Council housing and one legged pigeons

Is anyone reading this? Dad? There is a comment button at the bottom of the page primarily placed there to encourage the writer and ensure that he or she does not give up in despair at her lack of readership.

Okay, comments thus hopefully ensured let me tell you about the last two days.

Sunday 11 December
I went to the church next door from the house I'm staying at. Next door is Pembroke House, attached to Pembroke College and consisting of an Anglican church and a community centre. Those staying in the house volunteer there in exchange for cheaper rent. So I went to the service with the friend im staying with. The neighborhood is Nigerian mostly so that was the make up of the service. Pretty cool to be in what seemed to be a traditional English service (lots of incense!) with a Nigerian twist.

After church we went for a walk towards the Thames - I'm staying in south London - with a house mate of paul's and a friend if hers. It was great ti see this side if London and to be walking with people who knew the area and it's real issues. Saw the longest council building in England that is soon to demolished for newer ones, an abandoned flat building complex that the govt it trying to empty but a few people refusing to sell for the ridiculous price govt is offering, some urban gardens, pretty cool. We walked along the river, south bank. When I've visited before it hasn't been to the south side, so I've been grateful to learn of this place, some interesting places. Stopped in a couple small exhibitions that I would have missed or not been bold enough to go in if I'd been alone.

We split with the housemate and friend in the evening and Paul and I had supper (vegetarian mozzarella burger with pesto) in a pub - my second in 4 days- and then went to a service at a new monastic group. Very very coo, service. Still quite a lot of liturgy, I think the English would be lost without their liturgy! But such a meaningful, sincere service, not that others aren't, this one just felt really...good. Hard to describe. After that, got wet in the rain on the way to the bus and home.

Monday 12 December
Today I decided to head towards Covent Gardens via a meander along the south bank of the river again. Somehow I ended up much further along the river than I intended and ended up on the westminster bridge so no meander. Then overshot Covent Gardens and ended up in Soho whih would have been cool except I was tired and hungry and had a sore back from walking, so not good feelings towards Soho at the time which is a pity because I'm sure it is an interesting place when it's not upsetting tired pedestrians. Eventually made it to Covent Garden, listened to some talented string playing buskers and had some soup and coffee, trying to warm up. Shared my table with two little kids eating messy waffles (should have had those rather than the soup!) and a one legged pigeon - secretly dropped bread no the floor under the table for it's friends. Decided to find somewhere warmer to finish recovering and discovered Candy Cakes shop - are you imagining beautifully iced cupcakes, lollipops, flowers, pink plush stool and little frog tables? You've been there! It made me feel happy as soon as I got in so I ordered a chai latte and spent the next two hours sitting and reading The Hunger Games (great read).

At about 5 I felt recovered enough to walk again. I headed towards the river again (okay, first I headed away from the river but then I turned around). I stopped by Somerset House to watch the ice skaters for a little while and then met Paul at St Magnus of the Martrys church for a carol service. It was a lovely service with some really wonderful singing by us and the small choir, and they had viols. Really beautiful. And the priest lost his book at the beginning with the reading and had to do impromptu announcements until they found it which actually gave the service a nice atmosphere.

We got rained on again going to the bus.... But less than last night, honestly, rain in winter! How do people live here?

I leave south london tomorrow and head north west to Uncle D in Ealing where I await the arrival of the dearly loved better writers!

Sorry for typos, writing on strange keyboard.