In the olden days (and yes, that means I have no idea when) kings and queens and their courts used to leave their comfortable winter palaces in the summer months to go on a summer progress, or tour of their realm. This is when they would stay with various highly-favoured subjects, bankrupting many in the process and allowing an enormous number of people to put up plaques saying “Queen Elizabeth slept ‘ere”.
In recent years I seem to have instituted my own version of the summer progress, thanks to many kind friends who are willing to put me up for a few days here and there. This summer, the tour will include:
- Aylesbury
- Wolverhampton
- Southgate (and other parts of London)
- Sevenoaks
- Tranmere
- Oxford
- Swansea
- Bath
- Royal Tunbridge Wells
- Eastbourne
- Chelmsford
- Lowestoft
and, of course, Stafford and Philadelphia. I’m hoping it will also include the New Jersey shore.
So far, it’s been fun, though exhausting and I’m looking forward to a quieter few days next week. Thanks, everyone! You’re very welcome to put up plaques in your guest rooms announcing that “Ros slept ‘ere.”
Stumble It!
8 Comments
ROYAL Tunbridge Wells – of course!
Yes, we don’t like to talk about that in our house (well, I don’t, anyway; Annabel is very pleased).
We’re rather hoping that you won’t bankrupt us, though, Ros.
Oh, I was expecting you to redecorate the whole house in anticipation of my arrival. Why don’t you like the royal-ness of TW?
There’s not much left to bankrupt here in Wolves as many of our neighbours are sadly already out of their depth or repossessed.
Hopefully, the CofE won’t go bankrupt before you get here, but stranger things have happened.
I’m a rebel at heart, and temperamentally anti-establishment. And a Cromwell fan (the posh church in RTW is King Charles the Martyr – I mean, really. I keep wanting to change the sign to King Charles the Tyrant.)
But, otoh, we watched Trouping of the Colour on Saturday (on TV), and I was alarmed to discover a lump in my throat…
I found a lump too.
Henry VIII certainly did the royal progress thing, didn’t he? Esp. to pacify the North etc.
Glad Philadelphia (Glenside) got a mention. And that’s the Jersey Shore (not New Jersey shore)…we girls who grew up there are particular about that!