I want an O.B.E. for services rendered to my garden. Seriously, if one of our local schoolteachers can get one for churning out thick kids as a service to the community, I should get one for my lovely peach bloom roses, best for miles around.

true story - I once saved Jack Straw from being run over by a lorry outside Westminster, over 20 years ago when he was just an MP and I was one of his constituents. I wish I hadnt pulled him out of the road, now

I also once drove Arthur Scargill back home when his car had broken down after a miner's rally he'd been speaking at. Now there was a misjudged and pilloried man, who a lot of lies have been told about. He did think it was funny that people called him "Arthur Scargov" though..

I also managed to egg Thatch* years ago (and blame it on me dad)

and i blocked Fatty "2 jags" Prescott in on a car park once about 6 years ago and pretended I couldn't get my car started.

*for which i consider i deserve a knighthood, at least

If I remember correctly, being able to run around with a garter is like being awarded a medal, right? Not like being bestowed an honor like knighthood or anything?

You know, "honi soit qui mal y pense" and all that?

the Order of the Garter is one of the highest honours that can be bestowed. A knighthood is well below that.

quickie test - what is the correct form of address for a Duke or Duchess? no googling!

answer - it's Your Grace. or maybe no-one was interested

Edited by - Tawakalna on 1/30/2004 2:39:46 AM

But if you are in the Order, what are you? Still a knight? Or are you something else.... a Suspender?

Edited by - Indy11 on 1/30/2004 6:19:31 AM

you'd be a Knight-Companion of the Noble Order of the Garter. anway you're only jealous

Taw - I knew the answer to that! That's easy. Here's a hard one; what is the title of an Earl's wife? An Earless? I don't think so!

I think that knighthoods might be overrated these days, they raise your public profile, but that's about it. These days,after being knighted, you don't even get a squire to polish your armour!

Aren't Earls also called something else? I think that they rank equally to Counts. So an Earl's wife is a Countess maybe? I know its not an Earless.... unless maybe Van Gogh was an Earl?

England is a place I would love to see again. I had the oportunity in the summer of 1976 between 9th and 10th grade to go to Europe for a month and get 2 years of Humanities credit for it. We were in London for a week. I stayed in a empty college dorm. Though scary that far from home, I loved all that I got to see.

Finalday

Until that final day. /Keith Green
Edited by - Finalday on 1/31/2004 6:41:52 PM

Nice work, Indy! Yes, as I understand it, an Earl's wife is a Countess. I knew Taw wouldn't get that one .

as a matter of fact I only just read it. but i was scratching my head for a while over it, but that'll be the lice.

ok here's some hard ones

what rank is addressed by the honorific "Your Excellency?"

in British honours and heraldry, what is referred to lovingly as a "K?"

how are the members of the Royal Family informally addressed when in public? other than by me calling them parasites, that is...

why is it yanks only go to london? london is NOT the whole damn country.

they also go to Shakespeare's Borthplace and Stratford-upon-Avon-shire, and War-Wick castle. We get quite a few for the Wedg-wood and Roy-al Doul-ton shops, what a shame the stuff isn't made round here anymore! Anyway I don't know what you're complaining about, ff, you're dahn the ol' Kent Road anyway me ol' china, only a stone's throw away from LahnDahn Tahn.

Well, ff, given the opportunity, I would love to see more of England. But lottery withstanding, I will have to wait a while. We mainly saw london due to the tour being this way. We did go see a play while there, though that long ago, I can't recall the name. We saw several castles as well so I do know we got a little into the country side.

Finalday

Until that final day. /Keith Green\

Hmmmm.

Excellency. I only know of its use as a form of address for ambassadors. Who else in England gets to be called excellency. I thought the peers were all a bunch of graces and honorables.

What's a K if not a knighthood?

Aren't the Germans, other than the Queen all referred to as Royal Highnesses? The Queen would be Her Majesty? Other non-direct descent relatives would be Serenes, right?

@ff:

As for getting out of London, its that wrong side of the road thing for many Americans.... although I kind of enjoy it. And before you mention trains and buses, the preferred mode of travel when the road signs are written in an understandable language is to drive.... hence the intimidation to many.

I've been in London three times now. None of those times gave me enough time to break out and see what's outside the city. I've been working on my wife to see more and we hope to soon.

Edited by - Indy11 on 2/1/2004 8:19:17 AM