2 June 2012
I woke up, in the early morning, after a relatively good nights rest. This new idea of having night-time care whereby a rub on an imaginary lamp produces a genie within seconds ready to respond to my command, in this case, to turn me over and make me comfortable. So much better than waking up in the middle of the night, not knowing what time it was but in a certain amount of pain which increased as time went on and when you reach the unbearable stage to press the alarm for’ my lovely’. I sometimes forget for a minute or so and start the long haul of moving centimetre per centimetre into a position to relieve the pressure on what over part of the body is hurting and then suddenly the realisation strikes me that all I need to do is to ‘rub my lanp’ (hits my alarm) and’ my genie’ will appear to make the pain go away by turning me in the bed. What joy!
Far more important than me is the fact that today is the first of the long four day celebration of our dear Queen’s Diamond Jubilee – 60 years on the throne. Only three years short of Queen Victoria’s reign, which God willing, this Queen will surpass. The whole process started off rather quietly until it has gathered force these past few days every city, town, village in hamlet seems to have arranged its own form of celebration, street parties and the like which we last experienced on the Queen’s Coronation.
Today, the main event seems to be The Derby – the first of the horseracing classics of the year- this is highly appropriate as the Queen is a fanatical lover of horses and even at her mature age still rides out early morning when she is staying at Windsor Castle. Why should she not be allowed to choose how these four days are spent. I remember last time I went to Royal Ascot, I enjoyed so much seeing the Queen, in an open carriage, riding pass the general public and the hospitality boxes before settling down in her own box to follow the racing, which so she’s so obviously enjoys.
We started to get into the spirit of things by watching a homely documentary, made by Prince Charles, delving into the family archives for video clips and photographs taken by one member or other of the family, specifically for the family’s own private library, just like any other family growing up with young children. It was obvious by the look on Prince Charles’s face, or his reaction, thathe had no memory of having seen them himself, before this occasion.
Our own little contribution to this truly historic event was to raise a glass of champagne, toasting the health of the Queen and praying that’ long may she reign over us’.
I really do not have any photographs or pictures which are appropriate for today’s celebration. So rather than lowering the whole thing by some cheap joke, readers must allow me to exercise my own editorial right and use one of the photographs I have included before, click here to see the Queen with the American president, George Bush
