Cross addictions

The other day I went to the lovely Geffrye Museum, which is a museum about the middle classes’ homes from 1600 to present time. The visit made me realise that I am definitely not a part of the middle class, like the rest of my family, instead I have fallen down to the working class or rather below the working class – the impoverished class. I don't even have a sodding job, do I?

Last Friday, Simone and I went for our annual Christmas shopping at IKEA in Edmonton. We go there to shop for my Swedish Christmas dinner that I have on the first of Advent every year. I really enjoy it and we were there for around five hours and I managed to buy seven new Christmas decorations.

I have slowly started to understand that I have developed a cross addiction to my alcoholism and compulsive overeating, I am also a shopaholic. But this year I also realised that I have a compulsive need to buy Christmas decorations. It might sound funny but it is not! I spend money I cannot afford to spend; my closet is stuffed with Christmas decorations. I have nowhere to put them. I am drowning in the blasted things! Still I went and bought yet another decoration yesterday. If I stay indoors today, I might be able to abstain from buying anything more...
A friend of mine once said, ‘addiction is like having five bins but only four lids and once you put the lid down on one addiction, a new one appears.’

I am also obsessive about the Christmas itself. We are in mid November and I really have to control myself not to put up my decorations quite yet. I will try to resist the urge until the last Friday of November, and then I will go mental!

Link to Geffrye Museum

Underground banking

The other day I met Brenda in Streatham, where she was collecting money sent from Somalia and we ended up in Somaliland a la Streatham. We walked into a small little shop and had to go into the back following a small narrow aisle full with items to sell and secret rooms. In one room women where having tea and did business. We entered a back room where some men were talking money and we had to sit and wait. Eventually one of the men served Brenda and she could collect lots of money in pound and dollars. I didn't know this existed! That is what I love about London – the cultural diversity.