They’ve Cancelled The Stringbag
The weather has now got worse and the BBC has announced that the flypast by the Swordfish has been cancelled.
The Queen Does Her Duty
I think the Queen was getting a bit cold in the rain and has now put a wrap on. The Duke, who of course is very much a nautical person, seems to be enjoying the pageant a lot more than his wife. But the Queen as ever carries on!
I think he understood, the semaphore signalling from the top of the Festival Hall, judging by his smile. I hope they weren’t sending rude messages, as I would have thought few people on the river could have read them these days, except the Duke.
A Place for the Little Ships
In the Diamond Jubilee flotilla today, there are about forty or so of the Little Ships of Dunkirk. If you look at the Wikipedia entry, you’ll see that some unusual boats took part in 1940. What surprised me was that 39 Dutch coasters that had escaped the Germans also took part and rescued about seven percent of the total of the troops brought home.
The VIPs Get English Wine
On the Diamond Jubilee flotilla today, the VIPs will be served three English wines.
- Sparkling Nyetimber Classic Cuvée 2007, produced from West Sussex
- Stopham Estate Pinot Blanc 2010, also from West Sussex
- Albury Vineyard’s Silent Pool Rosé 2011, this time from Surrey
I’ve said before, but West Sussex champagne is up with the best.
What Do You Think of it So Far, Ma’am?
Queen Victoria surveys the scene from Derby Square.
What Do You Think of it So Far, Ma’am?
There is also another statue of Queen Victoria, in Liverpool City Centre. It is outside St. George’s Hall and she is portrayed riding side-saddle. How many of our Queens could do that? Queen Elizabeth used to do in public regularly, and Queen Victoria is in the statue, but could she actually do it?
I suspect her Jubilee wasn’t as manic and of course the Olympics were a few years later.
The Queen Gets Her Weather
It looks like the next four days, will be the Queen’s usual weather; dull with rain.
At least heavy rain doesn’t seem to be forecast.
Hopefully!
The Queen on Industrial Language
They have just told this story on BBC Radio 5 Live. Apparently, after seeing some of her horses on the gallops, the lads came back in , in a bad mood using all forms of industrial language, not realising the Queen was there. The trainer apologised for the behaviour and the Queen replied. “Don’t forget, I’ve been married to a sailor for most of my life!”
Summer Is Over
Does this picture herald the end of summer?
The Angel, Islington in the Rain
Or is the Queen getting her usual bad weather for the Diamond Jubilee?
Lizzie Says Relax
Someone has painted this on the wall above Old Street Tube station.
Lizzie Says Relax
I tried to photograph it yesterday, but failed. But I did succeed today.
Lessons in Love
Ater The Times, on Saturday answered what to do, when your husband doesn’t like bondage, tonight the Evening Standard has an article about how to write erotic fiction, entitled Lessons in Love.
The odd thing about the article is the picture. In the actual paper, it’s taken from her left with the typewriter to the left, but on the web, it’s the other way round.
It probably doesn’t matter, but it does to me, as I was brought up in a print works.
It’s seriousness pales into comparision to the boob Horse and Hound once made, when they published in reverse a picture of the Queen at Trooping the Colour. It was only obvious, as in those days, she was riding the horse side-saddle.
The Anonymous Widower 