We had some full-scale sunshine today. Not for long,
but it was wonderful, even here indoors.
Helen came. We talked about driveways. I think she and David are going to consult an Edinburgh lawyer. I think that's a good idea.
I have reverted to thinking sourly about Mr Biden turning
down his invitation to the Coronation. It’s no use saying that it’s “not
traditional” for the US President to be there, when the last one was 70 years
ago and this one is untraditional in many respects. Sinn Fein will be
represented. That’s surely not traditional. If the King can do that, he who had a beloved uncle murdered by the IRA, Mr Biden can surely get over George
III.
And I also don’t much like the fact that Mrs Biden is
bringing a granddaughter along. If the Head of State didn’t want his ticket,
and if there was no one with any clout who wanted to come (Hillary?) I think it
would have been better for Jill to pitch up alone.
Knitting: oh, dear. I’ve picked up stitches. I’ve
counted and counted. I’m now trying to start the border pattern, and the first
side isn’t working. Too many stitches, apparently. I’ll return to the problem tomorrow.
Wordle; Another toughie, in my opinion. My starter
words yielded one brown vowel. I felt I was doing well to score five. Ketki was
another five. Everyone else did better. Thomas got three. Fours elsewhere. No
news from Roger yet.
If the neighbour is rarely there, and all that needs done is for the ditch to be cleared occasionally, just do when he’s not there. Puts the ball in his court to go to court to stop you. Imagine how silly he’s going to sound trying to persuade the Sheriff, who will deal with rural property cases every day, that the balance of convenience favours letting the drive flood rather than allowing you access to maintain his ditch for him.
ReplyDeleteFive for me, today, as well. Sunny, glorious May is here. At least for today!
ReplyDeleteJean, in a post last month you said that President Biden was "due" to attend the coronation because he a head of state. Perhaps examining that belief would relieve your upset over his nonattendance. Her late majesty was a long serving head of state. So if it is the duty of a head of state to attend the formal ceremonies for the installation of another head of state then surely she would have attended many, such ceremonies. Are you aware of her having attended any? I suspect not. On the other hand, her ambassadors did, in the US at least. It is an ambassador's role, not the head of state. Hope that thought helps.
ReplyDeleteThis argument is kind of murky because the King/Queen of England is mostly ceremonial (figurehead)) whereas the U.S. President is elected so there is no real equal parallel here (sorry, the most apt word eludes me here). So maybe Biden is within his rights…but somehow it just Feels mean-spirited, so I see Jean’s point. And bringing one’s granddaughter really reduces Jill’s presence to just a tourist jaunt. (Why doesn’t she just wrangle invites for her granddaughter and her parents to come separately). I find that diplomatically offensive. Chloe
ReplyDeleteThe word I was grasping for is Equivalent instead of “equal parallel” which made no sense. Chloe
ReplyDeleteI find the entire Biden issue a waste of breath. There more worthy topics to consider and the Biden episode will be in the past very soon. Charles is already King and the hoopla is costing money that could be better spent elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteweavinfool
Listen to a bit of the coverage this morning. No US president has ever attended any coronation in any country, and in fact, prior to this, no first lady has ever attended one either. President Biden talked to Charles and they will be meeting either before or after Biden's next trip to Europe. I'm not sure why you have taken such a dislike to President Biden.
ReplyDeleteGod save the King! Politically, a figurehead though it may be, culturally this institution bears the weight of history and all that it implies both good and bad, as well as keeping a very small country both relevant and more or less solvent through tourism and example (such as the steadfastness of Queen Elizabeth). Yes the cost is stunning but so is the cost proportionally speaking of many an American wedding, especially these days of destination ones. People spend money. It will always be. It’s more important that everyone is taught to invest in themselves. A whole topic in itself. (Think of what opportunities Oxford and Cambridge have given to the world to provide exactly that.) Having said all that the monarchy does seem to be waning and will either morph into something much smaller or dwindle into a collection of royal artifacts only seen in a museum. Until then, I am interested in what Charles through example and influence will bring to his long-awaited royal role. Chloe
ReplyDelete