Sunday, September 14, 2008
London

Today was a day to get down and dirty–with chores, I mean. Started the day catching up on email that had accumulated over my two day weekend trip to Stonehenge and Bath.

Caught Mass at 10 am at St. Anselm and St. Cecilia’s at Lincoln Inn Fields and made friends with a parishioner called Karen Harris who happens to be from Los Angeles and is married to an Englishman! She walked me to the church when I was unable to find the entrance and before I knew it, we were chatting and exchanging phone numbers. Only an American would give you her number so readily and be so willing to make a new friend! I look forward to many happy times with her.

Then, the chores began. First, groceries: off to Tesco, then to Sainsbury Central (which was closed–only opens at noon on Sundays), then to Sainsbury Local which did not have half the things I wanted, so off to Marks and Spencer Simply Food. Luckily, all these places are only a stone’s throw away from my flat but I was weighed down by the time I got home and began cooking.

And did I cook up a storm! Salmon Provencal with Olives and Herbes de Provence; Salmon with a Mustard Sauce and Spinach-Pistachio Crust; Chicken Pepperonata with red, yellow and green peppers and lots of oregano; Broccoli Cheddar Soup; Thai Green Chicken Curry; Sweet and Sour Vegetables; Spinach with Lemon and Garlic and a batch of Pork Sausages! By the time I froze half of everything I cooked and cleaned the kitchen, I was so tired…but then I had laundry to fold after the big batch I put into the washer-dryer last night.

Spoke to Llew twice today, to Chriselle once and had a long chinwag with my parents in India. Also spoke with Gauri whom I finally got on the phone and with my relative, Cissy, who is just back from Canada. Caught up with everyone’s news, realized that despite making new friends and being so busy, I am spending a great deal of time alone. But I am living fully in the moment and soaking in the experience in its entirety.

I spent the evening creating new web pages on our Travels in Yorkshire…after which I was ready for a long bath, some dinner and an evening in front of the telly which I felt I fully deserved. And with the first part (of three) of the new BBC One remake of Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Ubervilles, I vegetated with a big bowl of ice-cream and fresh strawberries, blackberries and figs and enjoyed the evening away.

Just when I thought I would call it a night, the sky exploded with a gazillion showers of golden stars as fireworks lit up the ink-black sky. It was like July 4 celebrations from my window and I marvelled at the sight and the sound as for the next 20 minutes, the mood was joyous!