Jubilee

The Queen' Diamond Jubilee passed very quietly at our house although I did decorate our front window!!!!

The bunting was old time stuff but .................. if it was good enough for Queen Victoria it was good enough for Elizabeth!!! 

It was my Grandparents and is stored in our loft ..................... quite an experience getting it downstairs. 

I could not remember what it was wrapped in so that meant I could not tell PJ and I would have to go into the loft to look for it!

Suffice it to say that the loft entrance is not big, I am.  Come from a loong line of short fat people.

So the ladder was brought in, put against the wall - see the marks!!! - and up I went  ......................   

No way could I enter as I had to sit on the edge of the 'gap' and swing my legs into the loft.  yeah!!!  I couldn't even reach the edge of the loft opening from the ladder!

So the ladder was adjusted and up I went again ........... this time I managed with PJ sort of coercing my right leg into the loft. 

We are not laughing so you can stop!!!

It is a wonderland up there ....... I haven't been there for years!!! 

I found the flags and we went back to the entrance ............

If I thought it was difficult getting in ..................................  stop laughing!!!

I cannot describe the antics which enabled me to reach the safety of the landing ............... (think kneeling, sitting and 'bum walking', stretching whilst trying to hold on to nothing, squashing ...........but I did it!!!

We unravelled this bunting - it was soooo old.  There were Union flags, Welsh flags, Scottish flags ....... English?  noooooo!

I managed to tape it to the window so that just the Union Jacks were showing outside.

the flags are stitched to rope like tape
 I have never seen anything like it.

this material is soooo old, it is like
 an open weave cotton but delicate.

So now that the house was decorated with old bunting and plastic flags!!!! .............

We sat and watched the flotilla with great interest.

PJ was supposed to be there on Princess Elizabeth and had spent most of the week, with others, cleaning and sprucing her up ready for London.  She would be on Chelsea Bridge to start the proceedings.  On the day before they left Tyseley, he was asked to step down and allow one of the older guys - who is very nice and lovely - to go.  R is 75years so what could PJ do?  

As the Queen left the dock she noticed 'her train'
and pointed it out to the others on board

We watched all the folk in the pouring rain from the comfort of our armchair!

The whistle sounded Morse Code
for E R and off the boats went.



It was afterwards that we learnt that the guys got soaking wet, saw nothing of the flotilla as they were parked at Olympia and then got soaked again when coming home.  I felt so sorry for them all, not the best way for a 75year old to spend a day but grateful that PJ was warm and dry - am I selfish in this?  maybe ................ but I just see it as God looking after us.

We have watched many UTube videos of this - Princess Elizabeth 6201 - and I continue to be amazed by the number of people who turn out in all weathers to see her and photograph her.

Since then the engine has been used to haul the Royal Coach on parts of the Queen's Tour.  Another honour for the engine built in 1933 and named after our most precious and loyal worker - The Queen!