The Hours

The first of December. We have been counting down to this day for a month. The weeks, the days, the hours; they have passed like marbles through a highly viscous substance, but day has finally come and we are moving out.We awoke this morning, somewhat fittingly, to a kitchen spattered with spilt yoghurt, strewn beer cans and the usual overloaded vessels conscripted as ashtrays the night before (no explanation was given as to the yoghurt).

 When things like this actually happen, when that marble eventually breaks through, it can be easy to miss it, or worse, to be underwhelmed; but not this time.  After two intensive weeks of searching, viewing and hoping, we have chanced upon the perfect place. It ticks all the boxes we wanted ticked (there were quite a few), and is affordable too thanks to it being a subsidised rent. (Oh yeah, the only downside is it's a two month lease, but we'll take what we can get thank you London).

We now live, dare I say 'reside', alongside Finsbury Park in North London. The place actually seems almost grotesquely flash and modern after our previous flat but it's really just your typical white walls and grey carpet job.We have a larger, nicely furnished room with a window overlooking the street, with a blind (no old sheet and paper clips required here).  We also have a lounge and dining room again which is a bit of a novelty.

The location is great as Hana can walk to her work across the park and I will have to spend less time on the infernal tube.  We apparently share the place with an Aussie chef,  who we are yet to meet but who is very nice we hear. Some of our friends live in the area and it just has a nicer vibe than Leyton - fewer kebab shops, more parks and pubs.

Well that's all from me right now. A slightly more upbeat post (you'll be glad to see mum). Hana is off to a hen's night and I am off to hang out with the resulting other halves of said hen's night.

Dave

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Yes this one is based around
the Wonderland which Alice found
and while knowledge of the story will help
I must confess; I've never read it myself

Down the rabbit hole indeed
We've been burrowing in London for the last six weeks
and they have been surreal to say the least

I spend two hours of my day underground
with a crowd of white rabbits; who all seem to be late
for a very important date. There's certainly no time
To say hello, at any rate

London has the power to make us feel so small
gazing up to the top of The Shard
as though we have imbibed a shrinking potion
but also so tall, so large
hunching beneath the curving doors of a crowded train
as though we have consumed a magical cake
(hermetically sealed in layers of cellophane
and bought for 99p from Tesco-Bake)


It felt at times as though we swam against the tide
As we both searched for jobs, bank accounts
and most importantly; somewhere to hide
We have had our moments of despair; our pools of tears
Our days of "what the heck are we doing here?"
But, unlike Alice, we have each other and that makes a world of difference.

However, we are now well entrenched in the Caucus-race together
London's great cycle of capitalist endeavour.
Simply earn, yearn and burn - though not always
in that order (credit cards: will we ever learn?)

Our new flatmates are interesting characters
One is from Kazakhstan and smokes more than Fred Astaire
The other is as Italian as sex and cigarettes
with a penchant for lounging around (the kitchen) in his underwear

Just like Alice's Wonderland; spaces here defy logic
Is our kitchen a lounge or our lounge a kitchen?
Our flatmates certainly believe it is a lounge given the fact
that they never cook anything more elaborate than a Cup-a-Soup: chicken

Neighbouring Jamaicans argue through the wall on special occasions
Jamaican me crazy mun!
For breakfast it's Home Brand bran cereal; with added raisins
(saving money is so much fun)
In three weeks were moving to the other side of town
We have to do it all over again
Now that we are finally settled down
But this time it will probably be in the rain