Living in London

We love to sleep with the windows open, and enjoy the cool night air. Last night was a great sleeping night until I woke up about 3:00 am to the smell of acrid smoke. I jumped up and checked the hallway to determine that our building was not on fire. Then I stuck my head out the window (American readers note there are no window screens here – the few bugs that exist just fly in and then fly out again) and I could see a heavy haze in the air. Then I noticed other people moving to their windows and in a few cases, out their doors into the street. The lady across the street called up to me to compare “sniffing” notes, and the said she would call the fire brigade. They told her there was a big fire miles away, and that the wind had shifted and was blowing the smoke into our neighbourhood. We would have all breathed a big sigh of relief if we could have taken a deep enough breath.  

I went back to bed feeling very good about our new neighbours. This morning it’s a beautiful sunny and clear day again, but my thoughts go out to those in the immediate vicinity of the fire. I hope they can get a breath soon.

The London Fire Brigade offers this brief update on the incident.

Around 100 firefighters and twenty fire engines are currently tackling a blaze at a timber yard on Staples Corner in Cricklewood. People working in the surrounding area have been evacuated while crews work to bring the fire under control. Local roads and rail services have also been affected.

The Brigade was called at 1331 (16-July) and crews are still at the scene.

Life goes on, but it’s always different afterwards. And today is no different for us. We have errands to do (need to buy a dishwasher, take the drycleaning, take the cardboard to the recycling centre) and a life to live.

And we do it — but with a bit of something hanging in the back of our minds.

The beauty of the British is that their response has been so different than the U.S. after September 11th.  There are no flags draped on every car, no (or not many) people looking for immediate retribution, no hysteria. Just quiet determination and stoicism. It makes me realize how much we really do like the culture here, in spite of all our frustrations documented on this web site over the last year.

We are fine. Details to follow.

Like the New York Times says, London is stunned, bloody and stoic.

A commenter on Diamond Geezer says it all: 

a two fingered salute to anyone who tries to change the way i lead my life. whoever did this will never put us down. they will never win. that is why we are londoners. and yep, tomorrow i'll be back on the top deck of the 15.

Check the BBC and the Financial Times for further coverage of the events.

I found this article on the London Times today. I must say that the headline threw me for a loop.

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts signs up Hollick as it targets UK media

By Dan Sabbagh

KOHLBERG Kravis Roberts, the US venture capital group, served notice yesterday that it plans to target UK and European media companies as it appointed Lord Hollick, the outgoing chief executive of United Business Media, as a managing director.

You can read the entire article here