New Blog

www.annerichard.blogspot.com

To my loyal followers, all four of you - I have started a new blog in honour of my new status. It is called Citizen Richards and the link is above.

Snow again

It was time to be serious about getting back to the gym but the weather gods saved me again. I awoke to several inches of snow on the ground, pulled my warm dressing gown on and settled down for a morning of doodling and messing about with paints.

Snow

Before I went to bed last night, I looked out the window and could see that it was snowing, landing and staying. I had a good night because I think the snow on the pipes acted as extra insulation so they didn't freeze. I was going to go to the gym this morning but I don't want to walk in the snow. Unlike 1963 I don't have the kit anymore and besides, it's a good excuse not to go. The forecast is for continuing cold weather throughout the coming week so I guess there won't be a melt. I was going to go to London on Tuesday but that's out. It would appear that there is nothing for it but to get on with my de-cluttering. Also I have had another tax demand from the IRS and that always makes me anxious. I don't think they have closed Guantanamo Bay yet!

Day 3

Very cold weather. Kathleen and I bundled up last evening and went to the Black Boy for dinner - her treat, god bless her. Got my come-upance when I got home. Radiators were cold and I couldn't get the heating boiler to come on. Very sad, very cold. Put in an emergency call to my plumber but by then it was after nine so I knew I wouldn't hear from him until this morning. Got my electric heater in the bedroom and snuggled down under two duvets. Plumber turned up at 8:30 this morning and diagnosed frozen pipes. He thawed everything out and got the heating going again. It is going to be another freezing night tonight so I may have to give one of my duvets to the pipes! Did I say something in my last two postings about loving being British. It reminds me of the first winter 62/63 that I spent here. It was even colder then but I had Ian lighting fires and loving every minute of it. In other words, I wasn't in charge. Also I was pregnant that winter and it was like having an internal heating device. And, I had my Canadian outdoor gear so whenever it got too cold in the house, I got dressed up and went outside to get warm. Gotta love this country - pipes on the outside of the house. Wish me luck tonight.

Day 2

I celebrated my new status last evening with a few friends. We were supposed to be having a glass of wine, a toast to me and off they go but somehow it didn't turn out that way. They were still here at 10:30 having eaten everything in the house and drunk all my wine. It was a grand evening. I had such a good time celebrating my Britishness. I am very lucky to be here and to have wonderful friends.

BRITISH BRITISH BRITISH

The title refers to ME. I have just had a call from the solicitor to tell me that my papers have come through. I am now one of you. I am so pleased. I will have my ceremony on 27th Feb at 3:30. Then I can apply for a British passport but in the meantime, I will set about changing my name by Deed Poll. It has finally happened. I can hardly believe it.

A great day

Decided to go for another Artist's Date this morning. There was a piano concert at the Holywell Music Room and it was terrific. The guy played a Chopin ballade and a few Mazurkas. They were beautiful and he was brilliant. He finished up with Rachmaninoff which is always a crowd pleaser. I turned up and there was a queue but luckily I took my place by a man who told me that a woman up ahead had a spare ticket she was wanting to sell. I snapped it up and rejoined the queue. When I did, I realized that I was pushing in in front of the helpful man so I put on my best Canadian accent and apologized. He not only told me to stay put but gave me his spare program. I got a good seat where I could watch the hands. I learned this from Leo years ago to sit where you can see the keyboard. It's great going to concerts with Brits. They don't talk, fidget or rattle their programs. They just sit and listen. I was so delighted with the whole thing that I went to the bus stop via Blackwells and treated myself to a couple of Chopin CD's. Then the temptation hit to go to KFC for lunch but, fortunately, there were about 20 people waiting to buy bad food so I didn't stop. Got down to the bus stop and could see my bus which looked like it was about to leave so I waived and ran and the driver waited for me. Everything was going so well I wondered if I should buy a lottery ticket. I resisted. Came home to a salad lunch. Oh, forgot, I walked into town for the concert so exercise in addition to culture. God, I'm good.