And we, while to the wanton lute do strut...

So I've been doing some research on my dissertation. And I came across this useful direct quote:

And so we bid you welcome to our court,
Fair cousin Albany, and you, our sweetest Essex.
Take this my hand, and you fair Essex this,
And with this bond we'll cry anon,
And shout Jack Cock O'London to the foe.

Approach your ears, and kindly bend your conscience to my peace.

Get thee to Gloucester, Essex. Do thee to Wessex, Exeter.
Fair Albany to Somerset must eke his route.
And Scroop, do you to Westmorland, where shall bold York
Enrouted now for Lancaster, with forces of our Uncle Rutland,
Enjoin his standard with sweet Norfolk's host.
Fair Sussex, get thee to Warwicksbourne,
And there, with frowning purpose, tell our plan
To Bedford's tilted ear, that he shall press
With most insensate speed
And join his warlike effort to bold Dorset's side.
I most royally shall now to bed,
To sleep off all the nonsense I've just said.

Or maybe I've just been listening to Beyond the Fringe's Shakespeare parody. Who knows?



The funny thing is, this is not all that different from the accounts of the various fourteenth century civil wars...

Welcome to the world, Baby Girl!

Firstly, a hundred million congratulations to the wonderful Patroclus and James for the birth of their daughter, for now named, appositely, the Blue Kitten. Patroclus was the first ever grown-up blog I read, and I fell a little bit in love with her, reading her entire blog from start to finish (it took me about four days), and laughing a lot with embarassing snorting noises because I was trying not to (I was in the library a lot in those days), but also nodding sagely because she is so very wise. And she made me want to start my own grown-up blog, which I did*, and periodically made my own efforts feel paltry and vapid, but in A GOOD WAY.

And James? James was responsible (among others) for Green Wing, and this is just the greatest ever thing anyone can achieve in my opinion, except he then goes on and writes a brilliant, funny, geeky blog which always makes me smile and often makes me think.

So combine the two, and I think the Blue Kitten is going to be truly fearsome force in the blogosphere, and, probably, life. So lets all point and say things at her while she still can't talk and overshadow us with her brilliance.

Anyway. Welcome to the world, baby girl, and if Mum and Dad ever want a holiday, I'm happy to house- and baby-sit, although don't ask me to blog for them, because that'd just be stupid.

*obviously

Carrier pigeon?

Dear all, apologies for the continued absence, but our internet at home is kaput. Arg. So unless I lug my laptop to some kind wifi zone, I shall be awol for a little while. HOPEFULLY I'll be back by the weekend. Fingers crossed, eh? Until then, have fun, all!