How to Spend a Gray Day in London (for the unemployed)

Get up and send child off to school. Make sure she has morning snack, lunch, after school snack. See that she has her German homework for her after-school lesson and her swimsuit for PE as well as a towel and a plastic bag for wet swimsuit. Remind her that you will pick her up at the late bus stop this evening.

Go to climate-controlled, posh gym. Exercise. Shower. Dress.

Head into Chiswick via bus to mail stuff for husband to Germany and US. Run by pharmacy and dry cleaners for hubby as well.

Take train into London to Kensington High Street. See Slumdog Millionaire at the Kensington Odeon. Feel like you're doing something wrong (like playing hookey) by going to see a matinee movie in the middle of the week. Also feel your faith in the art of movie making restored. Fabulous.

Stop by Kensington Whole Foods Market. Get smoothie. Pick up natural peanut butter and some Massdamer cheese that husband likes so much. Also another jar of harissa (Tunisian condiment) because you eat it with everything. Laugh at the new diet aid called "Full? Stop."

Take the train home. Be impressed with the sixty-year-old lady with the legs to pull off the purple tights she paired with a black and white houndstooth mini-skirt and black boots. Resolve to stay longer at gym tomorrow.

Come home. Throw load in laundry. Run dishwasher. Feed bunnies. Don't cook for supper because husband is traveling between Munich and Amsterdam and will not be home.

Pick up child at late bus stop. Feed child hot dogs, chips and sliced red and yellow peppers. Eat whole wheat flat bread and hummus yourself. Laugh at child's jokes and help child with homework. Give child bath. Put laundry in dryer. Put child to bed.

Tidy up kitchen and dining area. Think about tidying up living room as well, but decide against it. Check out Facebook. Try to do some writing and wish you were Janet Evanovich.

Write new blog entry and turn in for the night.