happy birthday to me

Today has been good. Good and cold! Heh. It's my 35th Birthday.

I snapped a few photos with my phone as I took Misha for her morning walk. I decided to go up to Chelsea and get myself some birthday treats after the usual park stroll.

Frosty "all-weather" pitch

The grass beneath my feet crunched with frost even though it was late morning, a sign of how cold it was out. I took a photo of the all weather sports pitch, because it seemed as if it was covered in a thin layer of snow, even though it was just frost. As Misha and I approached the Kings road though, it really did start to snow! The air filled up with wisps of fine flakes, and the deliverymen started to rush around with their handcarts. I overheard one saying "I think we should hurry up and get back soon, I don't want to get stuck in this like last time, it took over 4 hours to get back!" Of course the snow didn't last, but the dog did enjoy having it tickle her nose for a bit as we walked in the flurries.

Seasonal Sales

Most the shops along the street were having massive winter sales, all of which I could resist only because I lack funds entirely. As I peered into the window displays I drooled over the markdown tags, dreaming of a designer winter coat at a rock bottom price. For now I will have to make due with my four year old wool pea coat I bought on a whim in San Francisco. I just had the pockets of this coat replaced and I can't say I have any complaints; I'm warm and I can carry dog treats my the pockets without them falling into the lining anymore. What you want and what you need are easily sorted when you are skint.

I stopped in a bakery and bought a single slice of strawberry and cream cake, walked some more and went into a French food store where I got some mouldy looking goats cheese, sourdough bread, plump green olives and Swiss chocolate. I passed by Rococo, the chocolate shop, which had a very odd Valentine's window display. The theme was that chocolate was a "medicine for love" or something. One side of the window had chocolates among all sorts of pharmacy items: plasters, cold remedies and hot water bottles. The other window had at first what I thought were maybe balloons, but on closer examination revealed that they were blown-up coloured condoms with confections inside. Ew! Can you get an idea from this photo:

Candy-filled condoms

Before going home I took one last stop at Coffee Republic for a birthday latte. It was there that I wished I had my real camera on me instead of the phone. I wanted to take photos of all the women on the street dressed up in outlandish outfits to keep out the cold. Tall boots, huge fur hats, crazy pelt jackets, woolly scarves and long flowing coats. One woman was dressed beautifully in all black, with a head of shockingly bright burgundy hair. The Kings Road can be a fashion parade! While I was sipping my coffee I got phone call on my mobile from a man at the British Museum telling me my interview was successful and offering me a part time job. Yay!

I got about half way home when my phone rang again. This time it was my mom, wishing me a happy birthday. It was great to hear her voice. We don’t really talk too often because we live so far away from one another. I should call her more, but trans-Atlantic scheduling can be a pain sometimes. I have to find the right time to call my mother-in-law and thank her for the wonderful birthday gift she sent. (Flannel-lined jeans, just in time for the ultra-cold weather. And they fit perfectly too.)

Its dark out now, and the wind is really blowing hard. Damn, it snowing again! Hard too! Glad to be inside with a nice fire going.