The Domestic Experiment continues.

[reddragdiva]

I am theoretically still at work on the Great Whitby Novel. But this is my weekend off, so I will do it when I do it. And the same for the Whitby photos. So there.

Thursday: Liquid Lab with Pure. Much discussion of the nature of crushes. Naturally, all of us have at least slight crushes on all the others, being as every one of us is so fantastically gorgeous, intelligent, witty and charming and with tremendous record collections. Also, we're all great shags. I left at 9pm, and so missed the never-seen sight of zoo_music_girl on the pish. Be sure to offer her a bottle of white wine next time you see her.

Friday: Two weeks after moving in, we FINALLY got the time to do some unpacking. So, of course, we unpacked about one bag and slept a lot. And it was gooood.

I would not go so far as to say our house is a lemon. But there are traces of a certain yellowish shade and a faint citrus tang. The shower is still an utter bugger, the bath drain is blocked and the oven doesn't work (the thermostat is convinced that room temperature is in fact 200°C). But the place is feeling more like ours.

Oh, and the hideous lino in the bathroom apparently resembles a William Morris design very similar to the tile pattern in Walthamstow Central tube. So it's not just crap lino, it's crap lino of local and historical interest. Of course, it's quite possible it's just crap '70s lino ...

Dead & Buried in the evening. zoo_music_girl has a more detailed report. The Zoo Music Girl Trad Goth Workout DVD is definitely a goer and will make us millions in white wine money. gothstevek also has a fantastic money-spinning idea that could revitalise the printed porn industry, but I can't tell you it. I danced my goth little socks off and discovered the N38 takes me straight from Tottenham Court Road to Walthamstow Central in about half an hour.

Saturday: Woke up with much more of a hangover than I deserved after four pints. redcountess and I slowly got our shit together and arkady came over to be amused at our domestic escapades over the course of the day. We went to Tottenham Hale Retail Park and drooled over stationery pr0n in Office World and appliance goodness in Curry's, then got a bus directly to Leyton (spotted Suzi and Aden browsing estate agent windows on Hoe Street) for Tesco. Liz had balked at paying five quid for home delivery the evening before (and the Tesco site has been coded by fuckwits), but the Saturday afternoon shopping crowd reminded us of why we had ever considered the option. (I believe the phrase "worth every fucking penny" had in fact been used at the time.)

After shopping, we adjourned to the King William IV, just across the street. A very nice pub and we recommend it, but do not drink their in-house brewed beers as they are pish. Try out halves of each if you absolutely must - I left half my pint of E10 Red Ale ("What do you expect, it's named after an additive" - arkady) on the next table. Because it didn't deserve to sit on ours. Then we taunted it mercilessly as the Billy No-Mates of beers. Or of things that can be called 'beer' legally if not morally.

This is my fourth domestic experiment. The first of these was an accident (my pen pal came to visit for a week's holiday, we fell in love, she stayed six months), the second and third were more planned events. None of those first three worked out, but I must say that domesticity agrees with me. Work, come home to loved one, shop on weekends, be exceedingly dull. It's a great way to live.

Update, 1:30pm Sunday: Liz has just named the potted palms in the bedroom. Weebl and Bob. This is deeply wrong and taking domesticity just that tad too far.

Comments

[ewtikins.livejournal.com]

I managed to get the patent leather red maryjanes. Must figure out how to get them your direction. Possibly best strategy would be to give them to Ali at some point when she will be seeing you at some random event; I have about £2 to last me the next week and a half so me going to Walthamstow on the tube is unlikely.

[reddragdiva]

Liz shouts "YAAAY!" We will have to work out something.

[girfan.livejournal.com]

then got a bus directly to Leyton for Tesco. Liz had balked at paying five quid for home delivery the evening before (and the Tesco site has been coded by fuckwits), but the Saturday afternoon shopping crowd reminded us of why we had ever considered the option. (I believe the phrase "worth every fucking penny" had in fact been used at the time.)

We have been using the online shopping/delivery option for about 2 months and mostly like it.
J hates to go shopping, and this keeps him happy.
The only drawback is the sometimes weird substitutions (almond croissants for plain ones, milk chocolate for plain) and some items we can get in the store mysteriously not being available from the same store when ordering it online.

I would give it a try-it's mostly worth the £5 delivery charge.

[valkyriekaren.livejournal.com]

bath drain: get some of that really evil Mr Muscle Sink & Plughole Unblocker (available big supermarkets) and pour down plughole and leave overnight, then run the taps hard. Hopefully should shift the worst of the gunk, if not go and check the outside drains for clogs, or call out a plumber.

cooker: do you mean it's heating up too hot and scorching stuff while leaving it basically uncooked? If so, it means the seal on the door is fucked, not the thermostat. Hassle your landlord to replace it or fix it.

[reddragdiva]

Yes, we did in fact apply the Mr Muscle and it did the trick. Liz applied cream cleanser and elbow grease to the bathroom basin and removed the paint the owner had poured onto it (?!). And today she found out how to save the two orphaned palm trees left behind.

The oven thermostat won't switch on the oven at all until you turn it to 200°C, which is why I say it thinks room temperature is that high. The seal is indeed questionable; on Tuesday, Liz will get onto them repeating "It doesn't work!" until it is fixed.

[inulro.livejournal.com]

I actually spend less when I order online, as I don't impulse buy in the shop. We don't shop online often - only when I'm too ill to go out, but it is a lifesaver in those circumstances.

The only really bad substitution I ever got was a bacon quiche instead of a veggie one, but it didn't go to waste, as Jason's not a vegetarian. Now I specify vegetarian options only for subsititutions.

[arkady.livejournal.com]

Liz has just named the potted palms in the bedroom

Hmm. Weebl and Bob; Spike and Squeeek!! - I don't know; kid of makes sense really.... What's the Busy Lizzie in the living room called? ;-)

[reddragdiva]

I so wish I could answer that question "Lunch!"