AN ENGLISH POET...

WINE AND STRONG DRINK MAKE TUMULTS ENCREASE,
CHOCOLATE, TEA AND COFFEE, ARE LIQUORS OF PEACE,
NO QUARRELS OR OATHS AMONG THOSE THAT DRINK THEM,
ANDREW MARVELL – ENGLISH POET – (1621-78)

COURSES ON THE GREAT BRITISH 'AFTERNOON TEA'...

If you have never enjoyed an afternoon tea, or if your an enthusiastic lover of afternoon teas then I'm sure one of the course from the company 'englishafternoontea.com' will be suitable for you.

The specialise in traditional afternoon tea courses and you learn in a friendly, informal environment and the courses are designed to introduce you to the world of afternoon tea.

They offer one-to-one tuition, covering baking through to the social history of tea. Course vary from one to five days. The courses, which take place in Sandgate, Kent offer are One-Day Gluten Free Baking Course, One-Day Cream Tea Course, One-Day Brief History of Afternoon Tea with Baking, One-Day Academic Course and a Five-Day English Afternoon Tea course with a tea party.

TYPICALLY BRITISH DINNER PARTIES...

'At a dinner party one should eat wisely but not too well, and talk well but not too wisely.'
W. Somerset Maugham

TEA TIME...

My hour for tea is half-past five, and my buttered toast waits for nobody
Wilkie Collins (1824-89) English Novelist

117 DAYS AND COUNTING TO WILLIAM AND KATES WEDDING...

With only 117 days to go until April 29th for William and Kate's wedding it's not surprise to find out that there are a number of companies thinking up different types of merchandise to sell about the wedding.

But someone else has come up with another idea to make money out of the couple by introducing a Kate and William walking tour of the capital for £15.

For £15 one of the things that you will be shown is where William climbed on to a night club table and yelled 'I'm free', after he dumped Kate in 2007 !!!

Surely, that the last thing fans of the royals would want to see.

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.

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

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.

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'.

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.