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We LOVE Don Benis

New Gallery
A visit from Susannah

Woking Store Fire Sale
So we decide to stop by the D.I.Y. store on the way to the newsagents to see what shelves and home improvements we can add to our flat. On the way there, we notice the suspicious presence of police, road blocks, backed up traffic, empty streets with large hoses stretched across them, fire trucks, sniff sniff - yes that's the small of smoke, and a low flying news helecopter.

Turns out the D.I.Y store just burned down. Word of the street is that two vans were driven into the back of the store and one of them exploded inside. The roof's caved in and the mega-store as well as the one next to it will be knocked down. Rumours that a gas main was about to explode sadly turned out to be false. (Would have made a great picture...)

Good thing we moved in last week. Extra good, actually as Elisabeth's company car that we used to move us broke down a few days ago. More good news is that we've found a store that sells proper pita bread (Paving the way for the return of the fabeled Pita Pizza) and authentic curry powder for only a few pence.

So that's about it - read the paper, grilled cheese, onion & tomato sandwiches. We missed the local mosque's open house but listened to the call to prayers from inside our flat. We'll get more pictures up later today.

S.

New Year / New Gallery
Um, Elisabeth may have been over-stating things a bit when she wrote that we'd catch up on all the pictures in our back-log. I have, however, started a 'year 2' photo album and once we've gotten back from the news agents and read the Sunday paper we'll finally finish off our 'year 1' pictures.

By the way, if any of the changes I've made have rendered things more complicated or have resulted in other things disappearing, let me know - I'm kind of only just barely able to make all this internet stuff work and may be inadvertently screwing other things up.

S.

Sunday 11 July-Breakfast
Good morning!

A quick hello to you all to let you know that today is the day we will catch up on all the pictures we've been too lazy to upload onto the webpage---so watch out for the exciting pictoral histories of John and Sean and Susannah's visits, as well as some pictures of our new home, Liverpool and our favorite Italian in Englfield Green--DON BENIs!

Also, I have decided not to try out for the football team. I've come to realize that I'm getting on in years, and my back is not what it used to be. Instead of finding myself in shape, I would probably find myself in a wheelchair. So tomorrow I'm off to the Pool in the Park, Woking's local aquatic centre offering two regulation size pools, wave pool, water slides, water rides, and a fitness centre. I actually did bring my bathsuit with me from Montreal, and I can walk to the pool. Much more sensible eh?

-E

Friday night Report
E: We have just drunk some wine (2 bottles) and I have creamed Stephen at Monopoly...again...

S: Actually, it's 3 bottles and I won't tell everyone how many typos you just corrected while typing those 2 puny sentences!

E: uh, that's because I didn't have to korrekt any! And We're celebratting--

S: Your illiteracy?

E: no! We're drinking a "toast" to the fact that I've got a 2 weeks vacation! I am thrilled. The opposite of distressed is what I am feeling at this juncture in time.

S: And what are you feeling at this juncture in time?

E: drunk. No, tipsy...no I feel exuberant!!!

S: uh huh...

E: Anyway, I still beat you in Monopoly, --

S: a) I let you win.
b) No you didn't
c) I6t-

E: When I put up hotels on all the yellow spaces, you didn't have a hope ibhee,ki--

S: IT WAS LUCK!!!!!!

E: No, strategy my dear hastings, strategy. I had you by all the worthless properties on auction, while I saved up money to build up my properites. Even though you had Park Lane and Mayfair, it did you no good, because you hadn't saved up enough.

S: Um... Want to watch Fawlty towers now?

E: Yes.

Shopping for food
Things are all in order with our new digs. Absolutely at last. The biggest adjustment for me so far has to do with a less-than-modren Sainsbury's that has marked-up prices to take advantage of all the shoppers at the Woking malls vs. our old ultra-modern Tesco's with it's criminally cheap food and wide aisles catering to crotchety, snobby rich people. This morning I also get to try out the farmer's market as I stock up on fruit & veggies as E and I prepare (Quorn)bangers & mash for dinner. England is getting to us!

On the really, really, really good side, Elisabeth has only a few hours of work left until she starts her two week holiday. Hooray.

Albums of the moment:
Chemical Brothers - Come with us
Kraftwerk - Tour de France soundtracks
White Stripes - Elephant

S.

Wednesday Evening
Yummy. I have just finished eating a delicious burrito dinner that Stephen had waiting for me when I came home. It has been raining and chilly, and I am only wearing a t-shirt and short pants. I could see my breath while I walked. Crazy eh?

Only two more working days until I have a VACATION!!! Two weeks off, two beautiful weeks. I will use this time to regain my health, catch up on sleep, start decorating the apartment, chill out in a Woking cafe, reading...wow so much to do!

I am thinking about trying out for the Woking Female Football Club, on 16 July. I'm not really in shape, and I have a bad back, but if I can discipline myself enough to get in shape in time for the try-outs, it could be a fabulous way to meet people and keep the body-fat in check.

My only problem is that my cleats (good Lanzeras) are in Montreal, and the practice field is no where near the town centre, and I'm not sure how I will get there. But determination is key. I want be a big Bertha and knock over everyone who gets in my way. Yay!

Ok. We're gonig to play Monopoly (thank you Sean!). No more rambling.

E.

All wrapped up
Well, Englefield Green's all wrapped up and we're now officially moved. I've also turned in the car in pretty much the same condition as I got it and am working at overcoming the case of tourette's it inflicted on me over the past weekend.

Nothing very much is going on - I'm trying to get used to the new shopping center now that we don't have a modern one with all the fancy foods we like to eat. Oh yes, and there's cleaning to do. Always the cleaning...

S.

Looking for a new Don Benis
To celebrate our first real day in Woking, we've been looking for a replacement Don Benis - Our first try, a chi-chi little Italian restaurant named L'aroma (Get it - 'La Roma'???) was not a bad start. Delicious pizza, risotto, salad ... a fine house red but alas, the coffee was not up to snuff. 4 stars out of 5.

S.

PS - Added some photos of new members to The Order of the Reindeer.