In 1954, my mother married my stepfather Septimus Charlton. He wanted to give a present to his new father-in-law, Vincent Ward, from whom I get my name. Impressed by the coat of arms, he used the design to make a 3d model in Perspex sheets, using available colours. My sister keeps it as an heirloom.
… I asked him to change the spear to a pen-nib. We put the motto into Latin—the pen is mightier than the sword. I now have a personal coat of arms…
which puts me in mind of Douglas Adams’ Dirk Gently:
Let’s think the unthinkable, let’s do the undoable. Let us prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all.
There is no point in using the word ‘impossible’ to describe something that has clearly happened.
Sherlock Holmes observed that once you have eliminated the impossible then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the answer. I, however, do not like to eliminate the impossible.
