Our friends Christopher and Kathy came down from their home in Chiswick on Saturday to see how we country folk make do without red buses and “a tube station at the end of the street”. They were impressed by the cold wind, the bantams which forage in our garden, and the huge views from the top of the South Downs, although they were a little jumpy as we checked the panoramic southerly view from the members entrance to Goodwood racecourse (too close to the Mother-in-Law who resides somewhere the other side of a clearly visible Chichester). Christopher surprised us however while we watched the “Charles and Camilla” service at Windsor on TV by stating that he is extremely supportive of the Duke of Edinburgh – a terrific sponsor of the arts and sciences, blah, blah.
Neither the wife nor I can recall meeting anyone before with a good word to say about the Duke, although it is true that we haven’t yet consulted our friend Mr Angry (see passim) on the subject.
Anyway the “blessing” at St Georges Chapel got me thinking about my sister (bless her) who will be married for the second time in June. She is extremely fortunate in being able to pick up some hints and tips from Charles and Camilla’s church service.
Now it would be nice for her to get Timothy West to read Wordsworth’s Ode on Imitations of Immortality – his rendition was as near to perfection as anyone can get – but he would undoubtedly be expensive. So she had better use the money saved by not using Timothy West to get the wonderful contralto Ekaterina Semenchuk to sing the electrifying Russian Orthodox Liturgy setting of The Creed which provided for me by far the most memorable few minutes of a really very good service. I know that the sister would have to negotiate Ms Semenchuk’s fee with the Marinsky Theatre of St Petersberg, and that the Philharmonia Orchestra and Choir of St George’s Chapel don’t come cheap, but wow!
The new Archbishop of Canterbury might also be a useful adornment her service. His shaggy dog appearance makes him look so utterly kind and benevolent.
Another good idea concerns speeches at the reception afterwards. What a masterstroke of Charles to have his mother, Her Majesty the Queen, make the first speech! Maybe the sister should follow suit and have our mother say a few words.
Old fogey, less-than-totally-successful bookseller, husband, parent and grandparent holds forth on his own issues of the day.
About Me
- Rumbling Nappa
- Sometimes referred to as the Rumbling Nappa I occasionally return to blogging. This time it is to comment on the Languedoc marriage of my neice, Louise Ticehurst to Rich Astley.