Today I measured the progress of my cardigan. I have to admit, rather optimistically, that it will be ready very soon, no longer than the summer solstice. It is supposed to look like this. By now I've knitted it so (not)far.
Runājot par cita veida progresu, Londona nebeidz mani sajūsmināt. Lai gan esmu miljonu pilsētā vienā no pasaules attīstītākajām valstīm, ik dienas man kaut kas liek sajusties kā dziļos laukos un/vai citā gadsimtā. Jau esmu pieradusi pie dzīvās dabas klātbūtnes it visur - lapsas, vāveres, pīles, zosis, strazdi un smalkākās vietās pat peles, tāpat arī dažādu biotopu mierīgas līdzāspastāvēšanas, kā piemēram, absolūtas savvaļas oāzes (citas ar likumu aizsargātas, citas pašas par sevi pastāvošas) ik uz soļa industriālos un pilsētnieciskos apstākļos. Esmu pieradusi, ka pārsvarā ir 2-3 stāvu apbūve, teju nekādas nojautas par siltuma un skaņas izolāciju, logu un durvju šķirbas tādas, ka ielu var redzēt, remonts, nozīmē svaigi nokrāsot šķībās sienas un bedrainai grīdai uzklāt paklāju. Lai autobuss apstātos, jāpamāj tam ar roku, citādi aizšausies garām. Vannas istabās gaismu parasti ieslēdz paraujot striķīti. Vairs nebrīnos, kāda jēga ir slēgt ārdurvis, ja tās ir vienos stiklos un turpat tām blakus ērts plats istabas logs ar zemu palodzi. Šorīt nopriecājos par jaunu koku sugu, kas uz manas ielas sastādīti regulāros intervālos.
Speaking about another kind of progress, I have to admit that I'm absolutely thrilled of London. Even though I know I'm in a city of several millions population and in the country that is one of the world's leading economies - I can't help feeling like in countryside and/or in another century. I'm kind of used to the presence of wildlife - foxes, squirrels, ducks, geese, blackbirds and even mice in some decent places, as well as to seeing some nature's oasis (some of them protected by law, some of them thriving on their own) here and there embraced by industrial and urban areas. I'm used to seeing only 2-3 floor housing, learning that there is virtually no insulation in buildings, the gaps in window and door frames allow to see what's going on outside. Renovation of the flat might mean that those skew walls will get another layer of fresh paint, and uneven floors will be covered by a new carpet. Light in the bathroom is usually switched on by pulling a string. I do now wonder anymore why people bother themselves by locking their doors, since they are all glass panes and there are very large, conveniently low windows right next to the doors. This morning I admired the a species of trees that flourish along my street at a regular intervals.
