2-27-15

I’m currently furnishing our flat out of a 1710 page catalogue, it has everything we could ever need in this place and they deliver, which is a bonus, because I’m not carrying home a dresser or even a food processor on my back!  Apparently this store, Argos is kind of like a JC Penny, but without the part where there is actually a showroom, at all. Instead you just walk in and stand around a bunch of tiny tables with catalogues on them and when you pick what you want, they go fetch it for you from the ether. We brought home a catalogue and since we are still sans internet, it’s one major source of entertainment for this gal. Supposedly delivery is 3.95, flat rate, so in theory we could place one big order for much of what we still want or need, have it delivered and call it good, instead of continuing to buy things by the backpack load every day on a walk to the  village. This would be especially nice for big things and the heavy things, and the breakable things, oh yeah, and ALL OF THE THINGS.

On a brighter note, we have a bed! I walked into town yesterday, planning to purchase and make delivery arrangements for one we had seen at a discount store, however once I got there it turned out I got to take it home immediately – if I was willing to hop into a giant white van with a strange man… Yup, when I went to try and make the purchase and the delivery arrangements, I was told that the store doesn’t offer delivery, but ‘by the way, I, Stuart, the duty manager, will deliver it for you under the table for 10 pounds’. And, since Stuart was about to get off work in 15 minutes I could just kill some time and then he would drop me and my new furniture back at our new home. Well, I’m never one to turn down a free ride home apparently, so after grabbing some clearance dishwater from the store next door (bonus heavy item to go in the delivery van!), off we went. I didn’t know exactly where it is that I live, I mean I know our street/neighborhood name (Chandlers Close), but not the name of any other street in the general vicinity. I think the closest street name I know is Trafalgar Square, it’s in London, you may have heard of it, kind of a big deal, but NOWHERE NEAR US right now… So, I told him we were up the road from the fire station, which I’ve now walked past a few times and he seemed confident of where we were going. After a few minutes small talk, and one missed turn Stuart helped me carry in our new furniture and offered up his services should we have anymore furniture delivery needs and went on his marry way. And, now we have a bed! YAY! Totally worth the hypothetical risk of kidnap, rape, murder, white girl slave trade, whatever.

Following the delivery adventure, I made dinner, which was ridiculous considering we do not yet have a complete enough kitchen for assembling a full meal, even one as simple as stuffed peppers, but I carried on and it turned out okay. Note to future visitors, the rent for staying with us will be a food good that we are unable to purchase here – the list so far includes Sirachcha, Crystal Hot Sauce, and Vanilla extract (in fairness, you can get vanilla here, but it is REALLY EXPENSIVE). Also, Half & Half (not that anyone is going to be able to bring that, because dairy and many hours of travel and eew).

Now I shall try once again to work up the courage to go shower again, but as you may have heard, it’s a truly terrible experience and I’m not sure I want to leave the house so badly that I’m willing to try it again. That water is so cold it makes your head skin actually burn. That seems antithetical, but it really does. So, catalogue…

Observations: Trying to ask about delivery options at the store today, the girl at the check stand said, ‘I’m sorry, I cant understand you at all’ She was frustrated and that was my first ‘serious’ language barrier experience here, it made me suddenly realize, I am the immigrant, the fish out of water, the hapless here. It wasn’t a big thing, but it was sobering, and I hope it increases my empathy in those interactions in the future – because they currently bring out the absolute worst in me.

More to come.

– alaina