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Friday 4 July 2014

For Fun Monday July 7th

Fun Monday for July 7th: 
What makes you glad to live in the country you live in? If you celebrated the 4th (USA), you can include a picture of that as well. We're feeling patriotic for this Fun Monday!

First I hope all my friends across the pond have a wonderful time of joyous celebration!

Next, returning to dearest Sara's topic and the question of gladness.

I have been mulling this over all day and finally decided that dear Olde England makes me glad, for its quirkiness and eccentricity. Not the numerous wise-guys of the twenty-first, or even twentieth centuries; but those that went before. 
Please note it is England not any of the other parts of the British Isles. 

Today's set of countries (apart from Ireland, which has the most gladness inspiring capital city, Dublin), are like toddlers always squabbling. 

The English language in particular makes me glad. No other Western country has seen language grow and morph like England. 

At present, I'm reading some books written in the 19th century (for pleasure). 

" Like some tall cliff, which rears its awful form, 
High o'er the vale and midway leaves the storm; 
Though clouds and tempests round its breast be spread, 
Eternal sunshine settles on its head."

Hulbert, Charles Augustus, 1804-1888. Annals of the church and parish of Almondbury, Yorkshire (Kindle Locations 196-199). London, Longmans. 

What a great description of England!

From another book

"Feb. 15. Thomas Tilsye and Ursula Russel were maryed; and because the sayde Thomas was and is naturally deafe, and also dumbe, so that the order of the form of marriage used usually amongst others, which can heare and speake, could not for his parte be observed. 

After the approbation had from Thomas, the Bishoppe of Lincolne, John Chippendale, doctor in law, and commissarye, as also of Mr. Richd. Davye, then Mayor of the town of Leicester, with others of his brethren, with the rest of the parishe, the said Thomas, for the expressing of his mind instead of words, of his own accord used these signs : 
first, he embraced her with his arms, and took her by the hand, putt a ring upon her finger, and layde his hande upon his hearte, and then upon her hearte, and held up his handes toward heaven. 
And to show his continuance to dwell with her to his lyves ende, he did it by closing of his eyes with his handes, and digginge out of the earth with his foote, and pullinge as though he would ring a bell, with diverse other signes."


Cox, J. Charles (John Charles), 1843-1919. The parish registers of England (Kindle Locations 1697-1698). London Methuen. 

Today I have been glad that our unruly weather has behaved itself, showing the West Riding countryside at its best as the Tour de France rushes pell-mell.

Another thing to be glad about it the lack of nasty creepy-crawlies. Unless one ventures into the wilds of the farthest south-west, there are no dangerous beasties. 






2 comments:

Sayre said...

I love this. The lure of England and Wales tempts me. Not only have I family there, but I fit in rather nicely. I have a fantasy of moving there once all the parents are gone and the boy is launched.

I have a love/hate relationship with the USA and Florida in particular. It is where I was born, where I grew up and where I live now and were it not for the aforementioned limitations, I would be out of here and somewhere north in a heartbeat.

The US has it's strong points, freedom to express yourself and move about the country are topmost. There are places where people are not discriminated because of religion or color or sex, but honestly, they are not as numerous as you'd be led to believe. The LAW says that discrimination cannot happen, but it does - and paid wages point that out quite loudly.

Oops - getting off my soap box now. I loved your post!

joanygee said...

Thank you Sayre, much obliged. You certainly found a warm welcome when you came over here.