Congratulations Your Majesty!

Official Diamond Jubilee Portrait

It's a funny thing but apparently if one is frantic busy  and never has time to watch the world news, let alone the BBC world news, you miss what's going on in the world. When my brilliant friend sent me a copy of the Daily Telegraph for February 18th, I realized that one's monarch had recently (February 6th) celebrated the date when 60 years ago she took the reigns of our kingdom upon the death of her father, Colin Firth (not really).

I believe that the hoopla that celebrates this epoch making event will take place on June 5-8 but it seemed a shame to me not to recognize the real date right here, even post de facto!

It was a really strange feeling to read an English newspaper though. I can't say that I have read an English newspaper in 13 years, or since I arrived here. I was blown away by how intelligently it was written (apologies for implied criticism of Austin American Statesman) and how much of a cultural nature I am missing out on by my mourned lack of proximity to London. Theater, galleries, museum collections, public lectures. Wow. I am impoverished by my inability to see any of them. But...who am I kidding? I work full time, drive 3 hours every day and have 3 children...AND as I have already told you, I don't have time to watch any news so it's highly unlikely that I would have time to do any of the cultural things I miss even if I was living in Bloomsbury with all of it on my doorstep!

So...I will continue to be virtually cultured and live it vicariously through the Internet and other publications. It's all good!

Off to a State Latin convention in San Antonio today after practicing for it for 3 months. Can't wait (for it to be over.)

next blog, I think we'll go royal! I've a renewed interest in the monarchy!

How to throw a Royal Wedding Party

Time to haul out the Union Jack bunting, send out the embossed invitations and show off the Emma Bridgewater china!

Kate and William are getting hitched and the children and I intend to hold a street party to celebrate the royal wedding!!

The last royal wedding that I remember celebrating was that of Charles and Di. Now THAT was a wedding! The dress! The ring! The Cathedral! Never mind the debacle it turned into. The event performance and all the accompanying jollities were a lot of fun! Loyal subjects camped out overnight along the processional route so that they could say they were there and for a chance to wave at our future monarch and his bride. Elsewhere there were community street parties with tea and cake and lemonade...and possibly something stronger although at age 11, I was not aware of that!

So how does a good English citizen in the U.S.A throw a royal wedding party for her closest Anglophile Texas friends?

#1: Handwritten invites. "Lord and Lady Long request the pleasure of your presence at a celebration of the marriage of Kate and William on April 29th 2011. Flowery dresses must be worn by ladies and something half way decent by any men brave enough to accompany their women."

#2: Beautiful and patriotic decorations - the aforementioned Union Jack bunting and lots and lots of red, white and blue paper chains and little flags to wave.

#3: Plenty of Veuve Cliquot for those who wish for something stronger than tea and cups of Earl Grey (obviously in your gorgeous Emma Bridgewater commemmorative cup as seen above!) for those driving home.

#4: Have one's humungous flat screen TV streaming in the Royal wedding live with loads of lace trimmed hankies at hand to delicately wipe one's eye as one weeps tears of envy that one savvy chick swiped a prince of the realm!

#5:Smashing eats such as smoked Scotch salmon, Russian salad, cucumber sandwiches and cake after blooming cake!

It's February. It was cold today and cheerless. We have 3 weeks until Spring Break. A girl has got to have something to look forward to! You'd better save the date and watch the mail for your party invitation!