Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Farewell to All That


Well, this is it -- my final post from our humble flat on Portobello Road. I'm leaving you with an image of the stairwell, which is the last thing we'll see as we descend to the moving van and motor out of here. (Someone takes care of that geranium but I have no idea who. It's been prospering on the stairs the whole time we've lived here -- it looks a heck of a lot better than our geraniums.)

I took Olga for a last jaunt to Wormwood Scrubs yesterday. I also did some research and discovered that Hampstead Heath is closer to our new home than the Scrubs is to our current one, so Olga will not lack for outdoor running space.

Not much else to say and there's lots to do, so I will report back when we're moved! (Oh, and we won't have Internet for a couple of days. I'm going to try to find some WiFi but my blogging may be a bit haphazard.)

I was amused by two items from the "Talk of the Town" section in a recent issue of The New Yorker. One was advice from literary critic L.A.G. Strong to author Jane Gardam early in her career to "write about everything -- even linoleum." (In other words, there are no details or characters too minor.) The other, in a separate article, was a little lesson on cockroach genealogy: The German cockroach is actually from Asia, and is known in Germany as the Russian cockroach; the American cockroach is actually from Africa, and is apparently known to some as the "Bombay canary."

Here's hoping we have neither in our new flat!

10 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Happy moving! That's a wonderful parting shot -- and I'm sure it's bittersweet. I wish you much peace and happiness in your new home.

Elizabeth said...

Oh, and thank you for all your supportive comments on my blog. I so respect and take seriously your rational, measured approach to conflict. You help me more than you might imagine. xoxxo

utahDOG! said...

The Bombay Canaries in Jacksonville are the size of Volkswagens.

Ms. Moon said...

Bittersweet.
Yes, indeed.
May your new abode be blessed with light and sweetness and NO ROACHES!

Reya Mellicker said...

Hampstead Heath is sacred ground! How wonderful for Olga and for you.

Imagining your move is smooth and uneventful. See you on the flip side.

37paddington said...

That is a lovely memory of your old place. Moving is exciting, no? I wish you lots of fun and laughs and peace as you unpack and set up your new place. Watching from afar, it feels like a whole new chapter of a wonderful adventure. Thank you for sharing it all.

Sharon said...

Best of luck with the move! Hampstead Heath will give Olga plenty of room to run and run and run. I walked across the park and up to Parliament Hill when I was there in November and that was quite a long walk.

ellen abbott said...

ending and beginnings. we continue to move our shit from the old shop and old house. heading in today. who knew we still had so much stuff there?

writing and living by Richard P Hughes said...

It must be nice living in London. Good luck in your new home.

The Bug said...

Love the geranium shot - it looks a lot like our pinky (except pinky's a lot bigger!). They like to be pruned though...

Hope it all went well!