Why is it raining? Is the weather telling us something?

Gloriana: rowed from Chelsea to Tower Bridge and beyond - must have been exhausting

Today - the jubilee parade on the Thames - which I will watch on the tele because I like boats. But - - how are we republicans to deal with the celebration of monachy and the gross commentary that accompanies the whole carry-on.

 It would be nice if we were celebrating something more meaningful. Perhaps the people - 'fanfare for the common man' (and woman) sort of thing. Or acknowleding events of the growth (not yet complete) of democracy in our country - such as universal voting (1928).

If we think what monachy symbolises - not a nice picture -  hierachy - privilege - unearned wealth - deference - militarism - and much more. Republicans need better symbolism - many people don't even know that this country was a republic for a while in the seventeenth century.