In Celebration and Remembrance

This week was full of fun for the Wild Flat...we had two birthdays!  Keep in mind we haven’t had one since yours truly back in early February, so we were ecstatic to crank out our party hats again and celebrate some big 21’s.  Unfortunately, I was still drowning in a number of term papers (do I sound like a broken record yet?), so I was unable to go out to celebrate.  But believe me, I was totally present for all the birthday meals!

The first celebration was on Monday, two days after our Gigantic Refined Pre-Cruise Dinner Party, so no one was thrilled to cook.  Problem solved!  We went to Wahaca, the Mexican Street food cart on the South Bank, and bought 12 burritos from them LOL.  Back at the apartment we had margaritas and guacamole ready—a delectable Mexican feast!  What makes this so hilarious is that the birthday girl is not Mexican one bit...she’s from Des Moines, Iowa.  As she so eloquently stated, “This is the most Mexican day of my life!”  And look, it was also the most fun!  Coincidence...I think not:)  In the end, mucho divertido was had by all.  Birthday #1= success.

Our flat, all prepped for a fabulous Mexican dinner.

Birthday girl is second row, second to the right.  Happy 21st!!

So cupcakes don't really go with the Mexican theme, but they're a birthday must. 

The second birthday belonged to my direct roommate, so I was VERY excited!  On her birthday morning, I woke her with some breakfast in bed, and then we gathered the troops for an entire flat brunch.  We ate at the Table Café, a cute and trendy place off of Blackfriars, not far from our home.  The weather finally felt like spring!  It made walking through town in sundresses feel like such a treat.  Breakfast was amazing too.  I had the most satisfying blueberry and cream waffle (and no shame, I ate all the cream) and mimosas.  It was fun to get out of the flat early on a Sunday, and I think the birthday girl really enjoyed her special day :) (Also, Mom, she opened your birthday present and loves the bracelet.  Great call!  Birthday #2= ALSO a success.

At birthday brunch!  Birthday girl is second to the right.

Other side of the table.

And the other side of the table haha.  There's just too many of us!

IN MY STOMACH OH SO FAST.

Yet unfortunately, this week wasn’t all fun.  On April 8, news broke of Margaret Thatcher’s death.   Thatcher (1925-2013), who served as Conservative Prime Minister between 1979 and 1990, was not only the first female PM in Britain’s history but also an extremely controversial political figure.  Brits either love and credit her for squelching Communism or detest her for her treatment of labor unions.  Me?  Personally, I work for a Conservative office, so I am inclined to like her policies and administration.  However, it wasn’t until after Thatcher’s death that my MP showed me clips of her speeches and told me stories of her life that really inspired me.  An event that really struck me was the 1984 Brighton bombing.   The Irish Free State attempted to assassinate Thatcher and her cabinet during a Conservative conference while they slept in their hotel late at night.  Thatcher, who barely missed the bombing, dusted herself off and gave an incredibly confident speech the next day, during which she said: “All attempts to destroy democracy by terrorism will fail.” I truly respected this attitude, especially in light of what has been happening in Boston.  

Inspired by this, I took advantage of an opportunity presented to me as a Parliamentary passholder; I was able to see Thatcher’s coffin and pay my respects to her before her funeral.  The body lay in state underneath Westminster Hall, in the Chapel of St. Mary Undercroft, so after work one day I stopped by, said a few prayers, and thanked Thatcher for her work here.  Who knows, without her administration women may not be granted the opportunities they are today in government...including me and this job.  So I thanked her for playing a part in shaping a governmental system that has made my semester here unforgettable, and I prayed that she rests in peace.

Thatcher's coffin, in the Chapel of St. Mary Undercroft.  

Overall, I had a great week in London; I was able to celebrate some close friends and remember a woman whose work greatly impacted mine today.  Watch out for my next entry, as I will recount details from my most recent trip to Barcelona!!

Cheers,

C