I grew up here...



Not in the pub, obviously, but in the village. According to Wikipedia, there are 2,549 people in our village, which also boasts a shop, a hairdressers, a village hall, a village green, two schools (one private, one primary) and a castle. Still no street lights, though.

Then, at 18, I moved here...



Bit different, isn't it.

This weekend, I had a real 'I love London' moment. I went to look around Crystal Palace, where I'm hoping to move next month, and I just loved it. It was one of those perfect days - the Sun was out, the place was blissfully quiet, the nutters were well hidden and I even discovered a shop that sold vintage glassware (babycham coupes for £4.50 each...amazing considering they're a tenner online). Then on Sunday I went for drinks near London Bridge and being sat on the banks of the Thames with a glass of bubbly I just thought 'you're bloody lucky to live here'.

Then on the way home I almost got run over and remembered why I sometimes hate this place. Oops.