Hello and welcome to this month's extra huge edition of the Ye Olde Ink Blot. Tons of excellent stuff this month, so Bouchie and I send our hearty thanks to those who contributed. As always, if you'd like to contribute, just contact Bouchie or tallman!
Also, in honour of all our English readers, a few notes concerning St George's Day (which was just a few days ago) and the Queen (who recently celebrated her 80th Birthday).
Although not so Christian as you might think, the four flags of the four nations of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are indeed four Christian flags. Our English flag is the cross of St George, who replaced St Peter, I believe, as the patron saint of all England. My knowledge is sketchy of details of his life, but he was about as English as St Patrick was Irish (Patrick being born in England, raised in Wales and the son of Romans). St George became widely known during the Crusades, and Richard the Lionheart placed his army in the East under the protection of St George.
In myth, he slew a dragon, which is hardly original, but despite these legendary heroics, and his real life status as a warrior (which he was, especially venerated in the Near East) St George's day (23rd April) has been far less celebrated than St Patrick's. Like Britannia and the monarch, St George, his day and his flag represent the greatness of England, and is a day we should all remember to celebrate.
This year, on 21st April to be exact, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II turned 80. There was a relatively low key (for the Queen of the world's greatest country, and head of a Commonwealth of 2 billion people) celebration, she had a 45 minute walkabout outside Windsor and enjoyed a meal organised by her son HRH Prince Charles. Despite the royal boat being rocked, most especially by Diana, the hysterically popular serial adulterer, the Queen herself has left the monarchy in very good shape. She's been served by 10 Prime Ministers, from Churchill to Blair (quite the drop in standards) and has seen every confidential piece of government legislation from the UK government and perhaps other nations she reigns over also. Popular even amongst loathsome republicans, she is a symbol of Britain that we are all extremely proud of.