Gettin' Fawksey Wit It

In 1605 Guido Fawkes, a revolutionist, attempted to carry out what is today known as the Gunpowder Plot.
Guy Fawkes was unsuccessful in blowing Parliament to pieces.

You can't have more bad breaks than this guy... seriously, next time you're whinging about the bad day you're having, think of this. Everything that could go wrong with this plot did, including two suspensions the meeting of Parliament which led to a hasty application of the plan and resulted in his conviction of treason.

What did he have to show for his time and trouble?

A whole nation annually celebrates his getting caught and makes wax images of him to scoff at and stuffed effigies to burn.

.

November 5th is the official date, but anytime the week of marks the beginning of the celebrations.
Some areas have the lighting of a huge barrel of tar that will travel through the cheering crowds like rock star.

I personally don't understand why no one thinks this is a strangely dangerous activity. "Hey mom, look! The barrel of burning tar is coming right for us...oh, poor man he trippedaaaaaaaaaghhh my skin!"



Here in Norfolk there's no tar, just a nice cozy bonfire to burn the effigy of Guy Fawkes (sick, I know), with music, fireworks, chips and burgers and plenty of cheaply made glowing toys for the kids to break.

Remember, remember the fifth of November

Gunpowder, treason and plot.

I see no reason, why gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot.

Remember, remember, the fifth of November,

Gunpowder, treason and plot!

A stick or a stake for King James' sake

Will you please to give us a fagot

If you can't give us one, we'll take two;

The better for us and the worse for you!

Or:

Guy, guy, guy

Poke him in the eye,

Put him on the bonfire,

And there let him die.

Yeah, I told you it was sick.

As we drove to the event we'd be attending this year at RAF Marham, I stupidly excitedly looked forward to watching this spectacle from a large field blanketed in fog. I love fog.


I didn't think far enough ahead to realize that we wouldn't be able to see the fireworks...
so we ooh'd and Ahhhh'd at all the right moments and laughed hysterically at ourselves for subjecting our children to the cold and damp on a school night.

We laughed until we realized the hot ash from the fireworks and bonfire was raining down on us like an eruption from Mt. Vesuvius.
Well, we still laughed, but with our mouths closed.
Hubby said the ash tasted terrible.

We LOVE living here!