Before the British Museum

I woke up this morning to the music of Tchaikovsky and some dance scenario in my dreams. A lovely hangover from last night’s Royal Ballet ,Swan Lake ,at the Royal Opera House.  What a delightful experience!  Laura struggled with the walk home in the dark and rain and cobblestones.  She’s content to have a day of rest before our evening Mormon Musical.

I believe she’s in training for the Italian Mother and Grandmother Mafia. She just loves looking out our Thistle Hotel window at the busy street below. So far she has failed her test for future employment on southern balconies dressed in the babuska uniform.  She saw all the dogs even those riding on the on and off tourist bus  but missed a robbery, an infidelity and a murder.  

We’re both obviously missing my cockapoo Madigan. Karen sends us pictures of her stay with him and he looks so content I’m just a bit jealous. When I left Gilbert with Belinda so Laura and I could go to India a couple of years ago it was touch and go if he was going to leave Gus and the kids to return to me. My attraction is that I share the fruits of my love of barbecue  with my roommates.  

China Town, Gold Mine restaurant.   I bought delicious lemon duck and boneless chicken with delicious chow mein to eat in our rooms after Swan Lake. 

Now I’m here at the British Museum. I’ve not made it inside. A coffee and ice cream trucks, the sunshine and outdoor tables captured me. Whenever I contemplate coffee I need to know there’s a toilet nearby. The museum and gallery toilets have been so clean a far cry from our experience in Delhi.  Hard to believe the English now set the standards for cleanliness considering how Asians thought of the Victorians with their notions of too frequent bathing promoting disease. Laura would be hospitalized if this was true. Officially a catholic she is a hedonist in the bathroom. When I brought her back the  Lancôme perfume she liked the Lancôme representative in Boots gave me a gift pack of creams and such. They are scattered all over the hotel bathroom. Even now she’s happy to let me head off to a museum while she luxuriates, when she’s not training at the window. Getting her the Freda Swatch from Covent Gardens to replace the Swatch I bought her a decade back in Dubblin was a win. She loved the upgrade.  I miss my Apple Watch but consider my black Swatch for travel perfect.

Using the iPhone map with  my Telus cellular  roaming package I’ve not only been able to get everywhere I’m going but the map shows me everything interesting along the route. My path took me through the China town of Soho and God blessed me with an acupuncture /massage shop.  So a brief stop for my first encounter with acupuncture.  50 stirling gave me a half hour and the relief lasts. It really does seem to be a consequence of my belly.  When I left I felt some low back strain return after walking further and just holding in my immense gut relieved it.  

I saw and umbrella and Stick shop along the way.  When I lived in London, poor as a student, my first outlay after a few cheques and saving was a Fox Umbrella. We were here in fall and it was raining regularly. I’d had a couple of cheapies fail before I saw in Harrod’s the famed Fox. Pricey at the time, I realized that when others were wearing immaculate coats or driving expensive cars I was perfectly kitted out with my Fox umbrella.   It really served me. It lived till a drunken friend broke it stepping on it in the back seat of my car.  

I don’t need an umbrella. Sunshine is predicted this week.  I bought Laura a light weight pocket one last week.  I just wanted an umbrella from a London family umbrella shop and am pleased with the purchase. I’ll certainly get use out of it in Vancouver though I have several fine umbrellas at home.  It’s a phenomena of being older.  When I was young and here in London I had one Fox umbrella, a suit or two, a Raleigh bicycle and one of things with a back up perhaps. Today I have a truck and car and Harley and Vespa and electric folding bicycle and folding bicycle. It’s a statement of steady work and aging.  Admittedly I’ve lived in several places, have storage lockers and am frequently getting another of what I already have. It’s just that here in London I remember being student poor and today I’m substantial old by comparison.  

My back doesn’t hurt.  I’ve enjoyed the Latte.  Time to explore the British Museum. I wanted to come back because when I lived here I came often choosing a walk through the British Musem than a sit down lunch. I worked downtown near here and I loved the exhibits and learning.