Update 6: Housemates from Hell

Hello folks, hope you're all keeping well.

Thanks for all your wonderful updates - GG & S's amazing canoe trip through the wilds of Africa (so glad you survived KaK Off Bay), Anita's incredible journey and new life in buzzing Yeoville, Lizelle's fab life in Florida, USA. I can't wait for Gerald's update from Las Vegas. And I love the fact that I got a job referral for a job in London, from a friend in Australia, whom I met in America. How global is that?!

Well, this update is proof that one should never ever say out loud, "I'm settling down and getting comfortable" (Ref: my last Update). Because my life is in turmoil once more. On Saturday night, our House was subjected to the Stripper's Party from Hell. All night, shrieking voices, swearing, cursing, slamming doors, music, shouts and fights out on the street, cars pulling away, and worst of all, a pall of smoke hanging in the corridors. Till 5.30am on Sunday. It was just too awful, there are almost no words to describe how dreadful it was. Finally, all the strippers and their "tricks" faded into the walls, and we were able to get some sleep.

The rest of us in the house convened in the Kitchen at about 7.30am after a couple of hours of broken sleep. The shattered looks on everyone's faces were almost comical to behold, and told me that at least I wasn't the only one to feel violated by the invasion. Poor Y had to go to work too. I was the only one however, to phone our landlady and hand in my notice. Maybe I'm getting old, but I have just had enough. Between the Raving Drunk and the Slapper's Revenge, I can take no more - I admit defeat. I am moving out of Finchley on Saturday 30 April. Just when I thought I was settling down ... sigh

By now I am fairly paranoid about living in any more shared houses, with too many people. And I will miss having a garden, more than words can say. I have settled for a small but immaculate flatshare with a little old lady called M. She lives in a first floor flat in a very smart area called Tufnell Park, right next to Hampstead Heath (almost better than a garden). The flat is shining clean and strictly non-smoking. It's just the two of us and a cat called Muffin :) Should keep me out of trouble for a bit.

M doesn't appear to work; I figure she's on some kind of Pension package, and seems keen to "mother" me a bit. I'll enjoy it, but hope it doesn't get too much. And I do hope I don't fall out of the single bed too often (haven't slept in one of those for many years :)

Otherwise, Andrew and I had a FABULOUS Sunday (although I kept yawning all day). We took the River Ferry from the Tower of London to Greenwich, and spent the day hiking the magnificent park, ogling at the Royal Observatory (including stepping over the Longitude line Greenwich Mean Time – very cool indeed), and meandering through the Street Markets and shops in the town. We ended up in a sunny beer garden, sipping on a John Smith (not a bad beer after all). The day ended with a trip on the Docklands Light Rail through the "space-age" Canary Wharf centre. I woke up with my face squashed into Andrew's sleeve - hope I didn't snore or dribble ;).

This evening, I took a walk from work. Two blocks down is Trafalgar Square, and it was magical in the late afternoon. Not so many pigeons and tourists on a weekday afternoon; the fountains are clean and sparkling blue, and Nelson's column is still there - remember meeting there all those years ago, Canadian Caroline? I strolled past into the National Gallery, and spent an hour gazing at the Impressionist paintings - Monet, Manet, Pisarro, Sisley and Turner. Then a few minutes looking at Goya and Renoir and back out to St James Park and Buckingham Palace. Then I wandered down one of the richest streets in the world - Picadilly - past the Ritz Hotel, and on to Leicester Square. It remains the Centre of Tourist World for me - just lovely!

As I went into Leicester Square Underground, I really, really, really wished my nephews were with me. I kept imagining them Ooohing and Aaahing at all the rushing people, the long long long escalators down underground, the stunning girl playing the harp for money, and then as the trains arrived, marvelling at how closely they fit into the tunnels, and how fast they push the air forwards in front of them, in a whirling tornado of wind. WISH you guys were here with me!

Then as I hopped onto my train home, I sat next to a little Chinese lady who was carefully scrutinising every word of the fine print in a magazine filled with Burger King Special Offer Coupons. Through a magnifying glass. Yes, I smiled too :) It could only happen in London.

Love you all, can't wait to see Jane and Graham for drinks soon!