Current mood:	awake
Current music:	Be Good Tanyas - Stuck between Stations
Entry tags:	britain, chavs, coffee, doctor who, exams, food, lights, long time no write, meals, meat, reading, shopping, tea, trains, video games, weather

Spare the beef, I'll have the Earl Grey.
It's really raining outside. Moreso than it has been for a fair while, and the weather this week has been too warm for my liking, so it's a welcome shift, especially since I'm indoors, at Hazel House, without anyone else around, but with various teas and coffees, the Internet, pasta and peas, and the new PS2 we got yesterday to replace the one that broke in August last year (We figured we'd wait until exams were over).

I've not updated for ages. I'd blame exams, except they're only half the story. I've had other distractions. Nevertheless, I haven't abandoned this, for all it may seem, and I still have so much to tell you. However, to keep you from skim-reading within seconds, I'll split it all up into several entries over several days. I have the time to do so, now.

Holly had to work in Reading yesterday, so I decided to tag along and make a trip of it. Holly left at 7am, whilst I left in the early afternoon: getting up in the mornings is a real problem for me in this post-exam period. Anyhow, I made my way down to the station, but just missed the train, so I had to wait half an hour, which I spent getting some ginger beer from Tesco's and scoffing at the two young (14 years old at most) chavs who were cycling all over the pavement, and shouting at each other in that Estuary English accent about how 'they was chased in Staines earlier'. By the police or another chav-gang, I couldn't tell. However, I had to deal with more chavs on the train to Reading, which was otherwise a peaceful 50 minute journey through heathland, forest, and Wokingham. Oh, I do wish that the stereotypes on chavs and chavettes weren't true, but after overhearing several of the girls' conversations, I can't help but accept them.

Enough about chavs, even though Reading seemed to absolutely full of them (is it owing to the Bank Holiday weekend?). It took me almost an hour to find Holly, after wandering around what seemed like most of Reading's city centre. She had to work until the store closed, however, so I went a-wandering, and spent a large amount of time in Whittards (of Chelsea), the tea & coffee merchant, who were having a 2/3 off sale. Me being me, I smelt the various blends they had on offer, and bought some (although only one tea blend, the others were flavoured coffees and dark chocolate for Holly and me).

Yes, I was in a city centre offering things I'd not seen for some time (bear in mind that Egham is small, and even local Staines can't compare with Reading...I've lost my familiarity with cities), but what do I go for first? Tea. Yes, how British. On which note, did you notice I started this entry by talking about the weather? I feel like saying something like 'God save the Queen' now, but to be honest, I don't see why she needs saving any more than the rest of us. Anyhow, I feel like now imparting quite what tea means to me, by detailing my tea collection. Bear in mind that I don't like pure green tea.

* Green Tea with Peppermint
* Green Tea with Spearmint
* Green Tea with Pineapple & Grapefruit
* Green Tea with Lemon
* Green Tea with Lemon & Aloe Vera
* Green Tea with Cranberry
* Green Tea with Orange Blossom
* Green Tea with Apple & Pear
* Green Tea with Orange & Lotus Blossom

* Earl Grey
* Lady Grey
* Lapsang Souchong

* Rooibos
* Rooibos with Orange

* Lemon & Ginger
* Mint & Ginger
* Honey, Vanilla & Camomile
* 7 Krauetertee (7 Herbs)
* Spearmint and Camomile

Now, however, I feel more like a coffee, after my grapefruit juice. The new icon (animated again, I'm afraid) explains things.

I also bought a PS2, under a bit of pressure regarding them closing up as I walked to the counter. Well, we still have various PS2 games, some of them as-yet-unplayed, and I still haven't tried Kingdom Hearts II (I know, I know) or FFXII yet (although the latter came with the PS2). I'll set up the PS2 later today, and waste away my hours in a way that I can only do in the Summer. I do, however, have a few other tasks today (such as writing several articles for the Orbital, although I'm not on their team anymore, and doing some tidying with my room).

After a coffee break where we told each other about our days, and I failed to get through to Home to tape Doctor Who for us, we went and had a meal. Reading Riverside is full of various culinary options, from a McDonalds, through Wagamamas, Nandos, Pizza Express, and up to burger bars, grillhouses, and a Cajun/Creole jazz restuarant. In the end, it was between the jazz place and the grillhouse, and we opted for the latter, based largely on the decor (mood lighting makes me so very happy). I should have ordered a different meal, though, for whilst the mixed grill was super!tasty, it was the first real-meaty meal I've had in a long time, and it filled me up very quickly (I had to leave at least a fifth), and left my digestive system struggling. I don't eat much meat anymore, and it shows. Not quite vegetarian yet, though (I still like my ham and peppered salami). It was still a fantastic meal, with the best company, and the alcoholic coffees we had afterwards did their job (perking you up whilst calming you down) well. The walk through rainy streets full of loud teenagers and clubbers (I fail to understand that scene) wasn't pleasant, but it didn't ruin what had been a fantastic evening.

All righty then, I'll stop there for now. I may indeed have bored you already. I think I'll elaborate on yesterday a little more a little later, and, of course, I've got my various exams to report on. It's not so much that I want to relive that period, as that I want to have a record of it, so I can look back on it years and come and remember what I did. Livejournals are useful in that respect.