OK, bear in mind while reading that I've lived in big cities before (Boston, Washington, DC,) including this very London for a year (in my previous life 94-95). But now, I'm older, presumably wiser, and have two children. When you are single and you spend most of your day in an office and are outside just during your commute (or only part of it) you have a different reality. I even see this now with Euge when he is home on the weekends. He'll ask, "Is this what it's always like?"
Today is June 3rd. I should be able to wear sandals. I just should. Even if it's pouring rain. Even if Mia accurately responded to me yesterday when she said "this is just a pretend summer" when I said no to a tank top she wanted to wear because it's too chilly to wear it. The heat had been off for a week now, but I'm afraid I had to turn it back on today. I now wish I hadn't hopefully pack away all my winter stuff. I don't want to wear wool sweaters anymore, even if they're light. I hang on to that one week in May when we had such nice weather - we even had the windows open!
Walking in the pouring rain, dodging puddles, knowing I've ruined my dankso sandals that I've had for years when I hear them squish, squish as you walk. I looked at what other moms that are walking are wearing and you mostly see sneakers (as they are about to go hit the gym), flip flops (those you live closer to school) and boots. I'm sick of wearing my boots and sneakers. I can't walk in my flip flops for an hour. I think next time I'm wearing my dorky, size 10, cotton candy pink crocs.
Plus when we walk (and mind you we live in a nice area) I have to constantly yell out "watch out for the glass," "careful, garbage" and "watch out for the dog poo!" It's lovely. Chloe and Mia (myself included) do not understand why why why people can't pick up their friggin dog's shit. A big (or little) pile of stinking mush is such a wonderful greeting any time of day. It's especially lovely when it's raining. Nothing like soggy, runny dog poo. The upside is that when it's raining, the dog pee puddles get washed away.
And now a word about rubbish. There is a considerable amount of garbage/rubbish on the streets esp by the train station on our daily walk to school. This is because 1) they use bins that animal can easily get into. I'm not sure if the UK has raccoons, but I know there are foxes roaming our neighborhood and something is ripping through the trash 2)There are very few "public" bins. This goes back to the 80s and all the random IRA bombings. So, people just tend to leave rubbish where ever they are and if things are a mess, no one seems to clean them up. It's gross.
Plus, as Chloe always points out - it is grey grey grey here - the streets, the sidewalks, the buildings, the sky, the weather, and plenty of the people. The streets, sidewalks and building are so grimey dirty. It's so freakin UGLY. No wonder the English tend such beautiful gardens and drink. The only good thing you can say is that the grass and trees you do see sure are lush and green. The first words out of Eugene's and my mouth upon visiting in Paris and Germany were "It's so clean!"
The girls and I leave for the US on July 25th for 3.5 weeks. First we see my parents in sunny California, with a side trip to SLC, and then 10 days on the beach of South Carolina with Eugene's family. To say the very least, I am SO looking forward to it!
7 comments:
On our second day in Ecuador, I asked Maya what she thought of it. She asked why everything was so ¨messy¨. ¨What do you mean?¨I asked, thinking she meant the litter everywhere, much like London. I was getting ready to try to explain that when people are poor, they don´t really have the energy to think about putting their trash in a bin. But then she said, ¨I mean everything looks so old.¨ Hmmm. I don´t know about that. But here everything does look messy - graffiti everywhere you look, gray buildings from the smog, potholes in the streets and uneven cracked sidewalks.
I guess Ecuador has an excuse with the trash - back to the being poor thing - but really, Londoners, get your act together!!
I'm so excited for your US trip. I think you all are going to have so much fun---even if i will miss you by about a week. :(
India is ridiculously dirty too...I wanted to scream the other day when this man on the train kept throwing his used water bottles and trash out the window. It sure makes a difference in a way that you wouldn't anticipate!
Much love! Kait
I would find the garbage on top of the gray days and chilly weather rather disheartening!
Enjoy your trip back to the states!
This is me NOT lurking.
So maybe some of the SLCers who frequent beansandtoast can confirm or deny this...but here is a recent quote from the amusing, controversial and infamous blogger dooce who lives in SLC. Seems to support the "grass is always greener" philosophy. Of course here in Calgary we think we moved to Vancouver because it has been raining so much. So don't think I don't sympathize.
"The winter that we just lived through has changed the way I will look at rain forever. No longer do I hear rain on the roof and go, yuck. Rain is no longer gloomy. Rain? It's not snow. Which makes it the most wonderful possible substance."
S- nice to "see" you! I think that comment supports the notion of "different strokes for different folks" philosophy. Euge and I both felt like we'd had part of our arm cut off everytime we heard about how much amazing, white, beautiful snow was getting dump on our slc (and most importantly the skiable mountains). In our minds, it cannot snow too much. I know I would have said enough already when they had snow May1, but all those storms kept the sky smog free. THAT is most important. Plus, I think Rain works OK when run to your car, often parked in a garage, and drive from place to place but in a walking city? What's that site, BTW? xoxox ness
V- the woman who wrote that bit on SLC weather (see previous comment) was fired from her job for her blog -- so dooced became a verb (her blog is dooce.com). In fact, the petite anglaise woman was "dooced" -- see this.
Hate to break it to you...but it's raining and freezing here in SLC too. I'm wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. I turned the heat on this morning. Sob. But I have faith that it will get warm again. I hope we get to see you when you're in town. Maybe at a pool??
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