alexist

I've always known that France had housing projects as ugly as Britain's--the difference is that the British have them everywhere, while French keep the city centre nice and put all the poor people in the outskirts. But today's New York Times magazine has a photo of a cité that is truly one of the most hideous I have ever seen:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/15/magazine/15elections.t.html

Top photo. Oh dear. I googled for more shots and it is accurate, although it appears to be impossible to tell if it's decay or if it was designed to look that bad. I'm not sure which I'd prefer.

It was a beautiful sunny day, so we went up to Aldenham Country Park (in Elstree) and had a good walk--all the way round the reservoir and then through the re-creation of the 100 Aker Wood (which is neither 100 acres nor, yet, a wood--they're working on filling in parts of the grass). Aliza got pushed in her pram and I took a photo of her by Pooh Corner. :)

My feet hurt now--I haven't walked that much in a long time! (thank you pregnancy). But it was good. I think I'll try to get out for a walk like this every Sunday when it's nice--it's a good outing. I was very warm afterwards though--I chugged 500ml of water down in Waitrose afterwards. I also forgot the suncream, but I think I'm all right. My freckles may have perked up but I don't think it was enough sun for a burn, even over my cheekbones (yes, I can burn on a 2 hour walk, in England!)

The vent from our portable a/c unit is now in downstairs' garden.

(it was 27C in our bedroom with all the windows open, and Aliza sleeps in there... too warm.)

No a/c for us tonight, unless i try just sticking the hose out without the vent endpiece... I'll have to go downstairs as early as is polite and ask them to fetch it before they think it's rubbish and/or the dog decides it's a toy!

Oh, I do miss non-portable a/c (I know, used to be in the pre global-warming days that you just didn't need it in the UK.)

for the Americans: No, you can't get window/wall units here... most houses don't have sash windows and it would be interesting trying to cut through the brick walls to fit them in below ;-)

Someone (the manager of a "retail research consultancy") was quoted in today's Independent as saying that, aside from New York, "Americans are not fashion conscious". What a load of twaddle! The rest of the country does not all shop at Wal-Mart. In fact, Texas is one of the biggest markets for designer clothes--women in Dallas and Houston spend a LOT of money. You want to say that outside big cities (and upscale suburbia) Americans aren't so fashion conscious, sure. But that's true in many European countries too. Americans aren't all 300 lbs and they don't all shop at Wal-Mart.

Not that I am the best advert for American stylishness, myself ;-) (I do have good taste--for other people. When it comes to myself, it's so depressing that I just can't be bothered.)