I have been here now for exactly 2 weeks. Gosh, I can't believe it's such a short time as I am already beginning to feel like part of the furniture.

Mind you, I have been made to feel extremely welcome and comfortable by the residents that I have now met. Maybe I have been lucky and only bumped into the nicest, as I am sure there must be some miserable buggers here somewhere. If there are though, I haven't come across them.

I have spent the odd hour or two having tea or coffee, depending on their up bringing, with some, and have been shown around 5 of the other flats. So far only 2 ladies have ventured into my home, but as soon as my suite of furniture arrives and I have more comfortable seating, I intend to remedy that.

First of all let me explain that my flat (apartment) is of the studio kind. Meaning that the living room and bedroom area are in the same floor space, although the bedroom has it's own 3 walls and it's only the front wall that is missing which is a walk in part of the living room. It is designed as such that one can build a wall between and add a door way or as I am doing make the whole wall sliding doors. Some of the folk here have chosen to simply add pretty curtains, or a fancy screen. Some like me have sliding doors and one that I know of has built a wall with a normal doorway.

The whole building is on 3 floors and each floor has 8 apartments. As the stairs and lift are in the middle of the hallways it means that 4 apartments are at one end (in one wing) and the other 4 at the other end. Each wing has 3 studio apartments and 1, one bedroom (double) apartment. The double apartments are reserved for couples only. Have I confused you yet??

The hallways are kept spotless and are carpeted throughout, which is nice as the British do tend to have concrete stairs and hallways in our blocks of flats. It seems to be the norm here to gather in the hallways for reasonably long chats in groups. Meaning, if a couple pass in the hall a conversation will strike up and the yacking will go on so long that others will also be coming along to join in at some point. I have several times been involved in one of these gathering during my 2 weeks here.

It didn't take long for the rumour to spread throughout that I was a friendly and social soul so my company has not only been welcomed but at times sought out. On the pretence of welcoming me but I suspect to really find out all I was willing to tell about myself, I have enjoyed myself getting to know many.

The atmosphere in this block is tremendous. We each have our own privacy but at the same time if one wants company for an hour one can always find someone that is ready for a cup of tea or coffee or simply a chatter in the hallways. Invitations and appointments to visit each other are also done in the hallways. It seems to be not the done thing to knock on someones door to invite them over unless it is one of ones special friends.

They seem to have the art of respecting each others privacy, yet at the same time socialising, down to a tee.

As there are so many in my block I decided to start a list and as I find out someones name and the number of the door it goes on my floor list. I'm afraid though that my list of floor B, is pretty empty at the moment. I seem to have gotten to know quickly most on my floor and on floor A but floor B I am finding pretty illusive.

I still have a fair way to go before I am no longer the new girl. Although I am not literally the newest girl now as someone moved into A1 yesterday which became vacant a few days after I moved in. It's my turn now to help make someone new to the block feel welcome.