Things I Have Learnt Since I Last Posted

Things I Have Learnt Since I Last Posted - Sauntering Vaguely Downward

Mad Scientess Jane Expat

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Deeds of Derring-Do	\|	Full of Wild Inaccuracies and Exaggerations

[20120817|09:27]

Mad Scientess Jane Expat

[

Tags

birmingham, catmother, commuting, moving, worcestershire

]

Even if you hire removals people to pack up your house and move your things, you will still be exhausted and stressed at the end of the process.
Our new house is 50% bigger than our old house. There is a conspicuous dearth of furniture.
Displacing my all-time favourite, “Wymondham” which is pronounced “WIND-am”, ”Leominster” is pronounced “LEM-ster”. Oh English. Why you so crazy?
There are actually still places in this country that observe a day of rest. Never try to go shopping in Bromsgrove on a Sunday, because the only places that will be open are Asda, Costa Coffee and WH Smith. Since it will also probably be raining, this does not make for a pleasant experience.
The conservatory on our house was added on by a drunken BBC producer. Thankfully he doesn’t appear to have built it himself.
We have a conservatory. And a library. All we need is a billiard room and we can stage Cluedo masquerade parties.
Horses are very noisy in the breeding season. This is particularly noticeable when your garden fence forms part of the border to a large grazing field.
My cat is not afraid of any other cats, even those that are bigger than he is. The ginger boycat next door snuck in this morning. Telstar caught him eating crunchies and after a brief hissing exchange, chased him through the cat flap. Apparently he doesn't share his territory without invitation. Wonder where he got that from. *cough*
The difference in price for a peak Chiltern Railways ticket from Birmingham to London and a peak First Capital Connect ticket from Cambridge to London is not large. The former, however, provides air conditioning, free wifi, power sockets for every pair of seats, clean trains and ample leg room. And there’s a snack bar whose employees will bring hot food to you in your seat after you order it. The latter...doesn’t.
People who are setting out on canal barge holidays are generally much more cheerful than those who are returning from them.

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Comments:

From:

flexagain
2012-08-17 10:46 (UTC)

You missed some of the classic place names though, Towcester (Toaster), Slough (Slowe), Loughborugh (luff-bu-ru), and of course Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (hlan-vire Pee Gee).

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From:

purplecthulhu
2012-08-17 13:11 (UTC)

And of course Cirencester and Leicester are not pronounced the same...

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From:

nanila
2012-08-17 14:56 (UTC)

I always like hearing the American tourists calling it "GLOU-chester Road".

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From:

flexagain
2012-08-17 15:23 (UTC)

They would still be hard pressed to beat the tourist who asked me directions to Cun-Nig-Its-Bridge. :)

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From:

nanila
2012-08-17 14:57 (UTC)

Oh, I wouldn't say I'm missing them.

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From:

jixel
2012-08-17 11:21 (UTC)

Colonel Mustard with the candlestick in the Library! Miss Scarlet with the revolver in the Kitchen!

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From:

nanila
2012-08-17 14:55 (UTC)

Telstar in the conservatory with his claws!

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From:

jixel
2012-08-17 17:19 (UTC)

yike!

certain death!

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From:

melissa_maples
2012-08-17 11:25 (UTC)

Relevant, and can't wait to see pics of the new place!

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From:

nanila
2012-08-17 14:55 (UTC)

Now that I have broadband again (WAHEY), I can upload pics! But I'm afraid the views will be selective as some of the rooms are still in a chaotic state. :P

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From:

sashajwolf
2012-08-17 14:37 (UTC)

People who are setting out on canal barge holidays are generally much more cheerful than those who are returning from them.

This is because being on a canal boat is so much better than having to go back to work the next day ;-)

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From:

nanila
2012-08-17 14:52 (UTC)

Oh, I see! So all that swearing at the locks and each other is just a displacement exercise.

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From:

sashajwolf
2012-08-17 17:12 (UTC)

Ah! Well, I guess it doesn't suit everyone. I love locks myself!

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From:

nanila
2012-08-21 16:43 (UTC)

It's funny, you can always tell who lives on their barges because they operate the lock without speaking, while the people who are on holiday spend almost as much energy shouting at one another as they do on operating the lock.

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From:

sashajwolf
2012-08-21 22:12 (UTC)

Oh, I can do them in a silent trance, and that's just from many years' worth of narrowboat holiday. It gets quite meditative once you get a rhythm going - especially if you're on a long flight of locks.

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From:

cosmiccircus
2012-08-17 18:04 (UTC)

So how are you handling the open space/dearth of furniture? Are you spreading everything out, or are there large swatches of open space with nothing in it?

Libraries are wonderful! I finally got one in my new house and love it!

Good job Telstar in defending his turf! Makes me wonder how he'll handle a new kitten if you get one though...

The new train sounds wonderful for you!

And is there a lot to see on the canal barge holidays or are they more just party trips?

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From:

nanila
2012-08-21 16:42 (UTC)

Erm, mostly by filling it with piles of stuff that no longer has an appropriate storage space. We need wardrobes, dressers, filing cabinets...and more bookshelves.

The library needs at least one comfy chair, too!

Telstar takes the defence of his food very seriously. Although he's spent most of today napping in the conservatory, so I'm not sure he's had to work too hard at it.

Some people live on their canal barges. Those tend to be the more interesting ones, because they've been painted specially and have plants on the roof, dogs on deck, etc.

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From:

sekl
2012-08-17 18:26 (UTC)

On the upside, you did not have to pack or move the furniture. New house sounds great, all you need is a lead pipe and to invite Mr. Green to stay.

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From:

nanila
2012-08-21 16:45 (UTC)

That's so true, although we did do a fair amount of organising and cleaning so that when things did get moved, they'd end up being reassembled in an orderly state.

I don't know a Mr Green. We shall have to make the acquaintance of one.

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From:

ursarctous
2012-08-17 20:33 (UTC)

Wymondham is wonderful, but my favourite is Happisburgh. [& I always want to pronounce Loughborough as "Loo-guh-bur-ooh-guh" after my cousin told us about hearing some tourists say it that way.]

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From:

nanila
2012-08-21 16:45 (UTC)

Loo-guh-bur-ooh-guh should be the accepted pronunciation. That's fabulous!

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From:

nanila
2012-08-21 16:46 (UTC)

Yes! It needs a comfy chair now. With an ottoman.

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From:

grrr_arrrgg
2012-08-18 08:02 (UTC)

Number four can probably be shortened to "Never try to go shopping in Bromsgrove"

Congratulations on the move.

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From:

alice_mccoy
2012-08-19 18:56 (UTC)

Ratty, I do believe you are biased.

;)

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From:

nanila
2012-08-21 16:51 (UTC)

I shall probably attempt it at least once before I give up and take the train into Birmingham. ;)

Thank you. We're settling in here, although it's probably Telstar who's gotten comfortable the quickest, as the live mouse he dropped on the duvet last week could attest to if it hadn't been eaten.

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From:

nanila
2012-08-26 08:41 (UTC)

Funnily enough, we were in John Lewis looking at sofas (and many other things) yesterday. We investigated because ours have lost their oomph and are a bit saggy. But then we thought, maybe we get past the pukey stage first and then get something cheap and robust.

I'm glad we have so much more wall space - finally have somewhere to put all my paintings! ;)

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yike!