The April Files

Day Care
I am cruising through the summer. I am not really working. I was working at a day care but it didn't go incredibly well. I told the children that a bear would come and eat them if they weren't quiet during the lunch and tea. Anyways, apparently that was a little frightening for a group of 3 year olds but I stand behind my statement. We had a quiet, enjoyable lunch and tea except for the fact that we were eating slop made of fake potatoes, canned tuna and beans. Some of the kids said they didn't like it. I didn't force the issue as I certainly wasn't eating it. The vegetarian option for the Muslim kids was slightly more gross and contained an

unidentifiable veg instead of the tuna. Luckily tea was nicer because we had banana bread and cut up raw veg and dip. Much nicer. It turns out that some kids who are three are still in diapers and can't put on their own socks. I didn't realise they were behind on these key skill areas. I am not a diaper changer so I handed those kids off to some other member of staff. It will be fine when it is my own kids but I am not changing 15 random kids’ diapers. Gross! I did assist with the socks though as necessary. The rest of the day was basically fine. We played in the sand box for a long time. We jumped off a low step onto a mat for a while and then we went inside and just did whatever we felt like. I was in the Lego and puzzle area. It was pretty good. I built the same 6 piece puzzle of an Indian family sitting in a boat about 15 times. It was very relaxing, you didn't really have to think except to police the "He's not sharing!" related conflicts. These conflicts are about the

worst crimes a 3 year old can commit against another 3 year old, right next to hitting each other or pushing. At the end of the day though, most kids did make mention of the bear to their somewhat irritated looking parents. Oh well. My lacklustre performance has given me all this holiday time now so I can't complain really. I know how busy I will be in just a few short weeks so I don't really mind.
Markets
Yesterday, although it was very rainy, I went to Borough Market in London Bridge. I also went on a tour of Southwark Cathedral. It is apparently the oldest gothic building in London. It is quiet and peaceful, especially during the rain. Their choir was practicing as well which gave it a special feeling as you walked around. There seems to be a pub built into the back of it which is a bit odd. It is also right around the corner from The London Dungeons where tourists are pretending to have their heads cut off in the guillotine.
The market was a bustling place with lots of fresh veg and loads o

f cheese and baked goods. I didn't get much but it did put me in the mood to cook. Last night I made a big pot of chicken and rice soup with dumplings. It helped shake off the cold and dampness of the day. Unfortunately I have been eating it constantly since then. Every time I cook, my brain must secretly think that 5 unexpected people are coming over because I always make way too much.
Today I went to the Columbia road flower market. It was so beautiful! I love cut flowers. As my friend David says, they are the greatest bit of disposable luxury you can buy! I got a potted plant though because it was a great deal. I have always wanted an orchid. I think they look like snakes heads(like a cobra). When I got home I took a picture of it in our lovvely red kitchen. The maret is about one kilometre of packed in stalls and all the venders were barking out their offers. All around the

stalls there were loads of vintage stores and cafes. It seems like a very hip and young area. It is kind of between Old Street and Shoreditch on the east side of town. So now I am back home to feast on my stew again and maybe have a nap.
Olympics
I have been going to Trafalgar Square to watch the Olympic coverage on a huge screen. This weekend they have had a group of acrobats and circus performers there as well celebrating China. There are loads of people who stand around and watch the games being shown or whatever event is on display at the time. Right behind Trafalgar Square is the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. I went to the Portrait Gallery on Friday night. I didn't think I would like it because I thought it would be a bunch of oil portraits but it wasn't. It was very contemporary and a little unnerving. There are lots of photographs and they seem to be looking right at you. It is a bit intense. I really liked it. There are so many

ways to capture the human face. You see something really different in each portrait. I recommend it if you are in town.
On my way home from the flower market today, there was about 8 police officers waiting on the platform when I stepped off the train. It was very strange because no one else got off at my stop. They were just standing there staring at me. I feared for my orchid! I started to realise that there must be some kind of big soccer game on today because they were everywhere on Kilburn high street too. I also noticed a lot more people than usual were drunk midday. I didn't look into what game it was because I don’t really care. It also seems to be pouring rain now so that should keep the crazy people in the pubs instead of on the streets, haha.

You can see the screen in the background here at Trafalgar Square. In front of the screen is the trapeze set up for the acrobats.

Here is my orchid up close. You can even see the fangs!

I went for a wonder in St James Park as well. This is the Horse Guard Parade. The large court yard has had various uses over the year. These have included tournaments held by Henry the VIII, Elizabeth I's birthday parties, and more recently, civil servants parked their cars here. That was stopped in 1991 after a bomb scare though. When London hosts the 2012 Olympics, this will be the site of the beach volleyball!