Tuesday 8 July

[Pamina]

Good Morning Ablanders,

Well, looks like we've got those cravings under control. A bit of nostalgia, nerves, wistfulness seen for what it is and passed right over. Way to go!!!

Sorry this won't be the most cheerful possible post, but yesterday was the third anniversary of the bomb attacks on London in 2005. I lived near King's Cross at the time and spent the entire day with hordes of confused people on the streets, glued to pub TVs and radio sets trying to work out what was going on, and hearing the tales of total strangers caught up in the events of that day. Three years ago today I woke up to a totally changed neighbourhood of police cordons, makeshift shrines of flowers and candles, and walls, windows and telephone poles plastered with pictures of missing people. That experience will stay with me for as long as I live.

The point being, sometimes stuff happens that we cannot control and we don't realise how much we take for granted until it does.

Life is precious. Lets make the most of it in our neighbourhoods today!!

[Cinders]

Pamina,

What a moving post. Thank you. I remember waking up and seeing all that on the news and my heart went out to everyone there. I was also so incredibly impressed that people kept on working the very next day and riding as soon as they could. What spirit!!

Yes. Life is precious. Let's remember that for today.

Thank you so much.

Love,
Cindi

[vlad]

Yes, I remember also that my husband had a hernia operation that day.

[4theboyz]

Hello Pamina,

I too share a similar experience in how suddenly your comfort zone is shattered by events that somehow always seem to happen to only other people far away in the world as I was in an airplane the morning of 9/11 only to suddenly land in a forever changed chaotic world. Fear takes on a whole new meaning and celebrating life has to then share the stage with a new found urgency to preserve those things near and dear to you.

Odd how one thing I remember most vividly that day after finally being able to leave the airport with my family in tow and settling down in a hotel room far from home is having a glass of whiskey and it's burning warmth shooting through my veins attempting in vain to wash away the horrors of the day.

Though I have yet to even come close to that experience now that I'm sober and how major daily life crisis's are much better dealt with AF, I'm not sure a how I would react to such an event today and hope I never have to ever again.

Shake those awful thoughts loose and celebrate another great AF day today! I feel great today despite our hot-humid post-storm morning!

4tb

[Determinator]

Happy Tuesday ABland!

interesting start for the day, and yes life is precious indeed.
gotta be brief, on the road this morning for North Califunny again. "see" you all from a hotel tonight!

be well

[Beck]

Hi all,

I've got company coming in today, so pressed for time...

Pamina, My husband and I worked near Grovesnor Square until June 2005. Our whole "company" made us move to Southern Italy. What I remember most is all of us former Londoners watching the events unfold on our workstations...we were devastated. We were also proud of how Londoners handled the situation. I remember one older woman saying...we are not afraid...we lived through the Blitz... And indeed Londoners helped their neighbors and walked home.

Off to have my day,
Beck