In my end is my beginning

Over the Easter weekend I read Antonia Fraser's biography of Mary Queen of Scots (which was first published in 1969) and thought it was absolutely brilliant, like all Antonia Fraser's books it is very well researched and well written. I found it really hard to put down and finished it in just over a day!
A few things really stood out for me in the book. One of them was the way that Mary showed tolerance towards Protestants in Scotland. She was prepared to allow them to practice their faith and this was unusual at the time. In neighbouring England, and in other countries throughout Europe, having different beliefs from the sovereign wasn't a good thing at all and often led to persecution and death. This was the norm in the sixteenth century and it is sad in a way that we can look back and see someone who showed tolerance as being exceptional in their time. 
In the first chapter of the book Fraser talks about how Mary of Guise's mother wrote to her advising her to wash her hair once a month as greasy hair caused colds! It shows how much times have changed. Hygiene must have been very different in those days.I remember being on a walking tour of Bath a few years ago and being told by our guide that the ladies who went to Bath for the season wouldn't have washed their hair while they were there, and as their hairstyles were quite large (think Marie Antoinette) mice and the like would often find their way in. I think it's just another example (like the religious intolerance) of how different the world was back then. It makes me wonder if in four hundred years time people will look back and see us as doing things which are just as incomprehensible to them as burning people at the stake is to us.
As I finished reading the book, I had an overwhelming impression that the execution of Mary Queen of Scots was completely pointless. In the short term, it might have made Elizabeth I feel more secure, but what about long-term? Just over sixteen years after Mary's death, Elizabeth died childless and the throne went to Mary's son, James VI, who then became James I of England. The Tudor dynasty ended with Elizabeth, whereas Mary has been the ancestor of every English monarch since 1603. Her famous motto 'In my end is my beginning' turned out to be quite apt.

A nice day for a white wedding

A friend of mine from work got married yesterday and I was invited to the evening do. It had been a really lovely day here, sunny and warm and so I dressed accordingly - short black polka dot dress, purple tights and was rather pleased with my outfit until my friend's eleven month old son gave me what I imagine was a disapproving look (along the lines of 'what are you doing going out dressed like that!' - my dress wasn't actually that short!). So I changed into a black maxi and instantly felt more comfortable.  I headed off in a taxi to the Dunadry Hotel which is really beautiful. I had never been there before and it wasn't quite what I expected. I love old buildings (or at least buildings that look old) and had been expecting something quite modern so it was a nice surprise. I sat in the entrance for a bit, just looking around and drinking in the atmosphere. I could imagine someone from years gone by going about their business in that place.

I realised after a few minutes I looked like a bit of a numptie just sitting staring into space so I decided to go and be sociable. I saw the bride and groom (Shoina and David) and they both looked lovely. I sat at the bar for a while with another work friend and chatted for a bit then it was time to go in to the ballroom to listen to the fantastic band and watch the first dance. The band were great, they did an amazing version of 'Folsom Prison Blues' to start off with and a few songs later it was time for the first dance. It was to 'The Way You Look Tonight' and was lovely (as first dances tend to be!)

 The ballroom was beautifully decorated with fairy lights behind the curtains and gorgeous tea light holders on all the tables. There was a portrait of a lady on the far wall although I couldn't quite work out who it was. It looked like it had been painted either 17th/18th century and I was very tempted to cross the dancefloor in a bid to identify it (but I didn't.) After a few more songs it was time to wish the bride and groom a happy honeymoon and head home.

Echoes

A few months ago I started to write a book about Mary I. I was watching The Tudors one night and it struck me that there was so much I didn't know about her, and I started to wonder what she was really like. So I had the idea of writing a book about her. It ended up as a novella, and not quite what I expected. I ended up bringing her to life in 21st century Belfast, because I tried to write the novel in the sixteenth century and it wasn't really working for me. My aim was to try to understand Mary, and I felt I could only do that if I wrote a book that was set in this time, with (mainly) 21st century people as characters.

Anyway, here is the prologue of my book.

When she awoke it was dark.

Where am I?

She was still for a moment, trying to get her bearings. She was dimly aware of someone beside her, but she didn't know who it was. She had no idea who it might be. Maybe her husband, or her sister. Or someone completely unknown to her.

Think, Mary. What might this place be?

The last thing she remembered was the morning light filtering in through the curtains as she had slipped quietly from one room to another. All she had heard around her then were murmuring voices and muffled tears. Now, there was silence. It was cold where she stood now. And all she could see was darkness. It was not quite pitch black, she could make out some shapes, but nevertheless she was unable to see clearly.

She could make out a faint light some way in front of her. It must be daylight. She did not want to be in the dark any more. Something was calling her, the voice of God maybe, or something else, calling her towards it. She was meant to go there. She knew this for certain.

She took a deep breath and moved towards the light.

The Truman Show

I first saw this film years ago when I was at university and loved it, but hadn't seen it for years until I was randomly flicking through the channels last night and noticed that it was on. It is a truly fascinating film. It's the story of a man called Truman Burbank who lives a seemingly perfect life until one day he starts questioning things. He finds out that he's actually a character in a TV show which is shown 24/7 and the TV show has followed his life from his birth right up until the present time.

One of the most moving parts of the film for me is the ending, when Truman opens the door and leaves the life that had been created for him. Just before that, the show's creator Christoph asks him 'How do you know the world out there is any better than the one I created for you?' It is a good question. In life, when we do something that's completely different from what we have done before, when we step outside our comfort zone we ask ourselves 'How do we know that it's any better?' We don't. But sometimes we have to take a chance and do something that might surprise even ourselves.