Of Monarchy and Motor Cars

Hello, dear readers!


There is a saying that the only constant in life is change. If ever there was a time when this was more than evident, it’s this month.

Yes, not only have we witnessed a sort of regime change at the top of the political tree (and for my feelings on that subject, read here), but the day after I posted that particular offering the country, nay, the world was shook by another seismic shift.

The Queen is dead. Long live The King.

Going To Extremes
It' a tad strange. I am by no means a loyal royalist, but then neither do I have firmly held anti-royal sentiments, either. The long standing agreement between myself and the Windsors has always been live and let live. If they leave me alone, I’m happy to leave them alone.

Of course, for every person who thinks this way there are a good few who hold stronger opinions. There are those who send flowers, cards, and, for some reason, marmalade sandwiches. Those who firmly believe that The Queen lived a life of duty and responsibility. That she was a saintly figure. A totem of Britishness. The epitome of what the word means.

And then, of course, you have the polar-opposite. Those who would gladly see the end of the monarchy and all it entails. Those who believe positions of massive inherited wealth and luxury should not be entertained in these modern days of foodbanks and fuel crises (and yes, that is the plural), and that the money spent on the mourning and funeral of one elderly woman would be better spent enhancing and expanding the years of others of her generation through the upcoming cruelty of winter.

Whichever side of the fence you fall on, one thing is undeniable. Change is upon us.

Next Gen
For a huge amount of the population Queen Elizabeth II was the only monarch they have known (of this country, at least). Certainly, for the entirety of my life she has been there. Her image was always on our money and our stamps, her initials on our post boxes. You may or may not be a fan, but from The Queens Speech, to the opening of Parliament, to Royal Ascot, the queen has always been a part of our lives.

And now, she’s not.

Now the baton passed to King Charles III, and everything I’ve just mentioned must, eventually, change too. We have a new figurehead; a new image to get used to, and as we become used to these changes, perhaps more It is rumoured that Charles will look to modernise the monarchy, cut down its size and roles, and who knows how he will look to ‘advise’ his government in the face of such tumultuous times.

Of course, he might do no such thing. He may stay tradition-bound and silent. We’ll have to see. But it is possible the change of monarch could (could) make more of a difference than who leads the Tory party. It’s interesting.

But, of course these are sombre matters, and I’m not one to dwell on the sombre. No, in a week of massive political and societal upheaval, I prefer to concentrate on another change, one that is far more personal, and (for me at least), uplifting.

I’ve got a new car.

In It For Winnie
Yes, in a shocking segue-way, and after a short wait of six months from the date of ordering (thank you, Brexit), yesterday, the car I should have received in March finally became mine. It’s been a long wait and, in truth, it’s not all that huge of a change, the new car being the exact make and model of its predecessor. It does have a bigger reversing camera, mind-you, and the colour is different (Liquid Metal), but apart from that…

Oh, yeah, there is one other difference. One that only became concrete when my wonder-wifey, Tina and I went for a coffee after picking her up. We met a dog in the coffee shop, you see, a lovely little French Bulldog pup called Winnie. Up until that point we didn’t really have a name for the new car (I’ve always felt it of vital importance to name your cars), but although it may be second hand, we felt the name fitted perfectly.

So farewell and welcome to Your Majesty(s), but most of all, welcome Winnie.

Until next time.

***

Hey, folks! If you would care to take a look at some of my more creative writing, then the links below will transport you to the magical worlds of a few anthologies my short (and in two cases, very short) stories have been included in. Feel free to check ’em out!

New Tales Of Old: Volume 2

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09TMVTX9H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Death Ship

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/9198684140/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_TWEMTA3KWK7T89QEZPF6?fbclid=IwAR322Fx5nfgVUQAA62ZZ6CUsNnBm8pbSxPanzz6Qkjg3vAv4ESipq7iKKhs

https://www.waterstones.com/book/death-ship/david-green/s-o-green/9789198684148?fbclid=IwAR2gP4CXHSG7wTccO39wOqXFtI81k0259Ep8DUM48Ki6kTUdlKoF3yafojA

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9198684140/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=A2XZ7JICGUQ1CX&psc=1&fbclid=IwAR2Wa6sGxb82_VCsC7l1CGXwHjsSwTheqba6jDX_G8EDsywZoGpC93nXr2w

Reaperman

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Reaperman-Drabbles-3-Legends-Night-ebook/dp/B099NNPTQ1A

Pestilence

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pestilence-Revelations-Black-Ink-Fiction/dp/B09MDLZGHY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2VP38WZDWJVAF&keywords=black+ink+fiction&qid=1654090896&sprefix=black+ink+fiction%2Caps%2C218&sr=8-1

The Musketeers Vs Cthulhu

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Musketeers-Cthulhu-Court-King-Louis-ebook/dp/B09YQKQQB7/ref=sr_1_18?crid=2VP38WZDWJVAF&keywords=black+ink+fiction&qid=1654091002&sprefix=black+ink+fiction%2Caps%2C218&sr=8-18