craziequeen's palace

Where's my Toy?

2012-02-09T20:26:00.004Z

I'm tracking PostKat, the meerkat who is responsible for delivering my toy meerkat, got free with my car insurance.

I think he might actually work for Royal Mail, given his itinerary....Meerkovo, St Petersburg, Athens, Paris and Prague....but at least he is taking the scenic route :-)

This price comparison website have really pushed the boat out to make the effect real :-)

cq

Waiting for PostKat

2012-02-04T12:33:00.003Z

OK, so I ordered my new car insurance....now I just wait for PostKat with my free toy! :-)

I'm a sucker for a well-spoken Meerkat selling car insurance :-)

cq

Numbnuts the Magnificent

2012-01-26T19:37:00.002Z

This is my friend's cat, Nummy, isn't he beautiful? Full Maine Coon, absolutely exquisite cat - if a little slow...he is adorably stupid...

But, common in Maine Coons, Nummy has been diagnosed with feline hip dysplasia. It can happen a lot in Maine Coons and the bigger the animal the more serious the problem. As you can see Nummy is a VERY big cat and his condition is serious (this picture was taken before the symptoms settled in).

He is due to have his femurs cropped (the failing balls of the joint cut off) in due course, and I did some research.
"Restricting exercise, such as limiting access to outdoors or the ability to climb up on objects, can be helpful as well. For severely affected cats, a surgery called a femoral head and neck excision arthroplasty is widely available that removes the damaged tissue. Cats that have had this surgery can usually expect a full return of hip function and freedom from pain and discomfort once post-operative healing has occurred."

That sounds so positive, it would be wonderful if this big chap got another chance - he's only 18 months old and that is just too young to creak about like me!

cq

New Toys

2012-01-13T21:13:00.005Z

Yesterday my boredom at work was relieved by the delivery of a new toy.

When you teach First Aid you get great toys - and to go with my fake wounds, Resus Annie and defibrillator training unit I now have a 'Choking Charlie' :-)

Abdominal thrusts (which used to be called the Heimlich Maneuvre) are too dangerous to be practised on live humans. Previously it was taught with pictures and slow time demonstrations.

Now we have a new dummy to practice on - Choking Charlie! I am teaching First Aid Skills on Monday, and will let my class loose on poor old Charlie....

Go on, admit it - I have the coolest toys!

Dust

2012-01-01T19:45:00.005Z

Wow, this place is dusty [blows dust off blog]

It looks like no one has been here for months....time to break out the cleaning products!

OK, truth be told after a difficult 2010, 2011 turned out to be another bad year for me with work stresses taking their toll exacerbating my depression, medical problems requiring many tests and then, just as I was regaining my equilibrium from the loss of my dad in 2010, a good and valued friend was killed suddenly on my birthday in 2011, plunging me to new lows of depression.
Friends have helped pull me through the darkness and supported me along the way and I am still here.

But now it is 2012....the year of the Dragon..

Me being a Dragon, this should be a good year for me....but let's just see how things shape up, yeah?

For now, I will dust off the blog and try and post regularly on it...

First Father's Day

2011-06-15T21:03:00.010+01:00

I thought I had done grieving until the Father's Day stuff started to appear on the shelves. I had discovered, when going through my dad's stuff, that he had kept every Father's Day card I had sent him over the years.

So, what will I be doing on Father's Day?
Once I get back from our Fun Day event at Bishop Sutton, I will be heading here:

www.olddowncountrypark.co.uk/
Why? Well, when I heard my dad was seriously ill I desperately needed to be alone, but not alone - if you see what I mean. So, for the first time, I nipped over to our local animal park to spend some time with the animals and walk alone with my thoughts and worries.
I fell in love with the goats, the cows, the sheep, the alpacas and llamas...and most of all with the horses, especially Woody the Clydesdale.

I bought a season ticket, thinking it would be a nice place to run away to in the difficult days to follow. When not at work or driving to and from the hospital and then the hospice, I spent many days strolling the parkland with tears in my eyes, enjoying the countryside while worrying about my dad dying.

The day we got The Call, I had just got in from another couple of hours at the park with my animals.

So, on this Father's Day I will be spending some quality time with 'My Animals' (including the new baby reindeer, here)...It's where he would want me to be...

To all my friends who are fathers and grandfathers, hold your children close and tell them you love them...

cq

Kidwelly in the Sun

2011-04-28T21:13:00.003+01:00

It was a glorious sunny weekend in Kidwelly Castle, for the first foray into the middle ages.

Our new tent looked wonderful in the lea of a magnificent medieval tower.
This is one of my favourite pictures from the Castle - I found four windows in line...it looks almost magical...
As the soldiers march off to perform their drill programme, the women sit around the fire, tending the fire and discussing the matters of the day.
Amongst other displays, our soldiers put on a show of drill, using the bill weapons - a 6' pole with an evil weapon attached to the end. This movement is called a schiltron, where the soldiers gather to protect the assets, the Lords, Knights, the Standard and (in this instance) the Sergeant at Arms. The schiltron has been known to comprise up to 2,000 soldiers.
Oh, speaking of Lords, here are Lords Hungerford Jnr (left) and Snr watching their soldierly detachment go through the drill to ensure they are effective in the battlefield. These Lords rely on the smelly soldiers to protect them and their households.

Yeah, I know...I'm a re-enactment bore...but I love it :-)

Hi Ho Hi Ho...

2011-04-23T11:46:00.005+01:00

It's off to the Middle Ages we go.... :-)

This weekend The Company of Chivalry are disappearing off to Kidwelly Castle. We are all bouncy this morning, swapping talk on Facebook, eager to see each other again and to time travel to the 14C....some have sent their apologies, and I won't see Nick, Marshall, Hannah, John, Georgi (either of them) or my medieval 'husband' Brambles this weekend. But we will all collide at some point in the season :-)

This is the first time we are using the new tent in anger - she so pretty!

and we are really looking forward to having a smaller tent which us ladies can put up without the help of the men.

The first event of the season is always a step into the unknown for me as I go around the house collecting all my medieval stuff I have stuffed here there and everywhere, and I always end up with LOADS in the car I won't use but pack just in case.

I have been making rosaries this week and have lots to sell, with loads more beads to make more as they go...trying out some brightly coloured wood beads this season, to supplement the plain wood and to attract the magpie in those members of the public!

The coin dies are packed and we are ready to explain the 14 century life to keen and eager (and hot!) holidaymakers...

cq

Here We Are Again

2011-04-02T09:23:00.008+01:00

Every year this day rolls around. Now I know most of you enjoy parenthood and have had many years of childish crayon cards and paper flowers, maturing into expensive bouquets and designer cards but always with love and appreciation, but some of us aren't blessed thus. A little something for you to consider: Outsiders Happy Mother's Day for tomorrow to all the mothers, mums, mommies, mamas, mummies and moms out there. I have plans for tomorrow. Watch this space... cq (and I am really aggravated that the 'compose' tool is not acknowledging paragraphs!)

2 + 2 = 46

2011-03-15T09:38:00.003Z

I have been doing some reading lately. My depression has been very bad, my behaviour much more unpredictable (to the point people are commenting on it), hot flushes, memory failure, sleepless nights, loss of libido, cold sweats, upset stomach...

hmm, once I put my various symptoms together it all starts to look worrying familiar...

I think I may be officially 'getting old'. The start of the (hopefully!) long road to old age, loneliness, boredom and disability.

I have to go to the doctor and get a hormone test, I think.

Nothing like being optimistic about these things....[brave smile]

Moving On and Staying Still

2011-03-05T20:30:00.003Z

It's been four and a bit months since my dad died and I still see him dying last thing at night and first thing in the morning...that image and sound has stayed with me.

I am trying to see him like this - him in his heyday working overseas as a geologist when I was young...

but the recent memories are stronger.

I am so pleased my friend Sarah has scanned in some childhood photos for me and done me fabulous hard copies too.

'Ugly Monster' (my chronic depresssion) has been in resident since before Christmas. It has been my constant companion for the last few months and I have been making a tremendous effort to remember my meds. As a result I have been horrendously run down and have been ill for a month or so. I have missed weeks of work and am physically exhausted now.

But lately someone has lit the candle at the other end of the dark tunnel...

Battle practice has commenced for the new season, which involves advertising Company of Chivalry to the hoi polloi, and the Spring Markets are here, which involves shopping (yay!) and the antici.....pation of our new tent (due to be collected on the 19 March).

I also wetted my medieval appetite with Ironclad. It's a great film about the siege of Rochester Castle in the 13 century with the amazing James Purefoy. Admittedly, they have played fast and loose with costume and 'love interest' but the film was overall entertaining and, mostly, accurate.

More importantly, the Company of Chivalry provided soldiery for the movie and my boys can be seen handling the magnificent trebuchets and fighting in the ensemble scenes. I am so proud!

Regrets...Quite a few....

2011-02-10T17:25:00.004Z

You never know what a can of worms a simple act will open...

When I was 17 I got a job working in a house with four beautiful children. The youngest, Katie (1), had clicky hips and was in hospital when I arrived (part of my duties was to visit with her regularly) and Ben (3), Emma (5) and Becca (7) filled my days until the littlest one came home with a custom made wheelchair. Then my life was centred on her and her siblings, through whooping cough, chicken pox, growing pains, broken bones and school uniforms.

The children helped me grow and taught me patience and unconditional love. I learnt to care for their pets (cats, dogs, goats, pony) and even scythed grass and painted buildings - a varied and enjoyable time in my life.

I have cherished sweet memories of these four children and of the wonderful four years I spent sharing their lives and their home, a run down farmhouse in the middle of nowhere - full of music and noise.

A few months ago, I happened across Ben's email address on the web and popped him a short email to say hi, how you doing. Well, it has only been 26 years....!

It was miraculous, he remembered me and those happy days and replied to me with a photo of his own children - who are the spit of their dad at that age! He caught me up with his sisters and their families, and even my little Katie is expecting her first baby in May.

But then he asked me what did I go on to do and what I was doing now...?

I don't know what to say to him and thinking about my life has plunged me into the abyss. Violent relationship, ran away, failed pregnancies, disowned siblings, major surgery, barren, chronic depression, weight and eating issues, now a childless Crazy Cat Lady...story of a failed life.

hmm - perhaps I'll just tell him I have amnesia... :-S

The Mighty Trebuchet - BBC One Show

2011-02-01T08:51:00.004Z

The Company of Chivalry were recently featured on a BBC One Show segment showing off the trebuchet at Caerphilly Castle, one of our regular displays.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UK1Q0FS4M4

I see this show piece happen hourly through the day (usually standing guard to prevent the public entering the high risk area) over several weekends in the summer - but I never tire of seeing the majestic swing of the arm loosing the missile.

Good job, boys!!

cq aka Quene

Bye Bye

2011-01-28T12:22:00.007Z

It's a big day in this medieval re-enactor's life - tonight I am handing my borrowed tent back to the company with a fond farewell.

The 'Old White Tent' was with me on my first day in the Company as a self-conscious newbie in borrowed kit in 2006 and my friend and I have been using it every year since. We were three old girls in the tent in the early days, then we went to just a couple of women. It had wonderful rafters where we could store fragile stuff and this is one of my favourite photos...

It was already very old when we got it, and had been through several hands and many, many years of camping out in all weathers.

I repaired the mouse holes, I darned the door loops, I fixed the poles and cleaned it. But as time wore on the old tent wore out - leaks springing everywhere and the both of us falling asleep to the sound of dripping water and waking to wet beds and kit. No amount of waterproofer could combat such venerated age.

It was too big for the two of us - but we were the only ones who ever used it, probably because everyone knew it leaked like a sieve! It was horrendously heavy, lugging it in and out of the car and around the old castles was a challenge every weekend.

But we loved that old tent. It was a medieval home from home for over four years and we are very grateful to every leaky seam, and snapped rope.

Thank you, 'Old White Tent' :-)

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T15:38:00.001Z

Wishes all her friends near and far a Happy New Year....

"It Depends on Us...

Another year lies before us like an unwritten page, an unspent coin, an unwalked road. How the pages will read, what treasures will be gained in exchange for time, or what we find alone the way, will largely depend on us."

Esther Baldwin York

As the sun sets on 2010...

2010-12-28T23:14:00.003Z

This is my end of the year shout out to the many "friends" I have never been in the same room with but who have inspired, amused, comforted, encouraged, supported and touched me in so many ways both here on Blogger and on Facebook.

I love you people...!

Here's to another year together!

Merry Christmas...!

2010-12-24T15:59:00.002Z

and to all, a good night!

Happy Christmas from all of us at the Purple Palace... :-)

How to Wrap Presents - Advice for Cat Owners

2010-12-21T10:43:00.002Z

Inspired by my friend, Bilbo, I dug out this old masterpiece that always has me laughing.....and it will give you insight on life with my boycat William.....

1. Clear a large space on a table or worktop for wrapping your present.

2. Go to cupboard and collect bag in which present is contained, and shut door.

3. Open door and remove cat from cupboard.

4. Go to cupboard and retrieve rolls of wrapping paper.

5. Go back and remove cat from cupboard.

6. Go to drawer, and collect sellotape, ribbon, scissors, labels, etc..

7. Lay out present and wrapping materials on table, to enable wrapping strategy to be performed in a logical manner.

8. Go back to drawer to get string, remove cat that has been in the drawer since last visit and place string on table.

9. Remove boxed present from paper bag.

10. Remove cat from paper bag.

11. Open box to check present is in it, remove cat from box, replace present in box.

12. Lay out paper to enable cutting to size.

13. Try and smooth out paper, discover cat is underneath and remove cat.

14. Cut paper to size, keeping the cutting line as straight as possible.

15. Discard first sheet of paper due to cat chasing scissors and tearing paper.

16. Cut second sheet of paper to size and restrain cat by putting it in bag present came in.

17. Place present on paper.

18. Lift up edges of paper to seal in present. Wonder why edges don't reach. Discover cat is between present and paper. Remove cat.

19. Place heavy object on paper to hold in place while tearing sellotape to length.

20. Spend fifteen minutes carefully trying to remove sellotape from cat.

21. Seal paper with sellotape, making corners as neat as possible.

22. Look for roll of ribbon. Chase cat down hall in order to retrieve ribbon.

23. Try to wrap present and tie ribbon in a pretty bow.

24. Re-tie ribbon and remove paper, which is now ripped due to cat's enthusiastic ribbon chase.

25. Repeat steps 13 - 20 until you are down to your last sheet of paper.

26. Decide to skip steps 13 - 17 in order to save time and reduce risk of losing last sheet of paper. Retrieve old cardboard box that is the right size for sheet of paper.

27. Put present in box, and secure with string.

28. Remove string, open box and remove cat.

29. Put all packing materials in bag with present and head for bathroom.

30. Once inside bathroom, lock door and start to lay out paper and materials.

31. Remove cat from box, unlock door, put cat outside door, close and re-lock.

32. Repeat previous step as often as is necessary until you can clearly hear cat on other side of locked door.

33. Lay out last sheet of paper. (This will be difficult if you have a small bathroom, but do your best).

34. Discover cat has already torn paper. Unlock door, go out and hunt through various cupboards, looking for sheet of last year's paper. Then remember you haven't got any because cat helped wrap present last year as well.

35. Return to bathroom, lock door, sit on lavatory and try to make torn sheet of paper look presentable.

36. Seal box, wrap with paper and repair by very carefully sealing with sellotape. Attach pretty ribbon and decorate with additional bows to hide worst areas.

37. Label present. Sit back and admire your handiwork, congratulating yourself on completing a difficult job.

38. Unlock door, and go to kitchen to make stiff drink and feed cat.

39. Spend twenty minutes looking for cat until coming to obvious conclusion.

40. Unwrap present, untie box and remove cat.

41. Have several more stiff drinks. Then pick up present and stagger back to shop and get nice assistant to gift-wrap present for you.

Giving Thanks

2010-11-25T11:16:00.005Z

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American Friends...!

And I am giving thanks today, for all my friends around the world and the love and support they give when I am in need. My friends make me smile and they make me laugh. When I am weeping, they are holding my hand, wherever they are.

Moving on - but not forgetting

2010-11-20T12:51:00.004Z

Tonight is our Company of Chivalry medieval banquet. It's an opportunity for the group to get together in kit, without the public element, and sit down to a medieval style banquet, followed by much carousing :-)

It's the celebration of the end of the year and a time to honour achievements, bestow promotions within the Household (Company) and to meet up with friends we only normally see at events in the summer.

I have had such a rotten time lately, what with my boss being off sick and my resultant horrendous workload, then my father falling ill and then his sudden passing. I need to see these people and the desire to leave the 21C and all its sadness and 'medieval up' is very strong.

The Company itself is also still reeling from recent bad news so we need an evening together to shake off the bad stuff and reconnect with the group ethos that carries us through the season each year.

So, I'm packing my frock and cloak, a bag full of pastries and a VERY large bottle of cider......and I'm off to Woolavington for a long alcoholic night :-)

17 November 2010

2010-11-17T10:03:00.004Z

These are corn poppies, the national flower of Poland.

Today is my father's funeral. Born in 1940 in Lvov, Poland, he passed in 2010 in Salisbury, England.
It's been a long wait as the local crematoria have been very busy and my mother had to find one that was comfortable with a Quaker funeral.

Quaker funerals are not about mourning the loss they are about celebrating God in the life of the one that has gone and their loved ones, and joining together in community to gather strength and share love.
You don't wear black to Quaker funerals - I will be wearing a warm reddish purple skirt and sweater; my dad said that colour suited me. With my boots - he would have loved the faux studs!
There will be no hymns or prayers, unless my mother has chosen a favourite reading. Quakers are all about waiting - waiting to be moved by the spirit of the Lord. If you are, you speak. If you aren't, you wait...
And the coffin is cardboard - Quakers are very much in touch with nature and the world around us.
And no wake - some Friends hold meetings for worship after a funeral to feel the Lord, but it is not unknown to have a get together with a cup of tea and a chat.

Today will be our final farewell to the man who came into our lives and made us look at life differently. In many ways he made our lives better and more comfortable, in some he made our lives more complicated and difficult.
But I loved him.

cq

For The Fallen

2010-11-10T17:56:00.003Z

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,

England mourns for her dead across the sea.

Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,

Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal

Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,

There is music in the midst of desolation

And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,

Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;

They sit no more at familiar tables of home;

They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;

They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,

Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,

To the innermost heart of their own land they are known

As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,

Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;

As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,

To the end, to the end, they remain.

Laurence Binyon 1914

Birthday Films

2010-11-05T21:11:00.003Z

To celebrate my birthday with my friends, I went to see RED with the lads and Burke and Hare with my BobKat :-)

Neither film has been universally praised, but I am one person who makes up my own mind about what I like and what I don't like.

RED (Retired; Extremely Dangerous) was a glorious romp through every secret agent movie you can think of. Steered by the magnificent Bruce Willis, who was supported strongly by John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman and Helen Mirren with Brian Cox adding his weight to the cast, this film about four retired secret agents who relive their heyday when one of their number is threatened by the CIA. With a surprise appearance by Ernest Borgnine, this film proved to be a delight. Lots of ludicrously over the top gunfire, car chases, fights and so on - this film played on every cliche they could think of. The result was a cleverly written and excellently acted and directed action movie.

Burke and Hare was a revisit to the notorious gentlemen in Edinburgh in the 1820s who discovered there was money to be made providing cadavers to the medical community. The film opens with the statement 'This film is based on a true story - except for the bits we made up!' - which sums it up concisely and honestly.
Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis revelled in the juicy title roles and were ably supported by Tom Wilkinson, Tim Curry and the ever-so luscious Hugh Bonneville. Even old comedian Ronnie Corbett made an appearance as a mad Militia Captain. This grim story was given a facelift and the black humour was picked out of the bones. It was so funny, we found ourselves giggling inanely to roaring with laughter - from the failed murder attempts to the fainting militia soldier and right on to the little things like always stepping over the prone wolfhound in the pub and the perceived naivety of William Burke. The ultimate irony of this was that the film showed Burke confessing to protect his girl, but in reality Hare was offered immunity from prosecution if he confessed and agreed to testify against Burke. Hare's testimony led to Burke's death sentence and Burke was hanged and his cadaver was given to the Edinburgh Medical College for dissection, and his skeleton still stands in their museum. Admittedly, the writers did play fast and loose with a very dark subject, changing elements to lighten the effect and, as a result, have produced an eminently watchable, if mostly fictional, story of two of Scotland's most notorious serial killers.

Both films have made my DVD wishlist - I could watch them again and again....
cq

Birthday Girl

2010-11-04T09:41:00.005Z

Sitting here at home opening gifts from friends and family with a cat on my lap.......looking forward to dinner out with the Much Beloved tonight....nights out yesterday and tomorrow with friends.....

Such is my birthday [deep relaxing sigh]

cq

Ghosts

2010-10-29T10:57:00.002+01:00

I have a ghost in my life.
My best friend some twenty years ago took his own life. For many years I blamed myself for not being there to help him in his hour of need, but after a long, long time, I came to peace with the situation.
I was haunted by the memory of this friend for many years, but slowly learned to cherish our friendship and be grateful for the time we had.

Just as I was finding equilibrium after my father's recent death, I heard yesterday that a friend of mine had taken that route again. This one is not a very close friend, but we have known each other for a couple of years and have spent a lot of time together.
He was troubled, I know, and life was not easy......but his sudden death has shocked and stunned our little circle of friends.

It's a new month on Monday - here's hoping that life takes an upturn as all this October sad news is starting to get to me.....

cq

Footprints in the Sand

2010-10-24T11:33:00.000+01:00

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,
"You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during
the most trying periods of my life
there have only been one
set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most,
you have not been there for me?"

The Lord replied,
"The times when you have
seen only one set of footprints,
is when I carried you."

(c) Mary Stevenson 1936

Grief

2010-10-20T17:24:00.002+01:00

Grief is a most personal thing.
Every person grieves differently; they view the loss of a loved one in respect of what they themselves have lost.

While I have been upset by family deaths in the past, I have never really grieved as they are usually too distant to impact my own existence and I am able to move on.

Now I am mired in grief for my step-father. Whilst not my biological father, he was an important part of my life for nearly forty years, and back in the day he and I used to sit and talk about all sorts of things important in my little life - work and relationships. And we loved each other, me loving the father figure and him loving the child who turned to him for support.

Now he is gone I grieve deeply for the lifelong friend I have lost.

Rather than remembering the sick old man in the hospital bed, I am trying to remember him as the man who always greeted me with smiles and a bearhug, who allowed me teach him to swim, who persuaded my mother that I should be permitted to leave school and go to work, who bought me my first ever adult posh dress, who worked it so I could stay to the end of the school disco when my mum wanted me home early and who encouraged me to practice my driving in his very expensive car. So many little things he did for me over the years which have helped shape my life.

I want to be able to say a fond farewell to my friend at his funeral and then move on with my life, carrying his memory in my heart.

cq

Life and Death....

2010-10-17T09:26:00.003+01:00

..and the small step between.

I am waiting. Waiting for a phone call. We know the phone is going to ring and someone is going to say a certain sentence, but we don't know when. So I am waiting.

My dad is dying. His body is riddled with the bastard entity that is known as cancer. It is an entity, growing and eating away at his organs until he can no longer fight it.

I spoke to his staff nurse and checked the four main things;
Is he in pain?
Is he comfortable?
Does he know we're there?
How will 'it' happen?
I don't need to know anything else, they are the most important things.

No, he does not appear to be in pain, but he is on a lot of morphine.
Yes, he is turned regularly, he can acknowledge comfort but he doesn't like the nasal oxygen.
When I was there he opened his eyes, recognised me and smiled. At one point he feebly reached for my hand.....his 'little girl'.
His breathing will just slow.....

This is not my natural father, but he is my stepfather. He met my mother and married her when I was about 9. With my biological father pretty much out of the picture and passing on when I was 17, this man became my dad in all but name. I never called him dad, we agreed it would not be appropriate, but in all senses of the word he was mine. We talked a lot, as I was taking my first faltering steps in adulthood, relationships and work he was the one I confided in.

We visited him yesterday. We live at least a couple of hours away from the hospital, so even if we do get some warning we won't be there in time. And he's slowly slipping away. So I took the chance to visit with him for a bit while he could still acknowledge me, holding his hand, talking to him, comforting him and saying my farewells to my dad....

And now we're waiting, waiting for him to finally admit defeat in his battle.

Update; my dad took that small step and surrendered at 4pm today. He was a good man, despite all his faults.

cq

WICOE

2010-09-14T18:49:00.006+01:00

WICOE (Women In Charge Of Everything)

Is proud to announce the opening of its

EVENING CLASSES FOR MEN!

OPEN TO MEN ONLY

ALL ARE WELCOME

Note: due to the complexity and level of difficulty, each course will accept a maximum of eight participants

The course covers two days, and topics covered in this course include:

DAY ONE

HOW TO FILL ICE CUBE TRAYS

Step by step guide with slide presentation

TOILET ROLLS- DO THEY GROW ON THE HOLDERS?

Roundtable discussion

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LAUNDRY BASKET & FLOOR

Practising with hamper (Pictures and graphics)

DISHES & SILVERWARE; DO THEY LEVITATE/FLY TO KITCHEN SINK OR DISHWASHER BY THEMSELVES?

Debate among a panel of experts.

REMOTE CONTROL

Losing the remote control - Help line and support groups

LEARNING HOW TO FIND THINGS

Starting with looking in the right place

Instead of turning the house upside down while screaming - Open forum

DAY TWO

EMPTY MILK CARTONS; DO THEY BELONG IN THE FRIDGE OR THE BIN?

Group discussion and role play

HEALTH WATCH; BRINGING HER FLOWERS IS NOT HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH

PowerPoint presentation

REAL MEN ASK FOR DIRECTIONS WHEN LOST

Real life testimonial from the one man who did

IS IT GENETICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SIT QUIETLY AS SHE PARALLEL PARKS?

Driving simulation

LIVING WITH ADULTS; BASIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN

YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR PARTNER

Online class and role playing

HOW TO BE THE IDEAL SHOPPING COMPANION

Relaxation exercises, meditation and breathing techniques

REMEMBERING IMPORTANT DATES

& CALLING WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE

Bring your calendar or PDA to class

GETTING OVER IT; LEARNING HOW TO LIVE WITH BEING WRONG ALL THE TIME

Individual counsellors available

Send this on to all your girlfriends who may need a laugh and to guys who you think can handle the truth!

cq :-)

11 September 2001

2010-09-11T09:16:00.004+01:00

For those lost and those left behind

Remembering....

2010-09-05T19:55:00.009+01:00

With the final event over for the season, I spend a lot of time cruising the photos from the group, reliving the weekend......

Welcome to my Caerphilly August 2010 memory album (courtesy of Elisabeth and Sarah)

The main event of the weekend was the knighting of Richard Burley (aka John), seen here on his vigil in the castle tower the night before the ceremony (all nice and authentic!)

You can't be a re-enactor and not appreciate a nice fire, or the residual smell of woodsmoke :-)

There is the traditional drinks around the fire, with warm clothing and good friends......

...or fighting over stuffed toys......[chuckle]

This is me on the coin die (where we hammer coins) with my new young apprentice K (age 5, first event), waiting for the public to come back from the siege engine display (below)

The camp is so romantic when it's empty....I love seeing this kind of picture, so evocative.....

I had a bit of extra money this month, so have invested in a new wheeled holdall for next season - purple zebra stripe....so cool!!

It's gonna be a long winter........

cq

Swiss Army Wife...

2010-08-31T08:46:00.007+01:00

I was likened to a Swiss Army Knife this weekend by one of the Company of Chivalry. All I'm missing, apparently, is a tool to take stones out of horses hooves (chuckle)....

Lord de Beauchamp (aka my friend Nick), above, called impatiently for his seamstress on Saturday.....

Um - that would be me, the only person brave (or stupid!) enough to repair his old, much worn and beaten up gambeson (padded jacket)!! That thing reeks - but is necessary to protect the fighter. Needless to say, I am constantly nagging him to buy a new one. Each time I see him, it seems he needs some emergency sewing done!

I have also be known to help him armour up (not too hard these days, I know his armour quite well), resuscitate him on a boiling hot day after a battle when he collapsed, keep his jewelry safe while he fights, and then this weekend I found myself entertaining his little boy with 'talking dogs', providing him with boiling water for his snack pots, and other little bits and pieces when called on for help.

Because I am always there, Lord de Beauchamp has christened me his 'Swiss Army Wife' for the Middle Ages.

....and people say re-enactors are nuts....[wink]

4th Anniversary

2010-08-28T14:11:00.002+01:00

Hi ho hi ho, it's off to medieval times I go......for my fourth anniversary in this peculiar hobby...

I checked back on my blog to make sure I had my years right and here is the posting I made on my first foray in re-enactment.......so naive, so innocent......

Click the link for a waltz down memory lane......
http://craziequeen.blogspot.com/2006/08/mistress-cq-returns.html

till I return.....

cq

Bleedin' Re-Enactors!

2010-08-16T19:42:00.008+01:00

We went to Pembroke Castle this weekend. We like Pembroke, it's a nice castle and and has a huge open space to work with.

Dream campsite.....?

I wasn't planning to go as Ugly Monster set up home in my head a couple of months ago and has been whispering my inadequacies to me since. But my best friend was going and it was to be My Boy's first time at Pembroke, so I girded my loins and packed the car and off I went.

me and my boy

me and my best mate (and tent landlord)

Wonder of wonders - the sun shone all weekend (bar a couple of big clouds), the rain stayed off, the public were very receptive and friendly, the market did great business and the fighting was very popular. We got lots of fantastic feedback from the people and had a great weekend. There is nothing so remarkable as a small modern boy looking in awe at a medieval Knight, with the Knight's sword in his little hands, while mum and dad snap away with their cameras. Or the lights going on in brains as we explain how people lived in the middle ages. Or the small boy laughing uproariously as the Sergeant at Arms 'took out his frustrations' on a suspected thief......got to love pantomine violence :-)
And the children and adults alike watching the fight with jaws dropped as swords clashed on shields and men fell......and then the traditional applause, raising them from the dead.

A chivalrous handshake between Knights

Funniest visitor was a chap who I was talking to about medieval coins, and he insisted on asking questions about the Royal Mint in the modern day - until I pointed out that my area of expertise medieval money, not the 21C stuff!

Rosaries, luvverly rosaries - get yer rosaries here!

A special mention to a lovely couple who came to see us especially. They saw us a couple of weeks ago at Kidwelly and were so impressed they came to Pembroke as well, this time with their grandson who is mad about history. When we got talking I mentioned the season was coming to an end and our next event was the last hurrah at Caerphilly with the siege engines, and the husband said 'oh, I came from round there!'.....so they are now planning to visit us for a third time in two months - we actually have fans! :-)

I am an experienced First Aider and an instructor at work, but I am still learning how to treat re-enactment injuries. Combine some horrible injuries with stubborn young men and a very comprehensive first aid kit. This time I dealt with a long gash in the scalp, a laceration of the nose, a swollen cut on the shin, a banged nose and a banged elbow. I got used to washing my friends' blood off my hands this weekend.

You know when you say something you never thought you'd hear yourself saying? I had just collected a prop from the kitchen box for the crime and punishment show and was in my tent checking my kit. I found myself saying 'Bowls over there, rosaries in my box, knife in my belt...' and then 'severed hand on my bed....' [chuckle]

cq

Q&A Session

2010-07-27T16:53:00.011+01:00

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.

Kidwelly Photos

2010-07-23T18:58:00.003+01:00

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......

Photos courtesy of our Kimmie

Castle Life

2010-07-19T10:06:00.004+01:00

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......

cq

Battle Lines

2010-07-11T11:22:00.023+01:00

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! :-)

At the Fair...

2010-07-10T21:31:00.013+01:00

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!

Before, After and Arabella

2010-07-06T21:18:00.017+01:00

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?

cq

Just Call Me.....

2010-06-28T18:51:00.002+01:00

Another weekend, another event. A local fayre to raise money for the restoration of the 14C tithe barn. It's the second time we have done this event and it's a doddle - a single day with a couple of overnights thrown in, lots of children and a beautiful medieval barn as a backdrop.

I gained a new persona at this event. Now I am not only Quene Brambles, wife of the absent Billy Brambles (our lovely Anthony, currently living overseas), but I am now also Mama Dawes.

Dawes is the nickname of a young man in the group. We have been making friends for a couple of years now and he likes hanging out at the moneying stall when not on show and we enjoy each other's company. He's about 18 years younger than me - which makes me feel ancient! This weekend he turned up at camp and I went to meet him. We hugged and one of the girls commented he didn't like to hug, at which I said without thinking 'but I am Mama Dawes - and I get hugs!' at which I got another!
The name stuck and we couldn't resist referring to my new maternal status at random opportunities, totally bemusing unknowing members of the company :-)

Funniest was when Dawes and I decided we were tired at the same time and peeled away from the fire for bed (me to my tent and him to his car) followed by various suggestive comments and whistles from the company - at which he said with mock outrage 'Don't talk about my mother like that!'......a confused silence dropped while we screamed with laughter and waltzed off!

So was born Mama Dawes - mother to smelly soldier Dawes, who is destined to be a bad'un, I think. Should be an interesting life....
I can hear my spiel to the public now -
'Of course, out of my seven babies the only survivor was my boy, Dawes...him over there with the dirty padding and the beard.....!' :-)

Another thing that made me smile was giving first aid to our esteemed medieval doctor. The quirk about our medieval doctor is he is a practising doctor, specialising in A&E trauma. So there I am with an antiseptic wipe and this experienced doctor is cowering in front of me whispering 'You're going to hurt me, aren't you.......?' [evil grin]

Ah, such fun - a day out in sunshine and an opportunity to spend quality time with friends :-)
Just call me Mama Dawes ;-)

cq

Rewards

2010-06-19T11:49:00.004+01:00

While my main job is still Health and Safety, I am enjoying my second string - teaching at work. I have now expanded my repertoire to include First Aid, defibrillator use/Basic Life Support and Display Screen Equipment assessor training.

This week I managed to pack in one each of the latter two. While being on my feet for two constant days played havoc with my knees, I did enjoy the days. I like teaching these subjects because the candidates are volunteers and are keen to learn. I am a firm believer in the principle that humour helps the learning process.

I don't get anything extra for providing this training except the experience of doing it and the qualification.

So what is my reward?

The smile from the nervous young girl who has never done chest compressions when she gets the depth and speed right and I tell her she has a new skill........
The laugh from the woman who unconsciously backed into a corner unsure she could ever do CPR when she goes through the whole process without a hiccup....!
The chuckles from the students when I use an entertaining story to illustrate the value of assessment.......
The burgeoning confidence of a class who are playing at assessor and exercising their fresh knowledge; the noise levels rise in conjunction with the confidence levels.....

The feedback from students that includes words like 'supportive', 'entertaining', 'brilliant', 'educating', 'confident'......

cq

Feline Philosophy #8

2010-06-07T14:53:00.005+01:00

New Mommy

2010-06-05T12:21:00.005+01:00

I have adopted a new life.........it's a Rhodochiton atrosanguineus.....I think.....

Well at the moment it's a couple of ickle leaves sprouting in a newspaper pot........it was pressed on me at our works' BioDiversity Day and I was told to plant it in my garden......

Her name is Arabella...

But when she's grown up - apparently, she'll look something like this :-)

Pretty - and purple.......I just have to keep her alive now....

Caerphilly Castle

2010-06-01T09:22:00.000+01:00

Lots of rain, dragons in the sky, market stalls, two headed black snake, battle injuries, laughter, sewing, gunfire, arrows through the air, sunburn, the clash of swords, wet canvas, women talking........the 14C was fun again.....

cq

Earth Wind and Fire

2010-05-22T20:51:00.002+01:00

I just took a Facebook quiz...

Am I Earth, Fire or Air?

I am Earth

You are a patient, reliable, and solid person. You tend to be a strong influence and stabilizing force in people's lives. While you are quite serious, you are thoughtful in all ways. You tend to be a big dreamer, and you can be very laid back. You prefer to observe and stay in the shadows. You don't crave the limelight. You only seek your own approval. While you don't like to show off, you should let yourself be the center of attention every now and than. You have what it takes to shine.

cq

Curl Up and Cry

2010-05-12T20:21:00.004+01:00

Some weeks you just want to curl up and die......

This has been my first full week on my new eating kick and I yearn for some serious chocolate. I have got some chocolate 'drizzle' on my cereal bars - but oh how I long to drown myself in a big old bar of Dairy Milk or indulge in some salty snacks. I am struggling to eat three times a day and only at those times to stop myself snacking out - one of my vices. But I must cleanse my diet and purge the junk.
Managing food so strictly is resulting in a severe depression, which is making me crave junk food all the more. But I must be strong.
I am keeping my diary daily and a woman friend at work is supporting me and has agreed to check my food diary a couple of times a week. Included in my diary is 'Crimes and Misdemeanours' (slipping into bad habits) and 'Good stuff' (walking, cycling etc).
No C&M as yet - lots of walking recorded this week.

MB is going in for an angiogram tomorrow to find out the cause of long term chest pain making this week definitely a test of stress levels.....While I know it's a good thing he is having the test and will ensure he is properly cared for - it's a Big Deal. We both know people who have survived heart problems, but then we have both known people who haven't.
Sometimes when I think of the bad stuff, I just want to curl up and cry. We've been together 24 years now and I am terrified to consider life without him. He is scared and worried and home life is tense. So I am being strong, trying to think positive and desperate not to let the ghosts get to us.

Update - the angiogram was all clear, so no problems with MB's heart or arteries. But he does still have high cholesterol and some circulation problems but nothing too serious. Just the chest pain to sort out now - but the optimism levels have lifted in our house......

Dieting

2010-05-09T15:57:00.004+01:00

Diets are a curse, but sometimes you do have to look critically at what you eat and change your lifestyle.

I have long standing eating issues that date back 12 years or more, and they have been brought into sharp focus since I gave up smoking a few years back. My problems are so bad only my doctor knows how much I weigh and he is not allowed to tell me.

I am a strict vegetarian and fickle with it. I hate yoghurt, loathe brown bread and reject wholewheat pasta and brown rice. I hate eating nuts and pulses in food and some vegetables should just be banned. I struggle to eat at work and can't do breakfast at silly o'clock. On the other side of the coin, I eat junk food at night.

So, just how does someone as fussy as me diet?

First of all, train my stomach to accept food at work, somewhere I definitely do not eat. I have to start small....

Breakfast - a pack of BelVita breakfast biscuits and a glass of fruit juice.

Lunch - cereal bar and fruit juice

Dinner - same as before, but smaller portions, less fat and not followed by chocolate!

Weekend lunch - more robust, but rules apply.

Rules - no chocolate (except that teensy drizzle allowed on cereal bars!), no snack foods (crisps etc) and 30 minutes walking at least three times a week.

It's been almost week now....Wish me luck...

E-Day

2010-05-06T22:14:00.002+01:00

I have exercised my democratic right to vote - and have put my X in the box.

Here's hoping for a hung parliament........

Wednesday's Child

2010-05-02T09:44:00.000+01:00

Monday's child is fair of face,

Tuesday's child is full of grace,

Wednesday's child is full of woe,

Thursday's child has far to go,

Friday's child is loving and giving,

Saturday's child works hard for his living,

And the child that is born on the Sabbath day

Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.

I was born on Wednesday - just (01.10am) - and this is spookily accurate!

So what day were you born and how accurate is this tarradiddle?

If you don't know, there's websites that can tell you what day you were born:

eg http://www.eparenting.co.uk/funstuff/whatday.shtml

Nailed it......!

2010-04-24T17:06:00.003+01:00

First of all - a footnote to my last post........like thousands of others, my boss has been stranded in Nairobi for the last week. Sounds idyllic, but it's not. I notice from the news that the airlines, travel agents, insurance companies and hotels have *not* been working together to manage the situation........typical. Now come on, you big business - help out the little man for a change!!

OK, now to my stuff :-)

Yesterday I delivered three different presentations in the space of two hours.

The first one was 'How to Deliver an Effective Introduction Brief to a Meeting'. Sounds boring? Well, you have to remember I am a H&S officer :-) And it was a ten minute presentation!
On the plus side, lots of the audience were nodding, looking inspired or taking notes - so some of it hit home.

Presentation number two was 'Display Screen Equipment Risk Assessment'. European law requires that suitable risk assessment is undertaken with computer workstations. So I did a quick whistlestop tour of the risk assessment and what the employer and the employee would be looking for. Again, not a funky topic, but they smiled a lot, took notes, referred to my handouts and asked lots of intelligent questions. And they laughed at my jokes - no, honestly......I come complete with jokes! I find people are more responsive and learn more when humour is included.

My final presentation was 'Life in the 14C' - and most of the room stayed for this optional extra. Using the photos I blogged recently, I talked about the different people, trades and life in general in the 14C, told stories, explained the appeal of re-enactment.
I knew I had hit home when, while looking at the stuff I brought in for them to see, one of the women asked if everything was sewn by hand in the middle ages....'..seeing as there weren't any sewing machines......?' she queried.
And no, I didn't laugh........honest.

cq

Pop goes the Now

2010-04-17T15:12:00.004+01:00

We are currently in the middle of election fever - but the thrilling razzamatazz [yawn] of the British election process has been pushed off the top of the news........by a volcano.

Forget the millions who have lost their lives in recent natural disasters - earthquakes stealing lives and homes and making millions miserable - Britain is grinding to a halt because of an volcano erupting on another continent.

Our airports are closed, our imports are threatened and the Eurostar is booked solid for days.

So -it being election month, can we put a positive spin on this 'disaster'?

No planes - less emissions and no nuisance noise.......good job!
No imports - more people buying local seasonal produce....good job!
No planes - lots of phone calls and texts means more business for the mobile phone companies, cheaper tariffs........good job!
No imports - more income for local producers.......good job!

I always think it's a good thing when the world is tipped on edge - because it stops us getting too presumptuous.
The 'Now' generation has had to become the 'Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe The Next Day' generation......and this is good for everyone.

Life is all about shaping your existence around things you can't change, not about expecting the world to shape around you.

cq

Company of Chivalry First Event 2010

2010-04-06T17:13:00.031+01:00

Easter Campaign at Caerphilly Castle...

While her ladyship takes her leisure out of the cold wind with her maid and servant at hand...

...and his lordship prepares to repel the hordes...

...the trusty garrison sergeant watches over the peasants working in the market.

He checks the dyer and spinner is spinning......despite the wind and cold weather, she continues to spin with her drop spindle - so much more portable than her walking wheel!

The wood worker is happily turning wood using his foot-powered lathe - he's currently working on some candlesticks - having seen his work I have put my name down for a pair!

New addition to the community, orphan Sarah, is busily sewing her new hood from fabric donated by kindly folk...

...embroideress Mistress Little is seen teaching a young girl how to perform beautiful stitching...

...and Mistress Beryl the Tailor is industriously putting together her latest creation - I have ordered a dress from her...I just need to decide on the colours.

Elsewhere in the market, apprentice moneyer Master Legward is hammering coins. Whilst on campaign, the household moneyer brings the most popularly used coins, the penny and the half groat, to ensure some petty cash is available...

oh, look, I see the men are gathering around the lathe to chat about manly business...you know, wood, weapons.......the length of your tunic....

A busy day at the market is kept fuelled by the company kitchen.....while Mistress Elizabeth and her apprentice prepare the midday meal of pottage, bread, cheese, boiled eggs, cold meat, fruit and dried fruit and nuts...

...Mistress Little takes a break from her embroidery to stoke the fire and turn the spit to cook the roast beef for dinner...

Of course, the fire does have to be watched constantly to ensure it doesn't go out.......er, ladies?!?

At the end of a long tiring day on the market, the girls nap where they can while the weather is dry...

From your medieval correspondent, complete with new hood from Mistress Beryl, this is Mistress Quene saying farewell from the fourteenth century.

Novels and History

2010-04-02T14:29:00.007+01:00

Visitors to my story store will know I haven't published any stories lately or even continued with my novel. Unfortunately writers block has hit me and I haven't been able to exercise my imagination and put it to paper.
It's annoying because I know my novel is nearly finished - and I would love to finish it and even perhaps publish it.
I have had a couple of short stories published in the 'We are the Kitties' anthologies, written by and for blogging cats. Seeing my name (albeit my online persona) in print was such a thrill.
Anyway, in the meantime, I have posted a short story I knocked out one day after watching one of my favourite episodes of Star Trek! :-) So pop on over and have a look.

As we speak, I am putting together my kit for the first re-enactment event of the season - even though it is cold and miserable outside. Will you look at this bloody rain! Throw in some hail, thunder and lightning and that was the weather today!

Keep your fingers crossed the weather improves for the Easter weekend and we have a good start to the 2010 year!
I nipped out in a break in the rain/hail storm to work out how to put the seats down in my new car and took the chance to load some kit before the rain started again.....will you look at that space?? Positively echoes in that car!
Of course, it'll look fuller when it's full of medieval tent, a case full of kit and clothes, poles and pegs :-)

cq

Spring Cleaning at the Palace

2010-04-01T20:53:00.004+01:00

Well, that's it. The furniture has been moved, everything has had a coat of paint my title bar has been redesigned, I've worked out what 'Followers' are and even my blogroll has had a dusting......

[sits back]

So - whaddyer think of the new look Palace?

cq

Blind Side - Spoilers

2010-03-30T20:06:00.003+01:00

I am proud to say I Love Sandra Bullock......I have admired her work for years, being an adept actress and endearing comedienne, and I knew one day she would get a film that would blow everyone out of the water.......

That film has arrived.....

Bullock plays 'Leigh Ann Tuohy' in the Michael Oher biopic 'The Blind Side'. Not only was she amazing as the strong-willed and proper Leigh Ann, she picked up an Oscar for Best Actress. Well deserved!

Michael Oher (Big Mike) is a hulking black teen with no education from the wrong side of the tracks who is taken in by the white Christian Tuohy family. The family grow to love the gentle giant and, in his turn, Michael finds himself part of a close-knit family who are determined to help him achieve his untapped potential. The family battle against the school system, racism, bigotry and NCAA interference to get Michael educated to a 2.0 level for admission to college on a football scholarship.
With help from a mad tutor (marvellously played by Kathy Bates) and his adoptive family pushing him to be the best he can, Michael gets his place in 'Ole Miss' (Mississippi University).

With the actual college scouts playing themselves and the real-life family photos decorating the credits, we feel that we have been invited to be a part of Michael's amazing story and happily pointed out Leigh Ann and family members in the photos.

We thoroughly enjoyed the film and really got into the story, cheering on the characters and actually 'feeling' it. At the end we sat back and just said 'WOW'........... :-)

cq

Teacher's Pet

2010-03-27T14:57:00.007Z

I had one of the biggest days in my burgeoning teaching career yesterday.

While I have been an assistant tutor in the Display Screen Equipment assessment training in our place for a couple of years now, backing up and learning from a consultant with 20yrs experience, yesterday was the first time I have run a course solo - from arranging the scheme of work, designing the day to the presentation of the 'talkee-talkee'.

My class were mostly keen staff, desperate to learn the black art of risk assessment to help their teams and add to their skill base. Out of the class of 12 there were a couple of old friends, a few staff I have spoken to a lot, some new faces and one very reluctant conscript.

After a few minutes of speaking I saw the first moments of clarity begin to dawn and pens began to scratch. I was imparting information, my class were learning!
Everything from the law to the desk, the day long course covered all aspects of assessment of office workstations.

By lunch I was only 10 minutes over - mainly because there were so many questions; which can be good and bad in my book!
The afternoon practical sessions were not as good as I had hoped, but I have plans to change that bit of the day to something more manageable.
By the time we were doing the final test, we were about 15 minutes over schedule - not too bad for a busy, busy day.....including losing a student for about 20 minutes!

Point of order, the individual with the worst results in the final test was the one whose colleague told him that the class were given the answers before doing the paper because she had done the course three weeks earlier with my predecessor.
I pointed out to him that my predecessor and I had very different ideas about the concept of 'test'........he stopped looking quite so smug while the class roared with laughter.

I hope it was a success from their perspective. I haven't looked at the feedback yet, but I did glance at a couple while packing up and the marks were in the 'good' range, so I am crossing my fingers!

Update: I have checked the feedback and it was all positive. A couple of students made some suggestions that I had already thought of to improve the training. Yay me! :-)

cq

Mothers Day

2010-03-14T11:27:00.003Z

Look at my beeyootiful purple bouquet -just perfect from my Sleepy Pete! :-)

Thank you, sunshine - and have a good weekend with your proper mum!

cq

Smile

2010-03-06T08:28:00.003Z

(A little thing I picked up from Facebook)

Leave a comment if I've ever made you smile in your life.

Then, put this on your blog and see how many people you have made smile.

Please play along. And I'm glad if I've ever made you smile.

Imposter

2010-02-26T21:20:00.004Z

I have always struggled with the idea of success, seeing myself as the failure my family always told me I was. I know I work hard, but I don't see myself as a success. I have failed at so much in my lifetime. I could do so much better....

Whilst in conversation with my very good (and well-read) friend Cyberkitten, he mentioned that I had 'Imposter Complex'.

Yay, I thought - a complex to add to my neuroses, paranoia and phobias......so I Googled it (well, who wouldn't?)....

· Do you secretly worry that others will find out that you're not as bright and capable as they think you are?

· Do you sometimes shy away from challenges because of nagging self-doubt?

· Do you tend to chalk your accomplishments up to being a "fluke," “no big deal” or the fact that people just "like" you?

· Do you hate making a mistake, being less than fully prepared or not doing things perfectly?

· Do you tend to feel crushed by even constructive criticism, seeing it as evidence of your "ineptness?"

· When you do succeed, do you think, "Phew, I fooled 'em this time but I may not be so lucky next time."

· Do you believe that other people (students, colleagues, competitors) are smarter and more capable than you are?

· Do you live in fear of being found out, discovered, unmasked?

Yep.........

Anniversaries....

2010-02-20T11:57:00.004Z

Anniversaries tend to creep up on you and 'boo!' you - especially when they are not happy memories.

My dreams are being plagued by an image.......and I have managed to pin down why.

It is 25 years this year since a 12 year old boy died in my arms, bleeding out his lifeblood on my clothes.

I don't know the exact date, but it was about now in 1985 because I was job hunting. I got off the bus and as I prepared to cross the road a small boy darted past me to run across the road.

To this day I know I could have grabbed the hood on his parker and stopped him before he ran into the path of a lorry.

But I didn't react quick enough - or didn't want to grab a strange child - or was preoccupied with trying to find work - stressing about an interview I had scheduled the next day.

No excuses; I could have grabbed him and I didn't - and he died.

There is an advert on TV at the moment about drinking and driving and to drive home the message a man is seeing the image of the crumpled child he is responsible for wherever he goes.
My image is not the boy dying in my arms, his body pulped and his skull smashed.

My image is a blur of a child running past me into the road........

He will live with me until the day I die.......

cq

Chairs and Snow

2010-01-10T10:52:00.006Z

MB and I have just received our new recliner chairs and, of course, they had to be checked over by the felines before being used.......

Footstool - check

Mama's chair - check

Daddy's chair - check

And we are still covered in snow - the worst snowfall in 20yrs, apparently. Shop shelves are empty, bins have not been collected, thousands of schools are shut....

We are just waiting for the second (or is it third?) wave of snow. Luckily our snow is not half as bad as other counties.

What an exciting life we do lead........! [wry smile]

Christmas with Craziequeen

2010-01-04T16:30:00.003Z

A First in 2009! Charlie left the tree alone - mostly. William got a little tempted towards the New Year, but the tree was mostly untouched...

I ended up looking for lights on Christmas Eve and found some lovely little lights dirt cheap which lasted well, easy to drape and made the tree look so pretty.

Christmas was lovely - just me and the Much Beloved with our felines had a couple of nice relaxing days. I started coughing on Boxing Day. On the 28th MB zipped off to his parents for a few days and I went to the Crazies Christmas bash at the Aginoths house. A fun evening was had by all, despite my cough and croaky voice.

Come the next day, 29th, and my virus was properly kicking off. That turned into proper flu with roaring temperature, tears and fever by the time MB returned home on New Years Eve and I went into crisis on New Years Day. It took 18 hours to break the fever and another couple of days to get rid of the temperature.

Now it's the 4th January and I am only just beginning to feel human again. One more day of my leave and it's back to work - was the break worth it??

Cor - you gotta love Christmas........!

cq

2010

2010-01-01T06:24:00.004Z

Good morning all and welcome to 2010.

I have a new year resolution - to write on my blog.

I don't yet know what shape my TwentyTen blog will take, but I am hoping to steer away from the same old-same old I have been writing for the last couple of years and look to something new.

For today - yay! Patrick Stewart has been knighted. Well done to 'Sir Patrick' for a wonderful career in the theatre and film world.

Yeah, we all know him as the dour sensible Captain Picard of Star Trek, but he has had a very successful lifetime career on the stage and is a masterful Shakespearian actor of some might.

Lest We Forget

2009-11-08T16:53:00.001Z

Final Push

2009-09-01T22:02:00.001+01:00

Caerphilly, the last hurrah. The last shooting of the siege engines of the year. The rain still fell and the world was cold and harsh, but this closing event is a heart-warmer and we all celebrate the official end of our contracted season.

One more event on the books, a local fayre, and then we pack away our kit for winter.

Remembering

2009-07-07T10:46:00.003+01:00

Hiatus

2009-07-02T18:00:00.001+01:00

Turmoil, confusion, depression...

Blog on hiatus...

cq

Medieval Man

2009-05-27T21:50:00.004+01:00

This is our Master Burley, a Knight in training.......taking a moment of peace before going into battle......

Isn't this photo fantastic?

It was taken by Burley's (aka Johno!) real life wife, the lovely Hannah. I love it - the colours of his jupon go with his battle-scarred armour and his thoughtful expression looks SO real.....one mitt in hand, working out some brilliant strategy to beat his opponent.

Back to the Field

2009-05-25T08:17:00.004+01:00

Yesterday I joined my re-enactment group for the day to test my knee - and, to be honest, I couldn't stay away any more!

They were at the delicious Caerphilly Castle and the weather was glorious!

My intention was to have a day out, take lots of photos and exercise my knee. Being a re-enactor, of course, I took some kit - just in case! It took about five minutes to decide to dump the 21C and get into my kit to join the 14C........so my rucksack was tucked away (complete with camera) and I spent the day in a long dress and bare feet.

The guys seemed pleased to see me, I got lots of hugs and it almost felt like going home. The fire was lit and the the pork was roasting on the spit. The sun beat down as the lads went through the siege engine shows and the battle. (Siege engines; from the left - mangonel, trebuchet and perrier) The court scene in the Great Hall had some new elements and the public seemed to appreciate the shows.

It was a good day, I got to see some of my dearest friends again. Especially George, who is off to Rome shortly for six months and I'm going to miss her - but she was there, all smiles and hugs. Her husband will be around for another few weeks and then we say goodbye to him too for a while. They'll be missed in the company.

I guess I am an addict :-)

Weekly Round-Up

2009-05-16T16:15:00.002+01:00

What a week - I haven't been around much. I put it down to continuing post-operative depression.

Being back at work was fun as well as a challenge; I like my colleagues and we have a laugh, but with my boss on holiday things piled up quickly, so by Monday it was a bit of a slog.

On Tuesday I got into lots of physical activity - walking across site, lots of standing around and then some lifting and carrying in the afternoon to organise my storeroom. All this put new pressure on my knee and overnight Tuesday night it swelled and became very painful.

On Tuesday evening I went with Cyberkitten, BionicDwarf and SleepyPete to see the new Star Trek. Oh, my, that movie has split the group and we have argued about it since. Cyberkitten hated it, the Bionic One and the Sleepy One saw the flaws but enjoyed it nonetheless, and I thought it a cracking way to pass a couple of hours (whisper: although the lad playing Kirk annoyed the crap outta me!).

On Wednesday I realised I had overdone things as I struggled to walk on my knee. That called for a slowdown and I took a couple of days sick while I rested my knee with a new respect.

On Friday it was back to work and a busy long day was very profitable and I got a lot done.

As for my on-line existence, I have not been feeling much like blogging or Booking - sometimes one just doesn't feel very sociable. Even my dress and shoes sit half-completed.

cq

First Day

2009-05-07T17:07:00.000+01:00

First Day back at work.........

tired Crazie One.......

cq

Exercise

2009-05-05T16:43:00.002+01:00

Well, I got sick of these four walls and sitting 'with the affected leg elevated'. With some errands to run and a beautiful Spring day beckoning me outside I decided to stroll (gently!) into town to look at the shops to practice my mobility before going back to work on Thursday.

I remembered all the medical advice and tried to walk as evenly as possible and to keep the speed at a minimum. I was even overtaken by little old people! My knee was surprisingly good, it didn't start hurting until I was on my way home. With it elevated again this afternoon and some new pain relief, I am feeling much more positive.

One of my errands was new road tax for my little ol' jalopy. The adverts warning people to keep their legally required road tax current is strong (picture crushing cars etc) and the penalties for being stopped without it are quite steep.

So as I was a little overdue because of the convalescence, I apologised profusely at the post office - fully expecting the police to burst out and arrest me on the spot...at the very least a stern talking to from the post office representative.
'Oh, no problem at all, madam,' said the chap at the window. Nothing like a mixed message about a legally required document....

cq

Targets...

2009-05-02T10:05:00.009+01:00

are made to be broken........[shucks]

I wasn't terribly well the last couple of days. I stopped the painkillers because I was sick of feeling sick........

Once I was feeling a bit more human I dug out my renactment stuff - there are always things to do!

I basted my new overdress dress...
and I started on my new shoes....I cut out the shapes from a cereal box, using the guides from our resident expert....
Arrange the pieces on the leather to ensure the least wastage..
And voila! Shoes ready to be sewn.....
First sew the uppers together using a hidden stitch - shoe stitching was not visible in the 14C style....beeswax is essential to make the needle and thread go through the leather easier....

And now, before embarking on the complicated double stitching on the sole which will make the shoe shape more defined, I am taking a short break from shoemaking....

The Company of Chivalry is back in the field this afternoon for the Bank Holiday weekend and I, again, am not going. My knee is still rather weak - although it is showing signs of improvement on what it has been!

Action Plan

2009-04-27T11:16:00.003+01:00

Being a civil servant for 20+ years, everything is related to by targets [wry grin]

MB is back at work today. I am mobile, sort of, and reasonably self-sufficient for the simple stuff. I have been a bit low lately - must be the GA and the pain.

But today I got a wonderful surprise in the post; lovely get well cards from two of the women at work. Plus I got one a couple of days ago from my boss. They are so thoughtful and considerate, it quite cheered me.

Today's target is to get dressed.......let's see how that goes.

Steps forward and back:

Yes, I got washed and dressed - and stayed awake for most of the day.

But then MB got distracted by emails and I ended up cooking most of dinner .... which resulted in pain killers and icepacks! I knew it was a mistake when I lost my balance and nearly put my hand on the stove.

Sunday

2009-04-26T10:28:00.002+01:00

I'm feeling a little more human today, blimey that general anaesthetic don't half take it out of you!

First job of the morning is to change my dressings and check my knee for swelling etc (I have icepacks if it does swell). My knee was very sore last night and this morning I was not impressed to find a large blood blister under one hospital provided plaster and a sore patch under the other. So I have cleaned the knee with antiseptic, pinched the blister and replaced the adhesive dressings with gauze and a full bandage. Gotta love cheap plasters! I have now given MB a shopping list of better quality dressings and antiseptic wipes.

Sitting down and getting up are painful, as is just getting started walking. The knee eases with movement but then just as quickly deteriorates. I have a nice cocktail of painkillers through the day, but they make me nauseous so I take them reluctantly.

Isn't it strange how life goes on in the big wide world yet, in my little convalescent life the world seems to have stopped. Texts come and go, I log into Facebook to check in with friends, emails are swapped, but life is in limbo here. I'm not complaining, although it is a weird sensation to realise you have been staring at a wall for three hours.....

cq

Told ya so!

2009-04-23T20:01:00.004+01:00

So that's what it feels like to sleep for 24 hours! Waking up now and then for food and drink and, more importantly, painkillers, I slept straight through.
I had the anti-nausea drug before my op and they decided against morphine, given a bad history of that too, so I just ended up feeling - well, seasick is the best description. Still nauseous but not throwing up every five minutes.
I was the last to leave day surgery because of the nausea.

And the headache! I got a killer migraine after the op. It hurt just to open my eyes. That, thankfully, has gone now too. Still a bit of a headache, but not crippling.

My knee, not surprisingly, is a world of pain. Some of it has been controlled by the painkillers, and some reduced when I found my stitches had pulled and rebandaged it. On inspection I have one small incision on the inner side and one larger one on the outer side of my knee. Using a camera they inspected, repaired and trimmed my meniscus, the cartilage between the leg bones behind the kneecap, and that should stop the pain I have had for the last eight months.

My hands are also quite painful and swollen as they took three goes to get the cannula in for my anaesthetic. Apparently, I have very small veins in my hands! In the end, and after many tears, they put it towards the back of my hand over the wrist knuckle - which meant pain every time I moved my wrist and you could see the needle under my skin. Needless to say, I was thrilled when *that* came out!

I have been taking my drugs responsibly and started my exercises. Well, for the four hours I have been awake!

I still hate hospitals and admire everyone who works in there. Also, big love to my darling Aginoth who has been readmitted for intensive treatment for his psoriasis which is out of control again. Luckily I was only in one day - he's in for three weeks!

[yawn] tired now - back to bed........

Update (Friday, I think): The backs of both my hands are so bruised they are black - I must remember that next time anyone tries to insert a cannula.
My knee is ok, painful but manageable. Intending to spend some time downstairs today, but I am still very sleepy - could be the painkillers.
Kittycats are sterling nurses - one or both with me at all times. Charlie has walked on my bad knee twice - but he's forgiven because he is a doll-face :-)

Update Two (Friday night) I just undid the good work of 48hrs rest with a quick hairwash and 'top 'n' tail' at the sink (showers being not allowed for the first week or so until the holes are healing properly). I have done something, twisted my leg or something, and my knee is sooooooo painful now - every step makes me cry out. Guess I was too smug...

Ready to Go

2009-04-21T21:32:00.004+01:00

Well, I'm all packed ready for the hospital tomorrow. Even though it is 'day' surgery they say to bring an overnight bag in case you have to stay.
I splurged and bought the aforementioned new purple dressing gown and some dinky new slippers, so I'll be the best dressed patient on the ward!

I have chosen a suitable companion for my brief stay - it is one of my Bear Factory (what is now Build a Bear) bears, Frostie, who has his own pyjamas and dressing gown so he's all ready to go.

And I have packed a nice big book to occupy my mind while I am waiting my turn..Like most people, I don't like hospitals and get very weepy when I think about it. So I'm blanking out in front of the TV tonight and trying not to think about tomorrow morning.

Memories

2009-04-19T19:33:00.005+01:00

I've been a bit remiss in my blogging lately. Not only is my operation preying on my mind and I am yearning to join my re-enactment friends in the field, but the postman brought more weight to my shoulders.

I got an invitation to my brother's 25th wedding anniversary party. I had to decline the invitation due to my impending operation but I don't feel I would be a huge loss as there will be family members who will be glad of my absence.

But if it's A's 25th anniversary then that means it's mine too as we were married only three weeks apart in May 1984. Wow, the 25th anniversary of my disastrous and abusive marriage. While chatting about it on the phone my mother dismissed it saying she didn't count my marriage and didn't even consider it.

But it was possibly the most difficult miserable 14 months of my life, culminating in my running away at night and hiding out at a friend's house, followed by months of seeing my ex-husband at every turn making me into a nervous wreck. Additionally, he refused to see his own faults and refused me a divorce. After a year of this, the pain only eased slightly when I sacrificed myself and my reputation for a divorce in desperation.

Of course, the memories of my marriage lead, inevitably, to thoughts of my unborn child. He/she would be 24 this year. With that child my life would have been SO different.

Opening one little unknowing door can lead to so many rooms wherein lie the memories locked away over a lifetime.....

All this on top of my anxiety about my knee surgery has made me most introverted and quiet. Crawling under a rock seems a good option at the moment.

cq

Medieval Grumps

2009-04-11T15:17:00.007+01:00

If it weren't for my knee today I would be loading up my car with all the medieval stuff you can imagine - big canvas tent, canvas stool, coin die, clothes, knives, bowls, belts, pouches, boxes, shoe-making stuff and a token amount of 21C clothing - because this is the weekend of the first Company of Chivalry event of the 2009 season.

I would be stopping off to pick up my friend and tentmate Leggy before heading off across the River Severn into Wales and going to our favourite haunt, Caerphilly Castle.Unlike the general populace we are allowed to drive into the castle, in order to offload all our kit. So I would drive carefully up the path, hazard lights on and mindful of pedestrians, across the drawbridge and through the huge oak doors with the iron latches, parking in the outer bailey. First job would be to put the kettle on while we wait for people to arrive. When the van arrives we would all help unload the huge amount of company equipment from it.

I would unpack the tent and, with the help of a couple of the men, erect it to create our temporary home for the weekend. It's a very old tent, been through several hands, but is still doing sterling (if a little damp) service. We would empty the car into the tent and then try and make sense of the madness.

With the sun still shining, a fire would be lit, the local fish and chip shop will be raided and the alcohol will be fished out of various bags and boxes.

There will be laughter, teasing, and camaraderie, hugs and cuddles. Traditionally on the first event of the year new equipment and clothing is usually held up for general admiration and discussion. I know some of the smelly soldiers have new swords and mail, and there are a few new skills in the group to be debated - with the help of alcohol, of course!

But I am at home with a duff knee, dying material for new dresses, only dreaming of being there........and a bad case of the medieval grumps...

Update: They're all home happy after a dry, sunny and very successful weekend
:-)

cq

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary

2009-04-04T14:18:00.006+01:00

The hospital date for my knee arthroscopy (keyhole surgery) is now set for 22 April. Everything is in place; work has been juggled around and meetings cancelled, my boss is content and MB has been given three days special leave to help out with his poor crippled wifelet afer surgery. The surgery will be followed by a period of sick leave, probably two weeks according to those in the know, and it'll be two months until my knee is fully recovered.

Before I got my letter I was miserable because my knee hurt and had hurt for a long time and I didn't know when it would get fixed. I found my knee would get inflamed after any kind of effort, which is why I ended up on crutches for two months with a fluid-filled knee.
I was unhappy because it was looking like I would miss a lot of the re-enactment season and that was not a nice prospect as I have fallen in love with the life of a re-enactor. But if I can't bend my knee I can't live rough......

Now I know I am booked in for surgery I should be thrilled but I have a whole lot of new worries. The paperwork says I'll be having a general anaesthetic. I've only had GA once and it made me terribly sick; I threw up for days! Also, like everyone else, I hate hospitals and anything remotely connected with those places - except the people; I have been looked after by some wonderful (if horribly overworked) nurses and doctors. I am scared the surgery will be that small percent that is not totally successful. I am worried that the arthritis in my knees may affect the results. I am concerned that I may be one of the few patients who have to stay in hospital overnight. I am worried how I will cope after the surgery and hate the prospect of being dependent on MB.

So many worries, so little time.....

Of course, I still have crazie decisions to make.....which book to take to read while I'm waiting/recovering - and, more importantly, which teddy bear to take!

The Knee Thing

2009-03-31T16:40:00.002+01:00

Yay! I have a date!!

22 April 2009.....

Damn! It's the week MB is away with work in Scotland......!

Anyone want to spend a couple of days with a sick person??

Update: MB is not going to Scotland and has been given three days special leave to be with me....

cq

A Lovely Evening Out - up to a point....

2009-03-27T22:05:00.005Z

Tonight was a long awaited night out with Bobkat - I have no social life; I wait on her availability :-)

It started well; I went to buy 5 litres of oil for my little aged car and was offered a free set of screwdrivers with it - accepted!
I found the latest Alexander McCall Smith 'Mma Ramotswe' novel at a deal price - I recommend this marvellous author and his novels set in Gabarone, Botswana!
I had a nice restful cup of coffee reading my new book.

I bought the cinema tickets and met with Bob for our dinner in our usual haunt.
We had fun with the cute young Italian waiter - admittedly he spoilt it a little bit by knowing how cute he was....but it made for an entertaining meal for the two middle-aged women...and we tipped him accordingly.

Then it was movie time - we didn't expect too much from the frothy chick flick......but this film should come with a health warning!

Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson in 'Marley and Me'.
It started off well and the story built steadily with a mix of reality and comedy, but watch out for the ending! As we collected our belongings and started to leave the cinema, there were girls sniffing into tissues and men holding their women comfortingly.
We came out thinking that the film should have been buoyed at the end in some way, but it ended on such a sad note. If you're planning to see this - take tissues!
I couldn't help but think 'Old Yeller'.....but not so dramatic.

Now I'm really annoyed with Hollywood - I sneaked the book off the shelf and looked at the ending - and it ended on the now middle-aged couple coming across a homeless dog who was the image of Marley and the words 'shall we take him home?'

Now that would have just finished the film off nicely, instead of the heartbreaking ending Hollywood assigned it.

cq

That Day

2009-03-21T14:11:00.006Z

This weekend is Mother's Day in the UK, a time to offer thanks to the mothers in our lives, and to celebrate the miracle of motherhood.

I don't like this big 'Day' simply because it is an annual reminder of my inability to have children. I know, I know; I have children in my life (most recently the little Aginoths) and have always had children around in one way or another.

But I have never been able to bear my own children and truly express my maternal instinct. My only acknowedged pregnancy ended in miscarriage and I was never able to sustain another - and 12 years ago I was diagnosed with problems that explained my barrenness.

But there is a boy in my life - well, he is a grown man, but he will always be 'my boy'. We have been friends for ten years and I love him dearly.

You can meet him here; his name is SleepyPete. When he heard about my problems a few years ago he hatched a plot to make me feel better each year.

Every Mother's Day I get a glorious bouquet to show how much I am still loved and appreciated despite my natural failings in the world of Motherdom.

Look at the pretty flowers my boy sent me this year! :-)

This weekend Pete is with his own family, making his mum's Mother's Day so special, but a little spirit of my boy is here with me, giving me a gentle floral hug....

What a week...

2009-03-20T19:18:00.004Z

The week started gently and rapidly gathered speed....

Monday was mostly paperwork and website building.

On Tuesday I was called to a casualty. Being centrally based and the first aid site instructor, I am often the first person the security office call for an injury/incident. Tuesday's chap was a confusing mix of symptoms; vomiting, dizziness, pins and needles, disorientation, cold clammy skin and thready fast pulse. With no improvement after ceasing vomiting and with rest and reassurance I called for an ambulance. The chap was kept in hospital overnight with a suspected inner ear infection - which explains the mix of symptoms.

Wednesday I was teaching classes in CPR and use of automated defibrillators. My classes were a nice mix of civil servants, Air Force, Army and Navy. The first one was packed out, the second class was very 'intimate' with only half a dozen. No class too big or too small :-)

Thursday; more teaching - this time 1:2 practicals where the staff get to play with the resuscitation manikin and the training defibrillator. A long day with 16 students at two at a time.
Funniest quote this week from these magnificent volunteers;
'it's ok; I'm a defib opulator!'
I think I'll keep the word 'opulator' - it's a great word!

In addition Thursday was our nominated day for the site Cancer Awareness Day with a display with lots of leaflets and information - all organised by me around my teaching. That was in recognition that here in the UK March is National Prostate Cancer and Ovarian Cancer month.

After two and a half long days on my feet I woke up this morning to find my bad knee was very swollen and my back ached - so I arranged to take today off and spent all day with my feet up. MB was worried about the hours I put in this week, so he was pleased I took the day off and rested.

We're looking forward to a lovely sunny spring weekend this weekend - the weather is looking good and we've had a tremendous week of sunshine.....not that I saw a lot of it!

Funniest thing I heard this week. As I bemoaned my lack of chocolate (I rashly gave it up for Lent!!) one of my students quipped 'Being atheist has its benefits!' :-)

The Crazie One Went to Market and....

2009-03-13T20:52:00.013Z

...bought some medieval cool stuff!

I took my camera and managed to juggle it with my crutches (still needed for long periods on my feet) to take a couple of photos.At The Original Re-Enactors Market (TORM) there was everything from dental and surgical equipment - cauterisation ladle anyone? No? Amputation chisel?

leather accessories for your Lordship's horse...modelled by some dubious plastercast horse's heads!Careful, LMD, don't get too close!

Some stalls seem to have a lot of knives, and some daggers too........trays and trays of knives for every occasion - except the one I want!

I bought some lovely stuff.......new mugs (two of); on the left is called the sherwood and the one on the right is a basic tankard.oh, and I succumbed and bought some delicious fudge, honey/oatmeal jacks and some rosehip jam.And I splashed out and bought myself a new workbox - look at my lovely box! It even looks good with my new mugs in it - with the new block of delicious beeswax I bought as well (you use it to lubricate needles for leather work). My beeswax smells wonderfully of - well - beeswax....I wish this was smellyvision!
It's such a pretty box - I love it! And so does William.......King of the box! :-)
Why do I think I am not getting my new box back??

Colours

2009-03-07T17:45:00.011Z

I like colours; of course, purple is my favourite as everyone knows! :-)
But, to be honest, life can creep by day by day and we just don't notice that our lives come in glorious technicolour....

Take my boys for instance; my two beautiful ginger cats.
Hehehe - enjoy this photo; a rare event indeed for them to share my lap!William (on the left) is a beautifully marked ginger of many shades and pure white with soulful green eyes. He has an occasional black mark, including the most adorable black spotted mouth. He even has a black beauty spot on his whiskerbed. Charlie, on the other hand, although still a ginger is a deep orange tinted with red with not a single bit of white anywhere on him. Even his eyes are the same colour as his coat - quite stunning.

I was brought to the realisation of the sheer wealth of colour in our lives that pass without a second glance while I was preparing the dinner tonight....The deep green, dark red, bright orange and mixture of yellows of the peppers I was chopping for the bolognese grabbed my attention, especially when the white onion was laid beside them and added contrast. After years of pushing (sorry - encouragement!) by our mutual friend Carmi I decided to dust off my trusty point and shoot camera and photograph these vibrant colours.

Mental overload of beauty came when I put them all together and coated them in oil....

In this 'Now' life of hustle and bustle and surrounded by man-made fakery I realised how rarely we stop to absorb the everyday real colours around us created by Mother Nature.

cq

British Commercials

2009-03-06T19:11:00.003Z

You know, we have to admit that the British make the best commercials in the world..

Car insurance is, of course, advertised by a meerkat...called Aleksander...

and

any ideas on how to advertise mobile telephones...? Let's Dance..

By the way - Aleksander Orlov, the Russian meerkat, is now a national hero in the UK, with his own Facebook, his own YooToob and plans for a blog. Oh, and 'comparethemeerkat.com' is a real website - go visit here!

cq

Off to Market we go...

2009-02-28T21:19:00.003Z

Today the Aginoths and I headed north to visit the International Living History Fair, a market event aimed at those people whose hobby is time travel, from Romans to WWII fighter aces and everything in between. Stalls groaning under the weight of armour, swords, sheepskins, replica guns, fabrics, pottery and wooden goods filled the hall, enticing people to spend more money than they intended!
People roamed the hall in costumes from medieval wenches to Tudor gentlemen in high-topped boots.

It's a lot smaller than it used to be, but was absolutely heaving with people wanting to find that special purchase ready for the new season.

I had my 14C shopping list:
a new cup (to replace the one smashed in a rainstorm in Italy)
bells (for my belt and pouch)
brass needles
iron needles
leather (for shoemaking)
awl and leather knife
material - linen

I managed to get most of my list, except the cup and the leather knife. I also splashed out on a nice new authentic straw hat (in hopeful anticipation of some sun this year!) and couldn't resist some little bags of sweetness from Angela's Pantry.

I know I am not going to be taking part until after my surgery and recuperation but I decided to spend the interim teaching myself to make shoes and to sort out my wardrobe and knock up some new dresses.

There's another re-enactors market in a couple of weeks, where I can pick up a new authentic cup, so no worries there. Mind you, I always spend too much at these things so I'll probably pick up a few extra bits!

cq

Woman!

2009-02-27T18:14:00.007Z

Woman; you must be either blind, deaf or stoopid! (Sincere apologies to those readers who are sight impaired, hearing impaired or educationally challenged!!)When you are in charge of a vehicle you should know your vehicle - especially your blind spot.
Don't even get me started on the 'optional' extra on your vehicle - the traffic indicators...which are there to *indicate* your intentions!
Also, there are pretty white lines on the road to show you where to put said vehicle safely.

When you swing across aforementioned white lines into my line of travel with barely an inch to spare, you should be hearing my car horn. I leant on my horn to warn you I was there but you didn't go back into your own lane - how odd - causing me to brake sharply whilst trying to not hit anyone else.

So, putting together my first point and my second point, I can't help feeling you are a very stupid woman - and I hope you didn't have kids in that very fancy schmanzy people carrier......

Honestly, some people.....

cq

Crazie Weather

2009-02-21T12:57:00.006Z

'The sun is out,
The sky is blue,
There's not a cloud
to spoil the view...'
shh - don't talk too loudly, you might scare it away....

A sunny day makes all the bad stuff go away a little bit.

Here in the UK, we are on the cusp of Spring - the snowdrops are flowering, the crocuses and daffodils are coming out and there are definite signs that Spring is almost with us.

Crazie Dictionary

2009-02-19T07:44:00.007Z

Today's word comes courtesy of the Letter R.......

Rescue

1. to free from harm or evil I think our rescue cat Sweet William is free from harm and evil :-)

6th of the 6th

2009-02-17T16:57:00.005Z

I have been tagged for a meme - The Sixth. My dear blogpal, Nikki-Ann, in the wilds of Wales tagged me with this.

The idea is you go to the 6th photo in the 6th folder on your system and talk about it. The sixth folder in My Pictures is entitled Candles, and the sixth photo is a not terribly inspiring shot of my candles.

I love sitting by candlelight - especially as the light fades to dusk and the evening draws in. I don't do scented candles really, allergies you know, but I adore candlelight - almost as much as firelight. Candlelight eases my mind and helps me to think. It blurs the edges of reality and dims the sharp tang of life. No matter how churned my life gets, candlelight smoothes the strain.

Coincidentally, I am sitting in candlelight right now. My mind needs soothing. I heard today that my knee surgery is classed as routine and not due to be scheduled until mid-May, so that has put the kybosh on the first couple of months of the medieval re-enactment season. If I can't bend my knee or walk without pain, I can't live rough in castles.

meh...

:-(

I won't tag - but if you want to do this (and it is a little different!) then please link back to here.

cq

While You Were Sleeping...

2009-02-16T20:58:00.007Z

While I was sleeping.... a virtual team of virtual cleaners came in and virtually cleaned my virtual Palace after the weekend party....
hmm - I wonder if I can get a virtual person to do my real-life work too??

Hearts and Flowers Party - Day 2

2009-02-14T20:01:00.022Z

Well, well, you all seem to have had a lovely day and here it is, party time again! In the true style of the English weekend!
Welcome to my party - any excuse for another new dress!

Tonight's food is a sumptuous selection of delicious finger food...

If you fancy a drink, in addition to the purple champagne we have champagnes of rainbow hues... Purpletinis...

or a purplerita...The tables are laid all ready..right down to the purple heart confetti.....and the centre pieces are a delight of flowers and candles......To follow, we have a selection of chocolates, strawberries in tuxes anyone?
Or, if they are too exotic - just dig into a bowl of purple hearts...
And, of course, the cake - a chocolate piece de resistance from our chef!

Nigel and Fiona will be happy to wait on your pleasure and Michael and Josephine will be on hand to help out.

This party is turning into an all night and day event! Nigel? Fiona? Restock the tables and get more bubbly from the cellar!
Everyone; Enjoy your evening/day at the Crazie Palace!

Hearts and Flowers Party Day 2

2009-02-14T11:14:00.012Z

Happy Valentine's Day to all

- and to those who don't do Valentine's Day;

Happy Saturday!

Good morning everyone - we hope you had a good night! The good thing about blogparties is because visitors come from around the globe, someone is always here - of course, the staff get very tired! Good thing I employ virtual staff!

This morning a weary looking Nigel (Naomi, what did you two get up to last night??) and the ever-perky Fiona are serving breakfast in the garden room while Michael and Josephine clear up the main rooms.

Just let Nigel know what you want - full English.....Cooked breakfast...
Or some fresh pastries... With, of course, fresh orange juice....
and coffee....
And if you still have a hankering for something a little stronger....Nigel can knock up a Bucks Fizz for you....So, the party continues.....

Breakfast will be served all day, and you are free to roam the house and grounds. Perhaps admire my drawing room...
Or have some quiet time in the study...and the gardens are looking particularly beautiful even after the snows...Everyone, have a lovely time! Rest and relax and get ready for tonight's bash :-)

It's Part-AY Time!!

2009-02-13T19:27:00.022Z

[Throws open the doors]

Welcome to the Palace of the Crazie One - we hope you enjoy the party :-)

Nigel will meet you at the door and will cater to all your tastes...
Michael will park your virtual car

Josephine will carry your virtual bags

And Fiona will wait on you for your every whim
Would you like to see my dress....? Lush, isn't it?This is the Drawing Room where there will be dancing...
Here is the den, booze and nibbles on the table over there and Nigel will take care of your every need. If you have brought some additions, he will make a space...and we have lit candles and garden heaters on in the arbour, if anyone fancies a moonlit stroll...Everyone, have a lovely time!

Fiona will be circulating with drinks and nibbles throughout the afternoon and evening and Nigel will be manning the tables.

Following on the purple theme, of course, is my purple food :-)

Purple champagne...

And some fun stuff :-) Cocktail, anyone?What party would be complete without a cake?So, enjoy the party, mi casa es su casa :-)

Make yourselves at home, mingle, chat, eat, drink and be merry - because at a virtual party.....anything goes!

Nigel! Serve my friends with some champagne and - oh, Fiona, bring over the canapes.

We were going to have a party room for the felines, but they have decided to go to bed early!

[sound of feline snoring]

[takes purple champagne]
ooh, lovely champers [waves bottle].....can I top anyone up?

remember - we are nothing without our imaginations! :-)

Last Hurrah

2009-02-10T20:46:00.008Z

I went out with my Bobkat last night for dinner and a movie; He's Just Not That Into You. I adore Bob and do so enjoy our evenings out together.
The dinner was fun and we watched the weather turn from dismal cold rain to snow through the restaurant window.
Then we went into the cinema, bought some lush Ben and Jerry's ice-cream, paid out a little extra for the 'superior' seating. With the nature of the film, as the cinema filled up with young ladies, Bob and I started to feel distinctly old :-)
Not to worry, the film was fun - jampacked with A-list celebs. I got to see my hero, Drew Barrymore, which is always a plus!

But the delightful evening was overshadowed as we came out of the cinema.
This is the sight that greeted us after only a couple of hours.....

And this is the carpark.....

And this is my little car....

We were blown away by the heavy relentless snow. Lucky ol' Bob, her much beloved turned up in his 4X4 to chauffeur her home. I had to drive my little car home, after scraping huge amounts of snow off her.

The snow was thick and wet and when I just touched the brake the car slid across two lanes of the road totally out of control. So I sneaked home at about 20mph the whole way, using the gears rather than the brake pedal. Very scary! :-(

I think this is the last of the snow now, and it was mostly cleared by the end of work today.

cq

Cabin Fever

2009-02-06T08:55:00.012Z

Stuck at home in this with a dodgy knee............

It has snowed non-stop this morning and must be close to 6" deep now. MB and I are holed up with two freaky felines!

Added to which I am frustrated with waiting for my knee surgery. My knee hurts almost all the time, plain and simple, and I am faced with a possible six-week wait. It has also meant I can't go out of the house because I am unsteady on my left leg and the snow is an added hazard.

On the plus side, the little boy next door is getting his parents' moneysworth out of his shiny red sledge.

Today I got out of the house for the first time since Wednesday when MB took me to the supermarket. I found out where the local kids are sledding!

Just around the corner from our house there is a sloping farmer's field which is currently empty. I tried to walk there to take photos, but slipped almost immediately, so had to make do with the back window and full zoom on my modest camera. The dots are people enjoying the snow :-)

Update 1; I have just checked the weather for next week and more heavy snow is forecast on Monday night and Tuesday for the South of England.

Update 2; Sunday afternoon and there are white flakey things dropping from the sky again.... :-(

Yay - snow turned to rain. Just the freezing temperatures tonight....

This weekend has been an opportunity for me to get everything ready for my blogparty next weekend.....it's gonna be HUGE!! :-)
Everyone is, of course, invited!

High School Meme

2009-02-03T20:29:00.004Z

I saw this on my sweet Missee Bug's blog and blatantly stole it.......not that England had High Schools in my day....

1. Did you date someone from your high school?
Unlikely! I went to an all-girl grammar school - we dated the boys from the boys' grammar! Those girls who were cool enough to date, of course!
2. Did you marry someone from your high school?
No, I'm not that way inclined (see Q1)
3. Did you car pool to School?
I don't think we knew what a car pool was in 70's Britain - I cycled 3 miles to and from school every day. Of course, being a teen girl, I dreamt of horse-riding it!
4. What kind of car did you have?
[rotflmao] we didn't have cars! We couldn't get our licence until 17. The first girl with a car was Samantha in my 6th form, her dad bought her a Honda Civic.
5. It is Friday night then; where are you?
Homework...
6. It is Friday night now, where are you?
Housework...
8. What kind of job did you have in high school?
Job? We didn't have jobs - too busy having fun.........yeah right!
9. Were you a party animal?
I had a curfew - so that would probably be 'no'.
10. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir?
Choir. I remember how hard 'The Boxer' was to sing in harmony. I was learning the viola, but never got into the orchestra. Boring instrument, the viola.
11. Were you a nerd?
Nah, I was more Sherry or Terry than Martin Prince.
12. Did you get suspended or expelled?
Nope - but my brother did! But then he was always in trouble - I was too scared to cause trouble. I just ran away from school a lot.
13. Can you sing the school song?
Can't remember it, let alone sing it!
14. Who was your favorite teacher?
Mrs Rangeley, my English mistress and house mistress. She was SO sweet.
15. Where did you sit during lunch?
Alone. I have always been tall and when I was in the First Form (somewhere around 6th grade?) I was mistaken for a sixth former (senior) and sent back to have a late lunch with them.
16. When did you graduate?
Er- technically, I didn't. Tech-ni-cally the school and I agreed to part company on bad terms in 1982.
17. What was your school mascot?
I don't think we had one. We played hockey and netball and swam - the Brits didn't do mascots in those days.
18. If you could go back and do it again - what would you do?
Good god no!! I hated school. Misery!
19. Did you go to the Prom?
My initial respoonse would have been 'What's a Prom?' - but on reflection we had the 6th Form disco.....and boys were actually invited. I had a horrible night as my mum made me wear an old fashioned black frock and all the other girls wore jeans....
20. Do you still talk to the person you went to the prom with?
I didn't go with anyone except my immediate girlfriend. I think she left with a boy though - and I seem to remember kissing a boy there, but I don't know who. My dad came to pick me up at 10pm.
21. Do you still talk to people from your school?
See Q18 :-)

Just for fun, tell me some of your favorite high school memories or better yet, copy and paste this meme and answer it on YOUR blog!

cq