Playing Catch-up (not to be confused with playing ketchup)

Sorry for my lame play on words in my title, I couldn't help it. This is what happens with a sustained lack of sleep...you think you're funny when you probably aren't. I will make a note about the ketchup here--I don't like it. It tastes...I don't know...just weird, maybe kind of vinegar-y? I feel like I remember ketchup being nice and sweet and tasty in Europe. Maybe that's just reserved for ketchup on the Continent though, or maybe I need to try several more brands. But let's be honest--it's probably more due to the fact that there are few things food-wise that the Brits do all that well. With the exception of my fave Indian restaurant, Punjab (which is great but too expensive to eat at on a really regular basis), I have not yet come away with a feeling of 'wow, that was an amazing meal' yet in London. Granted, as with just about anywhere, if you're willing to shell out, I'm sure there is amazing food in this city, but I am still seeking it. I have yet to get fish and chips, to be honest--this is in part because we have potatoes at almost EVERY meal in the house and getting french fries during other times just does not seem appealing. There is supposedly one place in London that you just HAVE to go to for fish and chips, but am saving that for when my visitors arrive. For now, I'll just stick to my chicken curry sandwiches and ready-meals and go from there.

Wow, there I go on another food riff again...this is what happens when you are probably some sort food addict like me. One side note I will add on about food--the goat cheese here is ridiculously cheap (about the only thing that IS cheap in London), which I can already tell is going to be problem. I mean, the only way I'm not eating goat cheese 24/7 in the States is due to the cost. Here, you can get practically double the amount of cheese for about half the price. This too, along with the daily croissants, will probably do me in (or at least shatter my dreams of having weight just fall off of me due to all the walking I'm doing!)

So, anyway, it's been a good week or so since I posted, and that is due in part to the fact that A) I am very tired (nothing new there); B) I laid pretty low last week due to fighting off some sort of cold/cough thing that is going around the house (somehow, I bet we will be perpetually sick here); C) I honestly have not been feeling too great about things and don't want to be a downer in my posts. Now, granted, I want to make clear that overall I'm doing fine and am still happy I made the choice to come here and have this experience. At the same time, some of the day-to-day responsibilities and constancy of it all is a bit draining. There's constantly dishes to be done, wondering if dishes WILL be done in time for the next meal, making sure students aren't taking food out of the pantry (the Centre provides breakfast/dinner...I think a few of them have been trying to get by with taking NutriGrain bars for every other meal/snack), making sure everyone gets home ok (this can range from getting in at midnight to 5am...granted, I don't stay up or make them wake me upon arrival during those times, but it's still the kind of constant worry of 'where are they? are they okay?'

In short, more and more everyday I am getting a taste of what motherhood must be like. I mean, I walk away from the dining room one minute and it's clean and sparkling...the next minute it's covered in crumbs, and I find myself nagging, and getting upset b/c I JUST GOT THE DANG KITCHEN CLEAN! Ugh. No wonder housewives go nutty, or have 'the problem with no name' that Betty Friedan discovered. No wonder more and more housewives drink during their children's naptime. I could use a cocktail right about now, in fact.

The good news is that I have heard from multiple sources, ranging from Sylvia to George to other Eckerd profs back home that these feelings are normal...that everyone hits a type of wall about two or three weeks in, which is exactly where I'm at. I will admit that generally speaking the students have been quite good...they seem to get along well and are continuing to learn the rhythms of the house and whatnot. Often, I enjoy their company, particularly at breakfast and dinner. Many of them are still terribly off schedule, similar to me...staying up WAY late on Skype, getting up for breakfast (since it is only served from 8-9:15am or so), then going back to bed. I feel bad in a way that they have to get up so early for eating--I mean, I feel their pain, I am a total night owl myself--but the 'system' of the house doesn't really allow for all-day grazing either (in part because of the dishes--it's ALWAYS the dishes). So, whatever, we're working on it.

[As a sidenote, in the time I've been trying to write this post, one of the student room sinks starting gushing water out of nowhere...likely a plumbing problem of some sort that will be a NIGHTMARE for a 225 year-old house with 18 people constantly showering and pampering...oh my].

More than anything, I just want to take a total mental break, even if I can't take a physical one. Even though the students have been really good and rarely 'bug' me unless necessary, I think my internal worrywart is on overdrive even when things are going fine. I went to the really nice YMCA gym yesterday to check out a membership--it very close to us (meaning it is also very close to University College London, so there has to be a lot of student use, right?) and was bummed to hear that even as a teacher I A) don't get a discount and B) the rate would be 175#s which translates into about $280 total...nearly 90 bucks a month. Ow. Yuck. My first response was "No frickin' way" but I guess I have started to re-think a little...a space where I work out regularly, including swim...a place that is not the house and will get me out of the rain...a place to be around people that are over 21 years old...it's starting to seem like it may be worth it to suck it up and join and not think too hard about the bill. I suppose I could justify it because there are tons of bills back home that I'm not paying right now, including my $125/mo cable package...hmmm. (sounds like by the next post I'll be reporting on the British gym experience, right?!)

To end on a brighter note, I am really excited for some shows I was able to book. I have fabulous (if a bit costly) seats to 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' with James Earl Jones and Phylicia Rashad (you know, Claire Huxtable) next week; I'm hoping to go to a show this weekend, some big musical with last minute tickets probably; and I booked a ticket to see Peter Gabriel live at the new O2 arena in March (I take that the O2 arena has somewhat replaced Wembley Stadium). This is so exciting for me--I went through a period in college, as Carrie is likely to recall, where I was kind of obsessed with Peter Gabriel's live album, Secret World...I even own the VHS tape of the concert (VHS tape...hahaha). I hear he puts on amazing shows though granted, he's getting up there. Still, the guy has an amazing repetoire of stuff and I can't wait to see it live, even if I'm going to it alone. Don't care. I'll just make friends with other old Peter Gabrel fans, right?

All right, time to go let in the window cleaner and see if the 3rd floor is flooded. Such is my glamorous life in London... :)