Americans: Restrain Your Hands, S'il Vous Plait.

Pardon Mon Francais mais OMD (Oh Mon Dieu),
Here we go again....President Obama just met The Queen of England and used the "Double Handshake." Y'all have seen it. Many politicians and ministers use this double handed shake.
American Business Women consider it to be condescending. Apparently, the Queen thought so too...the British press is buzzing about this "faux pas" already. Americans will probably think this is such a stupid little rule and who cares, but it is our image. Again, the "Ugly Americans" fail in matters of manners.
Then I thought of Virginia's Governor, Tim Caine, last year when the Queen visited Virginia for our Jamestown celebrations. Front page in the RTD, our Governor was photographed sticking both of his thumbs up in front of the Queen. Y'all can use your imaginations and guess what the "Thumbs Up" hand gesture means in Britain and all over Europe. The European presses and British blogs went nuts!
Richmond also has a Preppie, young local TV reporter out and about town who reports the news with his hands in his pockets. Again, y'all can use your imaginations and guess what Europeans think about men who put their hands in their pants pockets.
I am now throwing my hands up in the air and asking: Why do Americans have such a problem with their hands? Why can we not just learn to be still? Why can we not spend a few minutes learning a few very simple rules for traveling abroad so the rest of the world does not see us as the "Ugly Americans" with our absolute lack of manners. Oh my! Au revoir, y'all.

Meeting Her Majesty, The Queen

In watching tons of old movies on TCM, I have noticed that Americans used to say: "How do you do" when meeting someone. We do not say these words anymore and instead now say: "Nice to meet you." I prefer to say: "Nice to see you," in case I have met this person before and do not immediately remember them. When being introduced to The Queen, or any Royalty, always wait for the introduction, wait for the Queen to extend her hand and wait to answer her by saying: "How do you do," NOT "Nice to meet you." "How do you do" is more formal and is preferred by Royalty as traditional. When Prince William's girlfriend, Kate Middleton, met the Queen, she said: "Nice to meet you" and was unmercifully bashed by the media. The press said she insulted the Queen by not saying: "How do you do." The press called her "common" and "rude," and all because she did not know to say: "How do you do" to the Queen. Sounds like such a dumb little thing, but apparently not. That is what etiquette is all about....knowing all your little rules. 

Cleaning Suede Shoes

To clean a pair of suede shoes, gently rub them very lightly against the grain of the suede or in one direction only with light weight sandpaper. Use smooth and even pressure. All dirt, mud and grease will come off.

Smokless Candle Wick Tip

Dip your candle wicks in vinegar and they will be sure to never smoke!

National "Read the Constitution" Day is April 20th

Castro did it. Lenin and Hitler did it. Chavez has done it.

Do the reporters and the masses not ever know their past or current history?

The Politicians are doing it again...now in America. They whip the public up to hate the super wealthy. Then they moved down to the CEO's. Then they started up with the corporate managers who received bonuses.

Today in London, the masses hate the bankers to the point that the bankers all have to come to work disguised in jeans and a t-shirt. Next they will start on the Doctors, Lawyers and Insurance Agents. Then onto the Farmers. All in the name of the common man.

Does no one know their history or care? Meanwhile, the Treasury quietly printed 1 Trillion dollars last week and all the media can do is talk about comparatively meager AIG Bonuses.

National "Read The Constitution Day" is April 20th. Write your Congressmen/Congresswomen and Senators, please. Participate in the national dialogue!