Been Busy.....

Here it is again, the weekend. But this week I've actually had stuff going on. It's about time too! I was really feeling like a human being, not a human doing. You would think after all the grief of unpacking I'd be needing a rest. But I think it actually spurned me on to get getting on with my life here in Jolly Olde England.
Tuesday I had an appointment to meet with the local Oxfam charity shop (thrift shop) director about volunteering. It's just up on the High street and would get me out of the house one or two days a week. Sounds good to me. Well, you need to go for an interview, I guess so they can see if you have all your arms and legs and can speak English - which I don't. I speak American. But I think I can translate enough to get by. It went well enough. I start this coming Tuesday. They're thinking about putting me on in the afternoons, which is fine for me. I'll start off with one day, and hopefully move up to two. Let's see how complicated my life gets first.
Later on that evening, Mike attended the second of three London clubs that all the students get to be honorary membeers of, for the year anyway. It was the RAC club on Pall Mall. I met up with Sophie, the Canadaian spouse, and we strolled down a very crowded Picadilly to the club. It was very impressively British. Like something you'd see in a 20's Movie. Yes, they did have quiet reading rooms too. We were given the grand tour. They have squash courts, a pool, a bar, a separate cocktail bar and a restaurant. After the tours, we were ushered downstairs to the bar for socializing. I got to meet a number of students. Raj, from India. Nice guy, hard to understand. Ewan, the Scot. Nigel the British Brigadier. Mike the Canadian. Steve, the other American. And numerous other slightly drunk students. We moved on to dinner upstairs, followed by after drinks back down. Port, yum.....
I had the Irish Flu the next day...
But Saturday, Mike and I decided to do one of our walks. He had bought a book at a local bookstore (yes, they are alive and well in Britian) so we began the task of trying to do all the 11 walks in London by the end of our time here. We figured we just go in order, as some of the places we have no idea where they are. Tour number one was Mayfair. It was a 3 mile tour and took us about three hours as well.

We started at Piccadilly Circus and walked westward on Piccadilly. Stopped a numerous Georgian buildings, The Royal Art Academy, then up onto back roads for historical sites and trivia.

We turned north to Berkley then Grovsner Squares. Found out about the Duke of Westminster, who still owns most of Westminster...And ended coming down Saville Road.

You have to so stop and read and look at the sights. Now these tours aren't the obvious things. The book is called "London's Hidden Walks" so there is much trivia that isn't on the beaten path. Should be fun!!
Now today is Sunday. I wanted to finally get around to playing with the pressure cooker we took from the "free" pile our neighbor had out in SD. But what to do. How about my rosemary, lemon chicken? I normally do this in the crockpot, but I didnt bring it along as I didn't want to risk damaging it with the voltage issue. Plus, who wants to run electricity for hours and hours when it's expensive here. So, the pressure cooker it is!

Well it came out lovely. So tender, lemony and done in only 25 minutes on the stove. Mike did up some roasted potatos in the mini oven and we topped it off with orange ginger green beans. So yummy. I will have to find more recipes to try. Mike thinks we should do coq au vin. Sounds good to me!!
I think it's time for a nap.....