The Strike

Dear all,

It is all just unfortunate timing, really.  Who could have guessed that the rubbish collectors’ strike (second time since we’ve been here) would coincide with the local drains being replaced?  I’ll share with you a thing or two I’ve come to know about English rats.  First of all, I think a rabbit sized rat is impressive by anyone’s standards, especially when it is dangling from a vine, inches from your window.  This makes you feel, well, rather uncomfortable.  Second, the sight of rats in England, even the smaller, cuddly, cute ones, the ones that my two younger sons fancy we should keep as pets, recalls images of the London in high school history books or at the very least, scenes from Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life.  I just can’t get ‘Ring Around the Rosie’ out of my head...

Sure, rat watching is fun for now, a jolly good diversion from our over cast and chilly summer, but I can’t help thinking this new sport of ours may grow old in time.  It's doubtful that the situation will improve anytime soon and I just don’t think the NHS is equipped to handle The Black Plague.  Send supplies.

With love from England,

T-Ann