History

A case of the megrims

To have a case of the megrims was to have a headache. Often from the descriptions in diaries, these may have been migraine attacks or at the very least serious tension headaches. Darkened rooms, an absence of sound, relief brought on by a cool, damp cloth on one’s forehead or the back of one’s neck…

Exploring Regency London

I’ve been fascinated with Gunter’s Tea Shop lately. It now figures prominently in two of my stories. Located in Berkeley Square, it capitalized on the fashionable pastime of gentlemen taking ladies for rides in their carriages and provided one of the few places they could stop to socialize without risk to reputation. Besides, who doesn’t…

The Art of the Cravat

The Art of the Cravat

One of the fun things about writing historicals is you have to learn all this really cool trivia. You need to be able to set the stage and do it in a believable manner. This includes how to properly dress your characters. And every sharp-dressed man should wear a cravat. Contemporary heroes have life easy….

Thursday Thirteen: Happy Birthday!

  13 Happenings On April 3, 1968   You say it’s your birthday? Well, it’s my birthday too! This is somewhat of a running joke in my son’s Cub Scout Pack. I share my birthday with his den leader, but she’s older than I am =P We also share the day with my other friend…

Thursday Thirteen: Today In History

  13 Valentine’s Day Occurrences   Happy Valentine’s Day! No sappy trivia today (see yesterday’s post for that)! Below are just a few of things that occurred on Valentine’s Day in history. There were a lot of others I thought were cool, but had to zap to pare it down to thirteen. 1 ) 278…

Happy Labor Day

On Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, the Central Labor Union held their first demonstration and picnic. The third year, the date was set for the first Monday in September. As labor organizations spread, so did the idea. By 1894, 23 states had adopted holidays to celebrate the working man and Congress passed…