There are certain idiosyncratic notions that you quietly come to accept wheb you live for a long time in britain. One is that British summers used to be longer and sunnier. Another is that the England football team shouldn't have any trouble with Norway. A third is the idea that Britain is a big place. The last is the most intractable.
trice
In a trice they were at me, barking savagely and squabbling over sinew and nipping at my dancing ankles with horrible yellowy teeth.
perusal
In my idle perusal, I noticed that a mile or so to the west there stood a historic obelisk.