Janice

26th November 201722nd December 2017

Fish and chips, Matchbox Toys, and thoughts on being back

Sunday, 26 November

It’s taking a bit of time to get settled. More than expected. Krish talks quite a lot about what he misses. I think I’m more adaptable. I loved being in Turin but I love being back in London too.

I’m enjoying the food. The market isn’t as interesting as Porta Palazzo but I never have shopped there. We noticed a few food carts have started up in Ridley Road. There’s a Chinese food and a falafel wagon. We haven’t dared try them but I think I will. Then one day we went for a walk past Sutton House. They’ve done a really interesting thing there – little toy trucks and cars have been bolted into a fence.

Hackney is the home of Matchbox Toys. It started right here! The brand was introduced by Lesney Products in 1953. I’m quite sure this is why the toys are there at Sutton House.

From here we walked over to the fish and chips shop on Well Street. It’s our favourite. I don’t like to have it too often but it’s delicious and here they make it very well, not greasy and always with a smile. We order one piece of haddock, a small chips, and five ‘cod bites,’ which are small pieces of cod fried and meant as snacks or for children. And always a ‘gherkin,’ or pickled cucumber. Sprinkle with salt and vinegar and it’s a feast between the two of us.#

On Friday I went for my flu shot. I wasn’t feeling so great. A little shaky, a little lightheaded, but felt quite sure it was a normal thing. I went ahead with the shot, which was fast and painless.

By Friday night, I was starting a sore throat, my pain had the expected ache, but both hands and feet were aching and crampy. This continued through Saturday so I laid low and watched Netflix. Today I’m slowly feeling better but I have the sniffles. Is it the shot and I have mini Flu, or was I getting a virus already? Who knows!

I got some fabric today to make a doll or two for Esmeralda and I have a stew simmering on the stove. I’d meant to make a Thai curry but Krish seems to have either tossed or relocated the curry paste I knew was in there when we went away. So that’s that.

And how about this from Marks & Spencer?

22nd November 2017

Mini Jetlag and the Freud Museum

Wednesday, 22 November 7:14am

The view changes - our Robot posse — **The view changes – our Robot posse**

This time last week we were waking up in Torino and getting our lives back into two big and one little suitcase. We looked out and across to the Alps and to Superga.

Yes, today marks one week.

That first night I climbed into a bed made with icy sheets and woke the next morning earlier than I wanted. Mini jetlag! I remember our first weeks in Italy, napping on the couches after lunch and how luxurious and necessary it felt. No naps in London despite the fatigue.

What does it mean to ‘get back to normal’? I don’t think I’m there yet and, at any rate, being away means a strange compulsion to do something different now – only I’m not sure what. Normal is not what I strive for but…

Blogging will be sporadic from now on…maybe.
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15th November 201710th June 2018

The journey home

Wednesday 15 November (Day Fifty-nine)

And here it is. The last morning and the journey home. Getting ready to leave went more smoothly than for any other journey i can remember. I finished my last-minute packing, made the sandwiches, packed the lunch things and then out of the door.

As expected, there were no seats on the bus as we sped along for the twenty-minute journey to Porta Susa. This was where we got on.

Porta Susa looked a bit more friendly today, although we grappled with where to go and when. I messaged Liat to come meet us. I had a bag full of perishables from the fridge – and something had leaked out of the bag onto my jeans while we were travelling!

While waiting for her, Krish noticed that the station had meters to measure the solar power collected.

With about quarter of hour to spare, we were on the platform waiting for our first train of the day, to Paris.

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14th November 201720th November 2017

Last full day in Torino

Tuesday, 14 November (Day Fifty-eight)

A strange feeling waking up today and knowing this was it. There was nothing on the must-do list other than packing and last-minute chocolate purchases.

And today the view of the Alps was spectacular – clearer than I’ve ever seen

**View from balcony on the last full day**

After packing for what seemed like an eternity, off to the market to get that chocolate. Also on the list some marrons glaces, and some lemon pasta. Done and dusted.

We picked up some octopus salad and pizza to eat today and then some fritto misto as a last minute whim. We were already dreaming of a curry in London!

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13th November 201720th November 2017

Back to the Consolata, to Cit Turin, and the 24 Hour Carrefour

Monday, 13 November (Day Fifty-seven)

Time is winding down. As it does.

Today we decided to go to Cit Turin, the area that Liat lives in. On the way I suggested Krish pop his head into la Santuaria della Consolata I told him my photos hadn’t done it justice and I wanted him to spend one minute looking in to see it for himself.

To my surprise, he did. And to my bigger surprise, the one minute turned into more than half an hour. Not surprisingly, he discovered and was fascinated by something that I hadn’t spent much time looking at. I almost hesitate to post the photos because in a way I feel they are intimate and sacred. But I am posting a few that I found sad or interesting.

These are little portraits maybe ten centimetres across and each depicts someone’s death. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t look away until finally I needed to take a break from what I found so poignant and private.

Portraits

I’m not a Catholic and don’t really understand the significance but I’m going to look it up and ask around.
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