Christmas greetings from Wrightington Towers
Well goodness me - somehow, it’s Christmas again. How on earth did that happen?? What a year it’s been! Thank you all so much for all of your support, encouragement, suggestions, and, of course, your company on our various courses throughout. We are utterly thrilled that the Wright History community continues to be such a joy to us - and, of course, to you, as so many of you have told us - and it’s all down to you, O Lovely Denizens!
Long-standing Denizens may recall that I like to do a little round-up of our year at around this point. This year, I intended to do a different spin on last year’s focus on festive feasting and another yuletide Duffywatch, but alas events overtook me.
For now, then, for those of you who weren’t with us last term and may have been wondering… I’m happy to report that Duffy is now recovered from her summertime operation.*
*[As are we, just about!]
The sofa is no longer out of bounds - indeed she is gently snoring next to me, even as I type! I’ll do a longer post for Duffywatch fans* asap.
*[Some of you may doubt it, but they really do exist!]
And for those of you who may lament the absence of a 2022 Wright History Guide to The Season,* I offer by way of consolation this, as a How Not To Feast Guide - Dutch Golden Age moralism-stylee - courtesy of Pieter van der Heyden….
*[I’m less certain that there may be any of those, but it’s possible…]
Paul Cézanne, Pommes et oranges, 1899
Paris, Musée d'Orsay
This image, via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paul_Cezanne_Apples_and_Oranges.jpg
I suspect that van der Heyden would approve - nutritionally, if not artistically or spiritually - of the fare illustrated left. I leave it to you to decide which you will take as your festive inspiration. There’s no judgement here at Wrightington Towers…
Shameless? Moi…?? Mais oui!
…er… sorry… What’s that I hear you say…?
…Why yes indeed, O Astute Denizens, that is indeed a subtle hat-tip to January’s Cezanne and March’s The World Turned Upside Down Short & Sweet courses. How clever of you!! In fact, to push the shamelessness a little further still…
Should you not yet have chosen from next term’s embarrassment of riches/richness of embarrassments, and are twiddling your thumbs as you wait for your Gammon of Badger to boil, to see all courses now available in calendar order, click here.
On a less happy note, I’m afraid that I am horrendously behind in replying to the lovely messages so many of you have sent in the last few weeks, as well as general correspondence.
Alas, my father passed away last week. As I’m sure you will appreciate, I’ve been out of action, but I shall do my utmost to catch up as soon as possible. The funeral is next Wednesday, and once we’re back at Wrightington Towers and recovered, I’ll get back into the swing of things.
In the meantime, thank you for your patience.
…And, indeed, thank you for your forgiveness (hopefully) for my self-indulgence (right).
To return to more upbeat matters (it really is what he would have wanted - Dad was the life and soul of any gathering, not least due to having more than his fair share of charisma and a gloriously filthy cackle)…
Our penultimate gift to you, O Denizens, harking back to the Christmas annuals of yore, is a Spot the Difference (courtesy of the lovely Penny, who sent us a card from a trip to the RA earlier this year, for which heartfelt thanks).
Can you spot the difference between our inhouse charismatic cackler and the master of a frog school?*
*[Edit (25.07.23: Robert pointing knowledgeably at things, 1960s men’s catalogue stylee, is a recurring theme throughout our website, and until today, this particular Pointy Robert was the first image anyone would see when they visited our home page. Having asked our Denizens’ advice as to whether we should stay cheeky or look more “grown-up”, there was an exact 50-50 split! We’ve decided to experiment with Robert-Gentleman-Scholar, but for those of you who voted for us keeping Pointy Robert… you never know… he may yet ride again!!]
Think about it. Have you ever seen them in the same place…? [Scratches metaphorical beard, thoughtfully…]
‘The Map Psalter’, 1262-1300
London, British Museum, Add MS 28681, f. 4r
See: https://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=Add_MS_28681
Our final gift of the season is our specially-selected nativity scene.
Discombobulated Joseph…? Check!
Mary in an apparently contented post-partum slumber…? Check!
Slightly alarmingly large Baby Jesus…? Check!
Amusing (if one is as puerile as we are) animals at the manger…? Check!
One final self-indulgent homage to Dad…? Check!*
*[OK - I concede that it is probably more likely to be a chalice than a burlesque champagne coupe, but as Robert is wont to say, there’s no such thing as right or wrong when looking at art, right…?!]