Wordsley, Stourbridge, England: 9 degrees, a little cold, overcast and sunny at the same time.
It is Saturday, and it is a little cold in England and very cold if it were for Rio.
I woke up a little late today, and I’m feeling a little lazy again. I want to go and feed the ducks and swans along the canal, stop at the cafe on the green for a tea or a coffee, and write.
One unintentional habit I have picked up is writing my daily journal out in the street, and not at home. In Rio, I would regularly, if not all the time, write religiously in the Portuguese bakery near where I lived with Nalva and Yasmin. Sometimes, I would write on a concrete bench and table in the park, where I would work out and take Perola.
In England, I have adopted the cafe on the green, a quaint little coffee shop and breakfast bar where the service is extremely nice and helpful. The food, mainly English breakfasts and hot sandwiches, looks delicious and is professionally cooked. I have eaten a cake there, but not yet a cooked breakfast. I think I’m saving myself for before Christmas or the New Year, as I’m not really used to a fully cooked English breakfast anymore.
So, I have unintentionally adopted this writing routine out in the street. I don’t think it is an unconscious way of looking for attention; it is just nice to do things outside in the open air in the street, rather than being cooped up at home. Some people believe that it is strange or different, and maybe it is. Still, for me, it is just another reason to get out, get some sunshine and fresh air, and sunshine in England is difficult, but when there is, it is excellent; and also, being in the street and outside is very good.
At lunchtime, I went with my mother to Kidderminster, an industrial town once famous for carpet manufacturing. In the past, it had many factories and served as the region’s industrial hub for carpets. However, like many industrial regions in England, 90-95% of those factories have closed.
My mother wanted to do some supermarket shopping and then visit a friend. Unfortunately, as we were trying to leave the supermarket’s car park, there were road works in front of the supermarket, causing a traffic jam, which kept us stuck in the car park for nearly an hour.
My mother was fuming with the delay!!!
It made me think that through living in Brazil, I’ve learned that I cannot control others or situations outside my control; I can only control my own reactions. So, instead of stressing out, I remained calm. Eventually, the traffic began to move; we could get out and on our way without additional stress.
After the confusion of exiting the supermarket car park, we went to visit my mother’s friend, an elderly woman, and her daughter, who welcomed us warmly. They have three small dogs that live with them, to whom it is clear they are very attached, almost dependent on the dogs for company.
Having a dog makes a significant difference in anyone’s life and family. Both my mother’s friend and her daughter have a history of serious health problems, which seem to affect many English individuals after a certain age. I have recently thought a lot about the harsh weather in England, particularly during the winter, which ultimately takes a toll on people’s health.
Since I’ve been in England I’ve seen it a lot, with depression and other more physical illnesses that seem to haunt the people more here than in Brazil, obviously mental health is a big problem all over the world, including Brazil, but for some reason I get the impression it’s more apparent in England or colder countries than in Brazil or Rio.
In the evening, my mother had reserved a carvery at a well-known pub in the countryside for 8:00 p.m. We arrived half an hour earlier than our reservation, ordered drinks, sat down and then entered a queue to get served.
The pub was very nice, with its traditional Tudor-style old English architecture outside, like an old barn, etc. Inside, it was nicely decorated, and as it is December, it is in Christmas mode and completely packed with people celebrating Christmas.
The carvery is very similar to a Brazilian buffet. However, the carvery only allows you to go to the counter once to get served, whereas in Brazil, you can go as many times as you want. The food was nice to the point that I almost made a pig of myself from piling so much food on my plate, knowing there were no seconds.
The chef cuts you the meat or meats of your choice, and you help yourself to various kinds of side dishes. Except that there was no salad, which I thought was strange, but all kinds of cooked vegetables, just like a Sunday lunch, which in some ways I thought was very traditionally English.
The pub/restaurant was very nice with its rustic English Manor style, and the service was good and friendly. I had two enjoyable glasses of red wine, and it was just a nice, simple night out with my mother. It is quite funny that she does not like to drive at night because of her sight, but it was apparent to me that she drives better at night than during the day.
We got home at about 11 p.m.
And nobody died!!!
In bed by midnight.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.
Richard
