BODIES IN THE RIVER THAMES...

I bet you didn't know that 'on average, one dead body is found in the Thames every week !!!!!'

BRITISH NEW YEAR TRADITIONS....

With New Year upon us the weird things we do in Britain start with the way we let our new year in.
Putting coal on the outside doorstep, and singing aul lang syne will be part of some Britians New Years Eve celebrations.

For years and years we have had the piece of coal, gold and a dark haried member of the family to let the New Year in for good luck. To ensure good luck for the house, the first foot should be male dark and should bring symbolic coal, shortbread, black bun and whisky. This is a typical Hogmany Scottish tradition.

IT'S NOT DAVID DIMBLEBY FOR THE ROYAL WEDDING...

'It's probably a good thing I wasn't asked. The last wedding I did ended in divorce' said David Dimbleby who covered the wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.

ROYAL WEDDING CHINA NOW UP FOR SALE...

The official range of the Royal Wedding china made in Stoke-on-Trent has gone on sale.

The beautiful collection includes a tankard, plate and pill box, by the Royal Collection and have been approved by the Prince and his fiance.

Made from English bone china, each item bears the couple's initials, the prince's coronet and the wedding date.

All profits for the sale of items from the range are dedicated to the Royal Collection Trust.

SCOTLAND AND BRTISH MONEY...

Did you know that the use of the thistle a royal symbol of Scotland was on silver coins issued by James 111 in 1470.

Also, economist Adam Smith, who appears on Britain's most used banknote, the £20 note, is the first Scot to be depicted on a British banknote.

COLDEST DECEMBER FOR 100 YEARS...

'We all need to look out for each other'
Nigel Stafford, for the British Red Cross on dealing with the coldest December for 100 years

WHO'S GOING TO ANCHOR NEXT YEARS ROYAL WEDDING?...

WHO'S GOING TO ANCHOR NEXT YEARS ROYAL WEDDING?...

At the moment the veteran David Dimbleby seems to be top of the list, who fails to rule it out when asked, which could mean he's been given the nod.

Some people however think a younger generation would be more suitable in particular, 'I'm a Celebrity, Get me out of Here' presenters Ant and Dec !!

CELEBRITY COME DANCING...

'Yes, I'll be remembered as a dancing banana, not a politician'
Ann Widdecombe on her recent time in Celebrity Come Dancing

CELEBRITY STRICTLY COME DANCING....

'I don't believe in public humiliation. It went out with the stocks'.
Penelope Keith, star of The Good Life, on why she would never join Strictly Come Dancing

PRINCE ANDREW...

'All that sounds exactly like France'
Prince Andrew response to claims that corrupt business practices are rife in to whistleblowing website WIkiLeaks

'He has a right to expect to be able to say things. We don't operate on a nicey-nicey basis'
Buckingham Palace aid defending the Prince

BEING BRITISH...

They say that being British is about tolerance, decency and the determination to talk about the weather on all occasions as well as a tendency, when a stranger stands on one's foot, to apologise
Martin Bell

TODAY'S QUOTE ON KATE MIDDLETON AND PRINCE WILLIAM...

'William and Kate's view is, “Let's have a party.”
Royal aide, as a public holiday is declared for the couple's April wedding

GORDON BENNETT...

GORDON BENNETT...

Did you know that this phrase is used in Britain as a meaning of shock or surprise.

Gordon Bennett was actually a 19th Century playboy and newspaper mogul, whose exploits were so outrageous that his name became the popular way of expressing shock.

A QUOTE ON ENGLAND TAKES ON THE AUSTRALIANS...

We've not come here for the weather, the beer or beaches. We've come to win the Ashes. Simple'.
Graham Gooch, Test hero and now batting coach, as England takes on the Australians

THE BRITISH WEATHER...

THE BRITISH WEATHER...

Dr. Johns wrote back in the 18th Century that when two Englishmen meet, their first talk is about the weather. Well not much has changed since then as at the moment due to the early onslaught of snow and ice, all the British can talk about is 'the weather'.

PRINCE WILLIAMS FIANCE'S PARENTS IN THE NEWS AGAIN...

I'm sure between now and April 2011 countless stories will be written about Kate Middleton's parents and about Kate herself so it was no surprise to read yesterday that the papers say they have made thousands of pounds by selling their database of clients to direct marketing companies.

'Direct Marketing' is legal and popular among businesses of all sizes and is when a company sells its list of clients so that the direct marketing company can send out targeted advertisements.

I'm sure with an expensive wedding coming up next year for the Middleton's that any extra income will come in handy but also feel that there is nothing wrong in selling these lists as many other companies also do the same thing.

WILLIAM AND KATES WEDDING WILL BE A 'PEOPLE'S ROYAL WEDDING'...

William is said to want to pack Westminster Abbey with children, volunteers and the homeless in a unique 'People's Royal Wedding'.

There could also be street parties and a concert by Britain's top pop starts.

Apparently William chose the 2,000 capacity Westminster Abbey because of its link to his mother.

WESTMINSTER ABBEY HISTORY...

'Robbing Peter to pay Paul'. This phrase comes from the fact that once upon a time some of the land belonging to Westminster Abbey, which is dedicated to St. Peter, was sold to raise money to repair St. Paul' cathedral.

THE PRINCE AND HIS CINDERELLA...

Some are saying 'the prince to marry the pauper', but no, a commoner maybe but not a pauper.

Although Kate Middleton's finances are the envy of some middle class Brits her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton have built up a cash pile from a successful online party business, 'Party Pieces'. It was set up in 1987 and is a mail order business helping Mum's and Dad's make their special ones birthdays very magical and sells party paraphernalia and value for money party bags.

It's run from a call centre in a barn in Reading in Berkshire and has a staff of 8, and the website attracts around 150,000 customers a month, and I'm sure a lot more since the announcement of the engagement.

The family have a home in Berkshire and a flat in Chelsea and have educated their three children at the most expensive private schools.

Kate who is 28, was an A grade student at Marlborough and also has a 2.1 in History of Art from St. Andrew's University where she met Prince William. Kate is now listed in Wikipedia with information on her life and relationship with Prince William.

THE WEDDING OF PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATE MIDDLETON...

Well the date has been set for Friday 29th April 2011 for Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding at Westminster Abbey so the countdown to the wedding now begins. Westminster Abbey was also the venue for the Queen and the Queen Mother's wedding.

I'm sorry if you are not a Royal fan like I am as I will be blogging on it loads.

The exciting news is that we are being given it as an extra Bank Holiday so with Easter and Whit in April and May it will mean quite a number of long weekends to look forward to.

Meanwhile the Church of England Bishop Pete Broadbent, who predicted that the Royal Wedding would not last beyond seven years has been suspended from duty!

LONDON'S MAYOR RECIPE FOR CHEESE ON TOAST..

With so many celebrity chefs in the UK you would not expect London's Mayor Boris Johnson to come up with his recipe for the typically british favourite of 'Cheese on Toast'.

Well he did and his method is quite simple, 'Cover toast with slabs of cheese. Grill until it gets all nice'.

I think I can make that one Boris...

QUOTE OF THE WEEK...

'They have been practising long enough'

Prince Charles, after Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their engagement.