Wonderful England Makes Me Swoon with Joy!

Even Carole might knock her head

Wonderful England Makes Me Swoon with Joy!

We went to the animal sanctuary in Godmanchester today. I had received a positive reply to my enquiry about Dusty, the little Bantam cockerel. We are going for a trial adoption in the hope that he stops the bickering among our seven hens. Especially where a fiery matriarch hen is concerned.

We put the paperwork in and he has a course of treatment for louse on the 26th October. Then we can collect him on Sunday 30th. Everything was in order and we paid him a little visit before going back to the car. He sounded off with a cockle doodle doo, which was encouraging from our point of view. He did not sound as loud as some of the bigger roosters. In fact, I doubt the neighbours would be able to hear him. We are semi rural anyway. The opposite side of the lane is all farm land right up to the River Nene.

We hope little Rusty will settle in among the hens and bring a harmony to the ladies of the coop. They are Rhode Island Reds and much bigger than he is. However, he lives with Rode Island hens in the sanctuary and he has proved he can stand his ground with them.

On the drive back we stopped in the town for a coffee. It was very picturesque and we wandered along the river into the high street. There were many old houses with thatched rooves from around four and five hundred years ago. They looked very quaint indeed.

Carole and I had a little wander about and a walk along the river bank. We decided Godmanchester was a very agreeable place indeed. We do love our little slice of England.

England, England, My lovely England - An Afternoon in Saint Ives Cambridgeshire.

The Market Place

I got out of the shower feeling refreshed. Its Bank Holiday Monday and I have another two days off after this. Carole is pottering about the garden and I know she likes a little trip out to one of the various hamlets or towns. We often drive to Norfolk along the coastal roads. However Lincolnshire and Huntingdon are also right on the door step.

I asked her where she would like to go, and she replied her usual. "I don't know."

That means she wants me to make a choice, but she definitely wants to have a drive out somewhere. No problem. I know she has been singing the praises of Saint Ives. Its a market town with a river running through it and is only about thirty minuets drive along country roads.

Off we set, with some aplomb, towards the shire of Huntingdon within Cambridgeshire as is our Fenlands. Along the way we chatted about this and that and in no time at all we were entering the old town of Saint Ives. 

I was surprised to see the market stools out in great force, though most of the shops were closed for the Bank Holiday. Still it was bustling and we had a look around and bought a few bits and bobs. 

As we came out of the market place and went along the side streets we came to the picturesque river and its old stone bridge. What a pleasant little hamlet Saint Ives is. We had an enjoyable few hours wandering about the place before driving back to our own little Fenland hamlet of March. Here we went out and had a few beers in a pub.

The bridge today

How it was in the late 17th and early 18th Centuary

Gardens with a view

The old stone bridge arches look great

Much of the hamlet has the old world feel

Saint Ivers strolling home from market

An old office upon the bridge

House by the bridge

The tea rooms by the river

The river was once bustling but is more modest today

The place is full of old nooks and crannies

Built in 1502 this pub has seen a few customers over its 514 years of trade.

Away from the stool market 

Towards the stools

Some of the back streets

The river moving out of the town

Swans and Gulls scrounging for scraps

England 3 Slovenia 1 - Euro Qualifers

I sat down on the Saturday night to watch England play against Slovenia. In European football, there are not many easy games anymore and Slovenia are worthy opponents in this day and age. They have a good side with some high quality players. 

The game started and Slovenia packed out the defence and managed to frustrate England all through the first half, denying England a shot on target. I have to say that Slovenia looked like a side waiting for an opportunity to exploit - not some low grade side playing on chance. They seemed like they had a game plan, which appeared could work. The longer England came up against that brick wall, the more frustrated they would get. However, England remained calm and plugged away doggedly to the first half whistle. Both sides left for the dressing room at 0-0.

The football panel had Ian Wright, Lee Dixon (former England players) Also Glen Hoddle - a former England manager. They spoke of the lacklustre first half and Lee Dixon gave due credit to Slovenia for the defencive way they contained England. Glen Hoddle rightly pointed out that England would have to become more creative because Slovenia would get at least one chance in the game - maybe more. We could get caught on a counter and Slovenia looked like a side with that skill.

The second half started with a little more positive assertiveness from England and the began to get closer to testing Slovenia's goalkeeper. However, Slovenia also looked more adventurous and seemed to have a different outlook for the second half too. They managed an attack and caught England when England defender, Jorden Henderson deflected the ball into his own net giving Slovenia a 1-0 lead. It was as Glen Hoddle predicted. The law of averages decreed that a side of Slovenia's worth would create chances. They did and capitalised on some sloppy England defending.

Fortunately, almost straight away from the centre kick, England's Wayne Rooney got the ball and dribbled into the Slovenian penalty box and was brought down. The skipper scored from the spot kick and levelled at 1-1. Slovenia's lead had lasted less then two minuets. Suddenly England looked more invigorated and they began to pile pressure upon the deflated Slovenia side. What followed were more chances from which, came two more goals, from Danny Wellbeck.

I thought the result was a good one and it did take the goal to liven England up. However, I think the lacklustre first half was also due to Slovenia packing out the defence. Other opponents in this group have tried the same thing. To Slovenia's credit, they did well in the first half, but in the second they tried to come out and be more creative. They managed to steal a goal, but lost the opportunity to stay ahead very quickly. It was certainly that old cliche about a game of two halves.

Nigel Farage - Polish TV interview (21/07/2012)

I do want the UK to stay in the EU, but I'm beginning to worry that if pro-Euro minded politicians do not try and sort some of the EU Parliament's short comings out, then there could be an exit for the UK. I'm pro-EU and British, but I must now admit that I'm in the minority of my countrymen. If abiding by democracy of this nations state; I think the UK would leave the EU at this moment in time. The clock is ticking and there seems to be no gain for pro-Euro Brits. Much of what Nigel Farage says is correct, but his solution to abandon the European Union would be a very sad course for us Brits in the long run.

 

Eleanor of Aquitaine 1124 - 1204 (Queen of France then Queen of England)

Eleanor of Aquitaine

Eleanor of Aquitaine is a lady much favoured by historians and is an iconic figure of the middle ages. She lived a long and eventful life that was full of intrigue and subterfuge. Most learned people would agree she was no faint-hearted lady and had a strong instinct for survival.

Eleanor was born in the year of 1124 and became the Duchess of Aquitaine at the age of just 15. This made her extremely wealthy and powerful in her own right. Many men of noble birth, in Middle Age Europe, wanted the hand of Eleanor, but this young lady would never come to cheap. Most wealthy men of the age did not have enough power to attract the young Duchess of Aquitaine. The young joint king of France, Louis VII ruled with his father Louis VI. This rising king would soon have the full inheritance of a kingdom – a rich and powerful one. Eleanor married the young royal and gave him two daughters.

She became involved with her husband on the second crusade. Louis VII and the German King Conrad III joined their armies and with other European supporters led a combined Christian army against the Muslims of the Middle East. As the Army travelled south through the Balkans and into the Holy Lands they were met by a force of Turks and defeated in battle. The survivors of the Christian force included King Louis VII of France and King Conrad III of Germany. They managed to reach Jerusalem. The second Crusade was a disaster and when it was over Louis VII and Eleanor wanted to dissolve their marriage on the grounds of consanguinity. This meant their family lines were too closely intertwined and brought their close ancestry into question.

The annulment was congenial and granted. Eleanor’s two daughters were left in the care of King Louis VII of France. Eleanor regained her province of Aquitaine and within weeks she was married to a man nine years her junior. He was a young Duke of Normandy called Henry – heir to the throne of England. Two years later Henry was proclaimed King Henry II of England. Now Eleanor was Queen of a rich kingdom for the second time. She was Queen of England in 1154 – near or at thirty years of age with a twenty-one-year-old husband. She bore Henry II eight children, five boys and three daughters. She would give birth ten times during her lifetime.

Eleanor had many domestic disputes with her husband (King Henry II) but I can’t help feeling there must have been some passion and attraction to one another to produce so many children. It seems like a compelling love-hate relationship.

The first of the five sons died but young Prince Henry, the second son, survived to grow to manhood along with three other brothers – Richard, Geoffrey, and John.

The young son Prince Henry was made a co-ruling King alongside his father Henry II. The son was never proclaimed Henry III but was recognised as a joint ruler, Young King Henry. His mother Queen Eleanor (Eleanor of Aquitaine) hoped for more than just a consolation title for her son. This was as far as things went for young Henry and he would have no real authority which frustrated him. Young Henry got involved in a plot to oust King Henry II. He acquired the support of some disgruntled nobleman and with his mother Eleanor’s blessing, rebelled. He might have won, but for his father (Henry II) getting supported by his English Lords. Most of the today’s northern France was ruled by the Norman king too and in this day England was a kingdom province ruled from Normandy – the heart of the Norman Empire.

Also, King Henry II managed to capture Eleanor, his wife and queen, forcing his young son to come to terms with him. Henry II anger and distrust of his wife Eleanor were so inflamed that he had her imprisoned on her estate – his picked guards keeping watch on her from 1173 to 1189. Over the years the two had grown apart and the plotting against each other had finally spread among their children.

Young joint regent King Henry would never become full king of England. Ten years later he rebelled again and campaigned against his father King Henry II and his younger brother Richard the Lionheart. Young Richard would become King Richard I in 1189. The young joint king died of dysentery in 1183 at the age of twenty-eight.

When King Henry II died in 1189 at the age of fifty-six and the third son, Richard, was proclaimed King Richard I of England. He immediately had his mother Eleanor of Aquitaine released from her confinement. She was now sixty-five years of age and had been in captivity for sixteen years.

Her third son, Richard I, gave her real power and made her Queen Dowager and regent while he went away on the Third Crusade.

Eleanor of Aquitaine outlived the reign of her third son Richard I. He died in 1199. Eleanor finally died during the reign of her youngest son King John of England in the year of 1204 at the age of 81. She outlived all of her children save for King John. Despite being Queen of France and later Queen of England; Eleanor is best remembered as Eleanor of Aquitaine. A lady that married two kings and played a prominent role in Anglo-French history.