Odds and Ends

Window shopping throughout the Empire the past several days has turned up several interesting items. I also learned a thing or two.

1. Ellie Stager, the Cordial Churchman,tired of fielding requests for my one off patch tweed scarf, has decided to make them available to any and all. I love mine, but she has added a couple of twists which I think you too will like. She has graciously consented to name them after moi. You may order your own Toad from Ellie.

2. The Balmoral Bonnet: this may surprise some of our European readers, but were you aware that most Scottish hats are made in Pakistan? I'm unsure why that caught me off guard, but it did. Seems there is a guy, that everyone in the hat bus knows, who knows a guy who makes them. Mine should arrive in a couple of months. Thank you to all who helped in my search.

3. Fat men need to be careful when wearing tartan. Too much horizontal stripe, and you look like the Michelin man gone bad, or the Duke of Windsor's grandfather, Edward VII.

For you young, trim, rakes looking to add a little color to your rainment, might I suggest a pair of genuine, official, British army issue tartan trousers. You may find them here. 25 GBP less VAT. Not bad. 4 tartan choices are available.

4. Stable Belts: Once upon a time, Tintin of The Trad wrote about stable belts. I hadn't a clue what he was talking about. I thought it must be a surcingle belt in regimental colors and left it at that.

Last week my Brit Khaki's arrived. The long pants and the drill shorts have a double belt closure, which struck me as dumber than dirt. What did I know?That double belt closure, derived from cavalry uniforms, is known as a stable belt.

In the 1950's regiments began having belts made in their regimental colors. In addition to the double belt, alternative buckles are available.

5. Sting and The Police: Sunday's NYT book review pages had an interesting factoid. Each member of the band, The Police has written an autobiography. Collectively, 10 pages deal with the band.

Keep your shady side up today and happy shopping.

Toad

You choose.

At the gym today my IPOD continually shuffled between Jeremy Irons and Sting. I took that as a sign.

Near contemporaries, successful, talented, respected, political, philanthropic, and long married. They may also have the distinction of being the two most beautiful men of their generation.




The life of a screen actor must be terribly neurotic. You go to work, and a year later, the director shows you a film, and tells you to go out and sell it. In the mean time you've done 4 other things, have forgotten the work you're hyping and then have to wait for critics and the audience to give you feedback. For a ham like me, I'd need instant gratification. I'll take the stage, or a rock and roll career any day.

Remember the opening of the Masterpiece Brideshead? Has anyone ever looked like the young Jeremy Irons?



Except perhaps the young Sting?



To my eye they have aged fairly well too.






Part of the Faustian bargain of being married to one of the world's beautiful and accomplished people is knowing how and where to compete, and when to be yourself.

Both men are married to women who were accomplished actresses before marriage.

While Mrs. Sting may appear more the rock star glam wife, Mrs. Irons, an attractive woman in her own right, seems more settled in her own skin.







To each I wish much continued success, although if they each never did another thing, we would have memories for a lifetime.
Toad