An entire week . . .over!!!

WOW, I cannot believe that I have been here for nine days already.  My how time flies when you are in a foreign land with no one to guide you along.  Interesting enough, I have managed to use this bus system to get from point A to point B by connecting with points A(1), A(2) & B(1).  Yes, there is no such thing as a stright line in this area of the UK.  For that matter, anywhere in the UK -- there are these "roundabout" every 200 yards or so.  I have managed to position my feet on the bus so that whatever way we are turning, I'm secured.  Just like the Thunderbolt (a rollercoaster) at Kennywood (theme park) just to get a thrill ride.  I always sit on the top level and Jason and I throw our hands in the air when we roung a corner.  For being the two oldest of the group, the others just smile at us and shake their heads.  Comical!!!  Howver, we do get startled when a tree limb smacks against the window without warning.  Damn, that makes me jump!!!

Not sure where I left off, but the remaining part of my training was just as boring as the first part.  I have all of this upcoming week to sit in the classroom again.  Much of what we are learning is the basics of social work and child protective services. Been there -- done that!!!  However, I am strengthening my friendships with the others, even our trainer.  She is from Ireland and has a Gelic & British accent.  There are 57 languages spoken in the Reading/Berkshire area, and with many having British accents, that takes the total up to over 100 different languages that I have difficulty understanding.  I'm repeating myself all the time saying:  "What did you say?" or "I did not uderstand you." or "HUH?"  Once I start talking to anyone, they ask me if I am from the America -- gee, whadda ya think?  Pleasantly, most have told me that they like my accent.  Pittsburghese is a hit for the Brits!!!

I have become friends with the trainer, Ruth, who lives near the closet I am renting.  I am looking at more places this week, but it looks like my cats will have to stay back in Pittsburgh for a bit longer.  I just cannot find a place in my price range that will take small pets. CRAP!  Did I mention earlier that all these houses/flats are SMALL?  If so, it's woreth mentioning again.  The weather has been a mixture of rain/sun/cold -- but mostly rain.  Feels like springtime in The 'Burgh -- nothing new to me.  After our training let out on Friday, we all went home then were to meet in Town Center to get a drink at one of the local pubs.  Well, the youngsters forgot to call me to tell me what pub they were in & I did not have their numbers in my phone yet.  Needless to say, I wandered around Town Center from 7:45p to 9:00pm, then jumped on the bus to my closet.  I get a call at 9:30pm from one of the ladies asking where I am.  After I told her I did not know where they were, I could hear them blaming each other for not calling me.  "I thought ---- was supposed to call you?"  I could hear the battle back & forth over the phone.  At this point, I just told them I would cath them next time around.  Sadly enough, I am the oldest of the group and I cannot hang with these 20 - 30 years olds.  My "zing" and "pop" is now "crash" and "burn."

Saturday was nice as I went to Town Center to walk around and shop.  There was a Scottish pipe & drum band playing through the Center and it was AWESOME!!!  They were promoting their Scottish Ceilidh next Sunday, Feb. 28th at Reading Town Hall.  A "ceilidh" is Scottish for a festival of pipe & drum, songs, dance, and the ever present DRINK!!!  All of us are attending this one for sure.  I even think our trainer is coming as well.  There are some pictures on this blog showing their tartan clan colors.  Now this is what I have been wanting to see.  I love the Celtic & Scottish music from this whole area.  I may even slip on a kilt myself or try to play the bagpipes.  Yeah. . .ummmmmmm . . . no.  However, I will partake of the many libations that will be present at this ceilidh.  Hey, I want to experience the true culture of the UK and Ireland.  "When in Rome . . . ."  Did I mention that the pubs in Reading are absolutely AWESOME?  Well, they are!!!  Every other building in this one stretch of town there are pubs, pubs, and more pubs.  And  in every pub they are all watching the same football (soccer) game.  My friend, Ruth, is taking me to a rugby and football game at some big stadium on the edge of town when a game come to town.  Oh man, soccer fans in the UK---WATCH OUT!!!!

Today, I went to mass at St. James Catholic Church on the one side of Reading.  I was hoping to go to a closer church to my closet, but there were no buses heading in that direction, so I had to go towards town.  St. James Church close to their central park area which has a HUGE statue of a lion.  Underneath the lion are the names of soldiers who died in battle during some war.  It was raining too hard for me to stop and read the fine print, so I will go back later to check it out.  Sorry folks, I have my priorities, and wet clothes is not one of them.  The sun came out after mass -- amagine that!!!! -- so I walked and shopped for a bit.  Then, I did one of my favorite pastimes -- PEOPLE WATCH!  I found a seat in The Oracle's coffee shop near the window so I could look at everyone along the Riverwalk.  JMJ, the outfits on some of these younger people just astounds me.  I was chuckling most of the time.  Do these kids know what they look like when they step out of the house?  I am going to buy a full-lentgh mirror and walk around holding it up to some of these  people just to get a reaction.  What do you think it will be?  I'll leave that up to any comments later.

Oh, here's some good news.  I have figured out the stores over here:  Adsa = Walmart; Boots = Rite Aid, Walgreens, etc.; Sainsbury's = Giant Eagle/Shop&Save/or your local grocer; W.H. Smith = Halmark Stores (but I think W.H.Smith is better) Waterstones = Barnes & Nobel; and finally, Rymans = Office Max.  Many other stores we have in the US like Timberlands, GAP; and others.  Much of the same but under different store names.  At least I know where to go to shop for particulars, instead of wandering around like a deer in headlights.  Now I move with purpose until I get run over by someone on a bike (bob & weave, bob & weave).

This journey has not come with it's downside.  I get lonely at night and do not have friends with whom I can contact to get together just to do something on the weekend or after work.  Although the others are wonderful, they have clumped together with eachother, and I really am beyond their quest for the wild/fun life in the late evenings.  Jason, and his wife, Sonya, who are closer to my age, just got a house so they ar busy fixing it up and settling down in the evenings.  Ruth and I seemed to have started a small friendship, but that's only when her husband is away on work -- which is most of time.  I believe I would feel much better when I get a place of my own to call home.  Right now, I am still in this place of limbo.  But that's fine for now.  I know that when work begins, I will be curing the days when I had all this time to just relax and take in England's beauty and culture.  I still maintain that it is extremely beautiful over here.  Everything is just so . . . . English!!!  Obviously, I did not get into London this past weekend, but since it is only a 25 minute train ride, it can wait for another weekend.

Hope you enjoyed my lastest adventures this past week.  As time goes on, I will probably blog almost every other day, just to keep up with all that is happening.  I am happy to be able to share all of this with you, and would live to hear any comments (good/bad/or indifferent).  I will have my movie camera with me next weekend at the Scottish Ceilidh, so look forward to that next Sunday.  Okay folks, cheers!!!