So …
Remember, remember, the fifth of November.
Not for the usual reasons: happily burning Catholics alive and celebrating an attempt by religious extremists to blow up Parliament by … er …
burning people in effigy and blowing shit up … (non Brits won't have the foggiest idea what I'm on about but that's never stopped me before).
Well okay, we DO celebrate that but this year there were a couple of other things worth partying for.
First up, in a land far, far away across the ocean seas, sixty-two million wonderful and intelligent people did battle with fifty-six million gun-totin' religious fundamentalists and their chums and achieved something rather splendid.
A great day for humanity and a huge step forward for civil rights.
Excellent.
Well done, you lovely Colonials.
Meanwhile, back in the mother country one of our Blogville neighbours celebrated becoming a British citizen, adding to our impoverished country her marvellous skills, her degree and doctorate and her successful career doing amazing things for our local community.
Not to mention her wonderful, warm and generous personality, her charm, wit and intelligence … yup: she's great fun and a smartypants to boot.
I give you our latest British citizen: Her Majesty, the lovely Dr. Joy Barredo!
Yaaaaaaay!!!!!!!!!
This is Norfolk County Hall's Council Chamber.
On Wednesday evening, the fifth of November, after lots of introductions and refreshments we were seated around the chamber with the new citizens in the centre and presented with wonderfully tempting little consoles with microphones and voting buttons.
Regrettably, they were switched off.
The citizenship ceremony kicked off with some Handel and then the registration officer introduced the Chair of Norfolk County Council who gave the new citizens a welcome speech extolling the beauties and opportunities of Norfolk, all of which they already knew having been living and working here for many years but it was nice to be reminded that we live in one of the world's most beautiful places.
That's the NCC Chair on the left, wearing the bling.
Lovely chap.
Before the ceremony, both him and the guy on the right had been round and chatted to us all in a very friendly and welcoming manner.
The man on the right is Richard Gurney, the Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk.
The Gurney family (other than their lapse in good taste by founding Barclay's Bank) have been excellent mayors, aldermen and dignitaries in Norwich and Norfolk since 1066 and three of the paintings in my living room, by John Sell Cotman are inscribed to this guy's great, great, great grandfather.
He is a tremendously charming and witty man and later he concluded the ceremony with a splendid address.
After Mister Bling's welcoming speech each of the new citizens (there were almost forty of them) swore an oath (or affirmed it if they didn't want to include the "God" part) of allegiance to the Parasites.
This is why I could never become a British citizen these days.
We had a good chuckle about what Joy called "swearing allegiance to the freaking Queen", but she managed to do it with a straight face.
Here's the oath:
"
I swear by Almighty God that on becoming a British citizen, I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her Heirs and Successors, according to law."
and the subsequent pledge of commitment:
"
I will give my loyalty to the United Kingdom and respect its rights and freedoms. I will uphold its democratic values. I will observe its laws faithfully and fulfil my duties and obligations as a British citizen."
After this part, each new British citizen in turn was invited down to the front to be presented with their certificates of citizenship.
Joy (a proud Trekkie) liked this bit as the music they played was "Star Trek VIII, First Contact". Cheesy, but actually quite a fitting piece of music.
As each person received their presentation they were applauded by the whole chamber.
It was a surprisingly moving and dignified ceremony and I felt proud and honoured to be there.
As I pointed out to Rich yesterday, we have a different situation here with regard to immigrants than he has in the States: we have a dwindling pool of young British workers and what will very soon become an unsustainably large elderly population and we desperately need more immigrants to fill our jobs and pay the taxes that will fund our pensions.
It is our turn to say: "“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
Anybody in the UK resisting immigration should be made to realise that without it they will be in for a pretty impoverished old age, plus of course a stagnant culture, starved of the vibrancy of our wonderful cosmopolitan community.
Joy, of course embodies exactly the sort of new citizen we are most desperate for: highly skilled, hard working and eager both to embrace our culture (and the lovely Thom) and to introduce us to her own, something she has been very successful at.
Here is Joy's BBF from the office, the lovely Kim, forced under torture to wear a skirt just for this ceremony.
And here they are joined by Amalia, another wonderful friend from South Africa who is doing marvellous work both there and here in the UK.
She is formidably intelligent as well as being tremendous fun.
As we left County Hall, walking down the vast steps, we were greeted by fireworks as all of the Guy Fawkes Night bonfire parties around the city got into full swing.
It was a lovely touch and very apt to our celebratory mood.
After the ceremony, we all piled round to Joy and Thom's house for a celebration soirée.
Here is Joy carrying out her first task as a British citizen: making a nice cup of tea.
Hee hee. We kind of forced her into it but she does make a delicious chai tea.
Yum!
We sat around chatting and munching on Joy's yummy home-made focaccia while Jong set up his chef's kitchen.
Here are Thom's parents with Thom and Joy.
As usual, Jong provided a magnificent spread. Beautiful Filipino food; utterly delicious.
If you want to know what everything is,
check out the individual shots on Joy's post.
While Jong was prepping the meal, the girls - Kim, Joy, Marina and Amalia showed me their lovely legs. Which is about as far as Old Dive ever gets. Hey ho.
Also this week, Joy interviewed Thom on her radio show.
At the point where she asked him what it was like: being in a relationship with a Filipino woman, I laughed so hard tears came to my eyes.
It's a great show.
Here's a link to the podcast so you can hear Joy's lovely voice and Thom's deep and sexy tones. He'd make a fortune from cinema ads. Hee hee.
November the fifth, 2008 was a splendid day and gave cause for celebration all over the world.
We will remember it for very personal and happy reasons, too.
Many congratulations, Joy!
Hokay, so maybe that's not the best-composed photo I've ever taken.
This is her right hand.
These are her feet. Mmmmmmm …
And here they are again, climbing Ranworth Church tower.
And all of her at Wells-Next-The-Sea.
Here she is admiring the houses in Blythburgh.
And wandering through the village of Happisburgh.
Taking photos in Happisburgh churchyard.
Sitting on a bench in my back garden … er …
At Blickling Hall.
And here are the two of us relaxing on the pier after a hard day's promenading around Southwold.
