40 degrees and counting

It’s been all over the news – London has recorded some of its hottest days in history. From what I can tell, no bridges dissolved thanks to the engineering of tin foil, but fires were raging and people on the underground were melting. I’ve spent the earlier half of the week hiding away inside behind closed curtains to keep the heat out and the cool in. We had many a sleepless night, waking up in puddles of our own sweat, and cursing a third level flat where the heat from our neighbours rises to the top. The lowest level of the brick stairwell has been a place of refuge from the heat. We had rain last night and it was such a nice relief from some sticky, uncomfortable weather. Thankfully the weather for the rest of the week is much more forgiving, so the fan we hurriedly bought at the end of the heatwave might be out of commission sooner than we thought.

Evenings are certainly my most treasured hours of the days. Games of monopoly and uno have quickly extinguished any doubts that marriage could have diminished the competitive streak between us. Red wine and shakshuka have left us with full, happy bellies. This is all accompanied by what is now a ritualistic, nightly episode (or two or three) of the Office. Reuben and I have had many conversations of a “Babe, look at us” nature – in awe of where we are and the life we live. In awe of the goodness and grace of our Maker and the path we have been put on. If you had asked us about moving 12 months ago, we would have laughed in your face. Our cups are overflowing, feeling very privileged with how life is panning out.

Things that have warmed my heart this week:

• Letters, emails, parcels – the correspondence from Australia has been abundant and it warms my heart whenever I hear the post box or get a notification.

• This stunning illustration of the evocative sofa saga, beautifully depicted by artist & friend Emily O. It spent many a day in Reuben’s trouser pocket, but never the less is enduring, as is the memory of the story behind it.
• My new vacuum cleaner – I have never been so thrilled with any appliance in my life. Streamlined, compact, versatile – she moves like a dream.

Reuben has passed his clinical induction stage and had his first shifts on road in the ambulance this week. This new routine has meant we woke up this morning to him having 4 days off in a row, how exciting! We are both thrilled with this extra time to spend together and with friends. Today sees us bound for Reading, to visit the illustrious IKEA and empty our pockets shopping. 4 days off sounds cushy, but it has been well earned through 12 hour shifts that sees him up at 4am in the morning. I am not envious in the slightest, and admire the commitment he demonstrates. I get up, make the coffee, pack his lunch, kiss him goodbye, and dive back into bed to catch a few more hours – truly the rockstar life.

It is becoming increasingly evident how friendly most people are in the uk, not counting the road rage we’ve seen at some stages. Such rage is understandable however, as the median standard for driving skills here is not much better than a fish on a bicycle. The fellow at the corner shop, the post man, the woman at the bookshop, a neighbour or two, they are always up for a chat whether you’ve got the time for it or not. I am quickly catching onto the local lingo – say “hiya”, not “hello”; “alright?”, not “how are you?”; “see ya later”, not “goodbye”, or “bye bye”, and so forth. You might almost mistake me for a native speaker, although I don’t think I’ve adopted the accent just yet. Yet.