No matter what, you can always find reasons to smile ........

Well, it is official. I have been completely *(^& over by the complete self promoting incompetents in the upper management at work and have been screwed out of another promotion. I guess that I was expecting it, but am no less pissed by the result.

After sulking for about an hour, I decided to do something that I have NEVER attempted in the past. I looked at what was good in my life rather then dwell in the crap. It is really not surprising that I came up with a rather impressive list in a very short time:

- My 2 amazing girls
- Tom, who caught an early flight home
- Susie and Papa are healthy and close
- Two episodes of LOST on TIVO
- Good Friends, and;
- Showtime's upcoming series "The Tudors"

And it is The Tudors that will get the rest of this entry's attention. I am excited about this series, especially since it promises to be full of the political, sexual, and bloody escapades of my favorite Renaissance Pig - Henry the VIII. Always concerned about my readers, I want you to be prepared for the series so that you can enjoy it as much as I. Therefore, I am committing to writing a minimum of 8 entries leading up to the April 1 Premier. These entries will highlight each of Henrys 6 wives, and his two daughters. Tonight we will start with wife #1, who was arguably the classiest of them all (albeit stupid for loving the schmuck) ........... Katherine of Aragon.

Katherine was Katherine of Aragon (Princess of Spain) and queen consort of England. She was the wife of Arthur, Prince of Wales and when he died before they consummated their marriage, Henry VIII agreed to do the deed. I am sure that this had political ramifications, merging of powers, yada yada yada. I choose to believe that it was because Henry, tired of playing second fiddle to his fathers favorite son, found a way to bang his brothers intended and took it. A small detail like his brother was dead didn't matter, Henry won.

Where did Henry fail? All of the male heirs that he conceived with Katherine (5) died in childhood and their only surviving child, Princess Mary (later Bloody Mary) could not inherit the throne (little did Henry know that the People would speak loudly on that issue and both Mary and Elizabeth would take their turn as the head of state, but I digress). Henry decided that because he could not make a baby boy with Catherine (who was deeply religious and spent her entire life praying about it) he would have the marriage annulled and make a baby boy with Anne Boleyn instead (which never happened, thought many believe that he did make a bastard boy with Anne's older sister Mary).

The Pope refused to allow the annulment of Henry's marriage to Katherine, which set off a chain reaction that led to Henry's break with the Roman Catholic Church, and gave us the Episcopalian Religion (Catholicism with Divorce). Katherine and her daughter were separated and she was forced to leave court. She lived for the next three years in several dank and unhealthy castles and manors with just a few servants. She died on January 7, 1536 at Kimbolton Castle and was buried at Peterborough Abbey with the ceremony due for her position as Princess Dowager, not as a Queen of England.

This concludes our essay on Katherine. It would be longer, but I am still working on Phillippa Gregorys The Constant Princess. Tune in for next weeks Tudor edition, for an in-depth look at Henry's Hussy --- Ann Boleyn.