Settling In
Hello Dear Readers, the past week has been filled with the mundane tasks of settling into our new house in England, sprinkled with a detour or two and a much-anticipated visit with our niece Mia. Mia is the daughter of Robin's (late) brother Paul and Leni, and is currently a university student in London. She is definitely a major reason for us to be here this year - it is always a pleasure spending time with Mia.
She agreed to meet us halfway for a hike in one of Robin's favorite spots, Watlington Hill, but we gave up after a half hour due to getting soaked with rain. We retreated to the local pub for lunch, then gave her a tour of our house and exchanged stories from the past year. The day with Mia absolutely flew by!
Last weekend we drove to Nuneaton to pick up an exercise bike I found on eBay. We like to detour if anything of interest comes up. I had a hankering for a Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich, which I have been unable to find in Oxford; but handy Google sent us to a place in Leamington on our way home. Then we noticed signs for the major castle in Warwick. We drove into the city but soon realized, after paying £6 for parking, that the tour would take all day and it was already late afternoon, so we put it on our list for another day.
By the way, I've been collecting copious photos and notes about the British cuisine. The first of many food and drink-related posts is coming soon! Suffice it to say for now that we are eating well.
Meanwhile, I'm getting used to doing laundry with no clothes dryer. Most British homes don't have them, according to our house manual. That will probably top the list of things I miss most about the U.S. (But if I can get used to it, it's much more environmentally responsible isn't it?) I'm learning that if you get a clear day, strongly consider whether you need to do laundry, as the next one might take awhile to arrive. Fortunately there is the backup of an indoor heated drying rack, as long as you're not in a hurry.
Our friends Jim and Eileen are in London this week and coming to stay with us for 5 nights. The guest suite is ready! We'll be in London three times during the next six days. Perhaps I will have more interesting adventures to share other than "the laundry." Cheerio for now!
