[Allen Tice]

Tell us heathen why it is a Bank Holiday. What is the reason? History or whatever, please.

[Julie Steiner]

Congrats, Jayne! There's nothing so satisfying as seeing a large problem undeniably dealt with. (Even if your muscles are also feeling it for a while afterwards.)

My good news: my delightful nieces will be coming to town, in just a few weeks.

[Brian Allgar]

Originally Posted by Allen Tice

Tell us heathen why it is a Bank Holiday. What is the reason? History or whatever, please.

Allen, Bank Holidays in the U.K. are awarded by bankers to themselves whenever they have made a particularly egregious cock-up involving the loss of billions of their customers' money. It's not so much a question of rewarding themselves, although of course they are always happy to so whatever the circumstances, as of making sure they can't be found by vengeful customers anywhere near their banks at least for one day.

Actually, their more thoughtful customers also welcome Bank Holidays, since the bankers won't be able to do any further damage during those twenty-four hours.

[Jayne Osborn]

Oh, you cynic, Brian!

Allen, here's a link about our Bank Holidays for this year.

Jayne

[Allen Tice]

Thank you, Jayne. I apologize for being so abrupt. I should have shared in your joy over the fixing of the tree, and I didn't. But I did want to know the historical reason for the BH. Your link helped, and further digging suggests that this BH is the Early May BH that seems to me to derive from a premature chronological Scots relative of Whit Monday, the day following Whitsunday, i.e, Pentecost, but I'm not sure about that precisely. I could refine this and clear away my own underbrush, but might not. Others, if any, who are interested in this are encouraged to do so. Thanks again.

[Jayne Osborn]

No problem, Allen.

More good news from me! After my exhausting tree-felling yesterday, I did a reading tonight at Clipston Women's Institute's Centenary celebration (they spelled my name wrongly on their website) but it was a super gig. I now do a mixture of my humorous poems and magic tricks, which go down well together.

I enjoyed a lovely buffet there, made the ladies laugh (and wonder how I did the magic ), sold a book and came home with a cheque.

Oh,... and our Brian's book "The Ayterzedd" arrived today. He's the one I just called a cynic, but Brian is witty and very funny, just in case you weren't aware

Jayne

[Michael Cantor]

Julie - I can't decide whether your nieces are talented and gorgeous, or gorgeous and talented - but the combination (and their list of appearances and credits around the globe) is awesome.

[Catherine Chandler]

Julie - Totally What Michael Said!