Oh, I've been working a week, I'm tired Yeah, I've been working a week and I'm just living for the weekend (Living for the Weekend - Hard Fi)

Saturday:  I did not want to get up this morning when the alarm went off at 9.00am, yes 9.00am.  I was learning, well trying to learn Welsh, at 2.00am.  Don't ask as I will not tell you, well not yet. I went to the hairdressers this morning.  I was so stressed out about finding a new hairdressers and now I just get stressed out about paying for it!  But, she did a great job and I am pleased with it and I guess that is all that matters.

Walked to the supermarket and picked up a few provisions then back to the flat and I am home alone.  I am going to have a quite afternoon and evening as I have been rather busy the last week.  Rugby is on later so I will catch some of that again and then catch up on some trash TV I have missed over the week. I am pleased that I feel I need a quite day as when I was not working, every day was a quiet day.  

On my way home from the hairdressers I walked a slightly different way. My neighbourhood is primarily African.  However, there is a rather large Colombian community and they were out in force today.  It was like being in South America.  To be honest, I had no idea where in South America Colombia was and had to Google it. All I knew was that a great deal of coffee comes from there and that is probably why, when I have been to a coffee bar in my area I had brilliant coffee!  It was like going around the world.  From Africa to South America and back home again.  My diverse, magical, wonderful neighbourhood.

Sunday: Beautiful bright blue skied morning and off on my usual trip to Hoxton. I love that journey. I see so many landmarks on my way. The Shard, London Bridge, the City and her magnificent buildings, Shoreditch Park and the Regent Canal.  The atmosphere at the cafe is always wonderful and I cannot imagine not going on a Sunday.  Had a good chat with some of the regular people who attend then I went for a walk.

I walked east along the Regent Canal the place was buzzing. Plenty of canal side cafes and bars.  It is strange as for the all the years I was in Stoke I missed the river and the sea; and now I am missing canals.  Walking along I come across this.  How great is it it:

People have pre-conceived ideas about London but it never ceases to amaze me. I took two pairs of earrings and said thank you for the kindness of others and continued with my walk.

I have never had much luck with east London.  Firstly, as some of you may recall my first visit there back in July on that fateful day of Meg's potential graduation day.  To be honest, that day is a bit of a haze. Secondly, the purpose of today's visit was to go to Victoria Park to the skateboard park.  Quite a few people had told me how good it was but I really did not want to go for, well for other reasons that some of you may be able to piece together.  However, as

some of you know, I spent almost two years in exile. Not wanting to go out in case I bumped into people and then becoming virtually isolated.  So I needed to prove to myself today that I could go to the east of London, and I did. Unfortunately, there was not much going on at the skateboard park, which was a shame as it looks a really good place.  Plenty of bikers but I do prefer the boarders.  I grabbed a coffee and sat in the sunshine. I had a lovely afternoon, even though I did not take any photos.

Back to the tube, the same tube I arrived at for Meg's graduation.  It is funny (well not really as this is me) how one part of town can hold negative memories. My Meg would have loved living there.  Ironically, I quite like that village and think I would suit living there.  I really, really liked the park and will go back another afternoon to see if there is any skateboard action.

There is a lot of God in London.  I am not sure if it is the same God. I suspect it is and I do not want to offend anyone with this post.  We have the gospel God. He or she must like a lot of noise. You can hear the singing and music booming out of the churches.  He/she must also be a colourful God as the parishioners wear the most colourful of clothes.

Then we have the Jehovah Witness God.  He or she's followers are on every street corner in the week but ironically not at weekends.  They stand there, smartly dressed with a display of leaflets in different languages, but predominantly Spanish for some strange reason.  JW God must be a very sober God as most of the people handing out the leaflets never even smile.

Then we have the Muslim God.  He, and I suspect he is a he, is a lucky God.  He gets prayers five times a day.  There is a Mosque over the road from my flat and there is always people coming and going from it.  Dressed in their bright white clothes.  Only men.  I have never seen a woman leave that mosque. Makes me wonder if their prayers count.

We have the Church of England and the Roman Catholics who will not want to be put together but are for the sake of this blog.  I used to fit into the first of this category but got really disillusioned with the church four years ago.  Well not the church, but in particular the church representatives and their lack of interest or pastoral care.  We have a few churches here, well there is always Southwark Cathedral and St Paul's, Westminster Abbey and others.

I know there are other Gods in London and it makes me wonder with all this love of each individuals beliefs and praise why it is we just can't all rub along together and why, in the name of religion, are there so many wars and tension. Just a thought!

So a fairly quiet weekend but fun nonetheless.  And so starts another week......

As always, with my love x