Cromwell...Lord Protector...Beheaded...

Saying the name “Oliver Cromwell” elicits two reactions, depending where it is said.  In England, Cromwell is viewed as the savior of a ragged nation, a poor nation, after the monarchy made some unwise decisions.

His own decisions did not always work out well for him, as he was beheaded in 1540. The English regretted this decision a few decades later, deciding to exhume him and re-bury him in a place with more dignity.   

However, in Ireland (Drogheda and Wexford, in particular), Cromwell is known as the slaughterer of 500,000 Irishmen.  As he marched through the land, he killed the Catholics and some Protestants did not fare all that well (especially the Presbyterians).

During a 1984 visit, we inadvertently walked in Cromwell's path and when we said “Oliver Cromwell”, an Irishman would repeat the name, cough up some phlegm, and spit on the ground.  No more needed to be said.

Here are the two views:

1485-1540

The English revered Oliver Cromwell
for a while, anyway

But then there were the Irish:

Slaughter at Drogheda, Ireland

Now, here is a condensed historical version by Monty Python.

Gotta love
Monty Python
and their
excellent view
of history.

p.s. Have you ever seen "The Holy Grail"?  Worthwhile.

A Masquerade

A masquerade…quick!  What image comes to mind??

Depending on your age, there are many options. 

For me, it is “The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe.  It was made into a movie long ago, and didn’t end well for 99% of the actors.  Only one innocent girl escaped the horror at the conclusion. 

source

source

For my daughter, it is “Labyrinth” with David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly.  A peculiar movie I thought at the time, I wouldn’t let my daughter watch it “until she was older”.  She watched it anyway, and now my granddaughters (ages 6 and 7 ½ years) have watched it a dozen times.  What a difference 25 years makes, I guess.

And now, those same granddaughters have attended their first “masquerade birthday party”.  So much went into planning.  The dresses had to be special.  Glitzy jewelry was a must.  Make-up?  You betcha. 

Bright Eyes and Sunshine going to the masquerade party

Personally, I think these little girls have the right idea for a masquerade ball.  Lots of giggling, running around, and playing at being adults is better than my images of the black death plague taking out the sinners dancing in a castle.