Parsimonious petrol person learns to shop in town

 It was one of those sudden flashes of insight that hit one at inappropriate moments, the answer to my question: why do I find shopping in London such a strain?   The answer was simple - I was, I am, still mentally preparing for shopping the country way. 

 In the country, one creates a list of things to buy, once the list is long enough, in the car you get and go to the nearest town.  There is no way you would permit yourself to go shopping just for one item, well, perhaps for bread....but rural bakers are now also 'multiples' selling other staples of household needs. But they are still kilometres away.

In town, if I wait until I have a proper shopping list, I find myself going in five different directions to fulfil my needs, walking long distances on hard pavements or waiting, in the cold, for various buses. My petrol parsimonious mind has not yet adjusted to the fact that I can pop out of the house, go up to Ali's  - and just buy one thing.

Unexpected joy - or return to childhood

 An unexpected joy:  wandering down Upper Street in Islington, hoping to find my favourite stationary shop (Rymans) a childhood memory came back...I decided to buy a 'Pritt Stick' - why I cannot remember, something to do with sticking something else on to paper.  Firstly I was surprised - after a tentative I-am-an-Old-Lady request for a Pritt Stick the aimable shop assistants did not seem fazed at all.  Yes, Pritt Sticks, joy of my childhood, after I had been allowed to use scissor, still exists.  And it is tougher than ever - I even used it to stick putti round my bathroom mirror.

On being shy to admit the minor irritants of COVID

This very small Japanese lacquer tray bears a small selection of  relatively cheap clip on ear-rings.. behind which is a story that it embarasses me to tell.   Here goes:

One of the Very Annoying (but relatively unimportant to others) aspects of  obligatory mask wearing is that 'persons' who like to wear ear-rings but who have cringed at the idea of piercing ears have most likely lost a lot of those same ear-rings as the mask is jerked off...

Well, perhaps others are more cautious but I am not. Patience was never one of my attributes.   The cruel moment came when I was parking baby Audi in the woodshed after a longish expedition to the shops.  I was wearing my favourite pendant ear-rings, beautifully faceted emerald drops. Well one of those is now somewhere mixed into the sawdust - the other is a single pendant.

HOWEVER! upon arrival in London, some random magazine offered me a solution - a handful of small, cheap to buy ear-rings. I seized the offer - ear-rings are vital to one's sense of balance - and they duly arrived.  So far I have not lost one - but perhaps that is easier in London where ear-rings are more visible on pavement than in rural dirt and dust. At least, with a ring on each ear, I feel safer, better balanced. So far I still have the lot.

Water troubles....

 What is it with London water? Or is it the dishwashing machine

As I was busy loading my mini London dishwasher I suddenly became conscious of my actions:

  I put in a tablet in the appropriate box (it did not quite fit) then - on the basis of old women's advice and my own experience, I added some white vinegar to make glassware shiny - then I added something called 'rinse-aid' in its designated place.(Remind myself to look up in the book of dishwasher-how-to-operate instructions why this latter space should have a moveable arrow and two (!) observation holes in its lid.

Next I close the lid, reduce the program from 3 hours to 1.5 and set the whole going which it does with enthusiasm, noise and clatter.  Experience calms me - the clatter does not mean contents breaking, just things knocking against each other.

Yes, yes, I could wash up by hand, using just a plastic bowl, hot water from a tap, a sponge or brush.  But I think I have better things to do..now that the machine exists.

Also, after some months on non-speaks with Thames Water we appear to be on good terms again.  By this I mean I gave in and let the company debit its bills directly from my bank account.

(Note to self: remember to nag TW about sending a meter reader from time to time,meter easy of access, coal hole not locked, has own lighting)