Mrs Finnegan’s Almanac – Brighton Isn’t Just for Royals
June comes in with the scent of roses.
BUT all too often it has an OLD SHAWL on her shoulders, A BAD COLD in her head and CORNS on her toes. I try to keep my spirts up but be warned, dear friends, be warned!
(And I haven’t even mentioned greenfly or thorns)
Holidaying in Brighton
For those of you who have not YET travelled to Brighton for leisure and pleasure, I recommend a book that might well persuade you that a journey to England’s balmy south coast would not be wasted.
Holidays At Brighton or Seaside Amusements is an illustrated travel guide published by Darton and Harvey two years ago in 1834 so it includes all the latest attractions. Written in the form of a story about Lewis and Edward, two delightful schoolboy brothers, it would ENTICE any family to pay us a visit.
Here are a few words from the opening chapter
“…we are in Brighton at last,” cried Edward. “In Brighton, where the king and queen live, and where there are so many grand things to be seen: but what I want to see more than all is the deep wide sea. It was so dark when we came here last night, that what papa told me was the sea looked only, as we rode along, like a line of black clouds.”
Proof that holidaying in Brighton isn’t just for Royals. (However, dear King William and Queen Adelaide come so often little boys like Edward may be forgiven for thinking they actually live here.) We make all sorts welcome.
Saint of the Week
St Vitalis of Assisi whose feast day is tomorrow May 31st Patron Saint of Diseases of those Parts of the Body we Don’t Mention
I tried to find a better illustration, something with a bit of colour or personality in it, but failed. This is appropriate though as I’m told the skull of the medieval saint is now in a big house in Ireland brought home from a son’s grand tour of Italy. Vitalis did not so much mis-spend his youth as throw it away leading a life of vile immorality and utter licentiousness (you would think someone would have done a painting of that phase) but he came to his senses and spent the rest of his life repenting.
First, he went on numerous pilgrimages, but that wasn’t enough. Then he became a monk, but that wasn’t enough either. So, his final years were spent as a hermit with his ONLY possession some kind of rough container to carry water from the river. (And rags. I’m sure he must have had rags to wear as well because by this stage he was a decent enough fellow.)
No Wild Predictions HERE as in Other Almanacs
And if you are looking for the winner of The Derby you must look elsewhere.
But…
Thinking of our dear Queen, and knowing that she is not YET at that delicate stage in life when the hope of hearing a chirping voice call ‘Mama!’ when she enters a room has NOT entirely disappeared (despite her numerous sad losses), I speculate – no more – that 1837 might bring changes. And one of them could well be a young person at the Royal Palace in Brighton.
And doesn’t the King look well? One can easily imagine him dangling a toddler on his knee. I understand that he has had plenty of practice.
Improve your Vocabulary One Word at a Time
Apricateto turn your face to the sun and appreciate its warmth.
Go out and do it now
A Question for you dear reader…
We have been so long waiting for the summer that I am anxiously looking out for signs that the present pleasant conditions will not depart too soon.
I do not call myself an expert in the weather but I do have confidence in the following indications.
If a cat washes over her ear, it is a sign of fine weather.
Clocks and pocket watches tick louder before mild weather.
Wet at seven, it will be dry by eleven
But do you know any others? I am determined to ADOPT a cheery frame of mind, but I need something to hang my hopeful bonnet on.
Share similar ways of foretelling the weather. But please, only share the sunny ones. I would rather not know if we are in for frost and fog.
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not the same for a saint’s halo; it might be East Anglian dialect. well, sometimes the glow around the moon against the night sky isn’t very far, so that’s a near borough; sometimes there’s a definite visible ring, from about 3/4 the diameter of the moon away from the moon it’s definitely a far borough. it’s a question of experience, I suppose; I can glance at the moon and say, for example, ‘foggy start tomorrow, I’m going to be aching with damp air but if it rains more than a drizzle before dawn I’ll be surprised. ‘ the amount of dampness in the air is visible in the moon’s light, the droplet density creating more of a shining halo around it.
While travelling in Scotland, on one of the Hebridean Islands I think, I found a miraculous Weather-forecasting Stone and have lived by its forecasts ever since. It works thus: Condition Forecast Stone is wet Rain Stone is dry Not raining Shadow on ground Sunny Stone is white on top Snowing Stone invisible Foggy Stone has gone Tornado This never fails!
I’m a bit confused. I think I will need drawings and diagrams to fully understand, but thank you. This was precisely the kind of lore Mrs F was seeking
BRIDGET WHELAN writer 
looking at any circle about the moon: near borough[halo] far rain; far borough, near rain.
Alas poor Adelaide.
Interesting…and how can you assess if the circle is near or far? And is the thing around saints’ head also called a borough?
not the same for a saint’s halo; it might be East Anglian dialect. well, sometimes the glow around the moon against the night sky isn’t very far, so that’s a near borough; sometimes there’s a definite visible ring, from about 3/4 the diameter of the moon away from the moon it’s definitely a far borough. it’s a question of experience, I suppose; I can glance at the moon and say, for example, ‘foggy start tomorrow, I’m going to be aching with damp air but if it rains more than a drizzle before dawn I’ll be surprised. ‘ the amount of dampness in the air is visible in the moon’s light, the droplet density creating more of a shining halo around it.
if I should ever decide to camp outside, the rain will greet me at the site
I’m guessing that’s pretty infallible
While travelling in Scotland, on one of the Hebridean Islands I think, I found a miraculous Weather-forecasting Stone and have lived by its forecasts ever since. It works thus: Condition Forecast Stone is wet Rain Stone is dry Not raining Shadow on ground Sunny Stone is white on top Snowing Stone invisible Foggy Stone has gone Tornado This never fails!
I’m a bit confused. I think I will need drawings and diagrams to fully understand, but thank you. This was precisely the kind of lore Mrs F was seeking
very nice.
We have a saying here in Ipswich, ‘how can you tell when it isn’t raining?’ ‘when it’s foggy.’
Love it!