Tuesday 24 June 2014

A Tudor Lovefest

I'm not a great fan of the word 'idol' - its meaning in the manner I intend it yes, it has a lovely definition - I just find it too, well far too close to 'idle'.....

I could go into much detail about this as I'm in a worky wordy mood but no one really expects serious of me on here, right? Especially when it isn't about food.

The reason I brought up the word 'idol' was because I was trying to think of a word to correctly describe someone, (wow, this is so going read like I've lost the plot). Someone who unless you're a bit... sadistic? Wouldn't really be referred to as an idol. Nor are they actually real (sort of).

If you've never visited now's probably the time for me to say Welcome To My Bloody Strange World.

I'm going waaaaay back...

When I was a kid there was a publication called Discovery Magazine (seriously showing my age here but though it's been a while I still think I could pull off getting carded for buying booze - Note to self: Try this very soon for rejuvenating purposes) and it was sooo cool. I've always been interested in history and Discovery Magazine was all about that, a different historical figure each issue.

But not only did you read about historical facts and the personalities involved, you actually got to make things connected with them; I vividly remember making the Globe Theatre from the Shakespeare issue, it made the history come to life.

I was already aware of the Tudors from TV, prior or maybe alongside the time of Discovery Magazine Blue Peter (kids TV show for those wondering) had been involved with the raising of The Mary Rose (Henry VIII warship) and it just fascinated me, it was so beautiful despite its circumstance. When the Henry VIII and Elizabeth I issues of Discovery came out they fuelled an allure that has never passed.

(This is going somewhere in relation to Free From G, honest)

I'm somewhat of a history nut period and when I lived on the beautiful (man I miss you) South Coast, if I wasn't watching bands I could always be found in or on a National Trust property somewhere. English Heritage too. So I've been really lucky to have visited several places connected with the Tudors and especially Henry. There's actually a hunting lodge which he owned when all around here was green and lush a few minutes down the road, it's now a series of soulless offices but still, the history lingers. If walls could talk (wait, is this something i actually don't believe?!)

I know it's easy to romanticise a time you have no personal experience of, which was no doubt pretty hellish for most, even the Royals when you think of it. Yes they had untold riches but even they had no sanitation *stink face*.

But still, I find the era utterly compelling. I find Elizabeth I remarkable and intriguing and Henry VIII, well, no doubt a bit of a b*stard (not literally) but yet so.... charismatic and definitely beguiling. He's certainly not an idol but absolutely a Favourite of mine from the history books. Any fantasy dinner party of mine would always have those two at the table.

The clothes, the jewels, the palaces, the banquets and the complex relationships, it's like Dynasty without the marble bathrooms and I love it.

I hope I've relayed my enjoyment of the Tudors, especially Henry VIII to a satisfactory level for you to understand why I blushed when I saw this last night:

(Click for a bigger image)

I didn't tweet him, I never ever tweeted the link

Now I know that you may be thinking well he's not reeeeal. And I concur... to a degree. However, that's no fun, so I am simply stating the fact that a link to Free From G was tweeted by His Majesty King Henry VIII and might I add #notaretweet.

I think that makes me By Appointment To His Majesty.

I've also raised gluten free awareness in the 16th century, so that's always good.

Aren't you glad I'm in your RSS? That was of course, rhetorical.

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