It's the long weekend in London, ostensibly to celebrate the Queen's diamond jubilee. Almost every person I know is away, including V (4 day dash to India). It's brilliant for most people, taking advantage of the four day weekend and half term next week. Most people have made a proper getaway of it.
The ones who stayed are all soaking wet standing by the Thames this afternoon watching the flotilla of a 1000 boats on the Thames to mark the day. Its been endless dripping showers since last night. Kid and I stayed home and watched the watery parade on TV, alternating with the French Open while playing with trains and doing endless craft things. And marvelling (not) at the constant rain.
But we aren't always this curmudgeonly. Yesterday we went to a jubilee celebration BBQ lunch in a friends backyard. There was bunting, flags, colour coordinated crockery, cutlery and napkins and two desserts artfully made to look like the flag and a ship with the queen on it. Also loads of BBQ'ed meats and vegetables, coronation chicken, pimms punch, strawberries and champagne. We had a brilliant time even though it was quite windswept and the sun came out for exactly 45 seconds the entire afternoon.
In the run up to this weekend there have been a swathe of specially commissioned TV programmes and series about various monarchy related things. Some of these have been quite splendid - like the ones on each of the queens palaces. What I have discovered about myself though is that while I am deeply interested in the history of this and other countries I am not a royalist. So while I'm happy she is having her jubilee I am not committed enough to attend street parties or stand by the Thames waiting for her royal yatch to go by. I'll happily take the four day weekend, though in my world everyday is a working day (looking after a small child) or a holiday (looking after a small child) depending on whom you ask.
Happy jubilee (apparently that is the appropriate form of greeting).
