Back in Londonland

It's such a wrinkled cliche but time really DOES fly when you're having fun and before I knew it, my Christmas/New Year break was over and I was back to London to get ready for work.

When I got back on Sunday I settled into yet another sublet arrangement, this time looking after a bedroom for a NZ guy who's gone back home until 23 January. So far, so good. I have my own room at the top of the house where I can close the door and read, or muck about on my computer, or I can go to bed early. This may sound anti-social to you, but bear in mind these are the sorts of things I would do if I lived by myself anyway, such is my dynamic nature (not).

I don't know...I think I'm probably just getting old and grouchy. I'm over the whole 'share-house' thing - too many people living in a house make me think of hippy communes. I can only take a shower every day if I don't think about how many other people have showered in it since it was last cleaned (shudder). Ditto the toilet, whose seat one room mate insists on leaving up, even though I know there are at least 2 other girls living here. I guess I shouldn't complain too loudly, as said male room mate at least has good aim.

I haven't cooked any meals in the kitchen yet; indeed, I haven't even been into the kitchen since I moved in, so I'm not sure what state that's in. I know that the washing machine is down there, so I'll check it out this weekend. I hope the machine isn't complicated. I also hope it has been serviced recently - I don't think I could take it if my underpants got stuck in yet another strange washer's rinse cycle and refused to come out.

The NZ guy that rents this room does have a good DVD collection though, and I'm tempted to borrow some to watch on my computer. I'm sure he wouldn't mind, but just as I'm about to grab one I wonder what would happen if a disc got jammed in my machine. How would I explain that? What if I broke it and my computer wiped the movie? In total lameness, I leave all the DVDs on their shelves - untouched, and where they belong.

Subletting is a weird way to live, I'll admit - but at the same time, I've met some nice people and managed to get to know the city a bit better (or at least experimented with new bus routes). It feels weird sleeping in a bed that's not yours, on sheets that aren't yours, hanging your clothes in a wardrobe that's not yours (and isn't entirely empty either). I desperately want to spin this guy's bed around so it faces the other way because I honestly think it would be more spacious but I don't do it because a) it's not my room and b) I couldn't be stuffed. Obviously.

From a financial standpoint though, subletting is a really good idea. The rent is cheap and most people are happy to pay their bills while they're away, so you don't have to. At Tube stations around the city this week I've seen billboards for some great art exhibitions and theatre shows that I really want to see, so having some discretionary dollars for those diversions is great. A subletting silver lining, if you will.

I've settled back into work well this week; it was almost like I never had a holiday at all. We've been busy, but we're all getting through it and counting down the hours until the weekend. The office Christmas tree got taken down yesterday too, and that's a sure sign that the silly season is over and it's back to real life again. So it's a deep breath and as the English like to say, "Keep Calm and Carry On".