Monday 22 March 2021

Good Morning!

 Good morning everyone - yet another week begins - and next Monday we shall have added British Summertime.  I hope someone will inform the weather.   It is a sunny day today and I enjoyed my walk, but golly I needed my woolly hat and gloves.   At the speed I walk (getting a bit faster) it was cold in the stiff breeze.   One of the good things about my daily walk (please note, I don't always feel like it) is that I usually meet several other folk on their daily constitutionals.   We always observe social distancing but we often stand and chat - only for a couple of minutes but it is always human contact and that is so very important, I am sure you will agree.

 

There is not a lot to report so far today and a roast beef and Yorkshire Pudding - courtesy of J, my carer-  sits awaiting the press of a button in the microwave so this will sit quietly until later in the day after our afternoon's Zoom with P and D in Grange and then I'll be back.  But I will just leave you with something to think about because I would like to know what you think.    Lately there have been a series of programmes on television about the Royal Family.   I have found them most interesting - re telling a lot history which I knew about vaguely but went back to my very young childhood - for example, I can rememb   er the abdication well but I knew nothing about the background - the autocratic nature of King George V and Queen Mary, which was at odds with Edward's outlook on the monarchy.   Yes - I think we have been lucky that he abdicated in favour of his brother George who became George VI and thus now gave us our present Queen - but the finer details were lost to me, so I learnt a lot.  But last evening there was a programme on the present Queen and her marriage to Prince Phillip.   Some of the details were personal to say the least and were the result of recent papers - my personl view is that nothing has been gained by publishing them --our Queen has done a jolly good job (whether you are Royalist or not you most likely agree) and she has been supported by Prince Phillip.   Do we really need to know intimate details about their marriage and possible cracks in it when they were young?   I personally think not.   Both in their nineties now - couldn't all this have waited a few years?

And after our blog with P and D here is another question for you.   On the way to the shop for groceries this morning P was approached by an elderly couple who held their camera out to him and asked him if he would please take their photograph.  He apologised but refused saying with Covid restrictions in place he really didn't think he should touch their camera.   Would you have done this or would you have just taken a photograph for them?

35 comments:

it's me said...

I would have taken the photo. I usually have antiseptic wipes handy.

Ellen D. said...

I probably would have taken the photo.
I will head out for a walk this afternoon. It is a bit windy but I hope it warms up and the sun peaks out!

The bike shed said...

I'm sure I'd have taken the photo so long as I didn't have to look through an eyepiece (very close to face that way), but you know we must each make our own risk assessment. I think the risks are now very small indeed but others might differ... in a way I think that's where we need to go now - to a place where we can each of us decide for ourselves - and be supported and respected in our choices - rather then a one size fits all policy.
As for the Royal Family - I think it's vulgar and bad taste but ultimately the public gets what the public wants - we should try to stop being so obsessed, but it won't happen. I also think, however, that the media and the public exhibit gross double standards - Edward was clearly not a great chap in many ways, but you know, he abdicated to marry someone he loved and they stayed faithfully together for life... and yet we continue to vilify him - whereas other royals I could mention do pretty much the opposite and we adore them and hold them up as paragons of virtue. Charles for example is married to a divorcee and it is widely known that they were both unfaithful before and during their respective marriages... I'm not judging Charles I'm just pointing out the double standards in the public/media view. The media doesn't even acknowledge that Edward was largely a victim of his time and circumstance - and that today his actions would not cause such a stir - in many ways it seems to me his memory is due an apology. But we are, as a nation, nothing if not fickle in our watching of the royal soap opera.

SoCalFifi said...


As you said there is nothing to be gained by publishing claims about the Queen and Philip. Their private lives are theirs. Anything else is just salacious gossip. As for the picture taking I would have done it, that's what hand sanitizer is for, but the couple would have been disappointed I'm afraid, I'm absolute crap at taking pics.

Jennyff said...

Given the Queens age and many years of service I think it is very disrespectful to expose details of her marriage from years ago. It’s none of our business but par for the course these days. None of us would be happy if say an elderly relative was robbed of their privacy , we’d want to protect them.. I wouldn’t have taken the photo but I would have been polite about not doing so and given my reason.

julie king said...

i would have taken the photo x

am said...

For my birthday during the years I was growing up in California, I always asked my mother to make roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. I hope you enjoyed your meal!

Derek Faulkner said...

I would of taken the photo, like many people I always carry hand sanitiser in my coat pocket and also, the risks lessen with every week that goes by. While you still do it, I'm surprised that you still need to tell us that you keep your distance.
As for the programme about the Queen and Philip, I guess without the personal bits it wouldn't be so interesting to watch because we already know much about their lives, did you turn it off when it comes to those bits. I like the Bike Shed's comments and agree with much of them, people might moan but they still watch.
Very warm and sunny here today, almost summery.

Bonnie said...

I would have taken the photo but then used hand sanitizer as I always have it with me. I agree with you about publicizing personal information on the Royal family or any other person for that matter. The press and television programs love to do that and I think it is wrong. It is one thing to have a program about them but I believe it should not go into the more personal matters that are really no one's business. Have a great day Pat!

busybusybeejay said...

I would have taken the photo and just given my hands a good wash when I got back.

Anonymous said...

Agree with your comments about the Queen. Would have taken the photo.

Anonymous said...

I would have hesitated taking the photo. Haven’t had vaccine injection yet and not taking chances iof exposure.
I think the personal stuff re royal family is nobody’s business.

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

Happy Monday, Pat. I hope you enjoy your roast beef and yorkshire pudding supper! I would have taken the photo. -Jenn

CharlotteP said...

Yes, I would have taken the photo too, then used some of the hand sanitiser kept in my coat pocket.
I agree with you about the Queen, she has done a great job for the country. Doubtless many would argue she has a privileged lifestyle at the taxpayers expense, but the monarchy (in normal times) earns more in terms of tourism than it costs; and having every detail of your personal life scrutinised would be hell. Personally, given the choice, I wouldn't exchange my lovely, ordinary life for hers. Politicians rise and fall, but the Queen has given a sense of public service, decency and continuity which transcends them, especially in recent times. What has happened to the real statesmen?

DUTA said...

When I'm out, I wear not only a mask but also gloves. I carry in my personal bag both a spare mask and spare gloves. I would have taken the photo, and then threw the gloves into the near trash bin. Then, wipe my hands with an alco-gel hand wipe (also kept in my bag).You can't wait till you get home. Vaccination doesn't prevent spreading of the virus.

Heather said...

I probably would have taken the photo and not thought about handling someone else's camera, but in all other respects I am very careful about sanitizing things.
With regard to the programmes on the Royal Family, I share your feelings especially about the second programme on the early days of The Queen and Prince Philip's marriage. Those things should have been kept private. So much of what is talked about these days is none of our business.

Debby said...

I probably would have simply taken the picture, but there are things in this story that I don't know. Like how elderly are P and D? Have they had their vaccines? Are they afraid of covid due to underlying health situations? This is a tough time and I think everyone needs to do what they feel they need to do to be safe. I don't think the worse of them for their decision not to touch the camera.

Debby said...

Oh, and the private details? I think that we all have things in our life that we would not want served up for the entertainment of the masses. All of us. I believe they had some pretty rocky years but the thing is, they withstood them. That ought to count for something. I don't understand why painful details of someone's life are entertaining to the rest of us anyway. Kind of ghoulish, don't you think?

Susan said...

For me, it is not good form to publicizing intimate details about the lives of others, especially so when considering the Queen. Both being in their 90's out of respect the press could have avoided this. Sadly, today it appears nothing is sacred when it comes to families and private life. With covid still circulating and not everyone vaccinated, I would not ask anyone to use my camera and take my photo.

The Weaver of Grass said...

You all more or less agree on the issues I raised. P and D are in the sixty to seventy age range. Chilly evening here at bedtime but it has been a lovely sunny day. Sleep well. See you tomorrow.

Simon Douglas Thompson said...

I was able to walk without my winter coat today! Felt very lucky.

Joanne Noragon said...

I probably would have taken the picture, and then reminded myself all the way home to keep my hands away from my face.

Bea said...

I had the same thing happen as P did, but at the local beach. It was a group of women wanting their photo snapped. I couldn't oblige them as I was worried about Covid. I could see they were disappointed, but couldn't bring myself to hold their mobile phone.

thelma said...

I don't have any antiseptic wipes but would have taken the photograph for this couple. My mantra on the way home in the car though would be 'don't touch face with fingers'!
As for the commercialisation of selling royal history from the media to the public - it is terrible and should not be allowed. But the Queen knows better than to engage with the cheap media.

potty said...

I'd use the good old favourite (and true) that I'd not got my glasses with me.
Like so many the hand sanitizer is in my pocket and has been there for years as it has been required by me after picking up after The Dog.

Frances said...

I might not have taken the photo as in the present climate I would have suspected it was the start of yet another scam...not sure where it could have gone on from a photo, but having had so many attempts recently to scam me I am trying to be extra cautious.

Jules said...

I would have taken the photograph. X

Jean said...

I would have taken the photo and discreetly used the hand sanitiser that I keep in my bag afterwards.
It's interesting to hear the history of the Royal Family and understanding relationships is a part of that. Unfortunately a lot of what is on TV is just tabloid nosiness pandering to the public appetite for sleaze.

Kelly said...

I would have politely declined to use their camera, but would have offered to take one with my phone and email it to them.

bornfreev said...

I would certainly have taken the photo for them.

Mary said...

Our Queen is, and has always been, an amazing woman putting her country before everything else. Her life has not been easy I'm sure, both with the marriage and so much more. They say much artistic license was taken filming 'The Crown' so we don't have to believe everything!
As for taking the photo, sorry but I wouldn't oblige. Why couldn't the couple just take a selfie rather than involve a stranger outside their 'bubble'? Hopefully they were masked. Personally, even though I've received both vaccines, I don't know if strangers who cross my path have. I don't think I would do it at this time when COVID is still rampant, at least here in my area. Kelly's idea is good - I would consider that too.

Pat, thanks for moving me down the list and in grey rather than scarlet, haha!!!
Mary -

jinxxxygirl said...

I'm sure my husband and i would have taken the photo and then sanatized our hands afterward.. I haven't read to see what the consensus is here.. I'll have to do that.. Hugs! deb

The Weaver of Grass said...

Mary - the film I was watchig was not The Crownt - it was a documentaryI don't watch any of the fictional stories of the Royal Family as I disapprove of them being made really. I think they are so unnecessary.n

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