December Tragedy

Saw the news yesterday.  Couldn't help but feel so grateful we live where we do.  That E's school is superb, with teachers who ensure they hand over children personally at the classroom door.  That the gates are closed during the day.  That even if they weren't, the chances of a scrawny, antisocial little twerp walking in with multiple handguns and an assault rifle is close to nil. 

Thought about how to explain this to E if he saw news on it.  Ran across this quote which is just beautiful:

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.” — Mister Rogers

E and I went to the South Bank today, ogled the ice rink next to the London Eye, went to the adventure playground, saw the carousel.  While I was fine with paying 2 quid for him to go on, they insisted that due to his height he would have to be accompanied by a "fare-paying" adult so we left and got a chocolate crepe for the same price.  Walked down the length of the river for a time, in the midst of Christmassy scents - mulled wine, roasting chestnuts.  Watched boats, saw an entertainer on a unicycle, listened to a man busk while E climbed and balanced on a low wall/circle area, then to the train station for a drink and a snack of chocolate covered brazil nuts on our (short) journey home.

I have no pictures today.  C turned two on the 9th.  We swam, saw cousins, had a gingerbread house cake.  The car is currently broken down and dismantled, in a garage, due to a faulty computer that isn't going to easily be repaired.  Christmas approaches.  E is a donkey in his Nativity Play next week.  I'll have some more pictures soon!