The HRRA Christmas Party

For only £5, we joined the Harbledown Road Residents' Association. It includes people from four streets: the two streets perpendicular to us and the street parallel to us one block to the west. On Sunday, we attended the Christmas party. The invitation suggested that we bring a "plate of savoury canapes" to share. Wine was free.

Here is what we learned at the party. First, the big issue in our neighborhood is a car pound. Nobody likes it, and they are all constantly complaining about it. I have never noticed it being a problem, and it's pretty much across the street from our house. Second, an older gent complained to the MP in attendance about how the directions on the parking pay stations are misleading and indicate that you must pay £2 for an entire hour when in fact you can pay for part of an hour. Third, the congestion charge is being lifted from Kensington & Chelsea and people are both excited and anxious that it will make our traffic worse (obviously). Most interesting of all, Eli learned that the owner of our house was married to a Russian and that the marriage didn't go well which is why she's back in the DC area.

The best thing that happened at the party is that I made a new friend. Her name is Caro and she is probably in her fifties, and I think she might just like me for my baby. But that's okay. She's very funny and she's very British (and we all know I need British friends) and she doesn't work on Tuesdays and Fridays and wants us to "come 'round." She liked holding Lizzie, and Lizzie liked her just fine because she had on interesting jewelry. I talked to her the whole time, while Eli mingled.