Ten years on

Roses at Ground Zero (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Ten years ago today I was still an actress. I was taking part in a workshop at the Battersea Arts Centre designed to bring young playwrights from London and New York together by staging a series of readings of extracts from their work. I spent the day rehearsing a scene where I played a 50 year old New York woman. I wasn't entirely convinced that I was doing the play justice as a very English 25 year old but I was having a wonderful time trying and getting to know all the writers who had come over from New York specially for the event.

After rehearsal, I travelled home to my flat in North West London still on a high from the day's work. On the way a friend of mine who worked as a journalist for Metro sent a text to say a plane had flown into the world trade centre. At the time it was too soon for it to have meaning. It was an abstract concept that didn't properly penetrate. I got home, turned on the news and everything changed. Some time later (I still had not moved from my position in front of the TV) my flatmate and oldest friend returned home. He is an actor and was also taking part in the Battersea workshop. News hadn't reached him and he came in with a spring in his step. I tried my best to explain what was happening. I can't remember whether the second plane had hit at that time - before then it was still potentially a horrendous accident - but I think it was clear by the point he stood in the doorway to our sitting room that what was happening was no accident. I remember saying "Look at your T-Shirt". He was wearing a vintage red 70s shirt that simply said "I love New York".

I kept thinking about the young writers so far away from home. Thinking they too would have left the rehearsal feeling bright and energised and gone to their respective lodgings to find out what was happening in their city. Were their friends OK? Were their families OK? And what of the friends I had in New York. Were they safe? Were they frightened? Sometimes it is hard to get your head round so enormous an event in its entirety. In those times it is the individuals that you know that come into focus most clearly at first. But as the days moved on it was as if the camera panned out and the enormity began to sink in although there are many things about that day that I still can't quite comprehend and never will.

I remember exactly where I where I was this day ten years ago. I think we all do. But today I am thinking of the people whose memories are about personal losses and loved ones who they will never hold again, about lives changed forever on a day that had started like any other but during the course of which, the world changed.

The times they are a changing...

Well, so much has been going on in the Crafty household of late I don't even know where to begin!

Those of you who have read my cake posts in the past know my love of baking. Well, I am thrilled to say that I have a bun in the oven but this time of the metaphorical sort! We have had a relatively long rocky journey to this point that I haven't really felt able to talk about on here. At times my mind has been so jammed by the whole thing I found posting hard hence prolonged absences but so far (fingers crossed) everything is on track this time around. I still feel slightly like I could jinx things by going public but at 17 weeks with a great scan behind me I am feeling very hopeful that we will really be holding a mini-Crafty in our arms come February.

And this brings me onto change number two. Our lovely flat just doesn't really suit family life. Our second bedroom is up space saving stairs which I wouldn't like to tackle holding a little one. Plus I am aware that our lives will change a lot once the baby arrives and we won't be able to zoom all over London at the drop of a hat to visit friends and family as we do at the moment. This is going to leave me a bit isolated in South East London when on maternity leave as my family live in West London and most of my friends are north of the river. All of which has led us to the decision that it is time to move on to get somewhere more child friendly that is also closer to my family.

So...the For Sale sign is outside and the first people have started viewing. It is a strange feeling but with the decision made I am ready to move on so we can start on the next phase of our life together.

We have been working our knuckles to the bone to get the place ready to be viewed. Frustratingly this means it looks better than it ever did just as we are all set to leave it. I am particularly impressed with what Mr Crafty has done with the bathroom:




I have wanted those tiles on the floor since we moved in and I love the grey on the walls but I will have to leave them for someone else to enjoy.

Our second bedroom has been underused and a bit of a dumping ground at times but with a bit of room dressing involving my new found love of crochet it also now looks rather inviting:




Whilst in some ways it will be sad to say goodbye to the flat that saw us from cohabiters to happily married, I am looking forward to finding a new nest to feather for our future family.