David J Prokopetz posted this great writing idea for if you’re writing about a rich character in a historical setting with a big house. The guests, who are of course miscellaneous weirdos, could add so much to your story:
Source: David J Prokopetz
(via: iFunny)
In England, Queen Elizabeth I, went on long trips throughout England descending on nobles all the time with her entire court entourage. It was referred to as “Going on Progress” and it was wild.
One French noble, Fouquet, got carried away with his construction plans, building a house that actually contained a royal bedroom for the specific use of the Louis the sun king. The king visited, found the place too ostentatious and told him to scale it back. He didn’t so Louis threw him in prison and used his architects to design Versailles, and take his estate. Turned out that serving meals to the king and court on gold and silver plates did not ingratiate him to the king, especially in that some of his wealth may have come from the royal treasury.
No mention of gender in all of this. Were old Ladies as apt as Old Men to join the Traveling Weirdos circuit? Sounds like a GREAT idea for a nonfiction book, as well as a good historical novel or 12!
P. G. Wodehouse used such settings.