A new poetry season

Frankly, the less said about the ARC Debacle,
 the better.

*********

May is a new season with new possibilities and we are delighted to have been invited to two very exciting events - first, on Empire Day one will be reading at the Cumberland Arms. This is so terribly appropriate for a patriot such as myself. Empire Day has been largely forgotten, which is such a shame. It was Clementina Trenholme who first had the foresight to introduce the celebration in Canada back in 1898 - a little before my time. By 1904 Empire Day started being celebrated in the United Kingdom - particularly in schools, and from there it spread across the entire Empire. May 24 was - as of course you know - the birthday of our dear Queen Victoria.

In 1958 the day was renamed Commonwealth Day - definitely a little common if you ask me - but I suppose we had to keep up with the demise of the Empire - otherwise known as 'post-Colonialism'. 

Frankly I think the rest of the world didn't know when they were well-orf. All that independence nonsense - where has it got us in the end?

Worse was yet to come, when in 1976 'Commonwealth Day' was moved to March, thus losing its connection with the Empress of India. Well, I ask you, what have things come to? For me 24 May will always be Empire Day.

But let's leave politics aside, it's really not a suitable subject for nice women. Speaking of which, one has also been invited to read at the Women's tent at the Northern Pride Festival. Now that seems a splendid idea. We should all be proud - especially in this Jubilee year! - Aren't you all frightfully excited?

I have been knitting Union flags ever since January and will be stringing them up outside the house at the beginning of June. By then I hope my window boxes will all be blooming red white and blue, in spite of the very difficult weather we've been having.  I have also been teaching Jimmy to swim in time to the National Anthem, which he is managing quite well...

considering.