Life in General - I'm really enjoying learning to do all my own shopping, cooking, washing, etc… Rosie has made me feel totally at home in her flat, but hopefully I won't start to irritate her by always being around. I'm sure I will get out more in the summer, and after I have organised a car.
My first weekend in Peterborough, Rosie was sick with a cold, so she didn't go out at all. This last weekend, she very kindly introduced me to the Peterborough social life.
Friday
Pub lunch
Matt had his last day at Atkins on Friday, and as a result, we all went out for a "Pub lunch" This was a nice casual, chatty affair, with a lot of the younger office staff. Pub food was pricey, but delicious!! I had a chicken BLT sandwich with chips. One thing I can say is that I am going to have to learn to eat faster, as everybody else finished long before me, and in the end I had to leave food on my plate! There was a significant amount of grub, so I was feeling fullish, but those who know me well, know that it is quite extreme for me to leave leftovers!! I was a little nervous that I'd have to drink and then go back to work, but thankfully not everybody was tossing back the beers, so I managed to get by on just an orange juice (I'm trying to give up Coke for Lent…. Yes I know that this is unheard of for me (Lent and no Coke), but Rosie is setting such a good example with her denial of crisps, chocolates and beer, that I feel I need to make some effort!!)
Pubs in the evening
In the evening, after a glass of wine and much deliberation on what to wear, Rosie and I headed into town to meet up with the rest of the gang for Matt's official "Leaving drinks". We caught a taxi into town, and met everybody at the Drapers Arms. Here we had some interesting chats with Giorgis, Ioannis and Ioannis's friend Juan, regarding Rosie cuttng her hair, salsa dancing teaching styles, South African traditions, and London theatre.
Matt moved on early to meet his ex who was up to visit for the weekend, and after a few more drinks, some of the rest of the party followed to join him at O'Neills, another pub a block or so away. On the way there, while attempting to walk straight while balancing in my high-heeled boots on the uneven paved streets, I had an interesting chat with Don about Rosie's single chick CD collection. Personally I have to say that I love Rosie's taste in music…. Oh dear does this mean that I am a typical "single chick"??…. Anyway… My balancing attempts worked better than Rosie's…. Just before we reached the pub, in the middle of the intersection, she fell!!! Not only did she fall, but then she tried to get up, realised she had dropped her bag, reached to pick it up, and promptly fell again! I wish I could fall so gracefully and with such style, and follow it by laughing at myself and a couple of curtsies… I know I would have been tomato red!!
We stayed at O'Neill's chatting and drinking, while some people played "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" until the pub closed at midnight. Then it was into a taxi, and back home to collapse asleep! I think I handled my first night of English pub drinking fairly well… I remember everything, was totally capable of walking, and didn’t have a hangover the next day… Perhaps I can survive here after all!!
Saturday
On Saturday I joined Rosie, her friend Claire, and Claire's daughter Tam, for a shopping trip to Leicester and Nottingham. This was was cool cos I got to see a bit of English countryside while we were driving. Other than that I didn't see much except the inside of shopping malls and parking garages at the towns tho, but it was still a good day out!!! We went to a couple of shops, looking for bargains - It's so frustrating shopping here as I don't know where anything is (when I do groceries I keep buying expensive organic foods becos I can't find the normal salads and veggies). Looking at the clothes shops, I tried to be good, and didn't spend too much money. I only bought some jewellery, a T-shirt and an extra towel! In Nottingham, Rosie spent a fair bit at Hobbycraft, a great store which sells everything under the sun for arts and crafts. She has decided to make her own jewellery and bought some lovely beads! When we finally got back to Peterborough we were totally exhausted and so braved the cold for a few minutes to grab some Chinese takeaway before heading home to collapse asleep on the . What a day!! Claire and Tam are much more dedicated shoppers than Rosie and I!!
Sunday was a day of domestication for the wild girl from Africa.
In the morning, after a sleepin, I helped Rosie clean the flat. I took on the kitchen, and did my best to put on a good show… Not sure what Rosie's verdict on my handiwork was, as she didn't comment…
Next we headed to Tesco's where I stocked up on a few groceries, including several salad and veggie items (aren't you proud Mom!?) while Rosie looked again for an outfit suitable for her upcoming birthday. Shame, I know how she feels - Shopping sux!!
Later in the afternoon, Rosie began the testrun on her meringues which she is going to make for the office staff for St Patrick's Day (they are going to be green). As assistant chef, I don't think I helped much, but we took turns beating the mix while watching France annihilate England in the rugby. Rosie is over the moon, because Ireland are second in the 6 Nations log, ahead of England and just behind France! The meringue making was heavy going, as we didn'y have a proper mixer, and so spent over an hour beating the mix of sugar and egg whites by hand!!! They turned out great, although the green ones were more green on th einside than the outside!! But they tasted delicious, especially with whipped cream, and they even had that slightly gooey bit in the middle!!!
Aside: Cricket
It seems that while I was causing today's snow by watching the rugby, all the South African's back home were glues to a rivetting cricket game between the Proteas and the Aussies. And we won!!!! With a new batting record for ODI's!! Amazing!! Check it out on
http://sport.iafrica.com/cricket/news/969576.htm
I made a point of rubbing it in when chatting to the Aussie guy at work!!.....
Back to my weekend….
After the rugby I cooked some roast veggies for dinner, to accompany Rosie's breadcrumbed chicken fillet and my chicken fillet with garlic an dmushroom sauce covered in pastry lattice (the joy of frozen food) The veggies I did were mushrooms, carrots, courgettes, onions, and tomatoes; and Rosie said they were delicious!!! I'm so impressed with myself!! She did help a little with the oven, but I did all the preparation, added the herbs and spices, etc…
After supper we watched Maid in Manhattan while ironing. My ironing will eventually get better, as will my washing skills…. So far I have only managed to ruin one shirt when the colour in my brown trousers ran…. I was so angry with myself, but C'est la Vie…. Hopefully I won't let it happen again!
Upcoming adventures -
Back at work now, I am looking forward to the upcoming weekend. Firday is St Patrick's Day, and Rosie has organised a group of people from the office to meet for green beer in Stamford (a neighbouring village)… I'm a little afraid, but hopefully I will handle!! The following day I have been invited to join Rosie and Sean in Cambridge, to watch the Ireland v England rugby match at one of the Cambridge pubs. Hopefully ireland win!!!
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