Familiarity...

The window cleaners have just been. They first came a couple of days after I arrived and I was anxious that I followed Sue's instructions for letting them through, paying them. Now I know the ropes and we had a chat about (guess what?) the weather, snow...  This business of familiarity in a new place is always intriguing. Now I know (roughly) where to find things in the local supermarket, I know (sufficiently and once again) how to negotiate the roundabouts, I know (superficially) how the recycling operates... I may even know enough to be able to help someone from the Youth Hostel when they ask for directions! All these actions produce a warm glow of 'belonging'. But then my fumbling in a shop or at the petrol station once again marks me out as a stranger. When you are living away from the familiar, every action takes a little longer and a little more energy because it is not automatic.