Lovely changes (posted Saturday, November 17th, 2007 at 8:00 pm)

I miss my Katie lots. Being in Oxford will be great for next year when she’s nextdoor in London, but right now it makes getting in touch harder, and when loneliness sometimes strikes it makes the blow even firmer.

Anyway, here are some lovelier changes:

1. I live in Oxford now. Oxford is actually a much smaller city than you might expect, and I like it a lot. There are grand old buildings peeking out against the skyline everywhere and everybody rides bicycles, which reminds me of Amsterdam and makes me happy.

2. I’m volunteering at Oxfam now. Currently I’m working on the intranet, and it’s a fairly dull job but also one that I find quite easy, which means that I’ll have the task finished sooner than planned and I can have a look around other departments that I’m more interested in. The people I work with are all lovely and there is something a little liberating about working for free, at least for an organisation that deserves the support. I suppose the knowledge that you’re not prostituting yourself is quite a nice one.

3. I’m going out now to send query letters to agents who may be interested in working with me to get my children’s stories published. I’ve been wanting to send out the queries for weeks but one complication after another has arisen and I’ve only just reached the point where it’s both possible and smart to do so. Perhaps now that I live in Oxford I will have greater credibility as a writer!

4. I’m a vegetarian now. I’ve wanted to turn vegetarian for some years and only recently felt that I could handle it: this seemed like a good time to make the switch, given all of the other changes occurring (especially since I’m only just really learning to cook), and it’s worked out nicely.

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7 comments on “Lovely changes”:
zemarl said:

you will have to tell me how the vegetarianism goes - including any experiments that turn out deliciously ;)

Kinders said:

“Cauldron” brand vegetarian sausages are really nice grilled or in pasta. That’s my best discovery yet! It’s actually been a lot easier than I expected; it’s no work at all to get the right diet without meat and it’s a lot less hassle to cook!

jessia said:

am super glad to hear you’re doing well. whereabouts in oxford are the oxfam offices?

Kinders said:

Cowley in the South East. Oxford is actually very little and I live a few minutes’ walk from the city centre in the opposite direction. : )

sallybee said:

aw i’m jealous you’re living in oxford. it’s such a gorgeous place.

i’ve been wanting to go vegetarian for quite a while too, but i don’t think i have the strength/will power to - yet. maybe when i’m all settled in warwickshire, i should try.

things seem to be going well for you :) & i’m excited for both you & katie! has she been to london or oxford?

Kinders said:

That’s just how I felt about going veggie. In fact, it’s been really easy. I think partly it’s the fact that maintaining a healthy vegetarian diet isn’t nearly as hard as a lot of people think (especially since I already eat a lot of dairy products and wheaty things and nutty things), and partly because I chose to change it when almost everything else in my life changed. I certainly couldn’t have done it while I was still living with my parents. If you’re moving, try to switch on the day that you move rather than once you’re settled. On my first day here we went to a cheap restaurant with only one nasty vegetarian option but I forced myself not to give in and since then it’s been smooth.

Katie’s been to London a couple of times, and Edinburgh once, but never to Oxford. (Until a few weeks ago, I’d never been to Oxford!) So I’m excited for her to come here!

sallybee said:

hmm. you know what, i think i will take your advice & try as soon as i move. i’m hopefully going to get my own kitchen attached to the bedroom (i’m getting my own little corner of the house!) & will most definitely be doing lots & lots of my own cooking. yes yes yes, this does sound like a good idea!