The Package

This morning I woke to the ring of the doorbell. As this is the first weekend without builders in three weeks, I wasn't too pleased. But as that time of the morning usually meant the post (and not JWs or crazy exs that the afternoons have brought me before), I crossed my fingers and hoped it was something for me.

The finger thing obviously worked and there was a packet from my mom and everyone in my fam. I thought - ahhhh. Easter present. How sweet. Only 10 days late, but that's the post for ya. So I open it up and inside is a sparkly top (care of my brother), Luna Bars (my favorite sports bar treat) and a card. In a red envelope. Hmmmm. I open it and read "Happy Valentine's!" Huh? Check the outside of the envelope. The postmark is 8 Feb. Only 2 months and 10 days to get to me. Only? Ugh. I just hope they realize that it takes that long to arrive by dog sled/ canoe/ hitchhiking/ side car/ tug boat/ carrier pigeon (or whichever cheap way they are trying to send the post these days. Once a script arrived in Canada looking like it had taken a bath on route. Thanks Canada Post for making my script so clean, but so you know for next time, paper and water aren't meant to go together). So I wasn't being rude and forgot to thank them. It was the post. Really.

Oh. And if my family is reading this, thank you, thank you, thank you. It was lovely to get a care package, especially in the middle of building chaos. I ate a Luna bar immediately upon receipt. BEST. BREAKFAST. EVER. EVER. EVER.

A third of the way to the end

Well I'm a third of the way through the poetry challenge which also means we're a third of the way through April. The most unexpected comment came from someone from the VOA office who I contacted about an issue with his site. After being very helpful, I sent him a e-mail thanking him. He replied with: "Thanks for your gobstopper poem!!! My son bought one in Covent Garden two weeks ago and it's caused no end of hassle!!" Ahhhh. He found my poetry challenge poems. So glad he liked it - you can read it here if you want.

Anyway, I've hidden myself away in my bedroom which everything from our attic, lounge and my bedroom is in boxes and bags around me. Why may you ask? Building works. Exactly 2 weeks ago builders turned up with 2 days notice to put up scaffolding to fix our roof. A roof that I didn't realize was broken. But it was old so pre-emptive measures are good. But before they could fix the roof, everything that is in the attic that we want to save must be taken out. Fair enough.

But what about my room? It too is in the same space as the attic. Oh no, they say with much chin stroking, the ceiling will come down in here as well a la:



And so came the chaos which was formally my home. From Monday of last week, I had to take everything out of my room and put it in the living room and then sleep on the couch. Unfortunately, the ceiling was also coming down in the living room so the builders put up a pole to hold it up:



Hmmmm. I wonder if that's against any building regulations? 10 days after my first day on the couch my room was done. Hoorah! I get to sleep on a bed! I never wanted one so badly...so there now is a narrow path from the door to where I can sleep and be in a non-building works zone but at least I have my bed back.

Ceiling was torn down yesterday to much dust and much yelling. They broke the top of the century old fireplace and molding. Sigh. Our house is black with attic dirt and you can't walk around without your shoes.

Today. Today pastering is happening. Our bathroom is finally being fixed as well (though it took my calling my landlord at 7:30 this morning to convince her that when chunks of plaster are falling from the ceiling that it's time for it to be fixed). There is a fine layer of dust on everything so hence holing up in my room. I'm under the covers and hoping I can curl up and sleep and when I wake it will all be magically done. Alas, things just don't work that way.

We've been able to get 2 weeks of rent off her for our trouble as she thought they would only be here for 2 weeks. I knew it would be longer but she didn't agree. She instead said our rent is really low and we're lucky she didn't ask for more. Does anyone else sense a threat there?

Only thing left to convince her of is the kitchen floor. There was a leak last July that wrecked the lino. I'm afraid if I don't get them to do it, it will never be done. Then of course getting a carpet cleaner in - or maybe a maid service is quite necessary after all this. I mean this place sure is dirty. Unbearably so. But if I am having a hard time getting someone to fix a ceiling that is falling in or a floor that is lifting up, I don't think a hired cleaner will be high on her agenda.

As I venture out of room and onto the common, I will leave you with my favorite builder quote: "Who cut this? Stevie Wonder?" It still makes me chuckle.

A new Canadian in London podcast out now!

It is now the 4th in the series. That means there are only 2 left. So sad. I'm loving each one. Sarah (my sister) and I are thinking of keeping it going - a short podcast about the things that inspire us and to continue talking about what it's like being a Canadian in London. Whatya think?

Listen to Episode Four: A Sporting Life

Heather Taylor is a Canadian writer and actress who left the un-congested lands of Canada's endless open prairies; where Albertans talk slower and enjoy more space: and travelled halfway around the world, choosing to live in one of the most crowded places on the planet, England. 

This series highlights the strange and sometimes unexpected experiences of her new home while interacting with the local inhabitants; their strange customs and exotic architecture make Heather feel that she has stepped into a different world. She gives us, the listener an insight into her thoughts from the New World to her experiences of living in the old world of Shakespeare surrounded by millions of people.



The forth episode in the series, A Sporting Life, gives an insight into Heather’s theories on the difference between British and North American sports and what it was like to be in the thick of the crowd for her very first professional football match.

Listen to it here: http://peopletalk.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=450855

Happy Easter everyone...

30 poems in 30 days

Fellow UK poet Malika Booker is joining Roger Bonair - Agard and a group of thirty poets to do a poem a day challenge for the month of April. I've decided to do the same in celebration of poetry month on the writing/ photography blog my sisters and I write. Though we normally post a photo and then I write about it, I'm going to add poems and hopefully my sisters will then add photos where they can. Welcome to the 30 day challenge....follow me on http://taylorsisters.blogspot.com/ as I make daily postings for the month.