What I'll save from the fire

Remember Myspace? The drawing in this photo could be considered a very early prototype, an original put a face to a name.

The details have clouded over time, but the gist of the back story is that around 1869 the then Prince of Wales, later H.M. King Edward VII, Bertie to his friends and family, angry at a perceived slight by his club, left to form his own, the Marlborough Club, and invited his closest friends to join. It would have been difficult to refuse an invitation from your future sovereign.


In 1868 the London weekly magazine "Vanity Fair" began publishing. Its genius and main selling feature was a weekly caricature of the famous, those lithographic prints being the sole reason the magazine is remembered today. The first Vanity Fair caricaturist, Carlo Pelligrini was the talk of the town.

Mrs. Blandings Photo

Bertie hired Pelligrini to create caricatures of each founding member of the Marlborough Club. The original plan, was for Bertie to keep the originals and to present bound sets of lithographic prints of all the founding members, as a gift to each of the subjects. Each lithograph was personally signed by the artist and subject. The drawing at the top made in 1872 by Carlo Pelligrini, is of Lord Osborne, 9th Duke of Leeds, a Marlborough Club founder.

The plan soon fell apart and fewer than 2 dozen sets were completed. This is one of the survivors.

Toad

Christmas Cracker 2011

John Julius Norwich's 2011 Christmas Cracker has arrived. Lord Norwich refers to it as a commonplace selection, commonplace being British for a collection of anecdotes. What began as gift of shared favorite stories, collected over his long life, to his friends, has become a welcome holiday tradition at our home.

My favorite story from this year's collection:

This passage is from Anthony Beevor's D-Day. He is writing of the American 5th Infantry Division, in early August 1944. Perhaps you or one of our father's were there.

"Like the British they too had encountered difficult country and woods. It was a curious advance, with bouts of intensive fighting, then moments of uneasy calm. The commander of one company described a strange experience as they advanced along a forest track." The woods seemed to cast an eerie spell over us and though we were the subjects of a fairy enchantment" he wrote. He and his men suddenly heard the a soft gentle clapping."As we came closer we could see the shadowy forms of French men and women and children, lining the roadway, not talking, some crying softly, but most just gently clapping, extending for several hundred feet on both sides of the track. A little girl came alongside me. She was blonde, pretty, and maybe all of 5 years old. She trustingly put her hand in mine and walked a short way with me, then stopped and waved until we were out of sight." Even 50 years later he could still hear the sound of the soft clapping in the wood."

Even though it occurred in August this feels like a Christmas story. Reminds me of the Joyeux Noel stories of early WWI, of which more later this month.

Toad

Rumplestiltskin

I have been a long time believer in the Rumpelstiltskin effect in medicine. Ailing people want their symptoms to have a name, if it has a name it has a cure, right? MD's have lots of official Latin words meaning Darned if I know. It's part of the cure.

So I visited the local acupuncturist. Told her all about my sore shoulder, and how it interfered with my sleeping at night, and oh by the way the 100 day cough had returned along with a whale of a cold. She said, "stick out your tongue."

Competence is as hard to hide as incompetence is easy to spot, she may as well have been tattooed competent. Within several moments of her exam she had deduced I was old, had bursitis, my Qi was blocked, I had a rib out of alignment and in not too much time she could probably cure me. I then spent the most relaxing hour of my life stuck like a suckling pig taking part 1 of the cure, which included opening my sinuses, treating the inflammation in my shoulder and various tricks to realign my out of joint self.

Coupled with mega doses of Ibuprofen for another week, I may be able to sleep by the Ides. Let us give thanks for competence.

Toad

Poacher Pockets

I was castigated by a dear friend for never having discussed poacher pockets. I had been reading Danny, the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl, a story about Danny and his poaching father at the time, so it seemed time to admit that although I have 2 Barbour jackets with poachers, I very rarely use them.

For you non hunters, a poacher is someone who illegally steals animals, fish or plants, usually for food. Subterfuge is important for the penalty for game theft is high. Many sub plots of 19th and early 20th century Brit Lit focus on poachers alluding Mi'lords gamekeeper. Perhaps this November 1959 Field and Stream review of Lady Chatterley's Lover will remind you:

Although written many years ago, Lady Chatterley's Lover has just been re-issued by Grove Press, and this fictional account of the day-to-day life of an English game-keeper is still of considerable interest to outdoor-minded readers, as it contains many passages on pheasant raising, the apprehending of poachers, ways to control vermin, and other chores and duties of the professional game-keeper.

Unfortunately, one is obliged to wade through many pages of extraneous material in order to discover and savour these sidelights on the management of a Midland shooting estate, and in this reviewers opinion, the book cannot take the place of J.R. Miller's "Practical Gamekeeper".

To aid a poacher's quest, full length pockets are sewn in the back of a hunters coat, usually with an opening on either side so a poacher can snatch his quarry with either hand and quickly slip it inside his coat so it is not noticed, and the poachers keeps his hands free.

I'm certain there are thousands of great stories both mythical and real life about the uses for poacher pockets,beyond holding a wet newspaper, a smuggled carton of cigarettes or a bottle of wine which is about all I can imagine. I'm game to hear yours though. Does the Jeremy Irons televised version of Danny really exist?

Toad

The Winter Monat

Saturnalia by Ernesto Biondi

December, the tenth month. Known by the Celts as The Winter Monat (month) the Danes as Yule or Christ Month. December's full moon is the cold night moon. It would make a great month for a celebration, something to break the gloom of the northern hemisphere.

The ancient Romans held the granddaddy of all December holidays, Saturnalia in honor of titan Saturn. Originally, a one day (December 17, 217 BC) pr stunt to get the minds of the populace off a catastrophic defeat of the Roman army by the Carthaginians, it caught on, became an annual affair, expanded to a week despite official attempts to shorten the holiday. Saturnalia was a time of celebration, gift giving, and visits to friends. Unconsciously, Saturnalia rituals continue to this day. The Boxing Day tradition of the master serving the servants has its roots in this ancient Roman feast.

Jesus was not likely born in December so why do we celebrate his nativity this month?

To grow, the Roman church had to overcome several obstacles. The new religion had to prove 1. that its god is stronger than the established god, and 2. ensure that newcomers aren't disadvantaged by becoming members. It would be bad salesmanship to ask Romans to join the new church and oh by the way we don't do that Saturnalia thing you look so forward to here. Something had to be created to compete with the old. Creative thinkers invented the Nativity to The Presentation (January 1) as a substitute. That's my theory.

Happy World AIDS day.

Toad

Twin Peaks

Don't you wonder why schools are not closed today? In my misspent youth Roman parishes frequently closed to celebrate saints feast days. Today is the joint birthday of the patron saint of storytellers and patron of salesmen, Mark Twain and Winston Churchill. Schools should be closed in their honor. These two men are near the top of my fictional who would you invite to dinner wish list.

The two men met several times. The first time in London, when Winston was trading his hero status for his reporting of the Boer war into political office. The Churchill Centre describes their meeting:

Churchill and Twain

Winston Churchill and Mark Twain met in 1900, just when Churchill was just coming into prominence as a young statesman. The meeting took place at a dinner in London.

During the dinner, they decided to step outside for a smoke. An observer, Sir William Harcourt, speculated that since both men tended to dominate conversations, the one who got the floor first would keep it. He told others at his table that since Twain was older and more experienced, Churchill's voice would get the first rest it had had in a long time.

When the two return, Harcourt asked the young Churchill if he had enjoyed talking to Twain. Churchill replied with an enthusiastic "Yes." Harcourt then asked Twain if he had a good chat with Churchill. Twain paused, then said, "I had a good smoke."

Toad

Land of Opportunity

America is an incredibly great country. Almost all things are possible even in these troubling times. Opportunities abound to make a dollar, for those willing to work for it.

Take for instance Jesse Dimmick, late of Topeka Kansas. Jesse is a bad guy, and has what law enforcement personnel refer to as a long rap sheet. He's a known entity. Maybe that's profiling, but one thing I learned in New Orleans several years back is you don't ever want to be on a first name basis with the guy holding the Taser.

Jesse kidnapped the Rowley's, a Topeka family in 2009. The family escaped when Jesse fell asleep, they called the police and Jesse was captured and eventually convicted. Currently, he's doing a job for the state, but still he has needs and wants, the holidays are around the corner, so acting as his own jailhouse lawyer he is suing the Rowley's for breach of contract.

According to Dimmick, the Rowley's agreed to hide Jesse from the authorities for an unspecified length of time, in return for payment of an unspecified amount of money. He's asking for $225,000 for breach of the oral contract. ( if you have forgotten your Business Law, the elements of legal contract may be found here) Plaintiff Dimmmick alleges the Rowley's failure to live up to the agreement caused him to be accidently shot in the back by Topeka authorities while being arrested.

Dimmick is also suing the city of Topeka for accidently shooting him. Naturally, this being America, the Rowley's are doubly screwed since they have to hire people to defend against the suit, and counter sue an indigent man to pay their attorney.

Merry Christmas

Toad

Do I want to be a pincushion?

I'm trying to keep an open mind.

My shoulder hurts. Last year it was the other side so I know how this goes. If I go to the shoulder Dr. he'll say to me, you're old, you have bursitis, then he'll give me shot which will help for a couple of days, and gradually a year later I'll get better. Been there done that.

Every day I pass an acupuncturist. I've never visited but from my viewpoint I have little to lose, and may unblock my Qi. Any advice?

Toad

Couture

It's fun having an in house fashionista, I get to quiz her on fashion history. Today's question, "When was the first fashion magazine published?" Answer towards the end.

We think of made to measure clothing as the ultimate luxury but before the fashion industry was invented, made to measure was all there was, it was old hat and not terribly exciting even for the cream of society. What fun in wearing something unique to you.

Fun is wearing what can be imitated. How does a woman know if her gown is stylish if she can't see it on someone else? How do you establish that you set on a trend early if no one else can copy you. Likewise what do you do when you see clones of yourself wherever you turn? The most fashionable women in Paris 1670 had an answer.

In 1670 Duchesse de Berry invited her most stylish friends, the best seamstresses and tailors and most celebrated hairdressers to her home, there she presented a plan. That evening those present invented Couture. The women agreed to put away their one off gowns in favor of the tailors creating fashion for all. The fashion plates of the day ordered the new designers gowns be brought to them as soon as they were ready. Once the ladies of Versailles and the designers began working together to make fashion public the key ideas we take for granted quickly fell into place. The "look" the way an entire ensemble worked together, the fashion season, questions of what's in, what's out began to emerge. Accessories became important. For the first time women spent more than men on clothing. Within several years concepts that have lasted 350 years were put into place.

Within a very few years the couture houses began going retail and down market. To spread the new gospel of fashion for the masses, the fashion press was invented. In 1672 Le Mercure galant (Gallant Mercury) was the first newspaper to report on fashion.

I'm stuck in a most wonderful book, The Essence of Style by Joan DeJean. I'd read it before, lent it out and like a bad cold it returns, placed back on the shelf and taken down anew. I love this book for explaining simply why and how items we perceive as luxuries came into being. Champagne, diamonds, red soled shoes, couture, comfortable furniture are all French inventions. Amazingly all born around the same time, the late 1600's.

Toad

We've come to this

While away it was reinforced for me how much our individual world view is tied up with where we live. The US isn't one place, just as Europe isn't. It's thousands of places, each uniquely different because of the people who choose to live there. Take Colorado for instance. I once thought it was only Boulder you should avoid if you hadn't drunk the Kool-Aid. Now I'm not so certain.

My daughter sent this local television news story:

"Animal obits outweigh human obits in Crested Butte"

"It is unclear how many pet obits are published each year in the Crested Butte Newspaper, but Associate Editor Alissa Johnson says they outweigh human obits.

"We call them 'doggy obits' around the paper," Johnson said. "They can be anything from dogs to cats. We've had horses in the paper this week".

Jerry Deverell put an ad in the paper for his horse Dink when he passed away.

"We had a really great relationship," Deverell said. "I picked out a picture and said, 'I've gotta put this in the paper.'"

The ads are unique. They're filled with poems, goodbye notes and sometimes nothing.

"I think the most emotional one for me was where they were unable to write anything, so all we got was the picture and the dates," Johnson said.

Crested Butte is a community where some folks value animal life over human life."

This is a trend that hasn't caught on here.

Toad

Public Service Announcement

Move Over.

I'm not going into detail about how I come to be such an authority on this but I learned something while away. I learned about the Move Over Law, and that 70% of the drivers in the US have never heard of it.

Simply, Move Over is legislated good manners. The many variations of the law state that IF an emergency vehicle is stopped at the side of the road THEN a driver MUST either change lanes to be away from the vehicle or slow to 20 MPH below the posted speed limit. The penalty for failure to comply is steep. Thankfully, I have no personal experience with such matters.

If you are travelling the highways and biways this long weekend, be careful, have fun, move over.

Toad

Gobble Gobble

In the US, today is Thanksgiving Day, a day set aside to give thanks the native Americans were willing to share and weren't better armed. So much of the iconography of America's Thanksgiving is wrapped in the flag of the Puritan's landing that we tend to forget what the Puritans brought to our shores. Things like religious intolerance, racial bigotry, ugly clothes and witches.

It's unfortunate the Spanish, who arrived and thrived in the America's long before the British, didn't have better PR or travel to the Northeast. Puritans may shutter at the the thought of spice, but it certainly makes the food taste better. Paella trumps roast turkey most any day.

From: Chicago Now

Whatever your plans, whatever your menu enjoy the day, if you are on the road, please take care. I'm thankful for each and every one of you.

Toad

The Gentleman's Slipper

Advised some time back that Fiona Dreesmann, the founder of My Slippers, a London based purveyor of luxury, bespoke slippers for women and men was publishing, The Gentleman's Slipper, I immediately got in touch.

Fiona was a treat to deal with, as we passed many emails, most of them confirming/correcting errors on my part. Such persistent pursuit of quality has become almost an anachronism, but fortunately no one told Fiona. Released by the printers Monday week, my copy awaited me when we arrived home.

After becoming reacquainted with our zoo, emptying car and suitcases, I lit a fire, donned my ceremonial beach slippers and tore into Fiona's tome.

First, it's beautiful eye candy. Photos from the greatest works of the world's greatest makers of bespoke slippers. Many photos of contemporary slipper collectors and their collections, along with a few sartorial heroes of an earlier era, along with details of the manufacturing processes, and personal stories of noted slipper aficionados.


I adore clever people, especially those with the time and talent to convert their whimsy into totems of personal style. The many examples of expert needlepoint slippers made by and for loved ones adorn these pages. Makes me want to learn needlepoint just to do something beautiful for the ages while I pass through my dotage.



Help for Heroes is a UK charity helping servicemen wounded in Afghanistan and the Middle East.

The Gentleman's Slipper is a treat, just in time for holiday gifting, and helps a worthy cause as well. Copies may be ordered here. Tell Fiona I said hello.

Toad

(all photos from The Gentleman's Slipper)

Katy Day 2011

Dateline: Far from home, at according to Calvin Trillin " the single best restaurant in the world"

You may be anticipating Thanksgiving, but in our house we celebrate is Katy Day. Today is my first born's birthday, although she was born on Thanksgiving Day, she is no turkey.

I'm incredibly proud of her, and so very happy to be able to bask in her radiance, however far apart we may be, yet am grateful to have spent the weekend with she and her husband. It was our best weekend in a long time.

We love you dahlink, celebrate well, I wish we were there to celebrate with you.

In catching up news it was too warm and too early to ski, so we are in health and on our way home.

Toad

Annie Jr.

The 6th,7th and 8th grade thespians of French Middle School, Topeka, Kansas, presented Annie Jr., an abridged version of the Broadway musical Annie last week. Mrs. T and I had the privilege of attending the final presentation.

Without further ado I present our granddaughter Annie, aka Liz, aka 6th grader Paige in her rendition of Tomorrow.



I am so proud of her, the kids worked like troupers, it was a splendid performance.

Toad

Forget the NBA lockout for a moment

From last Sunday's NYT Magazine

In a field with an endless river of new talent emerging and an average career of about 4 years, the NBA players recalcitrance is madness. A prolonged strike will likely cost all marginal 4+ year guys and this years draft their livelihoods. Its the owners ball, and their game, when play resumes, players will be earning less than last year.

Toad

( I wrote this before hitting the road. If circumstances have changed while away, my bad)

Annie - opening night

On the road for the next few days, gotta catch the Annie finale tonight, then Friday find a hospital with liberal visiting hours near Denver so I can visit my bride, the Olympic ski hopeful.

I may be slow following up, but I surely will... eventually.

Toad

Beaujolais Day III

One of the great marketing coups in the world was continued this morning when at 12:01 Paris time as the 2011 vintage Beaujolais Nouveau, the first wine from the new harvest, was released to an undeserving public.

In the days of the Concorde trendy New York restaurants would have it available for luncheon. Now it may take until dinner, and certainly by Saturday it will be in your local grocery store.

If you have trendy or sophisticated friends you may be invited to a Beaujolais Nouveau party this weekend. I beg you to reconsider going, or at least to take proper precautions. I think the British say it best. This is plonk. Before you take that first sip remember that these grapes were on the vine in September. Many of the less fastidious amongst us will quietly admit to having grape juice in the fridge older than this wine. Our more experienced readers will recall that Boone's Farm aged longer and tasted better, since it was aged in transit, typically by truck from far away.

Happy International Philosophy Day!!!

Toad

Stars and stripes

One of the earliest classes in military basic training is "Rumors and Propaganda". Based on the premise that whoever knows what is going on isn't telling you or anyone you know, so keep your nose to the grindstone and do your job. Still rumors are rife due to the uncertainty which surrounds military life, and the not so so hidden agenda of the armed forces to make conditions appear to outsiders in any way the military wants to.

Lost in all the excitement of the past week was our celebration of the 150th anniversary of Stars and Stripes, the US military daily newspaper. Born on November 9, 1861 by members of several Illinois regiments then bivouacked in Bloomfield, Missouri who finding an empty newspaper office (that most likely would have been a secessionist paper on hiatus while Yankee soldiers were nearby) took matters into their own hands by creating a newspaper about their activities. Stars and Stripes has published in every war since.

Today, Stars and Stripes is a daily publication, published by but editorially separate from the Department of Defense, targeted to military service members, their families, DOD employees and its contractors.

Although published by the DOD, unlike command publications which toe the party line, Stars and Stripes uniquely has its editorial independence and guaranteed Freedom of the Press status established by law. An ombudsman representing readers regularly reports to Congress. Printed in several editions around the globe, and on line it's a pretty good read.

Toad

The Song of Lunch

I do not read enough poetry. I blame misspent youth, unfocused education, uncritical reading skill. I do love words however, and wordplay. Storytellers hold me in thrall. Who needs television when a story is told in pictures?

Last Sunday, PBS aired the Christopher Reid poem, The Song of Lunch starring Alan Richman and Emma Thompson. If you missed it, kick yourself, then make amends. Find when it will replay. Stay up late, tape it if you must or watch it on line here, but please do not miss it.

Says PBS:

"He," the failed poet and unnamed copy editor at a publishing house, eagerly makes his way through London to meet up with his old flame 15 years after the end of their affair. He arrives to find their kitschy old haunt Zanzotti's now upscale and trendy, having changed with the times. But he is steadfastly unchanged, and he is bitter, adding Zanzotti's to a long list of perceived betrayals and abandonments.

In contrast, the unnamed "she" sweeps into the restaurant, matching its pace and glowing with luxury and tranquility. Married to a successful and respected author, she has not, like him, been ravaged by time; neither is she vulnerable to the temptation of wine, while he is by now well on his way to drunk. Was he hoping their lunch would be prelude to a sexual liaison? Was she hoping for reconciliation or forgiveness? He opens a second bottle, the recriminations fly, and lunch is served.

The story is a "What if", a situation not unknown to the wistful, the lonely, the unhappy or viewers of the "I Hate Men Channel". The narrative is mostly HIS inner dialog. Snape and Emma have a magical chemistry, the story is mesmerizing, the poetry lyrical.

Toad