HOORAY HOORAY I AM ALLOWED TO STAY
Yes the good news is that having finally obtained Indefinite Leave to Remain, I’m allowed to stay forever and although that is perhaps not a very long time geologically speaking, it is nevertheless a good reason for celebration so with not one but two good reasons, a celebration we shall have.
Avid readers of these occasional articles from the republic will know that the Dam Green Republic is about to have an important birthday on the 11th of November. It will be 25 years since our declaration of independence and although the date was made famous by an unhappy event on the other side of the pond, it is not my fault that they get things wrong in the US.
Partly because of events on the aforementioned other side, the celebrations will be modest and restrained but those who know me will expect nothing else. With a lunatic in charge in the US, ruinous fires on every continent (except Antarctica), droughts, rising sea levels and catastrophic glacial collapses caused by global warming and politicians here struggling to outdo each other to demonstrate unconcern about the state of the planet there seems to be little progress towards a more sustainable world and partying appears frivolous.
Nevertheless, we are determined to mark these two momentous and long awaited occasions (55 and 25 years respectively) so we are going ahead albeit in a low key sort of way. Modest it may be but you are all invited and there will be a free glass of cider or juice for everybody and off course there will be a fire because, as the saying goes “you can’t burn a crown without fire”. The plan is to light the bonfire just after dark, stand around for a bit and then go to bed. Not to be missed.
See you on the 9th of the 11th
Il Presidente