Saturday, 7 January 2012

7th January

I have just run another pine needle into my foot - my word, that year went by quickly. But wait, it isn't next Christmas yet, it is merely an inadequately hoovered carpet, courtesy of Mrs B that has caused me to resort yet again to the tweezers. Perhaps I should keep quiet about her domestic shortcomings, as it is she who keeps me up and running, IT-wise. You can't have everything. Just because she is a whizz with computers, that is no reason to suppose she can wield a Henry with any skill.

So, to History. In 1558 on this day, the British lost their last foothold in France - the town of Calais. The Queen, Mary Tudor (not called 'Bloody' for another three centuries, by the way) was heartbroken. Everybody else was delighted.

In other news ... George Washington was unanimously elected the first president of the newly formed United States 223 years ago today. It was unfortunate that his name was George or he might have considered accepting the crown the colonists offered him. It would have been a bit naff, not to say confusing, to set up another King George having spent time, money and blood to get rid of the old one.
Ironically, of course, the American Presidents of Washington's future were to have more power than any king of England ever had.

And finally ... in 1990 the Leaning Tower of Pisa was closed as the rate of lean was increasing to the point where it could easily have become the Horizontal Tower of Pisa. As a tourist attraction, it wouldn't have had quite the same pull, somehow.