14 September 2022 (Wednesday) - Historic Occasions

With a good friend due for surgery in Margate at seven o'clock, and “er indoors ^TM” volunteering to do the family brekkie and school run for her, it was “er indoors ^TM” and not me up at silly o'clock this morning. Mind you I was still up before six o'clock; I thought I might offer her my sage advice in dealing with the puppies. They tend to get a tad excitable first thing in the morning. The trick is to go into the garden with them and stand and wait for them to do their "things"; even if you have to wait quite some time. “er indoors ^TM” had clearly skimped on the waiting, and I found a turd under the living room table.
I would ask "have I ever mentioned that I never wanted dogs" but getting the puppies was my idea.

“er indoors ^TM” set off to go do her errands. The puppies stood at the door cried pathetically for ten minutes, then jumped on the sofa and had a scrap. Treacle didn't seem very bothered about any of this; it was probably too early for her. She sat with me as I scoffed my toast and watched another episode of "Lunatics". I then settled all the dogs (who were by then all fast asleep) and set off through the rain to work.

Interestingly two separate weather forecasts commented on the dry morning (!)

 

Again the talk on the radio was about the Queen's death and her funeral which is being arranged for next Monday. There were interviews with people who'd been out in the gathered crowds for their second night. Police chiefs were advising that over the next few days the waiting time to queue up to see the Queen's coffin would be about thirty hours (!)

Next Monday (the day of the funeral) is to be a Bank Holiday and there was a lot of talk about the mayhem this has caused. The more stupid element (who clearly hadn't thought anything through) are demanding that the universe should close that day. Those who obviously can't shut up shop (hospitals, emergency services, me...) are having no end of issues with child care...

The obvious solution would have been to have had the funeral on the Sunday, wouldn't it? However Royal protocol dictates that it is held ten days after the monarch’s death... Time to change the protocol?

 

I found myself getting a tad fed up with all the talk of the Queen's funeral on the radio and at work... but then I realised that this is a historic occasion. In years to come I will tell Darcie Waa Waa "I was there." (The other day “Stormageddon – Bringer of Destruction ^TM” asked "What's the Queen" so I don't think he's as Royalist as he might be, and Lacey is old enough to see it all for herself).

I've actually lived through quite a few historic occasions, you know. (In no particular order) the falling of the Berlin Wall, the death of Princess Diana, the digging of the Channel Tunnel, the Folkestone Earthquake (it really happened!), the Olympic Flame coming up my road, Brexit, the Moon Landings… to name but a few. I think it fair to say that, at the time, all were rather tedious.

Mind you, Nostradamus predicted the lot, you know. And apparently he's predicted that King Charles won't last long, and will be succeeded by Prince Harry.

Bearing in mind Harry is only fifth in line to the throne, it would be interesting to know exactly what sort of disaster Nostradamus expects will wipe out Prince William and his entire tribe.

Not that I put any faith on Nostradamus or any other fortune teller. You never see a rich one, do you? If anyone would know on which horse to bet, eh?

Mind you an aunt once told me:

"When granddad's piles give him gyp

Then the weather will be shit"

I must admit that as prophecies go, over the years this one has been amazingly accurate (with a succession of granddads culminating in me).