To Love, Comfort, Honor and...

In every land -- royalty or no -- the people need and deserve some special, joyous,

celebratory occasion which brings a cheerful smile to the face, an encouraging song

to the heart and which in a quite real and uplifting way says: Time Out.

All the hoo-hah over the royal wedding doesn't float my boat, but I sure do agree with lotlot's positive perspective of it ......and that will carry the day or me.

I just might be enough to put our troubles on 'pause' for a while and that is a very good thing.

I like the digital age...speed dating, microwaving,(yes, that pizza cheese is molten hot!),and yes, when it comes to obey/diobey, you can always blame software error....("sorry Honey...I didn't mean to lose that file")...just think of this: a paper clip instead of a wedding ring   (You Mac people will have to trust me on this)...and just think, if it doesnt work out, you end it by start

This might be a good time to examine: pre·ten·tious/priˈtenCHəs/
Adjective: Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.
If only to see if its un applies.

With little confidence but great hope, I wish the royal couple a long, peaceful and happy union.
Imagine though, a life with no anonymity or privacy... shudder.

At a public pissoir trough behind a Burger King tent and barely hidden by shrubbery (one could see and be seen over it while attending to business), a famous, tall, blond and blue-eyed actor suavely declined the outstretched hand of a besotted and indiscreet fan.
"Sorry old fellow, I seem to have a whopper in one hand... and a burger in the other."

I wonder if our six-year old grandson will be up early in Manhattan watching the wedding.
His parents met in England, he has people there and has already been (long e's if you please) over more than once.
He called last evening to sing You've Got A friend In Me to his slightly misty grandparents.
I love imagining the world through his bright blue eyes.

I,personally,will not be watching in real time(sur-real time?)...and,sad to say, would not tivo this if I had the chance.  No, not this boy(remember, I still have to sit at the kid's table)because I know, there will be a play-by-play,complete with telestrations,(just as if Maddon was  Blackwell),and every possible critic,of every possible stripe,will try to make their own'Stripe' by their witty,spontaneous,original(?)comments....any bets as to how many days/replays, there will be in total?  I think I will sneak a grid into the bar in thesepia club car..(there are gaming rules that prohibit the use of the coin operated mirror to accept bets,across State lines..)

By the by...and all kidding aside, if you know of someone displaced by this storm,and we can arrange their arrival,I have a spare bedroom.  Also, I have a lot of my dear Pinky's clothes,suitable for actual office work(she did,you know)...I am currently splitting my time between being semi-retired(that means only working 10 hour days)and elder care...Mom,93,lives with me. So, if you know of someone wiped out in that terrible tragic storm, here is a place of safe harbor, and food,and clothes,and a dog,and my Mom...My door is open.....

Road Yacht~ You are a diamond.

Watching  the  Brits  put  on  a  world  class  wedding,   I  cannot  help  but  think  that  even  in  today's  cynical  and  difficult  times  there's  room  to  formalize  a  belief  in  a  simple,  spiritual,  traditional  future.....for  the  couple,  and  for  all  who  continue  to  believe  in  happy  endings.

The Lutheran Branch of WELS will NOT take out the word Obey from the marriage Ceremony. The belief in it is of not only that you behave for your husband, but the also the fact that you will bring up you're family to Obay the Churches Teachings.  WELS is the Strictest fo the 3 "branches" of the Lutheran Religion in the fact that its Litergy and belief doctrines tend to be a bit more "Out Dated" in today's :modern" world. Altho maybe it's a good thing, maybe it keeps people grounded.....      

Ladies is anyone else disapointed that she has a Ripped Off design of Grace Kelly's Gown? and where are the Flowers?... I am so Disapointed.. I can try on that gown already at the local bridal shop.... I guess I still expected/wanted a bit the pagentry and royalness to this overly hyped affair.... Well at leasts the guests Hats were worth getting up at 3am for.. The Gown certainly wasn't...   :-(  

Saw 10 mins of the wedding so far, while having dinner. Enough for me, sorry.

Last article on left, referring to the satirical group Chasers War on Everything -am glad they were banned as it would likely have left a bad taste. They are very funny though, very cheeky, absolutely audacious. Did anyone see the trick they pulled at a high security APEC meeting in Sept 2007? It went viral....  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3zKuLgH_l8

On wifely subservience, I love this joke:

Barbara Walters, of 20/20, did a story on gender roles in Kabul, Afghanistan several years before the Afghan conflict. She noted that women customarily walked five paces behind their husbands. She recently returned to Kabul and observed that women still walk behind their husbands.

Despite the overthrow of the oppressive Taliban regime, the women now seem to, and are happy to, maintain the old custom.

Ms. Walters approached one of the Afghani women and asked, "Why do you now seem happy with an old custom that you once tried so desperately to change?"

The woman looked Ms. Walters straight in the eyes, and without hesitation said, "Land Mines." 

Well I have just loved it. The abillity to participate in a moment of history--no matter what your own personal take on it is is priceless!. The thought of being at a party with billions of people all over the world has been great, the production is flawless. Every little detail--and I also love her dress and most of all her impish grin. Bittersweet to remember watching Charles & Diana's wedding in much the same way but it was before I came to have such an immense respect for Queen Elizabeth. oh to have been a fly on her wall all these years.

RoadYacht---you are a Prince as well as a Gentleman. Many of express our concerns and commiserations, you have simply opened the door to your home andyour heart. As my kids say, and seems appropriate today, you rule!

Well I have just loved it. The abillity to participate in a moment of history--no matter what your own personal take on it is is priceless!. The thought of being at a party with billions of people all over the world has been great, the production is flawless. Every little detail--and I also love her dress and most of all her impish grin. Bittersweet to remember watching Charles & Diana's wedding in much the same way but it was before I came to have such an immense respect for Queen Elizabeth. oh to have been a fly on her wall all these years.

RoadYacht---you are a Prince as well as a Gentleman. Many of express our concerns and commiserations, you have simply opened the door to your home andyour heart. As my kids say, and seems appropriate today, you rule!

Even a pickle-faced old cynic is obliged to admit that, apart from the attractive bride and groom, it would be worth watching for horses alone but then, there are also the excited, beaming faces of the children lining the route... and they seem all to be children today.

On just about the last school day in June of 1953, our third grade class filed over to the home of one of our classmates to watch the coronation of QE ll.
Some knelt, some squatted and the rest of us stood quietly in tiers according to height before a small black and white TV set.
Whatever joy the event might have held was tempered by the fact that it followed close upon the death and funeral of King George Vl which we had heard of and seen in newsreels.
Even to kids, he looked to have been shown across at a sadly non-old age.
If you haven't seen The King's Speech, you really should.

Such a big deal today for the British. Tomorrow, they can get back to crabbing about how expensive the monarchy is to maintain.

ChefDeb~ Your computer had a Bert-burp! He's even sent in triplicate! It always makes me laugh like somebody farted in Church. Maybe because it makes me feel better about not being "good" at computers.
On weddings - the promise to love and chersish is not a needy, selfish demand - it's a promise of two-way traffic. The simplest things like puting out the trash for the garbage collection in the pouring rain are an act of love. Being bored out of your mind taking the kids to some event. Being the hero (me) that gets a bat out othe bedroom while spouse is hiding under duvet and NOT laughing at them. It's avoiding carping criticism that undermines the other's self-esteem. It's really enjoying coffee served to you in bed in the morning and saying out loud "Thankyou" that was lovely - even if it was vile!

JaxZ & Park4 ~
It has been gnawing at me trying to remember a comment by Connor the Easter boy: "How big was that rock?" And...

From our Department of Small but not Insignificant Senior Accomplishments: I remembered to remove the scoop from the bottom of the dog food bin before dumping in the 40# bag of chow.

PaoloS, I yield this once to you for superior clip-searching.  I am looking for a segment from Blackadder Goes Forth, the episode about painting, where Blackadder compares a newspaper to the French Wedding Service.  I know you can find it, but I have ectual work to do today.  Molto G,              willie.

"..the greatest work of fiction since vows of fidelity were included in the French wedding service"

I count myself as one of the many who enjoyed all the pageantry and stateliness of the wedding this morning.  It was well done with dignity and decorum and many many nods to tradition.  It's wonderful when so many onlookers in the streets and parks can enjoy it and feel like a member of the party, as so many said they did.  Every nation needs occassions from time to time when happiness and good feeling abound--even if it is just for a few hours before all return to their normal demeanor.   And as intrusive as those cameras can be into their private lives I was grateful today that they allowed us a close up  look at everything in the Abbey.  How fun to see the serious faces of young choristers singing their hearts out.

Watching the reruns of the big wedding. No, I did not get up early enough to see the original in real time - not that much obsessed with the royals. However, alway glad to see a beautiful sight, ceremony, handsome men in uniforms, sleek horses, open carriages, red carpets, glowing faces, and people who seem to be in love making life commitments. Happy for them, and have hope that their lives will be satisfying in spite of the popping flashes, tabloids, ever-present security guards, and demands of the royal condition.
 
No, I did not have expectations of Kate's dress, but did hope it would be somehow "different" and it is about as traditional as they get, nevertheless, stately, modest, and beautiful. I would not give up the right to have house servants, as she has, and she may change her mind, once she sees all that is expected of her new status! Wishing blessings of faith, hope, and love on them.  Very elegant and well-done, kids!  That's all.

PAOLOS:  As I thought, and mentioned to you yesterday ... my Folks in Rome not only wanted to avoid the inclement weather up in their area, but have gone down to Savannah Beach for the celebration/Fund Raiser called, "The Turtle Trot"  ... held each year to help the survival of the Sea Turtles ... Their Nesting Season begins, as do the frivolities, Tomorrow ... And for all of you who need a change, the Pro-Am Beach Volleyball Tournament will be on for the 21st. of May, a day after the Annual Beach Bum Parade ... Well worth it ... You can find my Folks at the DeSoto Beach Hotel, and mee too, if I can possibly get away ... Such Athleticism, in full Display, should not be missed if at all possible, and it is a Great way to get out of the nasty weather ....... Who knew Volleyball would become such an interesting Sport !!!

Sorry to be a wet blanket on the humor of  The Chasers stunt at APEC, but to me, the terrorism situation is so dire that it is not a proper subject for jokes and humor. I was quite unhappy with the video (which I had never seen til Spring put it up here), of the impersonators getting a fake motorcade deeply into the "security" of the high level international meeting. Such tomfoolery ranks with treason in my mind, not comedy. Too many have died because of security breaches for it to be funny. Not my cup of tea. :-(

"plays well with others...works with minimum
supervision"
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsE1WqZBGmM

The first Book of Common Prayer was Thomas Cramner's creation in 1549.  Since when is that the Middle Ages?  Sorry Eye, but by the time old Thomas began that writting the Reformation was well under way.  It's therefore not the "obey" that bothers  me; it's the history.

Whether we say obey or not doesn't really matter to me - to promise anything - like honor, comfort and love can not be promised. If a man or woman changes during a life time of marriage  -  both bride and groom have to accept the behavior and become victims of each other to keep their vow and promise.  Couples who taking their vows are not always what they appear to be - and deceive themselves as well others.  When we are in love - we are truly blind - it is more our needs that blinds us - to be ONE and be safe and protected by the other is what we believe is the bond of love. 
 
We can not be one and we can not be protected in this world - there is no security to protect us from our fate; therefore fate should keep us alert at all times - no one can protect us from that.  We have to be ready for fate - we can not fight fate  - fate has no mercy it will separates us even if we are entwined by breaking our chains with its iron claws.  We can not promise to love, honor and obey FOREVER- only for the MOMENT when we take the vow.  This is the reality of life - tomorrow is always a surprise - the moment of the day is the only guarantee we have to appreciate that we are truly alive and feeling love for others and ourselves as well. 
 
We can promise to love and honor and obey just for that minute when we stand at the altar and the symbolic bond - the ring - glides gently on to the beautiful bride's finger with a smille from the groom who felt for that moment complete and bonded to his beloved bride.

IVAN ~ I hope they are able to get out of there before hurricane season
begins.  Isn't beach volleyball a Summer Olympic sport?

Obey? What's the big deal? I've done it, or faked it, for just short of fifty years.

Having spent the previous night short changed for
sleep, I crashed. I did send my best wishes along with my regrets. I hope my
absence was not considered a slight by the royal couple.  
 
Yesterday, I drove twenty miles north to work and
another twenty back expecting to see extensive storm damage.  There did not
appear to be one leaf or limb out of place along the roadway or in any of the
yards or fields that I passed, no power lines down, no tousled yard ornaments,
absolutely nothing out of place.  When I arrived home, at dinner, my daughter
informed me that a tree had fallen into our neighbor's yard. It crushed  a
section of fence but could have been worse had it fallen in any other
direction.  It will be a good source of firewood this winter.  Given the
extensive path of the storms, the indiscriminate path of severe damage and total
destruction is to me a harrowing thought. 
 
I am thankful that friends, family and all here are
unscathed.  I pray for those who were not so fortunate. 
 
 
 
On topic...
There is nothing wrong with a little pomp, ceremony
and extravagance.  The gods expect it as do those who rule by divine right e.g.
congressmen, mayors, city council, CEOs.  Nothing wrong with it atall.  Nothing
wrong with a Ball Park frank and a Bud for that matter...I know this may sound
more pretentious than a simple hot dog and a beer...but for those amongst us
with discriminating tastes there are certain standards that we must
recognize.  Mustn't we?

I don't remember whether I said "obey" or not...but we each did as Stoney describes.

P ~
I thought discrimination was outlawed back in the sixties.

Ironic that on a day when the pagean-tree is shaken in honor of marriage, our turbaned friend, Hindu Stan, (actually, he's a Sikh but where's the humor in that?) met at what was once The Tudor House (If I were making this up, it would have been Windsor) coffee shop where, by pushing two tables together, he was able to accommodate all of his former wives who cared to show up for a nice visit and to settle some nagging legal matters that threaten his liberty.

Instead of "obey" maybe they should put in "cooperate, compromise, and coordinate." the values of "getting along" for the sake of peace under the same roof, and presenting a untied parental front to the children seem to be more important than spousal obeying.

Moose--Di & Charles and so many others did present an "untied" parental front---better for them if they'd done as you intended and been united.  Aren't typos fun?

PAOLOS:  It is a Local Event on Tybee, held every year since Bikinis were invented ... Very much a Family Gathering tho' ... since they passed an Ordinance against anything that says, "Chew Along Dotted Line ..." .......
 
Punch up, TybeeIsland.com and you can get a full List .......

They should leave well enough alone.  Obey should be left in,  No need to change a word!
 
And as for today's wedding....welll, all I can say is, I love those hats, ladies!  Do you think Prince Andrew was embarassed by his daughters' display of attitude with their choice of hats? 
 
And the $64,000 question....What does the Queen carry in her purse?  Her ID?  Her cell phone?  What?????? 

I've read before that the Queen's purse is her semaphore--she uses it to discreetly message her courtiers.  Sometimes she's telling them to rid her presence of present company ASAP and they know it by her purse signals.  Or just that she's ready to leave the room and they direct everyone to attention and pave the way.

I've just watched some of the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on YouTube.  Very sweet, and very much like young couples everywhere, filled with love, hope and anticipation.  Now they head into what must be one of the oddest lifestyles in the world, that of the British Royal Family, opening shopping centers, leading charity drives, showing up for public displays, etc.  Except for the Queen, none has a real job or the opportunity to explore his or her own talents or dreams.
I think the British do pomp and ceremony better than anyone else on the world.  The whole show surrounding the wedding was magnificent, and perhaps for a moment the world stopped and watched.  While it is irrelevant to my personal life, it was a good show.  I hope more of it shows up on YouTube as is the wedding of Charles and Diana.
I will disagree about the use of the word "obey" in wedding vows.  That is from the days when women were considered property, and I hope those are long gone or soon to disappear.  In Europe and America the use of "obey" would be an atavism.

When she changes arms it means bring me someone else to talk to, when she actually puts her purse on the floor, it means remove this beast. Or so I've heard. Hazel probably knows much better.

When she places the purse on her head it means she is being a silly regent or else someone has piked the spunch.

EADutton ~
Re: The 64K question: A 9mm Glock, two cans of Red Bull, a pint of Jim Beam and 20 £ in walking around money.

Nope!  Kleenex!

I could not care less to watch the wedding, but, bowing to popular pressure,and staying in the British theme, I attempted to eat breakfast with a stiff upper lip....dribbled oatmeal down the front of my shirt

Being the boss of so many for such a long time,
when I overhear the phrase You aren't the boss of me, it gets my
hackles up. Especially when it is directed to a senior employee who is not
necessarily a boss by a neophyte who knows it all.  I don't expect blind
obedience unless there is imminent harm or a life threatening situation
involved.  Being the boss of so many for such a
long time, I welcome dissension, contradiction, contrariness.  It makes for a
lively and spirited workplace.  It encourages creativity.  When I overhear the
phrase I wouldn't do that if I were you followed by
You aren't the boss of me and that is followed by
something akin to a mild electric shock and an I told you
so, I will chuckle and move along to the next row of
contrariness.
 
 

At home it's another story, it is a story of almost Biblical
proportion.
 
Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you. 

Thus spake the Lord of Genesis.  How, I ask, are you supposed to argue with
that? 
Don't think for a minute, that I didn't just now hear someone
say, I wouldn't do that if I were
you.

I thought that Cate Blanchett would have been better suited in the roll of Queen today.... Strike that, make that Helen Mirren.

I wonder why the royal males have to dress up in outfits that make them look like circus Ringmasters or tuba players in a high school band. Maybe it's the peacock thing..... They get to wear all the colours and strut around.

Other than that, I do appreciate traditions...... But maybe take it down a notch or two.......

Do you think they will all do the chicken dance at the reception?

Back to mowing the lawn. Peace out

Peter Lake---At brother Harry's "after party" they are likely to get up to doing most anything--maybe even the Chicken Dance! Under the disco balls and before their bacon sandwiches........

If y'all are talking about removing the word, OBEY from the Womens' Oath in a Wedding Ceremony ... Do not ever expect to find it missing, or to find such a modification, in a Truly Orthodox Rite ... Not Orthodox Jew, not Russian Orthodox, nor Greek Orthodox either .......  A little Sects Education will teach you that the Ultra-Orthodox practitioners of Faith, will NOT tamper with what they know to be the Word of God, no matter what Congress says is Politically Correct ...
 
I hear the standard argument coming ... Go ahead ... but I refuse to respond ever again ... the first ten thousand Responses were a total waste of time, and I have no reason to believe that another attempt would do any more than kill about an hour in the effort ... I am going to grab a Coldbeer and go back out in the Shop, to play ... rebuilding a 1957 Rochester Fuel Injection System on a Corvette .......

STONEY ~ Why 2 cans?  And why is it that you and RY are the only two answering EA's what's in the queen's purse question?  What qualifications do the two of you have?  What experience? What purse of your own have either of you ever stocked for a royal wedding?
I am not even going to ask RY why kleenex.

& before you ask...yes I did have a martini or two with lunch...but I didn't gulp.

Her Majesty's purse?...... it's gonna be a long day so I'd vote for a flask of peppermint schnapps, Bean-o, Juicy Fruit gum, and her house keys....

Paolos~My Mom is 93, and a half box of the aforementioned paper product is standard, funny enough,it is also tucked into sleeves, and some times an errant one is found,in little tiny shreds,inside the clothes dryer,and all the clothes....I wonder if it tickles the socks as they all spin around.....

I have an early memory,(I bet it may be a common occourance here,too) of Mom digging in her purse for that little crumpled one,moistend by her own sweet mouth,and used to wipe a smudge from my young face....

Ah yes, the ti mar-two-ni lunch... and it's a European man bag wise guy.

The blessings of marvelous mates do not always fall upon the deserving and for that, I am grateful.
This guy? Not so much, but the song says it all:

http://youtu.be/6dJz8xY0gvI

RY ~ I have that memory also.  It would have frightened a less stalwart
lad, but when the sweet lady crossed the street just to wipe the smudge from my
face, it was as if it were my own dear mother.  I didn't know it was your mom,
but I will be eternally grateful to her.  I think she slicked down my cowlick
too.
 
Maybe there was a third martini involved, sometimes
I lose count.

I am off a little early this weekend, for a well needed rest ... I have just concluded flawlessly rebuilding a 1957 Rochester Fuel Injection System, that is on a 327ci Chevy Engine, that has been shoehorned into a '57 Corvette ... Only reason I took the job is because this is my Favorite Corvette of all time ...
 
Anyway ... I Wish All The Villagers a Marvelous Weekend !!!  Be Safe, Be Healthy, Be Well !!!
 
Y'all have a Marvelous time and do whatever it is that makes you happy, and let work slide till Monday !!!  It will all still be there ... Trust me .......
 
Those of you suffering inclement weather, I declare it to be so that y'all will all be just fine, and all of those who are meaningful to you too, !!!
 
 
To The Tribe:   GOOD  SHABBOS !!!
 
I Wish You All a Shabbos of Joy, of Peace, and Marvelous Rest .......
 
May Our Rest Be Pleasing Unto The Lord .......
 
Blessings,
 
 
IVAN

 You are sunshine old freind... prosper and know joy.

IVAN Good Shabbos and Blessings to you and yours...

STONEY ~ Even if it's not a red convertible wouldn't that Corvette look great with TMBWITW at the wheel? I bet she would ride that passing lane all the way back from Texas.

Up there on the parental advice, it was supposed to be a "united front" as parents, and as Carol pointed out, the "UN -tied " parents do not do so well in rearing kids most of the time.
 
In the Queen's purse I'd expect to find the red phone, tissues, face powder, lipstick, and the color wheel for her next totally color-coordinated outfit! Wonder if she dyes the underwear to match the shoes, hat, gloves, purse, and suit!?  Maybe a little discreet flask, too!  Bet she does not attend the party Harry is throwing for the younger wedding party gang tonight.  She could be that motherly lady that cleaned up your face.

Garp climbed inside my head this afternoon and spoke, "I have nothing but sympathy for how people behave-and nothing but laughter to console them with...Laughter is my religion." I forsook royal wedding voyeurism for the splendor of late April and May & once again tis strawberry season and Kinky Friedman is back in town on Monday and I wonder if William will sing Kinky's classic "Get your biscuits in the oven and your buns in the bed" to his new bride. Me thinks not.  

p- My red corvette period certainly provided some of the greatest larks of my life. Top off on summer nights with Wagner's The Flying Dutchman blaring at top volume.

Thank God it's Friday - all this Royal Wedding palaver has me confused, but it must be Friday if Ivan has delivered his sweet weekend blessing. The weekend would not seem right without it.
I have often speculated on the contents of the Queen's handbag (purse to you)  - it may contain doggy treats, mints for the horses, a spare incontinence pad for a slightly leaky bladder - she is 85 years old, bless her ...... unlikely it contains her free bus pass and Social Security card, What goes on in women's handbags is hilarious. I once did a "girly" evening with a few freinds where enough Chardonay had been consumed for us to collectively agree to clear out our bulging handbags together as some kind of girlie bonding adventure. Well - what an experience. There was raucous laughter, but also tears as old photographs, love letters and so on got put onto the table and the story told. Believe me, women's handbags (purses) are like Doctor Who's Tardis - it's amazing how much stuff fits in there. And beware - the contents can unleash unexpected emotions, grounds for divorce and unimaginable mayhem. Safest to assume it contains a bomb and leave it alone.
O yes, she would have a clean handkerchief in there and like all mothers and grannies, she would spit on the corner to clean a smudge off a child's face. YUKKKK! Nos da.
 

So many have speculated--have any ever seen the handbag opened?  Surely in the tens of thousands of photos that are archived someone, somewhere, would have seen her discreetly (or not) open said bag and whip out that tissue or cough lozenge or photo of the grandkid.  I don't think we've seen that.                And yes, RY, I do believe that the tissue bits tickle the toes of the socks.

paolos ~
You might have a point... she looked beautiful in an eleven year-old dark blue '54 but only for the long weekend it took us to reluctantly conclude that it would be impractical.
You'd cry real tears to know the price.
It sounded even nicer than it looked.

I have enjoyed reading everyones' comments. I did watch it until I had to shower......................she looked absolutely lovely & poised & I loved her dress. It was a nice little escape from reality...................they seem happy & in love and I hope they are! Being w/ someone you love & who loves you back is the most wonderful feeling in the world..............
 
RY.....................HAZEL is absolutely correct, you are a dozen diamonds................what a lovely offer & if it came down to it I WOULD contact you. You are a good man!
 
PARK........................comments????????????????Thoughts?????????????? Bring them on!!!!!

My idea of marriage, using a venn diagram, consists of two circles, one for me, one for him so as to reflect our individualities, and they overlap partly to reflect the part of shared lives. Some couples are like two circles disappearing into one which must be claustrophobic or, may reflect a bonded or forced marriage. Some couples keep their two circles completely apart and maybe apart from physical interaction, keep their mental, emotional selves apart. I think part of the joy of being a couple is to know the other person intimately, not only what gives him delight but also his fears, his anxieties, and knowing how to still those. At times, it may mean you have to "submit", to "yield" till that time is over.  That anecdote that the phrase "yes dear" has kept many marriages into their golden, even diamond jubilee may actually, be tried and true.

Did anyone else find uncomfortable that the bride had always intended to marry the prince? I remember reading she had a poster of him in her room and would tell herself that she was going to marry him. Some of it seems like putting herself in the right place at the right time and keeping herself "untainted" (I think she has had only one boyfriend from school?). Just seems abit manipulative to me

Hazel, my handbag is a black hole. What goes in disappears into nano nano land

You know what Spring? If thats the case, more power to her. What little girl doesn't want to marry a handsome Crown Prince? I understand Katie Holmes had Tom Cruise posters when she was a little girl. Thats what we all love to hear--that someone's dream comes true. Rarely happens without a little "manipulation."

SPRING................I think you mean Diana because she famously had posters of the prince on her walls & said she would be the one to marry him. Kate just doesn't seem like a prince poster on her wall girl, but maybe I'm wrong! They just look at each other like people who are comfortable and in love & have complete trust in one another. Lord knows it was a nice diversion from all the natural catastrophes around the world. I also know that if I had lost everything it probably would not even be on my radar......................................
 
On the other hand I bet no girl had a Trump poster on her wall..........................eeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.......................................not enough money in the bank to make that thing palatable......................I think PL's use of the word "tool" works so well in his case.................................

....lol.... ChefDeb and Bebe, you are both right.... In all honestly, women at some time or other, have all used some form of manipulation or wiles....Now, I need to find a poster ....

I have the greatest news! I sent out a rather lame and wobbly messenger pigeon in the direction of our dear friend Georgia (Eve) and have received a reply.
She is recovering from January heart surgery. Her husband appears to have made it back from a brain injury suffered in a fall.
She seems fragile but is in outpatient rehab and looking up.
That vast tree-bending wind is really just a sigh of relief.
I have some serious catch-up work to do.

The queen's handbag and gloves were a custom that all ladies would wear in the past. It is not the contents that matters - it is her conditioning of the past that she holds on to because part of her is still in this era and embraces it for her security.  She stands on the top of a mountain and looks down on all her people, who she does not know at all - her mountain is a very lonely place.  She is a great lady - how can we overlook that she served her country for  60 years as a queen and never was free to live her own life.  She was born into this role as a queen - it was not her wish to be a symbol for others and never be able to walk freely outside.   How can we pick on her handbag and make fun of this great lady who still carries her bag which is outdated to the young.  Did anyone make remarks about young people with crazy hats that I do not understand - but still do not talk them down - I cannot stand in their shoes and therefore, can not judge their behavior by wearing a hat that covers their pretty face.  She is 85 years old and served for England in World War II. She did a very good job - maybe that was the only time she was free for a while.  I would not wish to be the queen - because my freedom is the best part of my life - she has no freedom to be who she really is within - believe me. 

For those who asked, the tornadoes that swept through Georgia were west and north of  my mountain by a few miles. The worst hit towns here were about an hour away up I-75 toward Chattanooga direction, but two small villages just 4 mi. up the road from me were also flattened: White and Pine Log. The tornado that was so destructive west of us in Alabama was the same one here, just skipping over some areas, then dropping down to wipe out homes, toss cars, and kill people. We face West into a mountain, so maybe that keeps the winds on the west side. There have been 3 killer tornadoes in that same path since I have lived here (20yrs.).
 
In the town of Ringgold, most of the town is gone. One EMT (who was in the grocery store when I was tonight,  had been over there all day and at 10 pm  he was just going home) fellow said several cars full of people were piled up on top of each other, some alive, some dead, and the cars were twisted so bad they had to use "jaws of life" to cut people out a day after the tornado. Yes, it is horrible for those who lost everything and loved ones.
 
The diversion of the Royal Wedding was a pleasant and positive change from the constant photos of the devastation of the tornadoes. I agree with those who wished Kate and Will happiness in their roles atop the royal dynasty. If she admired him for years, maybe that is a sign she will stay the course.

Paolo, thanks for the Blackadder YouTube...and Willie for requesting it. I love Blackadder! So much fun, so hilarious.

MOOSE.................I, for some  reason, had no idea that Georgia got hit so hard. I think being an EMT would be quite traumatic when you come upon a scene like you describe. We had two small communities wiped out & I wonder if they will continue to stay there & rebuild because some of them have lived there their whole lives.
 
I am glad it missed you & I am sure you too just dread this time of the year for this particular reason. It seems to be a constant terror show this spring. And then, as the river is still cresting.....................more rain for 3 days starting Sunday. Did you see the woman who started a website for people who have lost their things? People can post pictures so that people can recover lost mementos...........pictures, important documents, jewelry, etc. Wonderful idea. Glad that you are okay....................we will ride out this frightening weather!
 
FAY.....................I agree; the Queen has served her country................she's no shrinking violet that's for sure. That is why her mother was so beloved...............because she did not leave London during the bombing. She must be happy that Kate & William seem like normal, no drama people.................she's definitely had to deal her share of wack-a- nuts!
 
Hi JANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If this gorgeous young woman used any form of manipulation to "acquire" that prince, he damn well must have been willling. 
 
Any criticisms of this wedding and the couple and the clothing and the pomp and the circumstance -- well, to each their own, but I can't see any flaws.  Of course I didn't look for them, or come with any expectations of perfection.
 
But if I had, I wouldn't have been disappointed.  All of it was as close to perfection as human beings can create.
 
I wish them nothing but the best.  They've certainly had a wonderful start.  May it continue and continue on and on.

The day a marriage can be defined as venn anythings is the day love ceases to be an ingredient in the union.  It would be doomed from the outset.
 
"Hey hey, you you, get out of my circle..." 
 
Oh boy.  Good grief.  It's no wonder....