Remember,Remember The 5th Of November

"Treason,treason the spectre looks again treason,treason the realm is safe and then

Oh no move away from harm I need a spell and a charm

Fly like the rainbow I'm no pawn,so be gone,speed on and on.

Kill the king strike him down,kill the king he'll rule no more

Strike him dead the people roar"

Kill The King-Rainbow

I realize this side of the Atlantic November 5th means very little unless it's a b'day or anniversary but growing up back home as a kid you lived for November 5th.

November 5th is Bonfire Night/Guy Fawkes Night/Firework Night.

The origins of all this go back to 1605 when a plot to kill King James of England was hatched by a group of catholics who felt killing King James and his family would allow the catholics to take the throne the plan was to blow up the Houses of Parliament,so 36 barrels of gunpowder were smuggled in to a cellar below,however legend has it somebody got squeamish and sent an anonymous letter tipping off the authorities and the plot was uncovered in the early hours of November 5th.

One of the would be perpetrators who was caught was Guy Fawkes but after confessing to being part of the plot to overthrow King James he took his life rather than face being accused of treason and facing the ultimate punishment,being hung,drawn and quartered.

The night of Nov 5th people were encouraged to light bonfires to celebrate the fact King James was still alive and there you have the origins of November 5th.

When I was a kid it was common practice for children to make a "Guy" and ask for money for fireworks hence the expression"penny for the guy sir"....unless you lived one one of the council estates in the neighbourhood then it was"give us yer wallet or we'll smash your face in"....I prefer penny for the guy,don't you??!!

From what I gather Bonfire Night is still a big deal back home,my cousin mentioned going to a fireworks display on Southend beach tonite,it's good to see traditions I grew up w/ all those years ago are still around.

No fireworks on my 10 miler this evening,62 minutes doesn't constitute as having a rocket up my arse but it was too shabby.