RCBfA Cleared For Take Off

Since I am one of the few gentlewoman bloggers in the blogging neighborhood Patum Peperium resides, housework duties do tend to fall on me more than the gentlemen bloggers. This is because we are an old-fashioned blog neighborhood and I, for one wouldn't have it any other way. Besides, these are simple duties like telling newcomers who all the players are. For all of the readers of PP to comprehend what is about to occur this weekend and next week, everyone needs to be reminded of the humble beginings of the RCBfA, (Roman Catholic Boys for Art).

For a starter, it's all Irish Elk's fault.

There is a blog in New England...They call the Irish Elk...And it's been the ruin of many a blogger...And God I know I'm one...

August 28, 2006 was just a lazy-end-of-summer day like all other lazy-end-of-summer days. The Peperium household was in high gear of preparations for Little Bertie Wooster's 5th birthday on the following day. For some reason, only known to Irish Elk, and probably his wife, he did a little post on Louise Brooks (scroll down to August 28). When men, who are normally among the nicest you'll meet in the worldwide web get like this, the wisest and best course for women to take is one of ignoring this small character lapse. But, unfortunately, Irish Elk's character lapse became all too soon impossible to ignore. A few days later he followed up his Louise Brooks post with an Audrey Munsen one. When I first saw the Audrey post that morning I knew troubled waters lay ahead with the Wing Commander Basil Seal KGB (and all his other assorted initials). The Wing Commander's time in the officer's mess of the Royal Marines would have made him easily captivated by the charms of a cold, carved marble, 100 year-old Venus. What I did not expect was that Fiendish Lout was a pushover as well to Audrey's cold, carved marble charms. About noontime that very day an email landed in my box from Fiendish Lout with more Audrey Munson pictures suggesting we improve our day by visiting Irish Elk's blog. The we in question was the Card's wife and myself as he sent her an email too. She rang me up immediately demanding to know why Fiendish would think looking at pictures of Audrey Munsen would improve our day? Admittedly, her point was more than valid. And even more admittedly, we were irked by his suggestion.

So the Card's wife and I decided it was woodshed time for our fellow Catholic male bloggers. After all, we couldn't have the Protestants in our midst thinking we Catholics were just like them, now could we? What ensued with our attempt to take these men out to the woodshed was, for a lack of better words, entertaining and enlightening (there are links all through there to what was happening here and elsewhere).

This little bit of dialogue from Irish Elk's Audrey Munson post ended up having a most profound effect on the cough, cough, gentlemen in our midst:

First, I can only imagine what depths this post will cause Basil Seal to fall to. Mr. Elk, you really have to take into consideration how you lead him astray. Did you see what he did with that other dissipated mental case, Louise Brooks?

You know, as some one who spent the better part of 4 years drawing nudes 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, these models aren't what they're cracked up to be. Trust me on this. I'm with P.G., very eccentric indeed...
Mrs. Peperium | 08.31.06 - 4:58 pm | #

Mrs P, I must confess, I am interested to see Mr Seal's response -- perhaps an Evelyn Nesbit Festival?

Meantime, you can't write...

as some one who spent the better part of 4 years drawing nudes 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, these models aren't what they're cracked up to be. Trust me on this.

and leave it at that. More Tales from the Garret, please!
MCNS | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 5:14 pm | #

Yes Mrs. P, what about nude models? Could you possibly provide more detail? We, of course, are all ears (and eyes)
Basil Seal | 08.31.06 - 9:03 pm |

Since it is from small acorns great oak trees are born, so too from small comments were the Roman Catholic Boys for Art born.

Because the woodshed momentum had turned in favor of the RCBfA and this momentum was now taking them all straight to Hell, in an attempt to win back both the woodshed momentum and the RCBfA's souls, I posted a diversionary tactic (click on Hardly) which had a most unintended consequence from the most unlikely corner of our neighborhood, our devout corner. Or, Andrew Cusack who came up with the idea of a flying RCBfA plus promoted himself to Squadron Leader:

...Talk about jumping to conclusions! Who said a damned thing about pacifism? All I meant was that the absence of war is a desirable state. Mrs. P is getting paranoid.

Maybe we should all form an air militia? The RCBA of the skies.

Posted by: Andrew Cusack | September 25, 2006 at 02:42 PM

The RCBAAC--the Roman Catholic Boys for Art Air Corps (a/k/a the Imperial Flying Wolvernines).

Posted by: Fiendish | September 25, 2006 at 03:07 PM

IMHO, both Mr. P and Card have been laying low on this whole RCBA thing--leaving aside its new avaition wing. Are they now, or have they ever been, members of Roman Catholic Boys for Art?

Posted by: Fiendish | September 25, 2006 at 05:49 PM

Yes, I like that Imperial Flying Wolverines thing. I'd be willing to fly for them.

Sorry I haven't been present and accounted for, Col. Fiendish, but I've been off studying artistic matters. Mrs. C is a very, very artistic person and, as a result, I've been tied up for the past few days with matters extremely artsy. But you may report to squandron leader Cusack that I shall be ready for action should some belligerent act of aggression be undertaken by the hideous nutmeg state.

Posted by: Card | September 25, 2006 at 07:35 PM

Ah yes...Art. I remember it well.

In high school we had these catalogs of Art. They were so important and valuable that an older friend had to buy them for you, because the guy behind the register at the drug store wouldn't entrust them to just anyone.

They had lots of Art. Pages and pages of Art. And in the back there were letters written by people (all men for some reason) who had serious questions about Art. And right in the middle was a really big piece of Art. It was so big they had to add extra fold-out pages. That was so they could show all the magnificent detail of the Art up close, so you got the full impact.

I remember how everybody wanted these catalogs, so if you were lucky enough to get one you always put it somewhere safe, where no one would dream of looking. Because there were Art thieves everywhere.

How Catholicism fits in here I'm not quite sure.

Posted by: Mr. Peperium | September 25, 2006 at 07:56 PM

While I admit that the mental image of a flying Wolverine is comic in the extreme, I also remember that that famous fighting Michigander, George Armstrong Custer, always encouraged his Michigan Brigade in a fight by shouting "Come on, you Wolverines!" Not molten eloquence, I admit. But judging by his combat record it must have worked.

I too want to follow in my grandfather's footsteps (do flyers leave footsteps?) and join the IFW. I also want to clear something up. My grandfather was not a British subject. He was American and so eager to join up that he went to Canada and signed on, long before his country did.

Posted by: Mr. Peperium | September 25, 2006 at 08:06 PM

Mr. P wrote: "How Catholicism fits in here I'm not quite sure." I take this remark as a hint that there is not enought "RC," and too much "B," in RCBA. It is a little harsh, considering some of the legitimate Art posted by the bloggers currently flying the RCBA banner, but the point is being made in Mr. P's usual clear way. Mr. P is, however, mitigating our loss by signing up for the IFW (not to be confused with the IWW).
Card on the other hand and in contrast with Mr. P, has not left me with a clear understanding of his position on RCBA, although Card too is willing to sign on for the Imperial Flying Wolverines (but apparently for counterattacks only). I take it that wars of conquest by the Empire State are not Card's cup of nutmeg. This must be Card's respect for the just war theory, since we know he cannot be afeared of a "bunch of pansies.'

Posted by: Fiendish | September 25, 2006 at 09:07 PM

Fellow Flyers,

Not too keen on this 'Wolverines' business. Think Imperial Flying Corps sounds better. Imperial flying wolverines conjures those beasts from the Wizard of Oz and makes them sound like they've joined the Klan. Nancy Mitford would cast aspersions.

Regards,

Sqn. Ld. A.K.B. Cusack, the Earl Albatross, Viscount Herringbone, Baron Bisquick, Hereditary Keeper of St. Hepplethwaite's Fingernail, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Misplaced Spaghetti Spoon

Posted by: Sqn Ld A.K.B. Cusack, &c. | September 25, 2006 at 10:57 PM

FF,

Also, can we make a film of us flying loop-de-loops with a jaunty Strauss tune as the soundtrack? ('Auf Ferienreisen' would be appropriate, n'est-ce pas?). We could put it on YouTube and impress the ladies.

Sqn Ld A.K.B. Cusack, &c.

Posted by: Sqn Ld A.K.B. Cusack, &c. | September 25, 2006 at 11:01 PM

Since that fateful day, it's been a complete loss at any attempt of woodshed time for the RCBfA. But, for some reason God only knows, He did not want to witness the RCBfA's descent into Hell. So last Novemeber He sent help in the form of a RCBfA Chaplain. Father M. has been doing a very admirable job in keeping them in line too.

Now, this weekend we are off to St. Louis. The Wing Commander Sir Basil Seal, who once flew these and dropped really big bombs on the guys that wear tea towels instead of trousers, is taking Fiendish, Father M., Mr. P, and myself flying. While I'm hoping for some flying like this, Basil has promised me we will at the very least buzz the country club...

...upside-down.

Since Father M. will be blessing the plane before take-off, we should be safely returned here by Tuesday. If for some reason we crash, fear not, it will be on the evening news.

(Heads-up, Mr. P. has already penned a post for tomorrow about what's he learned with his time with the master, Wing Commander Sir Basil Seal.)

Mrs. P

Comments

[Old Dominion Tory]

I hope everyone has a good weekend in Saint Louis and in the air. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r55zMPlPWng
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pHvoRmXXAE
Cheers!

[Andrew Cusack]

I'm still waiting on 'Auf Ferienreisen'.

[Father M.]

Not that I have any misgivings about Sir Basil's aviatory skills, but I will be bringing the Holy Oils in addition to the Holy Water...

[Fiendish]

Capital idea, Father M. RCBfA has a better ring to it than RCBA, which I see was my early abbreviation last summer. The organization has imroved already, before its arm arm has even launched its first war of conquest.

[Robbo the Llama Butcher]

Great Heavens! When I read about this over at Basil's place, I thought "flying party" was just a metaphor.

Well, Mrs. P., I certainly hope you'll give everyone a demonstration of wing-dancing a la "Flying Down To Rio"

[Mrs. Peperium]

It was the lowest RCBfA on the totem pole, Maxy, or Maximum Leader who added the f...

[Card's wife]

Mrs. P, Margaret at the St. John's boutique said you were in earlier today. Did you see the new spring pieces? I'll meet you there tomorrow.