I enjoy new neighbourhoods so much though; finding the idiosyncrasies of a new place and finding the local beat, learning to step with it properly. In a new area a trip to the shop for milk becomes a little adventure. Roman Road market was as exciting to me on Saturday as a souk in Morocco, watching the traders, the customers, finding muffin trays in the least likely shop, realising toffee apple cider existed- all of this being within 200 yards of my new home- how nice! I have become like a much nicer vampire, sucking up novelty to feed my curiosity. There is something to not being a tourist in a place but not quite being local yet- I find that limbo time thrilling. I haven't found out where the recycling goes yet though; this seems to be a total mystery.
Moving itself is quite another matter. I lived in the same place all my life until I was eighteen and went to University. My University halls were Brideshead shabby chic- utterly lovely and quite grand but extremely frayed around the edges. The setting meant out of term that the conference roadshow came to town and we had to move in and out of our rooms every three months- and so an intense dislike of moving, or more accurately moving day, was born.
I don't like materialism but at the end of the day when you acquire books, music and films and even clothes they are precious to you in as much as they are the ones you chose over other options. I fret that books especially will be ruffled and scarred by being packed up and into little cases or boxes and try to be as careful with them as I can without becoming completely absurd about it. There is also the problem of things, especially clothes, seeming to expand as soon as you need to contain them and always having one box too many for the car. The moments between homes are strange too- when you have left one place but are not quite at the other- for a moment you are homeless and only then can you realise just how terribly lost those without their only little corner of the world might feel.
I had been living, excitingly but unusually, in central London for several months. I loved everything about it- I wasn't sure if I would. I have always and continue to love the city most of all early in the morning when it hasn't woken yet. On Sunday mornings especially when the heart of London wasn't booming and a strange quiet used to fall I would sometimes wake- I'd open the big sash window and just gaze out and listen for the quiet- then I'd go back to my slumber and that sleep would be intensely peaceful.
So I will always have very happy memories of those months in London proper- the only thing I missed when I lived there was not having a bath in my flat. I really didn't realise quite how much I love the bath. It is just such a simple pleasure and so relaxing. People write endlessly about baths, liking them or not, busy people like to say they don't have time for baths and others will tell you all about their bath routine.
No one ever really talks about how wonderful it is to be able to just lie in hot water for a little time, breath in the steam and just be. I always love the bath scenes in period dramas for this reason- in old films or books from another time the bath is a luxury for most and treated with respect.
My new home has a very nice bath in it. On the dreaded moving day after lifting many many boxes in and out of buildings quite literally the first thing I did after throwing everything at my new room was to have a bath.
Now that I am settled in I have taken the time to enjoy some beautiful rose bath truffles I was given by Simply Roses.
It is quite clear that I love roses but really the scent of these truffles was sublime as it wafted around my flat. Lavender is always thought of as the archetypal relaxing scent but rose oil is extremely nurturing and re balancing and in many ways is as good for stress as its lilac cousin, especially for women.I loved watching the petals unfold and dash around as the water ran so I took some photos to share with you below.
The rose truffles, which do look and smell good enough to eat but should probably be kept just for the bath are available online here.
11 comments:
Good call on the rose bath truffles to unruffle the moving-in feathers now you're in your new nest. (Twang! the metaphor stretched too far:-)
The unpacking can be a pain but sometimes it helps you unearth treasures that you forgot you had, and becomes a bit like a mega present-opening session. Keep rewarding yourself with treats (like the rose bath truffles and other possibly neglected goodies that emerge) as you get through it all.
Good luck in your new home.
cheerio, Anna in Edinburgh
Ah, the Littlest Hobo! You are now an honourary Canadian, just by knowing that show.
Beautifully written Rose. We've recently moved, staying in an interim flat for two weeks and so many of your thoughts clarified feelings and experiences (we now know how the recycling works but it took time.) ring true. Wishing you much happiness in your new abode.
Enjoy your new home, Rose!
For me a bath is a must, it was one of the main conditions for the new flat when I moved last December. Now I have a huge bathroom, with windows to the woods. During summer I open the windows, let in the sunshine and feel like being on holiday. During the rest of the year I watch the changing of foliage and the birds from the bath.
My wellness secret : Ormond Jayne bath oils...
Your bath looks lovely! I must try rose bath truffles. Welcome to the East End. I hope you love you new home xx
I completely agree. A bathtub is a very important part of a home. I think the only time I haven't had one is when we lived in Marrakech - it was sorely missed then and I used to go for spa afternoons in Bains de Marrakech just to have a soak!
I'm pregnant now and anxious about having the perfect, hot bath sometimes - afraid of overheating etc., but I must put on my big girl knickers this evening (or take them off, as the case may be!) and have a long, scented bath.
Those rose bath truffles look heavenly!
I am not sure I could have resisted to dig my teeth into one of those lovely truffles. They look too delicious.
It seems to be the time of the year for moving. Or maybe just a lot of bloggers are at it :) Glad all went well and you are enjoying discovering your new area. It is fun discovering. And the bath looks wondeful... They are things of delight for me, baths that is!
I feel your pain. One doesn't actually realize how much crap one can acquire by just living :P and then there's other stuff that's not crap and has to be moved with you, just like you mentioned.. I hate moving too, I don't think there's one person that doesn't and I'm so excited that hopefully when I finish uni, I'll be able to just not move and live somewhere for longer than few months!- i'll get subscription to all magazines possible- I never do now, because i think of how much hassle it would be to have to constatnly update them with my new addresses..
I understand how at the end of the day, you'd want to just lie in and chill out in a bath! :)
Thanks so much for all your good wishes for my new home everyone- I'm having a great time so far despite having to get up much earlier for work ;-)
Hi kjanicki- I adored the littlest hobo when i was small- and the theme song still makes me cry. He was such a cool guy/ dog/
Catching up a little here but offering my congrats on finding a new place in London in which to explore. I totally agree about the bath, but also agree with Metropolitan Mum, in that I would also want to bite the truffles!
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