Gday all,

Welcome to the latest writings: they are based on the time I like to call Darkest London. I've just woken up nice and early on this Sunday morning the 7th of December and I thought I could enlighten a few people on the recent happenings of my life. Well it's just past 10am, which is early for me these days on a Sunday.

First of all I'd to express my disappointment regarding the water that I've just discovered in my room. Its so f***ing cold, so basically there is moisture that builds up on the inside of my windows and it has dripped down all over my things, including my sculptures that I made at the pub back in the old days. They are ruined now. Oh its gross, I am investigating as I write. There is all this mould all over them, however it could be ice, I haven't touched it yet. Don't judge me, my blinds haven't been open for a month now I'd say.

So this links on to my first topic, the weather. Today is sunny, which is fantastic. Unfortunately the max temperature for the day is 6 degrees, which is not so fun. I can't really feel my fingers at the moment. Last night I believe it got down to -2. My radiator is being a piece of s***, it is full of air so only half of it works. I need to go buy some tools in order to attempt to fix it. So I'm just getting used to this weather, I hear its lovely back home. So last Wednesday I woke up, half asleep I stumbled to the tube station, read the paper as I do most mornings on my way out to Sudbury Hill. As I got off the train still half asleep I was walking down the main road and began sliding all over the place. I looked at my shoes; they were my hiking boots, which generally get good purchase on most surfaces. Not on Ice I tell you. It was still below 0 and the moisture has turned to ice everywhere. First I'd really experienced this here. I walked up to what looked like a puddle, stepped in it and cracked the ice. Wow, how exciting I thought so I stepped on the next one and went sliding along, almost taking a fall. The black ice was my new interest. I turned up to school and on Wednesdays I have morning duty, which entails watching the kids come in safely and sensibly through the gates. So I've walked out, sliding around having a jolly time to see the assistant head teacher telling off all the children who were sliding around on the ice. She understood I'd never played on it before though, so wasn't annoyed at all. It was quite funny though. That same day I was talking to my reception children (4 and 5 yr olds) and I asked them what was different about today than most mornings. After a minute or so of probing questions, a bright little boy puts up his hand and states, "I Ice skated to school." It was hilarious.

Today Roberto and I plan to make a coffee table for the lounge room. I have acquired lots of wood for the job. JAfterwards we are going to try and run to Westminster for our training session. Tonight we are going Ice Skating, for real this time; down near the natural history museum they have a rink. There are many different ice rinks around London. They are expensive though. I have 3 couchsurfers from Switzerland this weekend, one just left actually, so it makes 2. They will maybe come.

Ice skating was fun fun and the table we made is superb. It's now the 17th of December and I'm not sure what happened last time I got distracted and stopped writing. I'm now getting all pumped up for my trip to Germany and the Czech Republic, which starts on Saturday!! Everyone here is so excited about Christmas. At school all the kids are doing is Christmas Songs and making Christmassy type things. I've received lots of cards from the children, which is really sweet of them. It's a wonderful atmosphere where everyone is in such a lovely mood all the time.

I went to Bristol a few weeks ago to visit Daniel and Chrissy, not sure if I had mentioned that previous. Was freeeezing. We just wandered around all weekend and went to plenty of pubs. Nice place though, I enjoyed it. We cooked a massive Christmas dinner here in the flat last week. I stuffed the chicken with my old chicken treat skills then cooked the chicken on the only oven tray we had, a cake tin with a bottom that isn't properly sealed. So all the fat and oil leaked out and smoked up the whole house. I thought it was a laugh but the Caroline and Roberto got a little worried. It was as if the military had just thrown tear gas through the window. Dinner turned out delightful though. We had chicken, potatoes, parsnip, peas, corn, carrots, gravy, white sauce and some Italian cake to finish off. I might have to start doing roasts more often. I quite fancied my efforts.

Oh I booked an elementary German course that starts on the 6th January for 10 weeks down in Wimbledon. It's 2 hours a week, but hopefully by the end of it my German will be that little bit better. One step at a time, I will become somewhat fluent. I hope.

Not sure what else to report. There is a lot I think I can write all the time, then I forget. Well I need to go to bed. I'd like to wish everyone who is reading a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!! I hope it's nice and warm for you. I'll be a little ice cube somewhere, wrapped up in layers of clothing. So empathize with me. I will miss home, it will be my first away from friends and family. The normality and formality of Christmas and New Year will be camouflaged in a foreign place, with foreign people, eating foreign food, drinking foreign beers and of course enjoying the bitter cold.

Take care and speak to you all soon. I'll put some photos up another time. J

Morgs