Happy George Day

Happy St. George's Day - What's that mean?  I'm glad you asked because I don't know either....

April 23rd... no fanfares, no trumpets, no fireworks, no national getting drunk day, no national holiday even....  what's the "unifying" experience that brings us all together then?  Answers on a postcard!

What I CAN tell you about this day is that historically it's been a good day for sporting prowess....  On this day in 1977 Vlastimil Hort (Czech chess grandmaster) earned himself a world record by playing 201 games simultaneously, whilst at the same time Dr. Allen Bussey looped a yo-yo a staggering 20,302 times and only lost control of it ten times.  Neither of them were British.

This day is also overshadowed by being the anniversary (from as far back as 1984) that the AIDS virus was discovered - and it TOO wasn't British.... nor was it cricket!

The other significant events that this day could be remembered for are:

1923 - Stalin officially opened the Moscow Underground.

1616 - Miguel de Cervantes (creator of Don Quixote) shuffled off this mortal coil.

And finally.... British FACT (possibly):

1348 - The Order of the Garter was founded (the highest order of English chivalry - not including holding the door open for a bird) - *** A BRITISH FACT ****

1564 - William Shakespeare was born (good times but possibly not even a real event)

1616 - William shakespeare died (bad times but possibly not even a real event)

1850 - William Wordsworth died (bad times) **** FACT ****

1915 - Rupert Brooke died (bad times) **** FACT ****

Home

I came back late and tired last night

Into my little room,

To the long chair and the firelight

And comfortable gloom.

But as I entered softly in

I saw a woman there,

The line of neck and cheek and chin,

The darkness of her hair,

The form of one I did not know

Sitting in my chair.

I stood a moment fierce and still,

Watching her neck and hair.

I made a step to her; and saw

That there was no one there.

It was some trick of the firelight

That made me see her there.

It was a chance of shade and light

And the cushion in the chair.

Oh, all you happy over the earth,

That night, how could I sleep?

I lay and watched the lonely gloom;

And watched the moonlight creep

From wall to basin, round the room,

All night I could not sleep.

(Rupert Brooke)

I couldn't...

... give a monkey's that it's Saint George's day!!

Not my words, but those of our intrepid local weatherman Paul Hudson on the lunchtime news.

For me, personally, I've never celebrated Saint George's day with any fraction of the enthusiasm that I can muster for, let's say, Saint Patrick's day!! Who wouldn't want to be falling down in town with a huge Guinness foam hat to cushion the blow?

So what do we do to show our Britishness?

Even the flag of St George has been hijacked and tainted with extreme right wing prejudicial values.

A national flower? A national drink? A national food?? Street parties?? None of the above!!

Apparently we're supposed to wear a red rose button hole.... first I knew of it!!

So, will you be celebrating the life of our Turkish, Roman soldier, who despite his staunch christian beliefs fought for a pagan Roman emperor?

What was so wrong with Edward the Confessor in the first place?

I'd be interested to hear from anyone who thinks that being British in these modern times of credit crunch, food shortage, war, petrol prices, and Euro2008, is any reason to be waving a flag from your rooftop on this auspicious day?


Just because you should never be afraid to wave the flag!! I'm British, I'm not a racist, and I'm not overly proud of being British.... but it IS my flag and I've a bloody right to wave it without being embarrassed!!