Meet a UK Reader | Allison
Hello, everyone!
Today we are meeting a London reader; she owns a horse, who also lives in London (which is a bit surprising!)
Here's Allison:
1. Tell us a little about yourself
I grew up in western Canada, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, but have spent most of my adult life in London in the UK.
I moved here in 2005 to go to graduate school, expecting to stay for nine months…and 17 years later I am somehow still here!
I sort of stumbled into a big career - I did a favour for a boss many years ago, turned out to be rather good at it, and now lead a team of 12 doing this very niche thing for a Very Big Company, which is a lot of fun.
But it is also lots of hours (especially as I work with colleagues all over the world…it’s not unusual for my day to start with a virtual meeting with Hong Kong or Australia and finish with a catch up with San Francisco).
Balancing the stress of a big career and helping me stay in shape is Willow, my four-legged dance partner.
I grew up around horses, and while urban London seems like a strange place to keep a horse, she lives in a little patch of green in the city and she helps keep me grounded and sane - it’s hard to be stressed out or hurried when a horse is munching away next to you.
Teaching her dressage keeps me nicely focused on being present in the now, and hauling hay (and, um, formerly-known-as-hay) is a much better workout than the gym.
I’d always wanted to be a parent, but my career got in the way (it’s hard to date when you work a 70 hour week!)…and then covid hit, my baby sister had her first baby, and suddenly I knew exactly what I wanted.
Thanks to a very generous man I’ll never meet in California who went to the time and effort to become a sperm donor, and the good offices of some lovely doctors, and a healthy dose of good fortune, I welcomed my little man into the world in June last year.
I won’t lie - juggling a baby and a horse and a more-than-full-time job in the midst of a pandemic has been a challenge, but I wouldn’t change a thing.
2. How long have you been reading The Frugal Girl?
I think since about 2010?
You’re not that much older than I am, but our lives have taken very different paths, and I love getting a window into what life might have been like if I’d married my high school sweetheart instead of moving to Europe!
Kristen interrupting here: when Allison emailed to volunteer for our Meet a Reader series, she included this tidbit, which I loved:
3. How did you get interested in saving money?
My mom’s family were farmers during the Great Depression, and my dad’s parents lived through World War II in England, so I grew up in a house that was steeped in “use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without”. My mom was also a stay at home mom with three kids in five years while my dad built his law practice from scratch, so there was never much money when we were little.
Mom made most of our clothes and all of our bread growing up, and my grandmothers knit and canned and pickled and preserved and gardened.
I paid my own way through two university degrees and after I graduated with my masters, the first job I had didn’t pay enough to cover my living expenses, so I got frugal fast!
4. What's the "why" behind your money-saving efforts?
I save money because I never want to be in a position where I have to say no to doing something that will be a unique or unforgettable experience because I can’t afford it.
Which is how I bought a home in London on a single salary, joined my sister for a wedding in Iceland when her date bailed, flew to Canada for a weekend to go camping with my nephew, bought Willow the pony when she came up for sale (I really wasn’t shopping for a horse!), and ultimately had a baby on my own.
5. What's your best frugal win?
Learning to bake from scratch.
I have lovely scones for breakfast most mornings, despite being gluten, dairy, and soy free, because I mastered baking to the point I no longer need a recipe to knock something together out of whatever is in the fridge that week.
Leftover cranberries? Mushy pears? Underripe plums? I’ve got a scone for that!
6. What's a dumb money mistake you've made?
Self-directed online classes.
I always think they’ll be interesting and I’ll learn so much, and isn’t it great that I can do it on my own time?
No. I buy them and I never do them. I’m someone who needs the class to be happening at a particular time, live and in person and I will show up.
Something that can be done at any time is never done (in this house at least!)
7. What's one thing you splurge on?
Books.
I have to leave my credit cards at home if I’m going into a bookstore or I will spend All My Money on books. If anything it’s worse now I have a son, because I now have two people to buy books for!
8. What's one thing you aren't remotely tempted to splurge on?
Beauty products.
I never wear makeup and my toiletries consist of a bar of soap, a pot of shampoo, some deodorant and toothpaste. Whole aisles of the supermarket are a mystery to me.
9. If $1000 was dropped into your lap today, what would you do with it?
I’d put half of it towards savings, and use the other half to treat the family - a pedicure and a new book for me, a fun outing and a new book for the little man, and a bag of parsnips and horsebox rental so Willow can have a day out and visit some of her pony friends in the countryside.
That’s a bit more extravagant than I would have been a year ago because some good fortune at work has left my little family in a much better financial position than we expected to be.
10. Share a frugal tip with other Frugal Girl readers
Mastering frittata, stir fry, and fritters makes short work of food waste - very little that’s in your fridge can’t be folded into one of those three things, and they’re great for using up little bits leftover from other recipes.
11. Is there anything unique about frugal living in your area?
London has a reputation as an expensive city, but culture is surprisingly accessible - most of the big museums are free, and if you know where to look you can often see big-name actors live on stage for the same price as a movie ticket.
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Allison, I love that you included a photo of a Sandra Boynton book! We had that particular one and I read it so many times. "But NOOOOOOTTTT the hippopotamus!"
I just loved her books; they are one of the few baby/toddler items I kept when my kids grew up. I have so many memories wrapped up in reading those books to my kids, I couldn't bear to give them away.
About your scones: do you have a basic recipe that you just modify for whatever you need to use up? Or do you have a big collection of different scone recipes?
And one more question: have you picked up a British accent after having lived in London for so long?
It sounds like you've had a good deal of luck in your life, but I have no doubt you worked very hard for that luck. Well done!
I loved reading about your big, brave, bold life. So many beautiful ways to have a family. All the best to you & your baby!
Good for you Allison for taking such excellent care of yourself and your little boy (and the horse!).
I've been in London a few times and there is so much to do - British Museum alone is a treasure hoard. I do not really favour bucket lists, but one thing I should like to do is go to a Shakespeare play in Original Pronunciation. Unfortunately there weren't any on whenever I visited London, but you never know. We are cautiously considering hopping the channel again in the coming months.
PS I saw the documentary The Ponds recently. I am an outdoor swimmer myself and am thrilled that I know a spot in the heart of London now, to go swimming!
Dear Allison,
Lovely to meet you and your family!
I've been to London a few times now and absolutely *adore* the city, especially the ginormous parks you have everywhere! These are definitely missing in Paris, where I live. Big fan of Hyde Park, Regent's Park, and almost any park I've step foot in whenever I've visited. I'm not that very surprised that you can keep Willow in London as I've crossed paths with at least one horse rider each time I've visited! So cool that you can ride and visit Willow very frequently, without having a long commute. That's not an option over here, unless your job has to do with horses.
If you don't mind sharing, what are your favorite places to go in London? I'll probably visit again in May or June, and could always use suggestions for non touristy places!
I'm also interested in your scone recipes! Scones are the BEST I enrolled for a free online class at the beginning of the pandemic. At the time I worked a lot less because of the pandemic (paid part-unemployment)... but once I got my regular hours back, the class was completely forgotten. I started again once I lost my job completely, 1 year later, but managed to finish the class! Now that I only work a few days a week as a freelancer, I'm struggling with motivation for the same reason: too much free time and too many opportunities/choices, mean I rarely get anything done 😀
Thank you so much for sharing!
@F from France, Paris is definitely lacking in parks…it’s easy to forget in London how lucky we are with all our green spaces! My favourite under-loved spots in London include the Horniman Museum, the Chelsea Physic Garden, Battersea Park, the National Army Museum (fantastic with kids because they have an awesome indoor playground), the Barbican, and the Museum of London (though I also love their building and I’m not a huge fan of the new space they will be moving into).
@Allison, thank you so much for the recommendations!
It's wonderful to meet you Allison. I love how you have made your life work for you. I'm sure it would be a pleasure to meet you in person (and your little man is adorable).
I am so envious of you getting to live in London and having a horse there! On one of our trips there my daughter rented a horse and rode on Rotten Row.
"um, used-to-be-hay" is quite funny.
I too am drawn to Kristen because she's warm and upbeat. Though none of my relatives or I for that matter could ever be described that way. Opposites attract, I guess.
And the Albert Bridge! I'm homesick for London, a place I've never lived. Wonderful.
Thanks so much for this post.
Thank you for sharing your life across the pond. London is one of my favorite cities! I imagine that it can be challenging keeping a horse in the city. Are you going to teach your little guy to ride?
I have so much to ask, but primarily I am curious about your gluten-free scones. Would you share your recipe?
I am also gluten-free and not by choice. When I was in London five years ago, I had a terrible time trying to eat well. There were few alternatives even in fine restaurants. I ate a lot of salad! We are hoping to go back next year if the situation in Ukraine does not persist and inflation does eat away at my travel funds. Is it getting easier to find GF foods?
@Bee, the key to good GF baking is a good flour mix; I use one here by Freee, but my sister in Canada uses a Bob’s Red Mill that she likes as well. Your mix needs to taste nice raw, because GF baking doesn’t improve much in flavour just by baking (unlike conventional baking).
My go-to basic scones are:
1 and 3/4 cups flour
4 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp baking powder (or 1.5 tsp baking soda, if you prefer, though make sure you add an acid to your liquids)
6 tbsp butter or dairy-free spread
1 medium or large egg
1/4 to 1/2 cup yogurt or milk (sub any non dairy you like)
1/2 cup of add-ins (oatmeal? Chopped nuts? Seeds? Dried fruit? Chocolate? Or omit the sugar above and go savoury with your add ins, though that works best with a couple of tbsp cheese to replace the structure the sugar creates).
Preheat your oven to 400. Mix dry ingredients, rub in your butter, add your mix ins and blend. Make a well and add the egg and 1/4 cup milk or yogurt, beat the liquid and the egg until combined, and slowly incorporate the dry ingredients as well until you get a soft ball of dough, adding more milk if the mix is dry or a bit more flour if it’s sticky. Pat the finished mix into a greased pie plate and cut halfway into six wedges, or form into six individual disks on a lined heavy cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes.
@Allison,
Thank you so much. I’m going to try these. I use Bob’s for many things. I remember scones as being quite tasty.
@Bee,
Londoner here. Your best bet is actually a chain restaurant as they label everything thoroughly on the menus.
@Allison,
Thank you very much for sharing your recipe, I don't need GF, but it's great to cook from scratch. I am looking for ways to create new tasty meals with my various left overs.
You have a lovely life and and an adorable child, I can see you have worked hard to build this for yourself.
God bless you
Hi Melissa! As a fellow book person, I can tell you that sharing your favorite books with your son when he's old enough to read them is one of the most satisfying things to do as a parent.
@kristin @ going country, Indeed. Reading "The Wind in the Willows" to my then 1 year old daughter was a nice experience for me even if she didn't get much of anything out of it.
@kristin @ going country, Neither of my children like Sherlock Holmes. Clearly someone has failed here.
@Rose, I was so delighted that my eldest son loves the very collection of the entirely of the original Sherlock stories that I read when I was a kid and that my parents gave to me. He's read it a few times already. He also loved Laura Ingalls Wilder, which made me happy. Middle son mostly likes fantasy, which I never cared for, but he did love "My Side of the Mountain," (as did his brother), which was always one of my favorites.
@Battra92, If she is a reader when she's older, and picks up any of your old favorites of her own volition, it's even better.
@Rose, my oldest son has never liked chocolate.
I know he was switched at birth, but have never told him so.
@kristin @ going country, I've reread My Side of the Mountain several times as an adult!
My son likes Thomas Pynchon and classical antiquity. His favorite book is Ovid's Metamorphoses. My daughter is a little more normal. But I wish my two would read A Study in Scarlet or The Sign of Four or something.
You should show your son the Jeremy Brett adaptations from the 80s. I think they're on Youtube. They're the only filmed versions that get the coveted Rose Seal of Approval.
@kristin @ going country, also, re picking up your own old favorites--my daughter was at her college library and found one of my books. She sent me a photo with "They apparently let anyone in here."
@kristin @ going country, I’ve loved sharing my favourite books with my nephews, and can’t wait to do the same with my son. He visited his first bookstore at exactly one month old and I like to think he enjoyed the experience as much as I did!
@Rose, Maybe they'd prefer the Professor Challenger series. I did (though I do like Holmes.)
@kristin @ going country, Aaaand, I just realized that I CALLED YOU THE WRONG NAME. Such a face-palm moment. Sorry, Allison!
Hi, Allison,
"But Not the Hippopotamus" is one of our favorites, too! I have made grandchildren giggle so hard, using my funny voices when I read it to them. I have read many Boynton books to the grandkids.
Working long hours is hard, living alone can be hard, raising a baby can be hard, raising a baby alone can be very hard, so clearly you are not afraid to do hard things!
Congratulations on managing so well and staying frugal while doing it. So many people would be doing takeout every night and sending the laundry out for cleaning.
I'm impressed!
@JD, staying on top of the laundry is definitely a challenge! (Especially as we use cloth diapers!). I will confess that we do have a cleaner who does a fortnightly blitz through our home, and I’m blessed with a wonderful batch of neighbours who have been known to drop over with a dish of leftovers when they hear the little guy is having a rough night.
Funny voices are essential when reading to small humans!
Thanks so much for sharing, Allison! What an interesting life!
Allison, thank you for this wonderful glimpse into your life in London! I love how you have created a life that is uniquely yours. Your son is a lucky little man to have you as his mama. And your horse is lucky, too!
Hello Allison from a fellow London reader! Sadly I'm very allergic to horses so not much to share on that front, but completely agree on the free stuff and cooking from scratch. My son (now 10) was a horrendous early riser so every Sunday we'd be up, fed, dressed and in the queue for a museum to open before the crowds. My favourite (favorite sorry folks!) was the Museum of London - they had a brilliant old heavy leather fireman's hat and fire fighting equipment that kids could play with alongside all their Fire of London interactive stuff. My son adored it! I think they are relocating to a new space now but worth a visit to see if it is still there.
@Louise, I always recommend the Museum of London to everyone. One of my very favorites in a city filled with great museums.
We loved Boynton books too! (Especially Happy Hippo, Angry Duck. Something about grumbly looking animals really appeals.) In fact as we've been trying to downsize/clean out, the (arguably) nonessential category I'm most inclined to prioritize is several shelves of children's books.
Allison I really love the picture of you and your son and Willow - it looks like Willow is relaxing on you and gazing at your son; great connections!
I love the sweet family photo - horse, mom and baby. Thank you for writing about your life!
Love that you took charge of your life and had your baby. And quietly thrilled he's part American. 🙂
Congrats on having a child on your own! I did the same thing 22 years ago (sperm donor for my 1st son) then moved to adoption (from Guatemala for my 2nd). Best decision ever and great reason to stay frugal!
Very very nice to meet you ! Moo Baa La la la!
Good Morning Allison from Connecticut,
The life you have made for yourself sounds wonderful and fascinating. Do you have a scone recipe that you could share? I am having visitors soon and one person is gluten/dairy/soy free. My mother is also gluten free, so it would be a good recipe for her as well.
@Anna Chan, of course - it’s shared upthread for Bee
Allison, it's so nice to meet you and your little family. I have read several "year of no spending" books by people who live in big cities in the UK, and the number of free things to do it just amazing.
I am definitely with you on books. (Un?)fortunately I married someone who is more of a book person than me and we have a daughter who adores books as well. Heck, just yesterday we ended up at Barnes and Noble and came home with a few more books (I didn't but only because I have a box of them enroute to me now.)
London is also a very interesting town. I've only been there once but I enjoyed my stay. My only major complaint was that I found myself struggling to find food I enjoyed. I will say that Waterstones is far better than any American major chain bookstore I've been to (even though they and B&N are owned by the same company now.)
@Battra92, you're describing our family too - each of us with distinct book interests; add in the fact that I volunteer with a used book nonprofit and the books can really proliferate... Not that any of us mind : )
Greetings, Allison, from a US bibliophile and Anglophile. DH and I spent several happy vacations in London, courtesy of three sets of kind friends who let us crash with them while they were teaching at the party-school university's London Centre. (The Centre used to be located in Notting Hill, and to this day I don't watch the NH movie for Hugh Grant or Julia Roberts; I watch it for the "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone" sequence in Portobello Road.)
And you've made a wonderful, unconventional life for yourself. More power to you!
We lived in Scotland for a time and would frequently take the train to London. I am not a shopper, but I loved going to the fabric stores that catered to wealthy Arabs. The materials were so exquisite and on the few occasions that we saw someone modeling one of the creations, they were breath-takingly gorgeous. Real gold thread, flowers that were not applied but were actually woven into the fabrics... I still have a yard of material my husband bought me in 1983, when it cost over $50 just for that small piece. Then I found stores that specialized in fabrics for West End costumes. More eye-popping materials, many of them designed to mimic materials and colors from the past. It was so easy to spend a day just browsing all that beauty. You seem to have built such a thoughtful and full life, with the jigsaw pieces of your job, your son, your horse and all that available culture fitting together so well. It is pretty impressive, frankly. (And now, reading about your life, I am filled with the desire for fish and chips. So good, so bad for you...)
Thanks for letting us hang out at your kitchen table, Kristen!
We love Sandra Boynton (though I like But Not the Armadillo better, my son prefers this one) and we have a bunch of her books (and a bunch more that I just recite from memory when we need a few minutes’ entertainment). I love a rollicking good rhyme!
I have a couple of go-to scone recipes - my trusty workhorse which copes with all sorts of pantry add-ins, and then a slightly more finicky one that does better with wet fruit like pears or plums or berries. I’m definitely someone for whom less is more, and if I can master something and then vary it, I’m much happier than trying to keep track of loads of recipes.
And no, I haven’t got an accent…though I would say that my original accent has softened and is less noticeable. My grandfather was a radio announcer and my father is a barrister (which means he talks for a living!), and I grew up bilingual in English and French so I always had good RP diction and a more subtle accent than some of my school friends. And although I’ve lived in London for years, most of my friends are expats or not-Londoners, so there’s no dominant accent for me to pick up. (Though I will say that, by coincidence, I work with another person who grew up in the same small town I did, and when we work together, my accent definitely becomes more obvious!)
Hi Allison! Thanks for a truly wonderful story. You are living a fine life. We loved London (and some of the rest of the UK) and did soo many things, as you say, for free or modestly priced, including a play at the Globe Theatre and lovely museums.
You are the luckiest and most hard-working person, and your sweet horse and dear baby share in those gifts! In a blog that is always warm and uplifting, your story made my day.
Allison, I love the answer to your "why"!
What an interesting read! Thanks for sharing, Allison.
I like to say that the only thing a public library board book collection needs is multiple copies of every Sandra Boynton book. I'm only slightly kidding.
While discussing possible author events for the opening of our new library building, I seriously suggested trying to get Sandra Boynton. How cool would it be to meet her and get her to autograph copies of her books?! (I'd have to buy new copies, but it would be totally worth it!)
My favorite Boynton, however, is What's Wrong, Little Pookie?. I also highly recommend I Love You as Much by Laura Krauss Melmed and Hello Baby by Mem Fox.
Allison, your story is fascinating. Your son is adorable, as is Willow. My favorite line was "I've got a scone for that!" And I can't believe you walk to work with that gorgeous view. Loved reading about your life.
LOVE Sandra B! Moo, Baa, LA, LA, LA was a shower gift from an English teacher at thr high school where I worked as an interpreter when I got pregnant. I've gifted it several times in the last 18 years. Hubby's partial to Barnyard Dance.
No to the accent, but very much yes to British vocabulary.
(Allison, if you answered that yourself I missed it in the comments.)
So I just realized that a long-standing and dear friend has been reading this blog as long as I have. (I also grew up in Western Canada, at the foot of the Rockies.) Thank you for the delightful post. And Kristen, thank you for writing such and interesting and enjoyable blog for so many years, and fostering such a warm and interesting community. 🙂 I’m going to go back to laughing quietly now (don’t want to wake the kids…)
@Kristin Sorry! I just realized autocorrect gave me “Kristen” in my post. :S
About accents- my story is similar to this, moved to Norway from the USA as a young adult and stayed. It is really hard to NOT acquire an accent. My English has been (negatively) affected by speaking Norwegian all the time. When I am in my American hometown people ask where I am from haha.
Great to know you! My brother moved to London for post-grad school in the early 90s and is still there. It became home, as it did for you. Finally I have the time and money to visit - now waiting for the pandemic and his schedule to allow for it.
For everyone who enjoys Sandra Boynton, check out Roz Chast! Most of her books are cartoon and humor for adults, but her kids’ stuff is adorable.
Thanks, Kristen, for facilitating this world-wide get-together of friends!
You seem like such an interesting person, Allison. Thank you for sharing your unique story!