Dreich Time

It's been a bit of a bind in recent days.  My knees not being good, overdoing it on the front and scunnering myself for over a week, then as that eased I fall flat on my face and do my arm.  That will take a while to go, possibly months, and twice today I have screamed after I did this aaaaaaaaaaaaagh, and what is left of the muscles in the arm did not like it.  Ice packs aplenty in here.  I have only been to Sainsburys and Tesco, and that's too far, and now I just wish to sleep all day.  Mind you I am happy with that.   

What limited hope has been from watching England fail.  Sadly this has not happened.  Russian VAR men and a German referee threatened by England before the game saw the officials miss hand balls and gave penalties that did not exist.  5 million Scots very unhappy, let alone the Dutch and the rest of Europe!  Only Rangers fans and a handful of Scots Tories support the colonial imperialists.

Viva Espania I say!

One man heading for the final will be England's Prime Minister.  And I mean 'England's.'  Just in the door and he is already stopping them drilling for oil, his 'Scotland at the heart of Government reveals one cabinet minister only, and Keir's promise to women that he would protect their private spaces has gone out the window as he has installed three women and one man all of whom support the trans lobby.  One calls herself not Miss or Ms but 'They,' the man Kinnock's son, has a son who dresses as a girl, and the rest have no idea about life!  Scotland and women down the drain, I await a 'U' turn soon.

Twitter has been as mad as always, however, most of the Reform bots have gone.  It is interesting to see how many claim to be REFORM, joined Twitter 10 or more years ago, have lots of emojis alongside their name, and have 25,000 followers!  Somehow I fell these are as false as the REFORM candidates that did not exist. 

I also clicked somewhere on a catholic post, I know not which, and have been inundated with people arguing about the Latin Mass.  It was tempting to join in and upset many but I just blocked them all, though others still arrive.  

The algorithm sends hundreds of posts because you 'liked' or commented on one.  No matter what you are then inundated with them.  At least most are UK, up till now they have always been US led and of no use to me.  

Book reading has been slow.  Not helped by more coming through the letterbox, and more on the way.

There is no time to read them, or am I just slowing up?  

I noticed today some 'WhatsApp'  posts I have not answered, and other things are being left undone. Partly this is because of movement difficulty and I suspect too much football at the wrong times and a great deal of sloth could be involved.  Football is however, slowing, and less will be available for a while.   

' O to go down to the sea again,

The lonely sea and sky.

I've left my shirt and socks there,

I wonder if they're dry?'

Spike M.  

I feel like that also.  Though I suspect the beach we see here will be mobbed by hundreds and thousands at this time.  A little bit of sun and warmth and the UK population rush to the coast to get away from it all, and are stranded among millions getting away from it all.  It would be nice.

Gerald Taylor, yet another Costa Rican international who has joined the world's most important football club.  If he is as successful and his predecessor Vargas we will be on to a good thing indeed.  I am not sure where his finica will be in Gorgie...

The Old Manor House,

The view the pigeons up there in the loft have includes The Old Manor House.

As far as I know, there is little information regarding this building.  The timber and plaster built hose was erected in 1550, during Tudor times, and that is a period in which this area is devoid of information.  Those who choose to study the Tudors round here find almost no information whatsoever.  

However, that year the imperialist English were involved in the 'rough wooing,' which began when Henry VIII sent his failing army to invade Scotland, to force a marriage between Mary, Queen of Scots, and his young son Edward VI.  He failed, and an agreement was reached at Boulogne, where he also had troops attempting to steal French land, though by the time of the peace Henry himself had passed on.   

John Napier was amongst those born that year, you know how he created Logarithms and so upset schoolchildren everywhere, especially me.  Who needs such things?  Thomas Cranmer's 'Book of Common Prayer,' introduced the previous year, was now in use everywhere in England.  The reformation, caused by Henry's desire to bump off his wife, had taken over the land, and while some of a Catholic persuasion led short lived revolts in the south west, the reformation persisted.  The 'Ale Houses Act,' licenced such premise's for the first time, much to landlord's joy.   It continues bringing joy to licensees still.  

Abroad, the Spanish were taking over South America, leaving Brazil for the Portuguese.   Chocolate is introduced into Europe, by the Spanish I suspect, so women everywhere rejoiced as never before.   The 'Society of Jesus,' is created, so you can expect a knock on your door any time soon.  

Wiki

The family of Sir Thomas Moore, indicate how the rich were dressed in the 1550's.  Lower orders were dressed according to class, including the type of headgear allowed them.   Of course even if you were wealthy, having the head cut off, or being burned at the stake, were occupational hazards in those days.  It was fine to gain enough money to build a nice house, have a wee estate, but ensure you keep in with whoever was winning, and this meant following the Kings religion, or you were headed for the block.  Politics was a hard place in these days.

Around a hundred years later, England was in the middle of yet another war, this time a civil war, though how 'civil' the people were to one another is unclear.  This town was a Parliamentary Town, that is, they sided with Oliver Cromwell and his 'roundheads.  Indeed many men from here may well have been part of his army.  This county has always been a rebellious one.  I myself have met many a revolting peasant round this way.  

During 1648, Sir Charles Lucas led his royalist troops into Braintree seeking the weapons stored there.  These had been removed by the parliament supporters in the town.  Lucas moved to Colchester and the next day Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron, arrived in the town.  It is believed, though no real evidence has come to pass, that these men, or possibly the townsmen, damaged the royal sign above the door of the Old Manor House.  Being so badly damaged no-one is quite clear as to who the sign represents.  Then followed the Siege of Colchester, which killed many and lasted a good time.

Wiki

But I have no idea who built the house in the first place.  As Henry VIII died in 1547 it is clear the builder had chosen the protestant faith, young Edward VI was very much in favour of the reformation. 

After him came a time of trouble, with Mary I ascending the throne eventually much death and trouble arrived for the protestants.  It is always possible that the builder of the 'Old Manor House' was exiled, or dead within a few years.  So far we do not have evidence for his life.

In Search of England

Henry Canova Vollam Morton, better known as H.V. Morton, followed his father into the journalism world.  However, he became better known for his many, many travel books which covered many parts of the world.

Morton moved to London and was fortunate to be the only journalist around when Tutankhamen's tomb was opened in 1923.  A 'scoop' if ever there was one.  I have a vague idea there was some trickery involved in this, but I may be wrong and hove not got time to investigate more.  This deed made his name and travel writing became his game.  The 'Daily Express,' for whom he worked, were happy to offer his many journeys around London, which he made into book form.  And he was to continue this type of work, mostly on London, for years.  It was common in days past for the papers to offers such 'features,' unlike today where celebrities and half truths dominate.

During 1926 H.V. travelled around England in a small 'Bullnose Morris' car.  His task was to discover the England of the day, eight years after the Great War.  At this time few could afford a car, unemployment was rife.  Indeed my father had enlisted in the Kings Own Scottish Borderers the year before because work was difficult to find.  The sight of rural England was unknown to the majority, a day holiday might mean a trip by rail or bus to the seaside, or a long walk there and back, the whole village or district marching together on a rare day out.  The sight of an educated man in a car 'from London,' might well have impressed, or not so much behind his back, the rural people.  Indeed in Norfolk he meets one local more than unwilling to divulge much but weary contempt.  

Life may be different today.

The idea is simple, he drives out of London, stops at an appropriate spot, describes what he sees and moves on.  His writing is at times very descriptive, involving present situations, history and fables from the people in residence.  This is usually excellent, occasionally, where he imagines the ghosts of times past a bot wearing, as this appears more to entice newspaper readers than describe a historical event.  On the other hand however. it works very well.

Beginning in the south west and heading north via Stonehenge, where the American visitors apparently dominate, blocking the roads with their 'charabancs.'  From Cornwall to Gloucester, visiting cathedrals, castles, Inns where he can remain overnight, including one pub where the fire in the main room has been continuous for over 200 years, and on to the Lake district.  Hadrian's Wall, York and into Lincolnshire, making a special effort to visit Rutland, wherever that was, and into Norfolk.  

Stratford is not forgotten, he was born in Warwickshire, his father editing the 'Birmingham Mail,' and he once again discovers how charabancs full of visitors, often American, destroy the very towns they wish to visit.  This remember, was 1926!

1926,a mere 97 years ago, and the changes in the UK since then are made clear through this book.  The roads are narrow, little traffic, the rise of the charabanc and tourism for the middle classes and Americans.  Many Morton meets appear to imply life is changing, and not for the better.  The 'it was better in my day' attitude is not new.  H.V. fills the pages with his somewhat sentimental, sorry, patriotic, love of 'England.'  This is not a love I can share.  One reason being it represents an attitude from a different age, an age that had just lost sons in the war, and occasionally this is mentioned by those around the author, an age that wishes to believe the loss was worth it, especially while the nation was bankrupt and life had not returned to how it was.  Indeed, women who moved to towns and cities returned with skirts up to their knees, amongst other changes.  Morton manages to notice almost all the women he passes.   The patriotism and deep feeling for an England that never existed runs through this book.  People are always looking for the time when things were better in the past, or when the nation was more powerful, richer, better.  All such dreams are just that, dreams.  

For those who wish to see an England in 1926 I recommend this book.  His writing is always good, and he does describe both fantasy and reality as he found it very well.  Those who know the places he passes through will quickly note how this England of today is not the England of 1926.  Well worth a read.

 

Wicki

Never the Twain

National

 

The other day, when in conversation with two of what I took to be highly intelligent men, I realised once again that I live in a foreign country.  It was clear their knowledge of Scortland was limited, and their reaction to Nicola Sturgeon reflected a message poured out by the 'Daily Mail,' 'Daily Express,' and BBC News.  This was disturbing but not unusual down here.

A hatred for Sturgeon that they cannot adequately explain is based on false information and a desire to oppose independence.  Yet some of these people voted for Brexit! and what they called and English independence.  

Sturgeon is no favourite of mine, however, she has handled Covid better than England, that means Boris, has attempted to protect people at all levels and while surely has made mistakes, though who would not in the circumstances, has been seen as a competent politician, one Boris dare not face.  

Scots who dislike Nicola do so because she favours the absurd 'trans' and 'gay' ideology, or is failing to seek independence.  It is likely she is happy with the situation just now as she remains happily in charge of her Cabal with no opposition.  However, 'Indy2' appears not to bother her whatsoever.  

In England dislike is based on tabloid media and ignorance.  Such ignorance includes a failure to understand how Scotland has been abused by England since the Lords took bribes and kept their lands by selling out to England in 1707.  This brought continued the peace brought by James VI & I taking the English throne (and ignoring Scotland) but almost killed Edinburgh and was rightly refused by the people.  No benefits accrued to Scotland until Scots took power in England's parliament.  Only then did money shift north, and probably into only certain pockets.

Financial figures, misreported and misunderstood seek to make Scotland a failed economy yet Denmark, Ireland and others with smaller populations succeed.  Joining the EU helps, but Scotland's  trade will improve without the Brexit folly hindering her.

Scottish nationalism is not based on hatred of England, as the London press keep repeating, but on love of country.  English nationalism is however based on xenophobia, hatred of foreigners and a belief they are still a 17th century imperial power.  This clearly is not the case.  Since Brexit all power has been lost, the English importance rotted away and all that matters is the pigs with noses in the trough, the nation, flag waving or not, matters not and is dying.

Will the English ever understand how Scots are second class citizens in their own country.  They will never understand why the BBC refers to 'British' football fans when talking about 'English' ones.  They note a tennis star who was 'Scots' until he won Wimbledon and became 'British,' and numerous daily occurrences similar to this.  I queried one newsreader when she mentioned the train leaves Kings Cross for Scotland.  "Where is this station called 'Scotland'?" I asked.  The next time she appreared it was amended to Edinburgh though she missed out the 'Waverley' bit.  Unconscious racism is bad when we are black, but not when we are Scots.  

Boris Johnson himself is known for his antipathy to Scots and has published many such statments in his writings.  Possibly action ought to have been taken here?

Scots know much more about this foreign country than the English know of Scotland, for a 'United Nation' we are very disunited, may it become permanent soon.

 

WoS

Saved from English Crowing by Roberto!

 

 

What the weather girls, in doors in a nice studio, call 'light rain showers,' have been falling for the last 24 hours on and off.  Late last night I had to check it was indeed rain that had water sweeping its way down the gutters rather than the tears of the loud English fans wending their way home.

Not long after the game ended I could hear shouting outside.  Individuals, groups of two or three, larger groups also, heading home under the influence and none too chuffed about the result.  

Indoors I was laughing! 

Twitter and I, plus a couple of million 'Jocks,' Welsh and Irish, were rejoicing at the end of the English imperialist dream of success.  Much wit was in evidence, and not a little smugness also.  This, not without reason.

Having England and the English as a neighbour has not made Scotland's life easy.  Since time began, let's say about a thousand years ago, the southern bullies have tried to steal what is now Scotland for their own personal glory.  It is probable that we can begin this in the reign of the big bully boy Edward I.  Being over 6ft tall at a time when most were not anywhere near that height gave him the ability to throw his weaight around.  As King of England he wished to subject Scotland to his rule also.  We refused, and while Edward tricked John Balliol, then King of Scots, into a prison cell and false subjugation, and while William Wallace led the opposition to the brute, Scotland remained free.  (Note, you can be King of England, but not King of Scotland.  You can only be 'King of Scots.'  If you fail the Scots democratically chop your head off.)  Having chopped up Wallace in 1305 Edward thought he was getting his Scotland at last.  However, by Edwards gracious death in 1307 Scotland was set to be a totally independent and efficient country in its own right.  

There were many attempts by the bully boys down south but none succeeded until the Lairds were bribed and threatened with loss if they did not sign Scotland over to what became laughingly known as 'Great Britain in 1707.'  This was rejected  by the people and still is.  This 'Great Britain' was soon to be seen as nothing more than 'Greater England,' and Scotland and Wales comprise England's last colonies.  

Add to this the  smug arrogance of the said English at all times.  Most recently under this Conservative government, no matter which PM, in which Scotland has been, like Wales and Northern Ireland, considered irrelevant in Brexit or indeed anything else.  Bully boy tactics do not make for peace.

English fans, led by the media who know what the readers want to see, have emphasised their dominance over all others, a truly xenophobic jingoism which pervades England, even among the 'nicer people.'  It is deep in their heart, the English consider themselves better than all others.  Facts do not intrude here, reality is not required.  An ill-thought vague view of History tells them they once ruled the world and therefore have a right to rule it again.  Hence Brexit!  The stupid idea that if you leave a successfull union and 'go it alone' you will succeed because 'You are English!'  This is turning out to be false, but they do not yet accept this.

All this adds up to Scotland, amongst other nations, despising England.  It is easy to like many of them, we have lots in common, but the attitude that prevails is 'England first' the rest are our colonies.  

You know what they can do with that!

 

 

So last night, a half decent, but lacking fire up front, England side, played a half decent, but not the best version of Italy in the Euro 2020 final.  Italy dominated after England's lucky goal in the first minute.  Had that goal not gone in we would all have been done and dusted before ten O'clock, as it was Italy, full of the usual style, lacked the flair we usually see to break through England's defence.  The goal came eventually, from a 'British' style corner that England failed to deal with, and somehow England survived until the end of extra time.  

Penalties are not the best way to win a cup final, however there is no alternative that makes sense.  With penalties there is no good in being clever, just do not look at the goalie, possibly glance at the opposing corner you are aiming for, and just hit it had into a corner, low or high.  Several players tried to be smart.  This rarely works.  Sure some talented players do this and make it look easy, it isn't, and it showed last night.  There have been many, mostly, but not only, young players who have failed at penalties in this competition.  I doubt they will fail next time.  It is good, once the manager has stopped hitting them, that he picks them up and rebuilds their personal belief.  One or two however could do with being whipped first!

There were many jumping on the bandwagon before the game, now they jump on the detractor bandwagon or disappear into the gloom.  Politicians abounded in praise of their team, even if they were not sure what shirt they were wearing.  Today they remain silent, except for the usual backbench Tory spouting gentle racism.  

The Brexit mentallity showed yesterday, England fans in various parts of the country, including Leicester Square, were fighting with one another, bottles thrown, near riots preveailing.  All this while TV folk spoke of the team 'Bringing the nation together.'

Tee Hee.

Not long after midnight, the cries of the departing fans ringing out in the darkness outside, we saw Blue flashing lights as police cars left the station behind me to 'investigate' parties of failed celebrants.  No stories from these have been released sadly.  The rain did not deter the cries, and I was too cowardly to open the window and shout "Forza Italia!"  The landlord would not like his windows removed.

From the time the penalties were missed the three Black players who missed theirs have been subject to clear racist abuse.  I noticed one man on Twitter, named MALIK, telling Mr Sako to, 'Get out of my country!'  I thought that interesting.  Much worse was seen and some published in the press will be costing a few their jobs today.  Even the 'Met' police will be investigating this.  This was to be expected, just under the surface of the English lies a 'white only England,' and it takes little for this to emerge into view.

We can all understand how easy it is to be racist if the world in which you are brought up changes, especially when it appears to change so fast.  The governments of the day ignoring the 'white working class,' and indeed recently encouraging them to believe they are being robbed by immigrants, have all led to such attitudes deepening.  There is no easy answer to this, and Brexit has multiplied the xenophobia greatly.  

Italy however, with masses more immigrants than the UK, celebrate in style.  Many grateful for Scotland's support, and all Italians resident in the UK wary about their windows being put in.  None round here it appears.  

Today all was normal, the media trying to avoid stabbing players in the back, but that will come, and a quick trip to Tesco offered no comment from anyone re the game.  Tee Hee again!

I have tried to get people to offer manager Roberto Mancini the 'Freedom of Edinburgh' for his work in saving Scotland, Wales and Ireland, from the arrogant crowing an England victory would have thrust upon us.  Such service to mankind deserves a reward, and Scotland must not be slow to offer this I say.    

Season's Greetings...

The proper football season did indeed begin last night, and it was quite good, as indeed expected.  Today, a stuttering first half was improved by the second and victory won, also as expected.  So the season is under way, football shorts are being bought, beer-belly or not, and money spent on PPV live coverage of the game, £10 today for Peterhead.  

However, the media ignored this for the most part and concentrated on the nonsense game at Wembley tomorrow night.  Twitter 'Trending' reflects the English nations desires well, they list 'Wimbledon,' 'Nazi Germany,' and 'Bobby Charlton,' as the top three!  A genuine, honest insight into the English mentality!  "We are superior, we won the war, we beat the Nazi's!"  

All this of course from people born after 1945.  Still, their History was taught to them by the 'Daily Mail,' 'Sun,' and 'Daily Express,' so you cannot expect them to understand what actually happened.

It is to be hoped, according to the Twitter discussions I have had in the last 24 hours, that Italia win by a vastly superior margin than usual.  Only that way will common decency return to the media, Twitter, and English life, once they have been released from prison that is.

 

 

Football, Harrassment, Funeral

 

I woke this morning to find the Twitter feed stuffed full of 'England expects' jingoism.  The media full of this imperialist pomp.  England, inadequate at heart and desperate for a role now the UK has been destroyed by Brexit, has the Brexit generation seeking an enemy, and Germany, a footballing nation they cannot defeat, are the main enemy.  Desperate for a purpose they are reduced to crowing about 'Two world wars, and one world cup.'  Such sentiments ignore the role the French, Australians, Canadians, Indians, Russians and many other played in the Great War.  It emphasises the role of 'standing alone,' though Canada, Australian, India and others stood with us, and ignore the role of the Soviet Union in carrying the bulk of the fighting on land until 1944.  As for a 'World Cup,' we can merely state 'The ball did not cross the line,' and let them bleat.
The crowds will return to Wembley tonight to worship England.  Hopefully England will be thrashed causing many of us to sleep well tonight.  The flags adorning so many cars today will be piled up in the bins by morning, pub windows broken, police assaulted, and the usual peaceful England gatherings noted.   Oh, and the indian variant found wandering through the crowds also.

However, the usual suspects, putting English football to the back page, lie about Sajid Javid bringing lockdown to an end in July.  It must be said that the 'Daily Mail' is hammering the need for an end to the lockdown for a reason.  The reason being their boss, one Lord living as a tax exile in France, also owns the 'Metro.'  The 'Metro' is the free paper found in railways stations and on buses, this means that lockdown has removed his audience and the 'Metro' sales are now down by 80%.  No sales, no advertisers, no advertisers no money for the absent Lord.  Hence the 'Mail's' coverage.  The 'Daily Express' also offers such hope, more for themselves than their owner.  This while the majority of their staff, at least those not yet made redundant, work from home.   

Will Lockdown end?  The Indian variant is rampant in the nation, it must not end yet.  Will rising sickness numbers and a higher death count force a continuation? It ought to, but the Tories worship cash, not people.  

 

Chris Whitty, the somewhat sombre government health advisor, was once again harrassed by yobs yesterday.  This is not the first time he has been attacked this way, though the last time was by an adolescent who suffered his mother wrath for his rudeness.  It has become the thing these days to harrass those you disagree with.  Kim Leadbeater, the sister of the MP Jo Cox who was murdered by a right wing looney, was harrassed by a group of Muslims the other day.  These came  from outside of Batley, the town where a by-election is under way.  These are well known Muslim activists and were freinds of George Galloway, a wayward attention seeking failed MP, once tipped as leader of the Labour Party, now a mere 'dog-whistle' at every by-election.  His chance of succes is nil,  Kim Leadbeater has a good chance of taking the seat, and the outsiders harrassing her may well have helped, not hindered.  Whether she would be any good as an MP is irrelevant these days, back benchers just do what they are told.  The need to hassle and mob those you dislike will continue under this government, Boris himself always under a mob abusing him whenever he appears, not the sign of a successful PM.   It must be remembered that Chris Whitty's father was dragged out of a car in Athens while working for the British Council and murdered by Abu Nidal terrorists in 1984.  It is no wonder Chris comes over as he does.  Such experiences will not help a man such as he.

A very interesting experience yesterday, I watched a funeral in London from home via 'Zoom.'  'Zoom,' is proving its worth these days.  With people spread out across the world 'Zoom' is a real benefit.  The deceased had been laid to rest in the family grave and then there gathered here many to pay respects and hear those, often untold, stories regarding her life.  Memories come rushing back when  people speak as do memories of those spoken about.  Situations that arose and their results, family history and background.  All good and proper.  Beginning at 3 pm, well usual church time of thirty minutes late, it was clear, as the son spoke of his mother, that we would not see the 5 pm kick off at the Euro's.  As the preacher spoke, recounting her early life and his experience of her when taking charge of the church 50 years previously, we realised we might not see the 8 pm kick off!  

However, all went well, the zoom camera worked, the sound was obtained, and occasional people were recognised at a distance.  Zoom put to good use, but hopefully not being used in this way again for some time.     

The Auld Enemy

 

It is quite normal for Scotland to go down to Wembley and win.  After all we have been doing that for almost 150 years and as we invented the game, developed it through 'scientific football,' and provided the best players the world has ever seen, though Pele, Eusebio and Maradonna were all right, if you like that sort of thing, it will come as no surprise to see us put the arrogant imperialists back in their box.  So, needing to win at Wembley last night was not something to worry us.  However, having displayed all the intellect of one of Boris Johnson's cabinet members, we threw away our chances of going through by losing badly to the Czech's a few days before.  Therefore, we needed at least a point and in the end hard work, team work, and individual brightness brought us a no score draw, and I think this was two points dropped.  

England, as the English press have it, were not very good.  Nothing is said re Scotland outplaying them?  England, the manager tells us, "Got the point that ensures qualification," which is true.  What manager Gareth Southgate did not mention was the vermin of the English press would have savaged him, a decent bloke, had he lost to what they consider an inferior product.  His team and tactics reveal a sensible man.

However, this is just England.  The game used to mean a great deal, not now.  From 1872 until 1972 the Scotland v England clash provided an outlet for national pride, now it means little.  Scotland has long lost interest in these games apart form the points. Certainly we wish to win, but for me Scotland require to develop a team that can take on European sides and win, beating a 'British' side like England means little.  Our loss to the Czechs showed we need to play a style that can beat such sides, power and strength against England means little.  The game against Croatia, who desparately need to win to avoid the wrath of their own fans, will reveal both our managers tactical ability as this level and our ability to play against such teams.

Forget England, Scotland requires to amend the league structure, change the way TV covers the game and how such cash is used, and develop young players who can make it at international level.  We need to get players once again who can get the ball down on the grass and beat the opposition, players like Bobby Walker, Tommy Walker, Jimmy Johnson and Jim Baxter.  We are way short of this today.

We also must ask, how do Wales do it?  No league of their own to speak off, players spread across many nations, yet they continue to play in all tournaments, qualifying more often than Scotland.  Having one man earning £600,000 a week in Spain cannot be the reason, he is only a part of that.  

Scotland must ask why Wales are better than us?

  

Book!!!

 

Waterstone's

 

At last, after much struggle, I have reached the end of 'Engel's England.'  Something many of us wish to achieve!  I began reading this book early in Lock Down but just could not find the effort to read anything for a while.  Several dust covered books lie awaiting my eyes so I have begun another two of them.  At least one introduction and one first page!   

Anyway, you may remember Matthew Engel from his previous book, 'Eleven Minutes Late,' so you will know the character of the man.  That book concerned railways, this one involves his journey around every English county.  English only, which is fair enough.  This makes the book a long read, even if some chapters are not too long he does like to spend time in those he associates with.  

There is no real pattern to the journey, he took several years over it, between 2012 and 2014, hopping here and there, and it is worth a look just to see what he thinks is important in the county in which you may have connections.  Ten years out of date maybe but relevant still today.

London here, is treated as a seperate county, and this makes sense.  London has little connection to England, much less to Scotland or Wales, even though the government offices reside here.  London, the government, the Oxbridge set that run the nation, and all the powerful of the land care nothing for anything north of Euston Road, London alone counts with them as that is where their money and friends, make that contacts, are.

Engel travelled around London on his own when around 12 year of age, he lived in Northampton but holidayed with his gran in Temple Meads.  He travelled safely, wandering on and off bus and tube, visiting interesting places.  Boys that age would enjoy such an activity even now, however, I suspect the police, social services and women with short hair and dangly earrings would suffer hysteria at a 'child' exploring on his own today.  Personally I did similar, round Edinburgh, and no harm came to me.  His love of London is clear, possibly because he now lives miles away outside, and here, as in all counties he offers an interesting view of what is around him.

All counties in England are found here, some history, some novelties, some people stories, all the usual things to expect from a travel book.  He missed one bit of Essex mind, this one!   

 

"Snigger" Sunday

I failed to cross the threshold till dusk was falling tonight.  Not for the first time my Sunday has not been what I wished it to be!  The sun shone brightly outside but foolishly I watched mediocre football instead of striding around in possibly the last sun of the year.  Ah well walking in the cool of the day when few people pass by is a good thing.  The gray like sky was blue when I shut the door but darkening by the minute as I caught the trailers of people rushing for late holidays in the sun or heading back home for work in Edinburgh or Belfast tomorrow.  Flying in the dark is not as much fun as in the day, I like to watch the earth pass me by way down below.

I awoke to a man chattering on about writing letters.  The thrust of his chatter concerned people no longer scrawling words onto paper and sending the epistle in an envelope to a recipient and how awful this is.  Today we send e-mails or even texts, those can can work text or understand text speak that is, and for many this is now a crime.  No more heartless informal e-mails they cry, get a pen and write it all down.
I disagree.
Indeed receiving a letter though the post is a great joy, I received one myself only the other day and after carefully steaming open the letter, reading how much they wished me to pay, I resealed it and wrote "Not Known" on the front and sent it back.  Receiving a letter is always a good thing if from a friend or if it contains something of value.  However since the telephone became popular in the late 60's and commonplace by the 70's and with the mobile phone that doubles as a computer writing letters is a needless action much of the time.  People can speak via the phone or text/send e-mail or just ignore you as they do me.  The requirement to sit down and cogitate on a letter no longer exists.
When a postman I reckoned one day I had three 'letters' to deliver, all the rest were routine stuff, bills, banks, birthday cards etc, as these need papers copies or contain gifts, letters as such are overtaken by e-mail.  
I like letters but I prefer e-mail as it is quicker, cheaper and gets a quick answer, usually!  However if any young woman wishes to write to me in a perfumed £20 note please note I am willing to rush downstairs and collect it when the postie gets here!

You will have noticed how the world is laughing at England just now.  The imperialists considered this was their world cup and took it for granted they would win it.  The bombast over playing Wales fell flat when the Welsh stuffed them good.  Murmurings were heard everywhere as this was not supposed to happen.  It wasn't in the script prepared by the media and the people.  The build up to the game with Australia is best summed up by 'The Sun.'

Naturally the Aussies stuffed them and stuffed them right good at that!  How the tears flowed!  Now when your side loses a big game it does hurt however when you for reasons unknown believe you will win and believe you are better than all the others in spite of the facts to watch your suffering becomes a delight to those trampled by your imperialism in days gone by, such as yesterday!  How the English cannot believe they have lost, how they weep and wail, how the search for scapegoats and demand hanging is brought back.  The fact is it is only rugby and not that important, but it is good to see them suffer, not that I enjoy this in any way whatsoever.

 
"snigger"

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Rejoice!

A typical scene this afternoon as England rejoices in its patron Saint!  The crowds flock together, gathering happily in throngs dressed in the red and white flag, wearing similar hats, hired outfits, and England football shirts. Well I saw four of them dawdling along, and a maiden (Ha!) underneath a large flag followed by her minder also intent on cheerfully commemorating her saint.    
In short they were going for a piss up!
I strongly suspect their knowledge of George from Lydda is faint.  His Christian stance that led to torture and decapitation is probably not the motivation for their gathering, and as for their flag originating with Ambrose, one time Archbishop of Milan, well that will be something beyond their ken. The real motivation is 'white van man' racism!  This lot indeed come from the lower sections of society, not all do of course, but movements are felt deeper amongst those losing the most.  A desperate longing to have a nation to which they can belong is something the Englishman suffers daily.  The Scots, Welsh and Irish have no problem being happy with being themselves, the English have no understanding or idea of what 'being English' is all about.  Poor souls, jealous of the Celts rejoicing they have in recent years become quite vindictive and bile filled regarding other nations.  The inbuilt superiority that dwells within their soul is well at odds with the reality around them.  The Englishman sees himself as the dominating member, reality is hard to accept.
A reality made worse by the nation being overrun by foreign folks, many of whom are black!  This fact alone has made many an Englishman feel very threatened.  Whole towns are now a variety of colours and any who indicate unhappiness are referred to as 'racist!'  In fact I very much disagree here. The place in which you are reared does mean something to an individual, if this overnight almost becomes like a foreign country where people with different cultures fill the locality it can indeed, and rightly, be difficult to accept.  That is not racist, it is a normal human reaction, colour being a secondary problem. That certainly happened in Scotland many years ago when cheaper Polish labour put Scotsmen out of work, not racist, just human response arose.  For today's Englishman, especially those at the lower end finding Poles, Bulgarians and other East European types taking their jobs a natural resentment can arise. Genuine fear over immigration, unbalanced maybe but genuine, stirred by politicians and papers on the make does not help.  Scotland rightly demanding independence upsets many English as they continue to believe we are all one happy family, in spite of the reality.  Only yesterday several highly intelligent women I met failed to comprehend how Scots feel about the issue, it is something that has not crossed their minds, after all Scotland is so far away, but useful for holidays!  'White van man' reads his 'Daily Mail,' if he is pretending to be 'middle class,' or the 'Sun,' if he is being honest, and finds Scots draining money from his pocket and being ungrateful!  That lie shows how little he understands, yet how much the media misuse him for their own ends! 
This resentment, and it is strong in some areas, had led to a revival in 'Englishness.'  In 1996 they found their own flag instead of using the Union flag as theirs, now it appears at all times, while Ambrose ought to get a percentage I say, and is flown by some at every opportunity to pretend they have a nation.  
Have they?
England is more divided than the mere border that separates England from Scotland.  The northern culture is not similar to the south's, and the north is ignored by the rich south east corner.  Birmingham, the second largest city, is never mentioned on TV or in the media unless it really has to be mentioned. Yet this from one of the richest parts of the nation! The richest, Norfolk and Surrey pay their own way, all the rest needing grants from the centre, yet these two counties resent their cash going to where it is required, does that make for a nation?  The folks in the countryside vote Tory, the towns and cities vote Labour neither caring what the other wants, who knows what the next election will bring after the shambles of the last.  Thousands use 'food banks' while others live off benefits needlessly, millionaires fill the cabinet while over two million are desperate for a proper job, London dominates at all times, the rest are an afterthought.  This 'England' is not one nation in any respect.  

The Scots, Welsh and Irish have their own history, they are well read in this, English history is seen by many as one dynamic victory after another, they are always the 'top dog, and yet the deeper truths of what life really was like for the average Englishman is not what comes to the average Englishman's mind when waving a flag.  Scots know all their bad bits, only too well, does the Englishman drinking his European Lager, eating his Curry, and wearing his Bangladeshi made clothes know his nations bad bits? Does it matter?  As long as he has a nation to belong to he has a place in the world, a family, even if a stand offish one.  
The return to a Saints Day, by a nation keen to be atheistic we are told, is all about being a nation again.  But to be a nation you must know what the nation actually is.  Those gathered raucously in the pub will struggle to sing English songs, 'Greensleeves' will not suit that establishment I fear, indeed few songs regarding their nation will come to mind.  George, lying somewhere underground in Lydda today, will wonder at his name being used in a nation at the ends of the earth.  He would wonder a lot more at the confused people wearing his flag, not that he knew it was his flag, and feel a great deal of sympathy for their lost souls.   

 

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Good Old Jamie!

James VI &I

On this day in 1603 James VI of Scotland took the throne of England as James I after the death of English Queen Elizabeth. Thus the 'Union of the Crowns,' saw a Scot rule the barbarian English! Naturally the English always refer to him as James I rather than James VI and Ist as they ought, imperialism never dies in England. They were happy however to see him take the throne and avoid war of any kind. Enemies abounded for England, as always, both Spain and France had made threats and the Armada was not that distant. Peace reigned for some time, apart from the usual problems in Ireland. The prolonged war there was bankrupting his new nation.

James was the son of Mary Queen of Scots. A small note here, no-one is ever King or Queen of Scotland, the title is 'King of Scots.' We are a democratic people led by a chosen King, and if he fails us we democratically chop his head off. James father was one Lord Darnley who suffered an unfortunate sudden death when the building he was in exploded. Shortly afterwards his mum married the Earl of Bothwell, the man considered guilty of bumping of Darnley. As Catholic Mary was far from popular in protestant Scotland, John Knox often made his full and frank opinion known at the time, this did not make her life easier. Mary always strikes me as a 'Diana' type, as opposed to Elizabeth who was more 'Thatcher' in her approach. Within a year of his birth in Edinburgh Castle Mary was imprisoned and forced to abdicate. James VI therefore became King at Stirling at the age of 13 months in 1567. He remembered little about this.

Years of reign under the control of regents followed, regents who took time to bump one another off as such folks do. However he learned the art of Kingship, also developing into a very literate and wise scholar. He rejoiced to be considered a scholar, writing books and translating parts of the bible himself. Once he took effective control of Scotland James managed to ensure an uneasy peace between the squabbling nobles and even between himself and the Calvinist Kirk. James married Anne of Denmark in 1589, he was 23, she 14. Social services are pursing their lips as we speak. She presented him with seven live children, suffered two still births and thee miscarriages. Life was tough for women in those days.

Political tact from James and leading English nobles prepared the way for James to peacefully take the throne of England as well as Scotland after Elizabeth had departed. Swapping 'a stony couch for a feather bed' James was amazed at the wealth in England. He had been somewhat lax with control of his own spending while in Scotland. After being supposedly assaulted by Alexander Ruthven, James' page 'run him through,' and Ruthven's father, the Earl of Gowrie also died in the following melee. The point that interested the scandal mags of the time was the coincidence that James owed this family a lot of money. Hmmm One of James great ideas once in control, was to merge the parliaments of Scotland and England, and he began to style himself King of Great Britain and Ireland. However the Scots nobles and populace were very much against this, and rightly so, but at that time the English also opposed such a merger and both nations continued with separate parliaments, law, and church. No oil in Scotland at that time obviously!

James became world renown when he produced his new translation of the bible in 1611, that collection of God breathed books that reveal the heart of God. James intention was to end the many religious squabbles then existing, which also endangered his own reign. It was demanded that all previous versions of this book were banned and only the Authorised Version used in all churches. It was also demanded that everyone attend the Church of England, or the church of Scotland, and refusal could mean death by burning. This less from religious than political scruples. The area I live in was a hotbed of dissent at the time and several became martyrs. His attempt to implement episcopacy in Scotland failed dismally, even though he returned to Scotland, once, to implement this. His failure left many problems in days to come for his son Charles the First.

James dream of a United Kingdom arrived in 1707, after much duplicity from England, and treachery from a parcel of Scottish rogues, the population still objecting strongly. Next September this wrong may well be righted of course. James died in 1625 after years of physical suffering, not helped by too much wine. Arthritis, fainting fits, gout and kidney troubles must have made his life a painful one at the end. So the first of the Stuart line died and was mourned by his people for the mostly peaceful years of his long reign. A far from perfect man he was nevertheless quite successful in many of his endevours. He left a kingdom at peace, and also a son and heir Charles the First, that of course ended the peace!

Elizabeth I

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Sunshine

A shot of village England from the train as we passed at high speed today.  A shot a second or so earlier would have given a slightly better view, however the big houses, the church, and the green represent the usual English village that tourists love.  Whether the pub remains open or whether actually living there is good is another matter.  The TV programmes often show folks looking for a small, quiet village to retire to.  They talk of community spirit, a local friendly pubs, and give the impression they can fit in anywhere.  Maybe so but do the villagers take to them I wonder?  Some folks live forty years in a village and are still reckoned as outsiders by those born there. I suspect if you have money and do not upset the routine you may be alright, but it could be too cosy for some.  Occasionally incomers are known to demand the church bell stops ringing as they came to the country for quiet, some even demand local chickens or cattle in fields are removed.  That is not how to endear oneself to the locals.  One or two houses are available however £6-900,000 would be required for the bigger ones, good luck!

While up town being browbeaten and nagged by Helen (Is there a school women attend where they learn to bully males?) concerning job searching, I noticed the river was deep, fast flowing and as you can see a bit murky.  This reflects the rainfall over the past month.  I noticed from the train the river had flooded in many places, on occasion filling ready made holes and flood basins, yet we know the rain is insufficient to find its way deep into the earth, to fill reservoirs or aid farmland in the long run.  Personally I think we have had enough, but I do not posses a garden, a crop nor a vast need for water.  The hosepipe ban continues but some would say there are still too many mains pipes leaking that water companies are too busy counting their profits to notice.  They may have a point.




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I was Surprised...

I was surprised as I made my way through the town early this bright and sunny morning to find St Georges Day was being ignored by his people.  One pub was making money ready by flying four flags outside but no others bothered.  Has patriotism worn off I wonder?  Could it be people really are turned off so much by the English Defence League and other bams flying the English flag that they do not wish to be associated with it?  How strange!  Now I can understand most not wishing to be linked with the type who join the EDL, however your nation needs you, as someone once said?  Only the Irish seriously wish for a 'Saints Day' and that only for the Guinness!  However pride in a nation does not end because of toughs or the reformation.  The recession, being a Monday, and the dismal weather which poured from the sky all afternoon may well be dampening enthusiasm for the cause. English weather, sunshine & rain at the same time, does inhibit enthusiasm.  Possibly when the European Championships begin a flurry of flags will appear on vehicles passing by, and soon they will fill the wheely bins as England fail once again.  Brings a tear to the eye, don't it...?

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