The view from my window

Have been realising how much the view from my window is like the view from my window in London. I am on the 7th floor here, not the third, so look down on the autumn trees rather than across at them, but otherwise what I see are crows and pigeons going about their business; and roof-tops and glimpses into other windows across the courtyard. Like London, people come out onto their balconies to smoke and observe. There are also children playing games down below - here something to do with sticks and what looks like taking sniper positions (!) whereas in London they are mainly trying to see what they can break (!) The only difference is that I can watch a group of men working on the roof opposite, skidding and slipping about in the wet on the new metal siding they are laying - 2 stories up and with absolutely nothing to stop them falling off.

So, you could take that as a sign of Russian fatalism and lack of health and safety, or as an indication of the molly-coddling nanny-state in Britain. Or not generalise at all. Whichever you prefer.