Back to Hackney

The silver-haired rastafarian glanced nervously at the changing traffic lights, rubbing his fingerless-gloved hands together to keep them warm. He turned to me, as if to check if I thought it safe to cross the road just yet. I was heading into (horrible, graffitied, grubby) Hackney Central (the only Tesco within walking distance)to get some groceries for the empty fridge . Just over 24 hours ago, I had been at home in Singapore celebrating Chinese New Year with my family for the first time in seven years. (With a fridge that was far from empty.) Going home always brings on a mix of emotions... [the details of this I have written in my 'real' diary and am too lazy to reproduce] but overall, it was great and I'm glad I went.
It was such a quick trip, it is almost difficult to believe it actually happened, even with a kitchen now stacked high with red-topped jars of pineapple tarts, peanut cookies etc. and nearly a kilogram of kueh lapis in the fridge. So I got my pictures developed in an hour this afternoon (also partly to avoid having to revisit Hackney Central any time soon), just to convince myself it was real.
And it was dark by 17:00. I think I really needed the break even if only for some sunlight in the middle of a miserable grey winter.