Market Day

Well, it was off to the Living History market today.

Aginoth braved the company of four women, including his wife, Mrs A, and his bestest mate - me!

The market is held twice a year in a big draughty hall. It used to be one huge market, then there was a split and the market broke into two, held in different venues on the same day. Then this year the split got worse and the two markets are now held two weeks apart. This last move is not customer friendly, as if we want to visit both we have to go to Birmingham twice.

Anyway, we went to the Living History Fair today, the Original Re-Enactors' Market is in a fortnight.

We met up with a large group of the Company, all hunting for this and that reproduction or copy equipment. Mrs A was after a new sword, Aginoth was after some new arrows and a new tool box, I was after some coin blanks for the Company and we all wanted material for clothes.

So Bernie the Bolt, the haberdashery friend to the re-enactor, sold us linens and wools in whites, creams, blues, greens, yellows, purples.....we girls are going to be a colouful bunch this season!

In addition to my metres of white and blue linens, I bought 500 blanks for the coin die (which you can read more about here), a set of 14C coins for myself, some thonging (leather strips, every re-enactor must have spare thonging!), a new pouch, a new wooden plate (I love my bowl, but I yearn for a plate!).

I was very restrained in my purchases (for me!) and I still need a pillar candle and a decent jug. I need the jug to hold water during the day and the candle to light our new girly tent in the evenings...three women 'of a certain age' sharing a tent - should be interesting!
We were rather disappointed at the lack of stalls this year, and the Aginoths are heading back up north weekend after next to go to the Re-Enactors Market to get the supplies we couldn't get today. They have promised to look me out a jug and a pillar candle.

So, now begins an orgy of sewing for all of us, to try and get new outfits ready for our first event at Easter - so, needles at the ready?

cq

School 1960 vs School 2007

[sent to me by bionicdwarf]

Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.
1960 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up mates.
2007 - Police are called, Armed Response Unit arrives and arrests Johnny and Mark. Mobiles with video of fight confiscated as evidence. They are charged with assault, ASBOs are taken out and both are suspended even though Johnny started it. Diversionary conferences and parent meetings conducted. Video shown on 6 internet sites.

Scenario: Jeffrey won't sit still in class, disrupts other students
1960 - Jeffrey is sent to the principal's office and given 6 of the best. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2007 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. Counselled to death. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra funding because Jeffrey has a disability. Drops out of school.

Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbour's car.
1960 - His Dad gives him the slipper. Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. Psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mum has an affair with the psychologist. Psychologist gets a promotion.

Scenario: Mark, a college student, brings cigarettes to school.
1960 - Mark shares a smoke with the school principal out on the smoking area.
2007 - Police are called and Mark is expelled from school for drug possession. His car is searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario: Mohammed fails high school English.
1960 - Mohammed retakes his exam, passes and goes to college.
2007 - Mohammed's cause is taken up by local human rights group. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that making English a requirement for graduation is racist. Civil Liberties Association files class action lawsuit against state school system and his English teacher. English is banned from core curriculum. Mohammed is given his qualification anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers, puts them in a model plane paint bottle and blows up an anthill.
1960 - Ants die.
2007 - MI5 and police are called and Johnny is charged with perpetrating acts of terrorism. Teams investigate parents, siblings are removed from the home, computers are confiscated, and Johnny's dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario: Johnny falls during break and scrapes his knee. His teacher, Mary, finds him crying, and gives him a hug to comfort him.
1960 - Johnny soon feels better and goes back to playing.
2007 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces three years in prison. Johnny undergoes five years of therapy. Becomes gay.

cq

Morning is Breaking....

Most of my readers know I am a re-enactor. I'm reasonably new to the re-enactment life, but there are some very good reasons why I want to keep doing it........Waking up in a reproduction 14C canvas tent, with the light coming through the fabric. Looking up and seeing weaponry and clothing on the 'cartwheel' above our heads.Watching the sun rise through the ruins of a castle many hundreds of years old that is our home for a couple of days.The start of a simpler day in the life......

Yeah - that's why I do it........

cq

Katty R&R

Once I had had my couple of days off on Monday and Tuesday the rest of this week has been one rush of constant activity. With two people off in our office, the workload has doubled and I spent the first day catching up on the work I missed on Monday and Tuesday. I enjoyed the opportunity to disengage - but I've been paying for it the rest of the week. Add in late evenings out all week - from re-enactment Living History meeting to the cinema with my Crazie Boys - I am now really tired!

My friend Bobkat has been working way too hard, and has barely found time to relax or switch off. We made a date to get together on Valentine's Day, as both our significant others were away.

Last night I turned up at her house with a 'Girlies Night In' bag, containing a delivery pizza menu, chocolate and a selection of DVDs.
She was very selfless and offered to watch 'Across the Universe', my new DVD that I am crazy about.
So, we gorged on pizza, snacked on chocolate and watched a film. Bobkat actually stopped dancing on the water (a reference from another of my favourite films) and sat still for two hours....albeit on the edge of her seat!
R&R is always good....

Every little helps......and I got to watch my all-time favourite film again!
I've been singing this to myself all day while wading through paperwork...

Sadie had just told JoJo, her guitarist and lover, that she is planning to go solo..

cq

Visiting Boo

Well, it's all booked! On the 24th April cyberkitten and I are travelling across the pond to see silentmum and Boo.

Before they emigrated, silentmum was my best friend and constant companion and Boo is my god-daughter. I haven't seen my gal-pal or my Boo for five years, so I think this is going to be a bit of a culture shock.

Boo was the original Child-Crazie. She was adored by the group and always had a hand to hold or a lap to sit on. cyberkitten has a photo in his house of him dancing with Boo - the only time I have ever seen ck dance in the eight years I have known him is with the little 3yr old heartbreaker.

Finances has prevented me visiting Canada so far, but now I am in a position to go visit. MB was invited but declined, and cyberkitten jumped at the chance of seeing his young dance-partner again.

What we have to remember is this sweet little girl.....

is now this self-possessed Navy Cadet........
..because we have missed 5yrs...mind you, it doesn't feel like 5yrs!

btw - Boo's nickname came from Monsters Inc. When the little girl appeared we all recognised that cheeky face, the brown hair and the infectious laugh - so our little girl became Boo.

cq

Safe House

Both me and MB are Health and Safety bods - I'm in occupational Health and Safety (H&S in the workplace) and MB is in munitions safety (things that go bang!).

Sometimes our living room really defines our occupations..........

His hi-vis jacket and other bits and bobs ready for a week's inspection tour. My resusci-Annie and Automated External Defibrillator trainer ready for me to put together some lesson plans for training staff at work.......ain't we just dedicated H&S bods :-)

And on a totally different subject.....

Monday is the day Across the Universe is released Across the Kingdom. (You lucky US-ers got it on the 5th!) Me and cyberkitten have waited for this day as eagerly as we waited for the release date for the CD (which I am still wearing out!)

I mean - hello? - is this possibly the most beautiful version of 'Because' ever sung?

Or there's the touching rendition of 'I want to hold your hand', the stunning 'My guitar gently weeps', the haunting version of 'Prudence' or the amazing 'I am the Walrus' (Bono) or 'For the Benefit of Mr Kite' (Eddie Izzard). Then there's the convincing acting by young singers/actors not even born in the days when these songs were first hits.

[taps purse] I'm ready!!

cq

Irony

Wouldja look at this lovely phone - all shiny and purple.....

Isn't it just ever so pretty........?

Yeah - but it's not mine..........it's MB's new phone - he's got a purple phone.........!! [looks outraged]

[mutter] I tried everything to get a purple phone when I was on contract and no one gave me one....[mutter]

cq

Widgets and Whales

Wow, nothing happens, then everything happens at once!

First of all, have you seen the new widget on my sidebar? It's a little fundraiser widget linked to my Race for Life fundraising page.

I have registered to take part in the 2008 Race for Life on 14th June at Lydiard Park (same as last year - here). I just pray it doesn't chuck it down with rain on the day (you can read more here)! This year I will be proudly wearing the name Minerva again, with the word WINNER next to it.

As the 'Race' is in June, there is plenty of time for all my friends and family to pledge or donate money to Cancer Research. This year I have set my target at £500, so I am hoping lots of people will sponsor me.

More on this later.

And cyberkitten and I have decided on the dates to visit Vancouver to see silentmum and Boo. Happily, the dates fall into the new whale-watching season - so we're gonna see some Orcas! I have never seen killer whales in real life - ever......this is HUGE!!

I'm just speechless with excitement.........

cq

It's all in the numbers...

I had an idle wondering recently, as visitors come and go........

I have been blogging for a while now and I had the thought - how many of my many, many posts have not warranted a comment.....?

I have blogged 782 times since Sept 2005.

Over 782 posts, only 6 show up with no comments at all. That is a stunning number.

You know, without all of you, this would just be me blethering on about nothing much at all. But with you putting your tuppence worth in, even when dragged here kicking and screaming by Michele [grin], with your humour and humanity you have helped make the Palace a really nice place to hang out.

Update: lots of people have asked how I got the numbers in this post. Well, if you go into your blogger dashboard and click on 'Posts' (next to Settings and Template), it will tell you how many posts you have made on that blog and lists the posts. When the listing comes up, it shows numbers of comments next to the posts. I admit, I did scan through and picked up the ones showing '0' comments.

cq

Road Rage

Yesterday I saw my first honest to God case of Road Rage. I was not directly involved, but nearly got hauled in because I was behind the Rager.


We have dual carriageway in built up areas which, unlike rural roads, can have speed limits as low as 40 or even 30 miles an hour. The road I was on has a lot of sliproads and entry ways and has a speed limit set at 40, so those driving on through stay in the outside lane. This means you get people wanting to plough on through at speed and the other, more law-abiding folks, who stay in the outside lane at the correct speed.

So, there we were. Miss Law-Abiding, tootling along in the outside lane at about 39 mph. Behind her, Mr Law-Breaker, is sitting on her bumper waving frustratedly at her. Behind him is good old cq, heading home after a long day.

When she saw a suitable opportunity, and obviously aware of the gesticulating male behind her, Miss Law-Abiding pulled into the left lane, to allow Mr Law-Breaker to go on through.

At which point I couldn't believe my eyes. Mr Law-Breaker, in his red Seat Altea (perhaps the wife's car!) suddenly veered in front of her and slammed his brakes on with about an inch to spare. I pulled ahead, not wanting to be caught in a pile-up or make the situation worse. In my rearview mirror I could see him yelling and screaming at her, waving his fists and leaning across his car. He put his car half way across the dividing line, hence creating a barrier to both lanes, and then slowed right down to about ten miles an hour holding back all the traffic.

Realising that being distracted so was causing my driving to deteriorate, I concentrated on the road and drove home, thinking over what I had just seen.

I admit, I get impatient on the road, I curse slow drivers and inconsiderate drivers. I get annoyed when I see people not paying attention, using mobile phones, fiddling with satnavs or even personal grooming (I have seen drivers shaving, women combing their hair and even men reading the paper while driving!).

Then I thought, who was the real bad driver in this whole affair? Miss Law-Abiding who, although mildly annoying, was only obeying the law. She was keeping to the speed limit, driving safely and was aware of her environment. Mr Law-Breaker was rude, abusive, inconsiderate, drove dangerously, threatened and risked innocent people's lives while he let his temper loose.

Have you seen or experienced road rage?

cq

It's Summer and the Living is Easy

I had a bit of a clear out of our kitchen pinboard and took down a newspaper cutting that my mother sent to me years ago.

With (admittedly light!) snow forecast for us in the next couple of days, and the ensuing traffic chaos 'cos no one seems to know how to drive in 1/4" of snow here.......I give you all 'thoughts of Summer'......

An electric hedge-trimmer is competing in a decibel contest with a petrol lawnmower. The cacophony is exacerbated by the buzz of a strimmer and the piercing sound of an electric drill.

The distorted electronic wail of the ice-cream vendor invites a bribe from the disinterested parent, as the volume of music playing at another pseudo-Californian barbeque is drowned out by a bitter argument.

Sweating neighbours and family members are slouched in plastic chairs on uneven patios. Others wait impatiently as friends studiously ignore the new decking, thoughtlessly positioned close to a neighbouring property. They will talk long into the night, their conversation slowly reduced by alcohol to meaningless, unintelligible garbage, interspersed with drunken laughter and mindless expletives.

The delightful chatter of children, mindful of their parents advice to respect the Sabbath, is a sad, distant memory. Now, a strange hissing sound announces the arrival of a grotesque structure. A lurid inflatable castle rises up like a cartoon nightmare. The wall of noise begins to close in around the night shift worker desperate for a few hours' sleep.

Smoke from the barbeque wafts around the neighbourhood, as the stench of overcooked burgers fills the air. The slamming of car doors heralds the discharge from another visit to the supermarket. Across the road, the departure for the 'theme' pub to celebrate another decree absolute is loudly proclaimed.

The gently, echoing clop of a horse passes by unheard. Welcome to a summer Sunday in the 21st Century.

Written by Tim Carbus of Guiseley West Yorks and published in the Daily Mail.

Now, come on - doesn't that all just make you yearn for long summer days.....?

cq

[representing local chapter of Cynics Anonymous)

A Little Bit Country, Little Bit Rock and Roll

Something caught my attention on the radio on the way home. The DJ played this song - always a classic:

and mentioned it was actually a cover version (not a lot of people know that!).

So I went a-hunting and found this wonderful footage. Blue Suede Shoes was written and originally recorded in 1955 (52yrs ago!) by Carl Perkins.

Here he is at Music for Montserrat Sept 1997, playing his moneymaker, his only top 40 hit and, as it turned out, his swansong. According to my source, this was his last public appearance. Carl died in 1998 at the age of 65.

Enjoy the music!

cq

2008 Re-Enactment Season

My life has changed rather radically in the last week......

I went to the Company of Chivalry January Focus Meeting; usually a time for us all to dust off friendships after the winter, catch up on all the gossip, pay our membership dues, plan the year ahead etc.

Only this time there was a bit of a shock to the Company. Our beloved Vintner (seen here in his usual place in the kitchen)

chief cook, bottle washer, membership officer, publicity officer, mainstay, friend to all, rock of the company, and all round good egg, has taken a hiatus from re-enactment due to pressures of modern work. Which means the many, many jobs he fills for the company had to be filled with willing volunteers.

Please meet the new Membership Officer for the Company - Mistress cq!

[whisper] I'm the one sitting down!

Yeah, I volunteered. Stuck me old hand up and gosh-darned volunteered!
Hand in hand with Membership Officer comes a position in the Company Council! So I'm now a Yeoman (in the employ of our Lord Hungerford), Membership Officer and Council Member.
Btw - I am the first woman Council Member in the 19yr history of the Company!

Gonna be a challenging year for me!

So - are you one of Nature's volunteers?


cq

Thank You, Heath

You are missed already, our young flame. May your spirit find peace.

This routine was playing in my head as I listened to the shocking news this morning....

And this will always, I think, be one of my all-time favourite films.

Sleep well, Sir William.

- and thank you

cq

Woman's Brain

Ever wondered how a woman's brain works?

It's finally explained here in one, easy-to-understand illustration:



Every one of those little blue balls is a thought about something that needs to be done, a decision or a problem that needs to be solved.

A man, of course, has only 2 balls and they take up all his thoughts.

teehee!

cq

The Law Is Not An Ass, I Say!

I know my US readers have probably seen this, but this story make me howl with laughter - especially the judge's ruling!
Woman escapes jail for swearing at toilet.

Dawn Herb, 31, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was charged after an off duty police officer overheard her swear at an overflowing toilet.
Officer Patrick Gilman told the hearing he heard someone yell: "Are you f***ing retarded? Get me the f***ing mop."
Patrolman Gilman said he then yelled, "Watch your mouth", to which the person replied: "F*** off."
He then called Patrolman Gerald Tallo, who was on duty at the time, who charged Ms Herb after she admitted cursing at her toilet.
But District Judge Terrence Gallagher has now ruled she did nothing wrong, reports the Scranton Times-Tribune.
He dismissed the disorderly conduct charge which could have led to up to 90 days in jail and a £150 fine.
The language she used "may be considered by some to be offensive, vulgar and imprudent" but she was entitled to use it under the First Amendment, the judge ruled.
Attorney Barry Dyller, who was asked to represent Ms Herb by the American Civil Liberties Union, said Judge Gallagher made the right decision.
"He's exactly right in his reasoning," Mr. Dyller said. "And it's important that the public understands this. There are cases like this each year."

Sorry, but I do I see a little common sense creeping in there? - finally...?

cq

Wordless

I woke up this morning, staggered downstairs, fed the cats, and switched on my laptop. Nothing new, usual Saturday. I've had a long fortnight at work, am fighting off a cold and can't face doing anything. It's early, and I am peering blearily at my screen.
The TV is on, watching Men in Trees recorded earlier in the week.

So nothing is new, nothing is different.

Then I open the comments box from 'Common Sense' to find the following message from my dear blogfriend David in California.

"go see Minerva, RIGHT NOW!"

Minerva, as most of you know, is a blogfriend in London who has spent the last couple of lifetimes battling Cancer. It was Minerva who inspired me to take part in the Race for Life. It is Minerva who is the strongest woman I have ever known in my life.

With a sinking heart I click immediately on the quicklink in my sidebar. Is the cancer back, are there problems with the family, has the cancer mestasized?
I am ashamed to say that all my instant thoughts are negative - Mr C is a devastating illness and Minerva has fought long and hard against him, but sometimes the Bad Guy wins...

Oh, I'm sorry - you want to know what she said on her blog.....?

Go here and see!

cq

Common Sense

This was in an email sent to me, accompanied by the words 'You'll like this!'...

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

Knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; life isn't always fair; and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge). His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place.
Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an Elastoplast to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, It's Not My Fault, and I'm A Victim. Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.'

And a little extra........................

Can you imagine working for a company that has a little more than 600 employees and has the following statistics? 29 have been accused of spouse abuse, 7 have been arrested for fraud, 19 have been accused of writing bad cheques, 117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses, 3 have done time for assault, 71 cannot get a credit card due to bad credit, 4 have been arrested on drug-related charges, 8 have been arrested for shoplifting, 21 are currently defendants in lawsuits, 84 have been arrested for drink driving in the last year.

Which organization is this? It's the 635 members of the House of Commons, the same group that cranks out hundreds of new laws each year designed to keep the rest of us in line.

It's a mad, bad old world......

cq

Crazie Soapbox

There is a recurring and poisonous news item that is splashed across all the newspapers and is even finding it's way into legitimate news programmes.

Forget the atrocious weather, the rising cost of living, war and strife around the world, death and destruction........

There is a farce of an 'inquest' being held to decide if the death of the former Princess of Wales was an accident or an assassination.
This 'inquest' seems to be an excuse to tell all her secrets, to lay open her humanly fault-filled life for everyone to gloat over.

I had no great admiration for Princess of Wales, but she was a woman, a wife and a mother. She was wronged and she wronged in her own turn.

This court case can't hurt her now, except her already damaged reputation. But she has children, two sons, who, no matter their 'right' of birth, should not hear of their mother being pulled apart by a pack of self-seeking, attention-hungry dishonourable money-grubbing pieces of crap.

Sometimes I am ashamed to be British - or even human, to be honest.

Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.....

cq

Universally Global!

I didn't realise it's Golden Globe weekend until I checked imdb for something and it was on their front page.
I knew JD [gulp] was nominated for Sweeney Todd, which we haven't even had over here yet, so that was no surprise.

The exciting bit for me is the fact that my favourite movie of 2007, possibly ever, is also nominated - and is up against JD....
Read here to see my opinion of the most visually stunning and thrilling movies I have ever seen.

You wanna know how fantastic this film is? Check this out........a beautiful young lady called TV Carpio and her equally stunning voice....



This film is the definition of SERIOUSLY COOL.........This is young unknown Joe Anderson.



Good Luck to Across the Universe!

Sweeney Todd won the Comedy/Musical award (with suitable kudos to Steven Sondheim and Tim Burton), with Johnny picking up Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical.... ironic seeing as JD isn't bothered by awards!

cq