. So nice. I also can't tell you how many times I've seen people give up seats for people less able to stand or for little kids. And my heart melts just a little bit every time someone helps a little old lady with her suitcase or cart on the stairs.

This picture has nothing to do with politeness anywhere, but isn't my sister gorgeous?

Architecture through the ages (4)

I love that there are 21st-century buildings next to 17th-century buildings next to the remnants of the Roman-built London Wall. The efforts to preserve old buildings--while continuing to build modern structures next door--is one of my favorite things about the London landscape.

Hey, look! Saint Paul's reflected in something shiny and new!

Using British phrases without sounding like a pompous Anglophile (5)

I live in London, so I can say that we have to "queue" (because what sort of "line" are we talking about?) or I have to "pop to the loo" (because "going to the bathroom" is so crass), and no one takes notice. But if I say those things in San Francisco, I fear I'll get punched in the face for pomposity, inserting British vocabulary into my American accent. (Note: if you actually have a [genuine] British accent, you can obviously get away with whatever Britishisms you like where ever you are.)

Baby Meg says, "Bollocks."

Real farmers markets (6)

We had a "farmers market" in Virginia that was a total joke--terrible, overpriced produce that rotted within a day. The "farmers" knew they could fool the city slickers of the metro area if they brought a guy in a cowboy hat with a guitar. Very annoying. So I have very much appreciated our weekly market that actually has excellent produce (and meats and dairy products) at competitive prices.

I'd like summer back, please.

The possibility of blaming the British kitchen appliances or ingredients when I screw up a recipe (7)

It's true. It didn't happen often, but I totally did this. I'm sorry.

Note: I didn't screw this one up.

Not giving a crap when someone spills wine on the couch (8)

When we moved here, we were kind of annoyed by the whole "furnished flat" thing. Our relocation package required that we rent furnished, despite our objection that it would be cheaper to just ship our very few belongings (this got doubly annoying when we were informed of this very fact months after moving here, as if we had anything to do with the policy we ourselves objected to). But there's also a freedom in not owning anything in the flat. Spilled wine? Whatever. It's not my couch.

Apparently, I didn't give a crap about spillage then, either.

NHS (9)

NHS isn't perfect, but I shall miss it, nonetheless. It's nice not to have a monetary value assigned to my health, and I don't have to argue with bureaucrats about why my treatment isn't covered (the two times we used private insurance here, we regretted it and the dozens of emails and phone calls it required to get reimbursed).

And now I shall distract the rebid Republicans in my family with
a picture of double threat cuteness: Baby Beth and Baby Lindsay.

Computer communication (10)

So this is weird, but I *barely* use my cell phone, and I like it that way. I communicate with people almost exclusively via Skype and email. I suspect this pattern developed because (a) originally, I couldn't understand any of my British friends on the phone, so I required them to email me, and (b) I don't like being constantly available, even when running errands, working, or riding the bus. It's unnecessary. If I could, I'd flambé Tom's blackberry, though that's probably a separate matter entirely.

Blackberry in San Pietro:
first sign of the apocalypse.

Job (11)

I shall not speak for Tom, but I already miss my job in London. I had an awesome boss who was nothing but supportive and encouraging, and I worked with fantastic people who communicated well and didn't make ridiculous demands. I also got unlimited use of a copy machine. I couldn't ask for anything more.

I was about this age when I seriously informed my
parents that I wanted to be a farmer when I grew up.
I mean, I already had the overalls, so...

The left lane (12)

I'm programmed to use the left lane. I arrived here, and my lefty self just switched; I can't seem to switch back. This has been a huge challenge when driving back in the States, and hopefully my next job requires a commute on public transportation.

I can't even fathom my next commute right now;
still too busy mourning the loss of my London commute.
No, I meant that seriously.

Thus, I'm comfortable with keeping this blog, In the Left Lane, even when we're in a place where we're supposed to drive on the right...and yup, that means we're holding onto this humble little blog. So although I realize (and understand!) that some readers shall exit this scene once it morphs from European Travel Blog to Adjusting to Life in Northern California, the rest of you stay tuned for our San Francisco adventures!