Misfits Mid-Life Crisis Adventures in …………..Surrey, Croydon, North London, Central London, Essex.

Week 51 (or Week 14 of the new adventure), Saturday 6^th June until Friday 12^th June 2015.

 Keats house (he actually only lived there a couple of years).

Sunday night is a night I dread.  I think most people do; I remember as a kid I hated the thought of school the next day.  Now as a so called adult the thought of work on Monday morning is just as painful (possibly more).  Recently I have been spending the weekends discovering North London.  I grew up in South London, I have worked and lived in West London and stayed in East London a little.  But “T’Up North” was until recently a land of great unknowns.

 Pigeon on the week in Regents Park.

That’s all changed these last couple of months, as with my best friend MOZ in toe we have been exploring this hilly and uncharted landscape.  There are many wonders that I can report.  They have electricity, speak a tongue very similar to our own (though at times they can be hard to understand as there grunts are more guttural then my South London one).  They have mastered the use of crude tool like objects such as bottle openers and cork screws and have abandoned the use of animal skins to cover their overly hairy bodies. North London is not the primitive wasteland I always assumed.

   Scandi Bread.

The big pulling point is Hampstead Heath, until a couple of months ago id never been there.  I’m getting to know the area well these days; I enjoy finding small tracks in amongst the trees and undergrowth that lead to hidden area’s out of sight.  I always imagine that I will stumble across some magical campsite hidden from view.  The only things I stumble across are people walking dogs and runners straining as they go up yet another steep hill. Then there’s Kenwood House, for coffee, cake and ice cream.  When I reach a good vantage point like Parliament Hill I am captivated by the view of London looking south.  I don’t think the capital is a pretty place as a rule, but from a place like that there is something special about the way it gleams in the sunlight.  I remember when the skyline didn’t look so complicated; I have fond memories of the Thames TV London Skyline logo not a skyscraper in sight.

 My childhood (not my pic). How it might look today (not my pic).

I enjoy mooching about streets in North London walking past huge posh houses that I’m not really worthy to even look at.  I wonder who lives there, is there a famous person behind the door, gate or overgrown wall (with security cameras).  I can’t imagine what their lives must be like, they might not worry about money but I bet they do think about the important things in life “what’s for breakfast”, “what’s for dinner” and most importantly “what’s for tea”.  Once we were walking down a road when a small private security car passed by slowly, the driver watching us carefully, that put us in our place.

 Good food in Regents Park, lovely runny egg, overdone chips.

North London has a reputation for being arty; there are a number of actors and musicians and other celebrities who live in that area.  I have to say it does feel an arty place with lots of indie coffee shops, craft shops and places of interest.

 On the roof at work 5 floors up, a nice quiet place for lunch.

There are streets and houses that haven’t changed in appearance in a very long time.  I can imagine horses pulling carriages, smoke coming out of the chimneys, ladies in huge skirts and men in top hats with moustaches while children run along the cobbles streets in between piles of horse poo spinning steel hoops. I really have seen too many films.

 Emmmm so tasty….

At the end of the weekend when I say goodbye to MOZ usually at the train station I do feel very sad.  I sit on the train and reflect on the fun I have had over the last 48 hours.  And think of the stress of the next 120 or so hours.  Travelling home I read and watch things on my Kindle, looking up to watch London pass by. As I approach Croydon I don’t look up, I don’t want to see the place, I’m going to see a lot of it over the next 5 days.  I wouldn’t want to overdose on all the excitement that Croydon has to offer from the window of a train.  Sunday night is not a night, there’s a shadow of dread about the coming week, how everything will pan out and will I make it to the next weekend, fingers crossed.

 Big bird.

End of good week. Interesting tour round Keats House also reading poetry (I’m cultured now). Lots of feeding Squirrels and Pigeons on Hampstead Heath and Regents Park, it’s very relaxing. Buying Scandinavia bread from North London café, I love. Spoken to so many angry people who have been summoned (my ears hurts). A woman on the train next to me was reading a book chapter 13 was called “Pendulous Breast”. Finding I was on the same train, in the same carriage as SAZ on the way home last Sunday night. Problem with tongue stud bought new ones.

 The Mid-Life Crisis cont…..

This week I have been watching: “Graham Norton” (Season 17, eps 10), “Have I Got More News For You” (Season 49, eps 8), “Thunderbirds are Go” (Season 1, eps 10), “Murder in Successville” (Season 1, eps 6 “Orangerfinger”), “Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (eps 4), “Game of Thrones” (Season 5, eps 3 to 6), “Springwatch” (2015, eps 9 to 12), “Springwatch Unsprung” (2015, eps 9 to 12), “Gadget Man” (Season 4, eps 2), “1864” (eps 7 & 8), “Vicious” (Season 2, eps 2), “Pinewood: 80 Years of Movie”, “Premium Bond with Mark Gatiss and Matthew Sweet”, “Interceptor”, (eps1).

This week I have mainly been listening to, “Morrissey”, “Morrissey”, “Morrissey”, “Smiths”, “Morrissey” and “Plup”.

Reading on Kindle……“A Game of Thrones, A Song of Ice and Fire” book 2 “ A Clash of Kings” by George R.R. Martin.