Happy Holidays!

Hannah's Thumb

i am typing this greeting with one finger.
yes, i know i don't post often but for the next month i will be M.I.A.

two weeks ago i had a car accident and broke my thumb....i have two titanium rods and a cast. fortunately, the break was in my right hand and i am left-handed.  Oddly enough, i can only write left-handed. for everything else - cleaning teeth, eating, putting on clothes - i am right-handed.

an inconvenience to say the least, (no driving, goodbye skiing in Park City) but it could have been so much worse.

i will be back on top form in 2012 ...so until then ....have a wonderful holiday season.

in the meantime ... here is a clip of my nephew Chris sledging out of control last christmas in Devon. Turn up the sound ... even the dog couldn't keep up.....

The Three Faces of Henry VIII

I noticed that The Tudors is back on TV. I have always had a great passion for history - particularly European. I'm embarrassed to admit I know very little about American history. In fact, when I was a teenager I thought Native Americans were a Hollywood invention just so John Wayne could show off his spurs. 


In 1970 Keith Michell gave an excellent portrayal of Henry VIII in "The Six Wives of Henry VIII."  (I am showing my age.) 

Of course, Jonathan Rhys Meyers does the most incredible job as Henry but let's face it, physically, they are as different as chalk and cheese. Even so, as the current series progressed, I gradually became captivated by Meyer's interpretation of Henry. He was utterly mesmerizing. 

Keith Michell

Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Here is a little history lesson ...

When Henry VIII came to the throne in April 1509 he was 17 years old, 6ft 2in tall, and had pale skin, blue eyes and auburn hair. He was physically active and enjoyed sport, hunting and jousting. However he became fatter with age and gluttony. His suits of armour show that in 1512 he had a 32 inch waist , which increased to 35 inch by 1520s, and then grew to an enormous 54 inch by 1545. 


Henry suffered increasingly from ill health, swelling of the joints and an ulcerated leg claimed to have been caused by a jousting accident. His pain added to his mood swings and unpredictable temper. In 1544 Henry's  portrait shows him puffy and bloated. By 1546 he could hardly walk and was carried around on a wooden chair . He had to be winched onto his horse and his armour cut open to accommodate his swollen legs. 


Henry is estimated to have weighed a staggering 25 stone (350 lbs or 158kg) when he died in January 1547.

Anyone fancy a game of conkers?

I was in Vancouver this past weekend for a family wedding. What a beautiful place it is. What I loved most was the smell of autumnal leaves. I really miss Autumn in England. I particularly miss playing conkers.

What is a conker? It's the fruit of a horse chestnut tree - hard, brown, half-dollar sized orbs. The trick is to pick the good ones, drill a hole through their center, hang them on a knotted shoelace and your conker is good to go. Two players take alternating whacks at the other's chestnut until one shattered. 

Although the game is discouraged in school, the World Conker Championship is held every year in Northamptonshire.


What to know how to win? Enjoy this informational video How to Win at Conkers