Thursday 9 February 2012

maybe I was not meant for these duties...

Job searching duties, errand running duties, totally skint duties. Maybe its time for me to get a better duty! Being a diva on a beach pina colada in hand sporting a tan duty! Those are the kind of duties I fancy at the moment. Can I just say: I have ran the good race, I have won, and folks, it feels GOOD. I have managed to survive the process of renting a flat and am now sat in bed in my favourite purple leopard print satin pjs on slippy sheets floating along a lazy afternoon decompressing from the famous English runaround. I am happy to announce that aside from finding a job (the last 'biggie' on my list) I am essentially settled into London life (well, that's a bit of a grey area as although I am too poor to live in London proper, I have the distinct advantage of looking at it from the outside). Here is the rundown of the last few days insanity to bring you up to today's cosy posting...I have to say that despite the fact that the lovely estate agency I have been dealing with to get the flat has been more than accommodating, there have been a few bumps on the road to single person dwelling. I saw them more than I saw my own reflection in the mirror, yet every day there seemed to be an extra item added to the list of 'we-forgot-to-tell-yous' and 'have-you-done-yets' which did nothing to ease my frustrations of jumping through every imaginable hoop in flat-letting world. I managed to secure a guarantor (bless her) at the last minute, mere days before I was supposed to move into the flat, and was then left with the task of coordinating her schedule with mine and line up a chain of faxes that would have lit the lines on fire back in the days of its creation. I was set to go on Monday all documents prepared and faxed, they pushed to Tuesday due to missing documents and general we are really behind-ness, Tuesday came around, still no documents-no documents, means no flat. By this time I am so ready to leave suitcase living behind, I put on my lets-just-get-this-done-now game face and found out that apparently the fax containing the key to my letting freedom lay somewhere in the awkward silence between the fax machine in Brighton and the one in Chingford. Sigh. So out come the convoluted plans (because apparently asking a fax machine to do its job is like asking a diva to work-I do get it) to fax it to the computer shop down the road, but there is a catch-they have to switch the lines to be able to receive the fax so my guarantor had to let me know when she was ready to fax (mind she is at work missing her break to do this for the third time) then I have to contact the shop and tell them that the fax is coming then I had to go and collect it and bring it to the agency. Well, I didn't have to have to, but by that time I was intent on making it happen without further delay, because if there was anything else added to the list I think I would have popped right there. Oh I failed to mention signing each page of the 40 page photo-detailed inventory of a STUDIO flat no larger than most peoples main living areas (think of how exciting that guys job is). Keys in hand finally, I lit a fire and booked it out of there to start the moving process like, yesterday, grabbed my stuff, headed for the bus, and the sanctuary of Shan-space behind that happy little lime green door on High Road. Two bus trips later all bags safely delivered with the exception of the big one with all my clothes which was personally delivered in due time by Mr. Salt himself, I set off on in a mad rush to get the necessary essentials to see me through the night. I even managed to purchase mint and basil plants from the local supermarket (not a necessity really but they look good in the kitchen 'kitchen'! (You know those times where you look at a word and the more you look at it, the more it looks completely and utterly wrong? That just happened). A quick trip to Primark, the even cheaper English version of Zellers, saw me spend the quickest £66 of my life-having only remained in the store for a maximum of 15 minutes and then had the task of bringing  two massive bags on the tube where typically the handles of the bag broke during rush hour which managed to extract expletives from passersby. I'm sorry, not my fault, unlike the lifeless cashier that packed these bags, I know how to properly pack a bag so things like this don't happen! In a fussy flurry I set up what I purchased; bath towels, hangers, pillows, tea towels, some cleaning things, and the duvet set I am currently sliding around on at the moment. I needed a duvet set, and although being desperate for time and things I remained true to my picky self and chose the one that was most aesthetically pleasing even though its a satin (re: polyester) sheet and duvet, which, when in combination with my jimjams, causes me to slink down the bed, which consequently causes the cover to slink off me. This. Is. A. Problem. All the hassle aside I managed to settle in quickly, and despite a few hmms and huhs over the points I wasn't expecting-no hot water or operational electric hob (need to sort that today so I can eat!), traffic noise and draftiness, (I now see why they call these buildings character, you get a good idea of everyone elses with such thin walls and windows!) and a resident pigeon (his days are so numbered, I'm off to get cayenne later today and put it on the balcony and see if I cant solve that first off-there is only so much cooo cooo COOOO you can tolerate!) It has most definitely been the English experience and a grand adventure figuring things out like if you want to get on the bus you have to flag it down or else it will drive by, switching on light sockets to use the electricity,how excited you can get when your flat has something as simple as heat and a vaccuum, how living on a High Street means walking home from eating out takes about 2 minutes, and how creative you can get finding ways to store things in places with no storage (lucky I have an overabundance of things shifting abilities). Now that I have you wondering just what kind of place I live in, I will say, its absolutely lovely, and hopefully the following pics will show you why! Your tour has officially begun...
View from the bathroom door, door to the stairs on the left


View directly in front of bathroom door

View from kitchen to the street, doors on left and right to very wee balconies

T.V. and radiator oooh

My 'kitchen'

Note the herbs! And lack of storage, that's ok though, theres a massive cupboard in the bathroom lol

My cupboard with a surprising amount of storage space although minimal space for diva clothes!

The bathroom view from the door

Bathroom sink with shower on the right

I know it doesn't look like much, but it I love it to be honest, although it does make me a bit sad knowing that for the same amount I could get a 2br apartment in Van, but thats okay, because I'm in Engerland baby!! Well, I suppose its time to slink out of bed (well maybe after a few Corrie episodes...) and start my day,but before I do, I will leave my address for anyone who wants to send me love letters, money, or birthday pressies...my address is Flat 1,193-195 High Road Loughton, Essex, IG10 4LF. Next up I hope to update you all soon with working duties!
your diva abroad x


2 comments:

  1. Hey Shana thats so cool... love your little posts me and dad sit and read them and laugh... love your flat its so you. We are just doing out last minute cleaning and packing..i will see you tomorrow.. hair dryer and all... love mom

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  2. Haha Im glad you guys are enjoying them! Yeah I love my flat, it is very me, and really cosy! Hope you made it to France okay, bet you guys are so excited and off out already-was nice to see you at the airport on Saturday briefly, and that Ben could make it for a chat too! Thank you sooo much for bringing those things for me, much appreciated! xoxo

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