Good morning everyone from the dark and dangerous north.
The wonder wheel of spatchcocked chicken and a decent Penderyn Madeira finish came in at another 4.8 this a.m. - they are giving them away.
It’s a hanging about, slobbing about, yet mile counting and map pondering sort of day today. A couple of motorcycle outings to plan for later in the year, each lasting about a week. So, with start and end of routes in mind; how many miles each day, sights to take in en route, places to stay each evening, secure parking, decent grub, fuel stops and who will be going? The oldest anniversary of note for 2020 (that I can find) is the 1,500th of the Kingdom of East Anglia (founded 520) - will that go into the plan? Mind you, in 1820 there were lots going on:
Black Beauty author Anna Sewell was born, as was Anne Brontë, the Crimean War’s Florence Nightingale, who kept a pet owl in the pocket of her apron, and Sir John Tenniel, ‘Alice in Wonderland’ illustrator — the evolution of this surreal tale will inform a V&A show (from June 27, 2020).
1820 also saw the accession of George IV, swiftly followed by the infamous trial of his wife, Queen Caroline. Revelations in the House of Lords, such as that the Queen employed a male exotic dancer (the witness even demonstrated a move or two) were relayed in twopenny papers — this was the first, but not the last, time that the demise of a royal marriage became public entertainment. The king lost the motion to divorce, but barred his wife from the Coronation and there was an embarrassing scene outside Westminster Abbey when she turned up. Another scandal, the Cato Street Conspiracy, was exposed in 1820; those plotting to murder the Cabinet were the last in England to be decapitated post hanging. In the same year, naturalist Sir Joseph Banks died and the Tweed’s Union Chain Bridge — then the world’s longest wrought-iron suspension bridge at 449ft — closed the gap between England and Scotland, hopefully not to be widened again any time soon.
Anyhow, have a wonderful day if you can; good to see your smiling face
@Cumberland , hardcore vamp teeth filing
@SaskiaKC (ouch!), more wonderful art work, must grab some koffy.
