Wednesday 16 June 2010

Quiet Street?

Whilst in good ol' Blighty, Hubby was in charge of finding a new apartment for us to reside in. He did this and a sterling job he did, even though I do say so myself. I trusted him to find something/somewhere that suited us as well as his commute to work.

Hubby said he found a really lovely place in Cambridge, near Harvard University, not far into work and plus it was a quiet street. I headed to the US without any concerns regarding our accommodation.

Can you guess where I'm going with this?

Upon entering the apartment 'block', I was greeted with four flights of stairs; but this didn't bother me as I was already warned that there was not a lift. I walked through the front door into the mini hallway and into the main living room. It was/is lovely...white walls, a small but perfectly functional kitchen, a decent sized bedroom and bathroom with just enough storage. Hubby did a grand job...bless he was so worried that I wouldn't like it. (He also did a sterling job on the furniture).

Again, Hubby assured me that it was a quiet street.

Four weeks later and alas that statement is so not the case. Most mornings, as Hubby bids me a fond farewell, he insists that I stay in bed - "have a lie-in". Unfortunately, it hasn't been easy to do this. Call me fussy but when one has a lie in or at least attempts one, a little silence is expected.

Every second week the bin men come along at about 8.30am followed swiftly by the recycling men - both doing a sterling but noisy job. By now, I'm wide awake and all hopes of a lie-in has disappeared. So I get up and meander into the kitchen to make breakfast. As I sit down to channel hop, I'm having to crank up the volume as the great bin men (or should that be garbage men?) of Cambridge have moved on....but along trundles pass a few trucks, cars, motorbikes...

...I was beginning to get used to this routine [of noise] and soon started to drown out (as much as I could) said noise. But then, as I thought I had become oblivious to the fracas, a new noise joined in. Announcements.

Someone would drive up and down ensuring that all residents were aware that something was about to take place the same/following day and they had to remove their cars. However, these announcements are a tad difficult to decipher. On one such morning, when a broadcast was being made, I moved closer to the window and heard a passing rambling of hydrants. They soon enough passed by again and I noted that the Cambridge fireman were making said broadcast and concluded that they were announcing 'Hug a Hydrant Day'. Lovely. However, me thinks this was not the case as I soon heard the gushing of water...they were emptying the hydrants? I'm not sure why, but who am I to question this procedure?

Maybe they will make the announcement again soon, but I'm declaring June 1st as Hug a Hydrant Day...but I digress.

Getting back to my point...besides the aforementioned noises, I also have to add nature to the mix. There are several types of birds each with their own call...which they make more or less at the same time; the rain and the thunderstorms. And boy do they have thunderstorms over here - its like having the Royal Philharmonic orchestra's drums right by your ear with a flashing 800 watt bulb moments away.

But not to complain too much, it does have its moments of quietness though, like at midnight...which is nice.