From London Bridge over the Thames. 

My weekend and a table.

It’s been a weird weekend, which has left me wanting to do absolutely nothing, but sit at our new table, drink a cup of tea and relax in front of some football. The windows are open to savor the rare rays of sunlight and I feel good. I didn’t feel great all weekend, ups, downs, vomits, scoobs, working and a couple of punches thrown in for good measure. I know my weekend is interesting, but I love the new table we have so want to start there. I’m sitting at it right now. My book from the chigwell charity shop to the left of me, cup of PG tips tea in a floral mug on the right of me and a clear piercing view into the epping forest ahead of me. The feng shui is good in this spot, or it’s just the sunlight giving me that much required melatonin hit that becomes so lack living here. I love England, Essex and my house mates Em and Dan. They are too good to me here. Anyway apart of them addition of a table and some shelves I was involved in a one-on-one street fight against an Albanian fuck wit outside the pub I work at. I cannot remember if I got him at all. My first street fight and I was pretty happy with how it went. I stood up tall and kept to all the basics I have learnt. The routines I have practiced in my car port or at footy training with the bags and gloves stayed together, contrary to my beliefs that they would fall apart come to the crunch and I would be throwing fists looking like an octopus on MDMA rather than a fighter. Coward is the only way this man can be defined. Spitting in a gay mans face because of his sexuality and then hitting a woman surrenders any sceric of the word ‘man’ he can cling to. I said I would be willing to press and I’m sure justice will prevail. I cannot say enough about the British polices response to the call.Four vans and a riot vehicle within 5 minutes of first word and picking up the fleeing culprit in less than that was an impressive act of enforcement. I earned a few beers and a shot of tequila from witnesses in the bar for my efforts, which warmed the heart and settled the nerves of the ordeal. Was an event. The silence of the bar when I walked back in was incredible. A packed English pub that wouldn’t of registered a decibel for those few long seconds. I had no idea if I had been hit or my hand was broken or I was going to be in trouble or I was going to crumble or I was going to cry or I was going to go on as normal. I got a shot of tequila and pinched a strong camel cigarette of zsofiah and then I was fine. I couldn’t hold back a few smiles when the old bloke I was previously serving shook my hand and bought me a beer. Even if it was my bad hand. Zsofiah hugged me and all was back to normal. That was the biggest event of the weekend, but I am much more impressed with the neat sorting of the shelves and the positioning of the table in all honesty. Yeah.  I couldn’t help notice a present under the tree saying ‘to barney from Dan and Em’ wrapped in red paper and a bow. I’m so thankful that, that is the only bow I have in my life, one under the tree rather than living in one. (see last post to get that).

Shelves, table and Mitch playing a morning game of fifa.

 I think I have grown as a person over here. I feel stronger than I normal do. A dependency on no one that I have relied on for so long. I cook, do my washing, do the dishes, walk to work, pay rent, pay travel. Live entirely on my terms. I cannot wait to get back into my studies and line up on the back flank for Upwey-Tecoma as I think I am more motivated to do these things than I have ever been. Travel is amazing, I love it, I love the thought of being in the Uffizi gallery looking like I understand Botechelli’s one day and sleeping under the Gare de Lyon clock tower the next, but it makes you realize one thing. How good we have it back home, I never want to live anywhere else. As unstable and as fickle as my mind can be, that thought is as stable and consistent as the beat of my heart. I also vomited on the tube on a previous unfight related night, consisting of guiness, glens vodka and a tuna sandwich. Was a sight, felt bad for a bit, but remembered I paid 35% tax last month so I'll call it even London. 

Photo from the new work space. feat tube map photo. .