I London

...and I'm remembering that great city today.

July 7, 2005 started off as any other day in my classroom. It was a Thursday, so I had year 7s all day--always an exhausting prospect. It was Pete's Week, a Sixth Form project to raise money for charity. One of their fundraisers was The Hit Squad, where they pulled kids out of class to soak them with water guns.

I was lamenting in my blog about the disruption this caused when the email came through from Kathy that London had been bombed. My kids were doing busy work, so I promptly ran over to the computer to check out BBC News and Google News. I was shocked by the news, and also aware that many people who know me in the States might not know that I was safe in Essex. I posted a quick blog and emailed just about everyone in my address book.

It was soon apparent that this was the work of terrorists, and that the damage was heavy. I wasn't allowed to talk to the students about it, and turned to my blog and email to vent my frustrations, fears and sadness.

London pulled through, displaying that wonderful "stiff upper lip" that we take for granted in our British friends. There was grief, and no shortage of tears, but London was prepared for a crisis and responded in kind. It only served to reinforce my belief that London is the most amazing city on the planet.

So yes, I am thinking of London today. I am marking this sad anniversary with them, and remembering the horror of that day.


Photo credit: BBC News.

In other news...

I just may have found an apartment! There is a lovely, brand-new complex, Bella Rose, about a mile-and-a-half from the school, and today I put in my application for a 1-bedroom unit. The complex opened in April, so all appliances, carpets, etc. are new.

Here's the floorplan:



It is quite roomy for one person and has great storage. There's a locked, outdoor closet, a nice linen closet, a coat closet, and a walk-in closet in the bedroom (for my shoes). The best part, however, is the washer and dryer that come with the unit. No laundromats for me!! The complex has a pool and a fitness center, and it is right up the road from some great shopping--Mervyn's, Target, Pier 1, Cost Plus, WinCo Foods, Barnes and Noble, and many good restaurants. Am I excited? You bet.

My credit rating is good, so that's no problem. The only other thing the management needed was verification of employment, and the personnel lady was going to fax that over this afternoon. They have 3 days to let me know if I'm approved or not, and I see no reason why I won't be.

Oh, and I love how the complex is called Bella Rose--seeing as how Mom has a kitty named Bella Blue.

And that's it on this end.

Cheers,

Meg