The art of shopping

Yesterday I described my experiences of the day on facebook as being like trying to give birth to a rhinocerous.  In short, it was not pleasant overall, hence there was no post. Today is a beautiful sunny day, and whilst the rhinocerous feeling has not disappeared entirely it is better than it was which is a good thing. The relevance of the sunny day, is that once again I am able to make the most of the climatic environment to get out of the house and explore the environs.  It may be cold, but with boots at the ready, as well as a fabulous new pair of gloves and matching scarve acquired earlier in the week whilst waiting between hospital appointments, I will be toasty warm. 

Earlier this week I had to have a blood test and a kidney function test.  I passed the blood test which means that my red and white blood cell counts are recovering nicely after the initial bout of chemotherapy and I will find out about the kidney test next week.  Basically in short I was injected with some radioactive tracer and then  had to return to the clinic 2,3 and 4 hours later for a blood test so that some clever boffins in white coats can work out how quickly my kidneys were flushing the tracer from tmy body, and in turn how well they are working. O this occasion the radioactive tracer was very minimal and so there was no risk I would be glowing green afterwards.  Fortunately. 

So between each of the visits to the clinic I had time to kill, and being in Harley Street meant I was very near the West End.  So I was very brave and I went along Oxford Street albeit very briefly before retreating to the safety of John Lewis.  When I was a teenager I loved nothing more than a trip upto London to go to the shops.  I remember I would always start at Oxford Circus on the Regents Street Side of the road and go right towards Tottenham Court Road looking in pretty much every shop up until I was level with the Plaza shopping centre, before crossing the road and working my way back towards Oxford Circus and continuing up the otherside as far as Selfridges before crossing back over the road and making my way back to the tube via every clothes and shoe shop to begin the long trek home.  I think I used up all of my West End shopping tolerance in those trips as now there is no way I can bring myself to amble along Oxford Street or Regent Street with the millions of tourists and teenagers, doing exactly what I used to do with relish many moons ago.  Now, I only go to the West End, or in fact Central London in its entirity if I absolutley have to. I may have one or two shops which I need to visit and I want to get to them and away again as quickly and as painlessly as possible.  When Westminster council was considering the idea of fast and slow lanes on Oxford Street and Regents Street, I was very much in support.  What better way of making sure that the central London shopping experience is as painfree as possible for all concerned.  The tourists and teenagers can amble in the slow lane, stopping unexpectedly to look at a map, or answer their phone and in the process tripping up everyone behind them, whilst the purposeful shoppers who know where they are going and are able to multitask (ie walk and talk at the same time) could get on with their day efficiently and without the risk of hazards using the fast lane.  Perfect.  Obviously there would need to be some careful education to ensure that everyone knew where they stood, or rather walked, as well as rigourous enforcement to make sure that the rules were being abided by in full.  This is, sadly, where I think the whole scheme fell down as whilst Westminster Council were brave enough to propose such a plan, it is doubtful that they had the necessary cojones to carry it out properly, with fines and disciplinary measures for using the wrong lane and enough resources to educate the masses and monitor proceedings, and so it would become another waste of money to be mocked by the press.

So, having run out of shopper tolerance I am now not a fan of central London shopping. I still like a good mooch around Selfridges but only if I can start early before the lazy crowds get out of bed, and be done and dusted and in the cafe bar enjoying a cocktail by about 11.30am just as things are getting a bit busy. Not only is this a far more enjoyable way to shop, but it also gives an enormous glow of smug satisfaction when you are on your way out of the store and homeward bound laden with everything you set out to purchase, and see the throngs of people swarming round and getting stressed as their retail experience, whether for pleasure or necessity, is only just beginning.  Therefore, on Wednesday after the first blood test and an intra-venous injection, I was only really able to cope with the calm within John Lewis, where I picked up the afore mentioned gloves and scarf, before I gave up and found solice in a quiet Starbucks on Cavendish Square. For the second gap between blood tests Mr Man came and met me and we went for lunch - well he had lunch and I had a lemon cheesecake pot from Pret as I was not hungry after the earlier Starbucks cheese and marmite panini - as luckily Harley street is not that far from his office. 

For the third and final gap however I was back on my own and given what I have already said about Oxford Street, I decided to give Marylebone High Street a try instead.  And how nice it was.  There were people around and about but it was not heaving, and the shops there are so lovely.  I had a lovely browse around the Conran Shop and believe it or not went into my first Emma Bridgewater shop outside Stoke (I normally buy online as it is too heavy to carry....).  I had a lovely wander along past the lovely looking boutiques and cafes before it was time to make my way back to nearby Harley Street for the last blood test. I hadn't really been to Marylebone High Street before.  Before I got married I did go to a wedding dress shop there with my Mum to try on dresses, but we didn't really look around as we had another appointment to get to in Fulham straight afterwards.  I had heard it was full of nice things though and I was not disappointed.  It is amazing to think that a stones through from the busy commercial West End, you have a quaint(ish) high street with a more sensible feel to it, which brings back some of the joy to shopping.

So the happy thoughts for today are that the Rhino has shrunk a bit and I am going to enjoy the sunshine, but more importantly I am looking forward to feeling well enough to go and do Marylebone High Street properly. Who's coming with me?