Well that was exciting – I was sleeping late as usual after having breakfast. Everyone else had left the house for school or work, and then at about 1.15 I woke up to the sound of water running!
Checked the bathroom, nothing there, sound was coming from downstairs. Then went into the kitchen – where part of the ceiling had come off and water was running down.
Phoned mum, and then ended up phoning the fire brigade who are located really near us anyway. It wasn’t that serious but obviously since the water was still flowing, and the lights were very close, I wanted to be safe.
Firemen came (they could hear the water flowing in the background which was a nice touch, and I didn’t know they have your address all ready!) and turned off the water and the electricity. Not quite sure what triggered it because no one had had a shower that morning. Anyway, we put some towels down and then I went to a neighbour to have some nice coffee cake 
No one hurt, not much damage at all, insurance covers it. But it was an interesting afternoon though!
The aftermath of a tragedy always carries sick profiteers. Today comes London’s vultures in the shape of the BNP.
BNP campaign uses bus bomb photo
The British National Party has used a photograph of the bombed London bus for an election leaflet.
“Maybe now it’s time to start listening to the BNP,” says the slogan alongside the photo in a leaflet for a council by-election in Barking, east London.
Conservative David Davis continued the Conservative’s mature response to this disaster by slamming the tactic. “This tasteless and bigoted leaflet shows the depths to which the BNP have to sink.” A terror attack isn’t about party politics – unless you’re a cynical opportunist who thinks the first response should be calling for Blair and Bush’s resignation (a certain Mr. G) or a miserable little racist party trying to stir up hatred in the face of the thing they hate most – people coming together.
In memory of everyone who died – I hope this will open people’s eyes to the fascist nature of the BNP.
The Eton story continues on Tuesday with our first full packed day of lessons, activities, much eating and another great debate in the evening.
But first – I’m always a little disorientated for a few seconds in the morning, and realising that it’s 7.15, and I’m being woken up by a loud bell in a boys dormitory at one of Britain’s most famous private schools is, ur, enough to make me fall straight back to sleep in shock until the second “we really mean it this time” bell at 7.30.
Breakfast at 8, which all through the week served some delicious combination of eggs \ bacon \ sausages \ toast completed by a hot chocolate and, for the very tired amongst off, some strong coffee.
The first lesson was Physics, which I described later on in the daily newsletter which you’ll read below. Then it was an introduction to Philosophy, Socrates and his wacky fascinating ‘Cave Theory’ stating that you might as well not take notes in this lesson, because it’s all just a mere shadow of reality anyway. Thanks Socrates!
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OK, so I’m going to break down my “what happened at Eton” posts by day to avoid Eton-overload syndrome. For more details, photos and newsletters check out etoncollege.com and click on Summer Courses > Brent-Eton. (It’s a bit of a weird website so you can’t link to specific pages.)
Right then, on Monday (too early in the) morning we gathered at Brent’s Bridge Park Leisure Complex to get on a coach bound for Eton. Course Director George Fussy, who bears a remarkable resemblance to a certain US President, then presented us with a lovely black folder that screamed “Hello, we have money here!”
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Hi everyone – I’m back from Eton! Which I will blog about a lot later – I’ve just got soooo many emails and things to do right now as you’d expect. So this post is only about one thing – the London Attacks on Thursday which have dominated the news ever since.
Like everyone, my first thought was for family and friends. I was shocked, yes, after the euphoria of winning the Olympic bid but not surprised that something had happened. London was always going to be a major target, it was a question of when, and how we would respond. My deepest condolences to the familes of those murdered and everyone who was caught up in the savage attack.
But London is a strong city. It lived through the Blitz, and the IRA bombings. We’d shown only the day before how proud we were of everything London had to offer the world. Nothing can defeat the spirit of democracy, it’s something the bombers could never understand.
We need to reflect, and consider how it feels to live in a part of the world where this happens on a regular basis. But we also need to pull together and carry on with our lives. It’s what we did at Eton, and it’s how we will win.
Many thanks to everyone who sent emails of support from abroad as well. Democracy, together.
Linda Moffitt on Colombia: “Such a sweet memory of the four of you meeting up in Colombia!” Dec 2, 07:42
