Ealing half marathon, Sunday 28 September. I wasn’t running – no way – but went down to Lammas Park to see my friend Jon finish. A lovely warm day- maybe even a bit hot for the runners. Nice for the spectators though!
All the runners wore yellow ribbons in honour of the missing teenager Alice Gross, from nearby Hanwell. Her disappearance has had a huge impact on the local community. We live in hope that she will be found alive and well, while there is no clear evidence to the contrary. There are yellow ribbons everywhere.
Thoughts with her family and friends in these desperate times.
Thoughtsfromwestfive 
Nice post, John, and living where you do, it was entirely right that you mentioned Alice Gross.
I took a long walk a week ago to Gunnersbury, Northfields, Ealing, Hanwell and Brentford, and I was astonished by the display of support throughout that part of west London. I found it incredibly powerful and moving – there must be thousands of yellow ribbons over miles and miles of the area.
But I also walked the canal from Ealing Hospital to Brentford High Street, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the case. (It was a Sunday, and there was relatively little police activity, but certainly enough to keep reminding me.) The Gross family are being so strong in their public statements, but everyone must surely fear the worst . I guess we’re all praying for a miracle.
As you know, I walk that canal (and especially that stretch) with great frequency, and have always loved its peace, silence, and wild beauty. It’s so sad that it now seems almost certain to be touched by tragedy.
We live in hope.
Yep, but hope now seems gone with this morning’s news. A dreadfully sad story. And now – how to find the suspect?
A tragic inevitability. Even sounds like it was close to where they first found her bag.
It totally freaks me out that people go missing! It’s beyond tragic…. I don’t even have a word.
It is beyond words.