Restorations

Tomorrow we celebrate the 350th re-birthday of the English monarchy: Charles II restored to the throne by a nation which, after 11 years of puritan protectorate, was definitely in the mood to give Christmas Pudding another try. It's called Oak Apple Day, and apparently it's customary to whip children with a bunch of nettles if you catch them not wearing an oak leaf, or (if you're Royal) to inspect a Chelsea Pensioner. Here's Rufus Sewell, as Charles II, demonstrating the classic nettle-thrashing stance:


Also up for a biggie this year is Sri Potuluri Virabrahmendra Swamy, born in 1610, one of several mystics known as "The Nostradamus of India" (and I think they even mean that as a compliment). He was once given a job as a cow-herder, but was found skiving in a cave writing on leaves instead, having drawn a big circle around the cows and told them to stay within it. And, as you can read in his blog from beyond the grave, he knew how to handle a heckler sceptical about his own restorative powers.