It was raining quite hard when I awoke first thing so I snoozed my alarm and went back to sleep for a while. Then, instead of running, I organised myself to walk around the village. First I had to pack up a pair of walking boots Phil had ordered online and which proved too tight across the toes. This is the second pair he has rejected. The first hung around too long for him to send back. We racked our brains for a suitable person who might make use of them: too large for our son! Eventually we settled on our number One Granddaughter’s housemate, a tall young lady with enormous feet. She declares them wonderfully comfortable. We now wait for her to agree payment - half price boots are not to be sneezed at.
It feels a little as though autumn is settling in with a vengeance. The grass verges are covered with fallen leaves. And the blackberry brambles are full of fruit. We went out berry-picking on Saturday and collected enough for two good-sized pies. The family will have pie coming out of their ears. They are very good with ice-cream. Unfortunately the local coop store is having difficulties with their freezers and the post-office ice cream has proved inferior. So it goes.
Meanwhile, out in the wider world, or the wider country, people are being arrested for expressing anti monarchist sentiments. This is from yesterday:
“A woman was arrested holding an anti-monarchy sign in Edinburgh today, before the Queen’s cortege arrived in the city.
She was detained outside St Giles’ Cathedral, where the monarch’s coffin is due to be held from tomorrow after spending the night at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Moments before the proclamation of Charles III as new king this afternoon, a demonstrator appeared in the crowd opposite the Mercat Cross.She held a sign saying ‘f*** imperialism, abolish monarchy’.
Officers appeared behind her and took her away, prompting the crowd to applaud. One man shouted: ‘Let her go, it’s free speech,’ while others yelled: ‘Have some respect.’ A police spokesman said a 22-year-old woman was arrested ‘in connection with a breach of the peace’.”
It happened in Oxford too where a man was arrested for shouting “who elected him” during the proclamation of Charles as king.”
“He was on his way home from worshipping at New Road Baptist Church, in Bonn Square, when he was faced with the crowds marking the proclamation of King Charles outside Carfax Tower on Sunday afternoon.
“I appreciate people have different views on it, I fully respect the right of those with pro-monarchist views,” he said. “But I consider a head of state imposed on us without our consent that’s really an affront to democracy in 2022.”
He had not been planning to protest the event, he said. But as the High Sheriff read the proclamation, Mr Hill said he had said words to the effect of: “Who elected him?”
“Two people near to me turned to me and told me to shut up, which they have every right to do and I told them I didn’t think a head of state should be imposed on us,” Mr Hill added. During the ceremony, shouts of 'shut up' could be heard from elsewhere in the crowd.
Mr Hill claimed that three security guards had approached him and tried to ‘move’ him away. He replied that he was ‘standing on the public highway’ and asked under what law they were trying to move him on.”
And this morning outside parliament:
“An anti-Royal protester holding a poster with the slogan ‘Not my king’ has been pictured being led away by police. The protester was moved on by officers as King Charles III addressed parliament for the first time as Britain’s monarch this morning.”
It appears that public proclamation of Charles’ kingship has provoked a bit of reaction but surely people shouldn’t be arrested for expressing an opinion. Surely we are not a police state yet.
LBC presenter Andrew Marr criticised the Edinburg arrest during an appearance on Monday’s Good Morning Britain and argued that King Charles III has been ‘alarmed and upset’ by the move. He might well be right. We live in interesting times.
Meanwhile it is being said that they expect people to have to queue for twelve hours to file past and pay their respects to the queen’s coffin in Westminster Hall, open 24 hours a day from Wednesday. The queue is expected to extend for miles. No camping allowed but people will be given numbered wristbands so that they can leave the queue for a while and then return to their place. It’s a strange mix of the medieval/feudal and pop concert! Will they allow selfies in Westminster Hall or will your wristband be your proof of having been there. For I fear that some will go just in order to say that they did so!
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
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