Thursday 2 June 2022

On flags and bunting! Getting married with Elvis! Friends’ experience of travel disruption.

 It was beautifully sunny when I went out running this morning. The sky was blue and it was positively balmy, a good deal warmer than it was by midday when the cloud had moved back in. 


The across the road neighbours were busy hanging union jack bunting on their garden fence when I went out. They like to decorate their garden. Christmas lights and baubles are usually in place well before the start of December. They don’t bother with Hallowe’en though. I was quite surprised that they had left it so late to decorate the place for the jubilee. Maybe they bought cut-price bunting yesterday. Or maybe I am doing them a disservice and it was the rainy weather of the last week that put them off decorating. 


As I returned from my run I stopped to chat to one of my dog-walking nodding acquaintances. I have no idea what she is called but her dog is Beau. As a rule I know the names of the dogs rather than the names of the walkers. When we had set the world to rights once again, my dog-walking acquaintance told me she was off home to watch the trooping of the colours. I didn’t bother to say that I was not planning to watch any of it. Each to their own! 


The pub next door is hung with bunting, although rather retrained compared to the efforts of the White Lion at the other end of the village. They are positively festooned with patriotic flags. On the whole, however, relatively few houses around here have bothered to put the flags or bunting out. Maybe, like me, they are rather indifferent to the whole business. The ladies in the Italian fruit and veg shop in Uppermill have very fetching red, white and blue hats though, tiny wedding-fascinator style! 


The pub garden is very empty this lunchtime, despite their pumping out Elvis songs, presumably in an attempt to create a festive atmosphere. But it’s still quite early, so maybe more festive lunchers will arrive shortly.


I read an article this morning about Elvis themed weddings in Las Vegas, his city I suppose. The licensing company that controls the Elvis Presley name and image is ordering wedding chapel operators in Las Vegas to stop using Elvis in themed ceremonies. Maybe the licensing company isn’t making enough money out of it. I found myself wondering why anyone would want to theme their wedding around Elvis. When you’re all dressed up in your frothy frock and your smart suit, why would you choose to be upstaged by an Elvis impersonator? Unless, of course, you went the whole hog and told ALL the wedding guests to dress up as Elvis for the day. Now, that might be worth seeing. 


A friend of mine has just returned from Hamburg, not, I hesitate to add, in order to celebrate the jubilee. It’s not quite her thing, although it wouldn’t have surprised me if her daughter had decided to decorate her mother’s garden as a surprise for her. The daughter is that kind of organised person! Anyway, my friend reports that it took her more than 9 hours to get from Hamburg to Manchester. The flight itself was about 2.5 hours but she spent a good 4 hours getting through security and baggage control at Hamburg airport and then had to wait for her suitcase at this end. Crazy! My Italian friend, by way of a contrast, seems to have managed to get to Italy for a family wedding (without Elvis!) with minimum trouble! It seems to be a matter of luck as well as disorganisation!


It did cross my mind that all the delays and cancelled flights this week were part of a cunning plan to make people stay home for the jubilee! You never know these days!


Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone! 

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