Q&A Session

His practice has no room for new patients! Now, he's a medical wizard! I love this Doctor....

Q: Doctor, I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?

A: Heart only good for so many beats, and that it... Don't waste on exercise. Everything wear out eventually. Speed up heart not make live longer; that like say you can extend life of car by driving faster. Want live longer? Take nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?

A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does cow eat? Hay and corn. What are these? Vegetables. So, steak nothing more than efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef also good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And pork chop can give 100% recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?

A: No, not at all. Wine made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine. That means they take water out of fruity bit; get even more of goodness that way. Beer also made out of grain. Bottoms up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?

A: If you have body and you have fat, ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, ratio is two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exerciseprogram?

A: Cannot think of single one, sorry. My philosophy: No Pain...Good!

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?

A: YOU NOT LISTENING!!! .... Foods fried in vegetable oil. How getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?

A: Definitely not! When you exercise muscle, it get bigger. You should only do sit-ups if want bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?

A: You crazy? HELLO. Cocoa beans! Vegetable!!! Cocoa beans best feel-good food around!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?

A: If swimming good for figure, explain whales to me.

Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?

A: Hey! 'Round' is shape.

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Kidwelly Photos

Peekaboo - the camp seen from the castle walls..

'I'm always in the kitchen at parties'.......Obviously the place for the boys to hang out.....

We were gobsmacked when we arrived to find awful modern art dotted around this amazing medieval castle....this particular piece sat right in the middle of our camp.....

No words.......just medieval....... :-)

Medieval market stalls on 'campaign' - from left, spinner and dyer, rosary stall and moneyer.....(psst - that's me on the right!)

And, of course, not forgetting the soldiers - 'ye shall not pass!' Never argue with a man with a bill :-)

The view from the front door of my tent.......glorious......

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Photos courtesy of our Kimmie

Castle Life

This weekend was spent at Kidwelly Castle - a new location for me.

I didn't take photos but there was a reporter taking photos and names so you never know, I could be famous shortly! (only a local cub reporter, but she was oh so keen to capture as much as possible!). Also a lot of the company took photos, so there should be some nice ones around when they upload them!

My over-riding memories of the weekend are......well, rain ( of course!), a leaking tent, wind (the weather kind!), spending quality time with a good friend I haven't seen for a while, talking about coins and rosaries to interested people, lugging heavy kit, sunshine, woodsmoke, sore knees, being back in the court scene (I was 'robbed' by aforementioned good friend!), singing around the fire, clanking armour, a severed hand, hugs, bruises (caught a couple of doozies while unpacking and packing heavy kit), wet dresses, smelly soldiers, more hugs, laughter, hammering coins, missing my boy, playing with fake blood (cool!), newbies.
But the very best bit - sitting under the stars singing, talking and laughing with my best pal......

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Battle Lines

While the fair (posted yesterday) is fabulous, the main reason for Tewkesbury Medieval Festival is the re-enactment of the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471.

A rare sight is a lone knight - but I loved this guy complete with bill (long pole weapon) striding purposely through all the 21C folks.

Normally, the men come by household......

Some women come on campaign and support their men.......

They come with drums......

And bright coloured knights.....

And still they come.....

The knights clanking in their armour, dented and dull, but still working....and that's just the men!

More men with their supporters, young squires, women.......

Some look rather more pretty...........

Some look more war weary - it's been a long campaign.

Women bearing jugs of refreshing water - necessary in this day and age to protect our men. In the period the jugs would have been filled with watered down wine or small beer (half brewed beer, reduced alcoholic content)....

And still they come.......

And the drums play on - whether the group in the background or the drums of the household....nothing like the sound of rhythmic drumming to make the blood rise....

Waiting to move on - notice the padding, the protection for the poor man. A suit of armour is expensive and soldiers are only paid a couple of pence a day (dpending on their skill) - so they beg, borrow or steal clothing from their defeated foe - hence the hotchpotch of kit....

The camp is empty with all the men at war and the women following them.........

A hand for the band! We love this drummer lady with her harness of drums.....

Here's our ladies of the camp, armed with water and big smiles ready to support the household in their battle. (from the left; Liz, Kate, Rachel and Stephy) - and yes, they really are as hot as they look....it was broiling hot!

I was so busy waving and cheering at my boys I didn't take their photos - but suffice it to say, they marched into battle with grim smiles on their faces and weapons at the ready - except our beloved Sergeant at Arms who waved cheerfully at me! :-)

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At the Fair...

Today I went to Tewkesbury Medieval Festival - an interesting mix of a re-enactment of the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471 complete with authentic medieval market........and some tie-dye, crystal, pagan earth style stalls.....

This is the medieval version of your corner shop - run by 'Grumpy Old Charcoal Burner' and his wife. Whatever you want; tent pegs, dice, forage bags, small wooden stuff, big wooden stuff - this guy has it all :-)

We don't have IKEA, but here is the furniture stall - chairs on the left, stallholder sitting on the bed and chests on the right.

Medieval supermarket - cups and buckets on the left, baskets in the middle, some nice fleeces to keep you warm on campaign?Need new arms? The armourer carries swords, daggers and sheaths along with armour and padding.

The bowmen sell bows, arrows, quivers and protective equipment.

So, everything is sold to maintain the army on campaign.
More on the campaign later.

What did I buy?

A new linen forage bag, a lucet (in between finger knitting and french knitting), and some wood bobbins (hate using/hiding modern bobbins when the public are around!).such cute little bobbins!

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Before, After and Arabella

Charlie Cat has a toy he loves - in fact he loves it so much he disembowelled it...repeatedly!

Before

After

So today I saw a replacement and bought it while I could! Charlie is so picky with his toys, but he is very attached to Lil Lello Mousey...

Oh and Arabella is doing very well!

I want her to put on some green before exposing her to my garden....she has got big enough for her own pot now and she is growing some lovely new leaves :-)

Still no clue what she is going to grow into - but isn't the secret of life in the unexpected?

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