Friday 15th of July 2005 – London Bombings
Well, a week since the bombings and I haven’t been on the tube with you yet. Although your dad took you to Camden last weekend, the Picadilly Line is closed, and I’m a bit apprehensive about getting stuck down there if a security alert happens, as the tube staff is bound to be a lot jumpier and ready to stop the trains if any kind of luggage/rubbish is found.
This week we stayed at J’s. You spent two nights with your dad/Jo. We’ve been driving from J’s to work, it only takes 25 minutes. I wish I could move to South London, but it’s complicated with the flat: I can’t rent it for less than £850pcm to cover the mortgage/council tax/service charge, but it’s not worth more than £750/800 in the state it’s in now. I’d have to invest a good £5,000 to get it to a rentable standard, where I could actually get all costs covered… I can’t sell it either as I wouldn’t have enough left to pay for a deposit on another flat and I’d end up losing money. Essentially, we’re stuck there. I suggested to your dad we swap flats, as it’s easier for him to get to work from our place, and it’s a 20 min walk from their place to your school/my work. He considered it for 5 minutes then turned it down… Jo liked the idea too, but he said no, so that’s that…
So, from September we’re back on the tube again, I guess. Next week we’ll be back at home, as I don’t want to impose on J. I’ll be driving from next week, see how that goes. A lot of schools have closed for summer holidays already, maybe the traffic won’t be too bad. On the other hand, a lot of people have stopped using the tube, so the traffic could be a lot worse. We’ll play it by ear, but drive in on Monday at least. As the Picadilly Line is closed, if we have to take the tube, we’ll have to take the Victoria Line from Highbury, to Vauxhall, then the train to Wandsworth… I’d rather drive next week, I really would. After that it’s the Summer holidays and you’ll be going up north until the first week of September… Then I’ll drive every day, it’s cheaper than buying a travelcard, there’s less traffic anyway in the Summer, and I can work until later (don’t have to get you home early, etc), and drive through the Congestion Zone. I’ll look into moving down to South London again though. Staying at J’s and only spending 25 mins driving to/from work and not feeling shattered in the evenings made a big difference. It’s so much easier to live near work!!!
The police found out who carried out the bombings, all British born and all were suicide bombers, allegedly! So, it was the first (somehow I don’t think the last) suicide bombings in the UK. Also, the worst attack against the UK since WWWII, according to the media. Mind you, the media has been coming up with such a huge amount of bollocks, it’s hard to take them seriously… There’s been talk of London ‘getting on with life’ and Londoners being ‘brave’ and ‘stoic’ and blah blah blah. And the terrorists wanting to destroy our way of life and our freedoms. I thought what they wanted was for the West to stop telling them what to do and trying to rule the world, but hey, what do I know?.
Well, this is BIG, and it will have a huge impact on everyone’s lives. First of all, I don’t want to get on with things as if nothing happened, it’ll be hard to get back to ‘normal’ as things will never be the same. The world has changed again, just like after 9/11, and now we have a little taster of what it’s like in Israel/Palestine. Living in fear is not a good way to be but a lot of people live that way, now people in London are having to live that way again, just like it was in the IRA days, only worse. Suicide bombers are very effective in killing people. There is much talk about the Muslims having to ‘sort out’ their community, as if it’s their fault. Most of them are moderate and just want to live their lives in peace.
I’m still not sure what your dad is doing regarding moving away, he said they were staying, but didn’t say for how long. I guess they don’t know either… It’s not good not knowing what’s going to happen next, and worse still, being dependent on other people’s decisions, but there’s not a lot I can do is there? Such is life… The only plan I have is to carry on working at muse – it’s a good job, and to carry on living in London for the foreseeable future. Apart from that I don’t really know! Never been one for planning, anyway. I really want you to have as much stability as possible for the next few years, at least until you leave primary school. I didn’t have that and it used to drive me crazy and anxious! I think your father understood that and that’s why he decided to stay.
‘Merote control’ LOL, that’s what you call the remote control. I saw Ms Shaw on Wednesday, parent’s evening. Very similar report to the last one, you’re very good at Maths and you love numbers (that’s my fault, I’ve always played number games with you as I like them too) and have a very logical mind. You’re also a very physical boy who can’t sit still for very long, but who is able to understand what’s going in class and who’s always participating in everything. I got the feeling you’re one of Ms Shaw’s favourites, as she said ‘My son was just like Daniel at that age’. I’m glad I put you in St. Joseph’s, they seem to be a lot more caring and dedicated than at Drayton Park, I have to say. It feels like you’re in better hands, and you’re a lot nearer to me, which I really like. If only we could move down here!!!!!