Tales of Public Inappropriateness Without Shame or Censorship

This weekend Nat and I went to that there Londontown to catch up with old friends aplenty. There was a concerning few days midweek when the snow got so bad that I got sent home from work and sat in the car with a co-worker (my favourite co-worker and not just because she agreed to drive me most of the way home) and we couldn't see anything beyond the front of the car bonnet. Which was a little alarming, to say the least!

So we drove down as far as Luton and stayed in a Travelodge. It was not exactly the most glamorous night of our lives.

On Saturday we made it safely to Belle's house in the Tropics (if by the tropics you mean Middlesex and I do) where there no snow. No snow at all! Our tiny minds were blown... Then we all ventured into London to sample the delights of the food market on the South Bank. We shamelessly exploited all the free samples on offer. It appears that student living leaves its mark. The plan had been to wander the German Market but we spent a lot of time mocking the extremely poor "Snow Globe Experience" and then it rained a lot so what we actually did was go to (HUT THING) and drink very sweet mulled wine. I was meeting my other two housemates from university, Sal and Wren, and their boyfriends, and it was great. I miss my girls a lot.

Then we planned to go to Covent Garden but it was raining and we got distracted by the giant ship in a bottle on the Forth Plinth, so what we actually did was go to the pub. Are you noticing a pattern here? We were forced into having extremely grown up conversations about our jobs (Belle teaches English as a second language, Wren works for the Historical Royal Palaces Society and Sal for a children's charity. My friends are vastly more impressive than me) and our housing situation and the cost of travel and the weather.

Then when we were done with that we got talking about books, which always happens and had about a half hour discussion about YA and how The Book Thief is amazing and made me and Sal bawl our eyes out. Apparently telling people this does not make them want to read the book. But you should! Because it's really good! We were standing in the corner of the pub and the whole thing became kind of animated because we all care a lot about books and the Australians sitting at the table next to us clearly thought that we were all crazy and/or some kind of in pub entertainment.

Me: But once you get past the genocide! It's actually very uplifting!

Belle: The whole thing made me want to ring my brother and yell at him and then *makes sweeping gesture* I don't know, tell him he's awesome.

Sal: Where was all this teen literature when I was a teenager? 14 year old me is PISSED OFF.

Me: Oh, you know Nat doesn't read fiction.
Wren: (Her boyfriend) neither.
The four of us: *turn as one and tut at the boyfriends*

We went out for dinner and while we were in the bar waiting I got a text update from twitter in which moleskinned quoted some fic and I got these terrible snorting giggles.

Everyone: What, Lal, what?
Me: Er. You wouldn't, it's a, never mind. Internet joke.
Wren: It's going to be about porn, isn't it?
Belle and Sal: *nod sagely*
Sal's boyfriend who has not spent a lot of time with us as a group: *gives Sal a 'they seemed like such nice girls' look*

Sunday was a particularly lovely day that we spent on the canal boat that Wren lives on with her boyfriend. It's like a real house all condensed down into a teeny tiny floating space, which Wren has also managed to make stylish and lovely with cushions and baubles and plants. We were talking about how Wren is very good at growing things.

Wren's Boyfriend: I won the longest chilli competition at work.
Me: *tries not to laugh*
Sal: *starts to giggle*
Me: *catches Sal's eye*
Me, Sal, Belle and Wren: *all laugh at once*
All the boys: *look confused*

Then we took the boat out down the Thames. It was a gorgeous day and we made it to Hampton Court Palace. AKA Wren's office. Like I said, vastly cooler than me.

Wren gave us her tour and I added ridiculous but nonetheless true facts about the Tudors and may have suggested that Henry VIII was kind of foxy. You know. In his day.

Then we drove the boat back and made mulled wine. It's very important that you get those steps in the right order.

The next day I went to meet the extremely marvellous hanelissar and altogetherisi for mooching and Harry Potter watching. While Hannah and I were waiting in Waterloo for Isi we went to WH Smith and rearranged their children and young adult section so that all the copies of Hush, Hush and Crescendo were covered by other books.

( Further Fabulous Adventures (because this entry is already flist killingly long) )

The whole thing has left me in a far superior mood for the whole week. Clearly all I needed was to spend some time with people who I can be myself with. Which seems to mostly involve making all bystanders stop in their conversations, but that's practically a tradition in my family.

Have you all had good weeks/weekends? Ready for Christmas (ahahahaha I am so not, before you ask)