Drink driver, naughty me and Henry VIII

25 January

Oh what a naughty boy I am. How? Well for the first time a very long time, certainly since before I met Jan late 1979, God bless the lass for putting up with me, I actually drove home after more than one pint of ale. In fact I had three pints of ale. It happened like this ...

After getting off birding at Coombe Abbey this afternoon by a horrendous thunder and hail storm, I slowly made my way around to the Anker to wait for Jan, who I had inform by text I would there. OK ... two pints later I got up and asked for a larger and lime for Jan but Charlie thought he heard me say a pint of Wobbler. Opps .. I already had half a pint of #2 but took the risk and had #3 as well. Now here's the worrying bit ...

I'm certainly feeling that I have had three pints of a very good ale; but at the time I drove my Doblo home, I felt fine, no worries. And that brings a frightening thought to me. How many people are caught drinking and driver after only three pints and think they are safe to do so. One thing is for sure - I won't be doing it again!!!

So which historical date shall I go for today ... there's so many ... like Al Capone dying of a heart attack in 1947. then in 1938 the Northern Lights were seen as far south as London's West End.  But how about 1533 when Henry VIII married Anne Boleyn in secret. Now that is a good one for today.

And for today's photo is a compare and contrast ... 

before ... 

today ...

And today's funny ...

There were two Catholic boys, Timothy Murphy and Antonio Secola, whose lives parallel each other in amazing ways. In the same year Timothy was born in Ireland , Antonio was born in Italy .
Faithfully they attended parochial School from kindergarten through their senior year in high school. They took their vows to enter the priesthood early in college, and upon graduation, became priests.
Their careers had come to amaze the world, but it was generally acknowledged that Antonio Secola was just a wee cut above Timothy Murphy in all respects.
Their rise through the ranks of Bishop, Archbishop and finally Cardinal was swift to say the least, and the Catholic world knew that when the present Pope died, it would be one of the two who would become the next Pope.
In time, the Pope did die, and the College of Cardinals went to work. In less time than anyone had expected, white smoke rose from the chimney and the world waited to see whom they had chosen.
The world, Catholic, Protestant and secular, was surprised to learn that Timothy Murphy had been elected Pope!
Antonio Secola was beyond surprise. He was devastated, because even with all of Timothy's gifts, Antonio knew he was just a bit better qualified.
With gall that shocked the Cardinals, Antonio Secola asked for a private session with them in which he candidly asked, "Why Timothy?"
After a long silence, an old Cardinal took pity on the bewildered man and rose to reply. "We knew you were the better of the two, but we just could not bear the thought of the leader of the Roman Catholic Church being called ...
POPE SE-COLA!