[CzinZumerzet]

I really love 'em and all of your interpretations seem to have hit someone's spot. I do remember Carrie but she was more like queen of the ball, for a night as I recall, not quite the same as your explanations about the homecoming side of it.

We (family etc) didnt get it right, and this side of your school/ college/ town life is not a part of our English culture. We guessed wrongly that 'homecoming' had something to do with returning veterans or servicepeople. I have never heard of this before so thanks for the elightenment. We have had great debate about it and thoroughly like the idea of celebrating reunions.

We do still have a Queen of the May, to celebrate May Day, but she is ususally the prettiest little girl at school, under tens that is. (More likely the one who's mum makes the best costume) We don't go in for beauty pageants at all, in relation to schools and communities.

The reference to homecoming queen was a couple of days ago in relation to the woman in the US Olympic ice skating pair and I am sorry I don't now recall her name, but she was apparantly an HQ. She is incredibly beautiful! The other most recent was in an episode of Malcolm in the Middle, much loved by me at least when Malcolm managed to capture one such for a date. It didnt last...shame.

Thank you for taking the time to elucidate.