Credit crunch

Of course the news here is full of stories of doom about the current economic situation. So far, with Jason's careful planning and a bit of luck, we've been OK. I have to say that, apart from one friend who had invested 1/3 of their savings in IceSave, we don't even know anyone who's suffering. And the friend who invested in IceSave is pissed off but not seriously affected.

The interesting thing is that amongst the mums there's lots of talk about saving money, recycling and cutting back. We had a whole conversation earlier this week about the pros and cons of the various 99p shops in the area (the one in New Cross got top marks in the end). I think a lot of people actually feel relieved to be allowed to be thrifty. In my experience the English are very laid back people. The culture of materialism and strident ambition just don't sit comfortably here. Now there's an excuse to relax a little, to not buy the latest whatever, to stay home and cook instead of going out, to vacation in England instead of going abroad, to keep wearing that much loved but slightly holey cardigan instead of buying a new one and generally get rid of a lot of pressure. People are embracing it and I don't blame them.

One of the things I loved about England when I first came here was this relaxed approach to life. It was all about each individual creating their own happiness rather than trying to keep up with everyone else. Somehow over the years the country got caught up in the rat race but now it seems things are changing and reverting back to the easy, comfortable approach I love. Nothing fancy, just simple contentment and a nice cup of tea.