Headstone Manor

 Greetings

I recently attended a re-enactment with my fellow Paladins at Headstone Manor in Harrow.

This was a one day event for May Day and I had to pack the car the day before and get up early , as they wanted us on sight about 8.00 AM.

This did give  me the marvelous experience of the M25 early on a Bank Holiday morning.  Most of the sensible people were still in bed. It was like going back to driving in the 1970's.

One everyone had arrived we set up an arming tent, my awning and another awning

Here are a couple of pictures (taken By Ann-Marie and used with consent).

The weather was good and we had a reasonable number of punters. We did some training of squires, a bit of medieval  dancing, arming knight, a Kids battle and a short tourney.

It went quite well and I was surprise and pleased to see another man dressed as a bishop, only, this one was in cope and mitre.  We got talking and it turned out he was a local volunteer. He had learnt that the manor used to be owned by an Archbishop of Canterbuty, who, by coincidence had the same name as him. After some resistance from the site ( who, for some unfathomable reason, thought it wouldn't be PC) he'd got permission to play him.

His kit was bought from a local Am Dram, so looked far better from a distance, but he'd definitely made an effort. I was able to help him by pointing out that his stole should go under his cope, not over it, and he was grateful for the correction.

Later, however, it was I who learnt a valuable lesson. The tourney field had a distinct slope and the first time I was the one to yield, I found it very difficult to rise and, in the end, had to be heaved up by my fellows.

 It turns out I was trying to get up with my feet downhill. Whilst this would not be a problem unarmed, the additional weight on my upper body( even in my lighter harness) unbalanced me suffieciently that I could not get to my feet on my own.

This lesson did not go unheeded. When I  died again in the melee, I made sure to align myself across the slope before trying to get up and was able to rise unaided.

The event finished at 5PM and it only took half and hour or so to break camp, so, depite my Sat Nav directing me on different and interesting route ( I have now survived the Hanger Lane Gyratory) , I got home at a reasonable hour for my supper.

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 30

 Greetings

Here is the last version of this computer art.

Now he is a nature intended...with a little censorship for this blog.

Until next time

Adieu

Aragog and his children

 Greetings

I have never had a green thumb . I occasionally buy plants for the garden. I plant them and tell them, firmly, that they are now on their own.

Some have survived, others have lacked the moral fibre.

When it comes to house plants, succulents survive the longest, thought I have been keeping an orchid we received as a thank you gift alive- so far.

One of my survivors, however, is the Spider Plant given to me several Christmases ago by my fellow-Paladin , Fiona. It came with a little note, reading; "my name is Aragog.". He was accepted, as Spider Plants are an exception to my usual arachnaphobia.

He stayed quite small for ages in his place in the Living Room, then we did some decorating and he was moved to the bathroom.Now he is thriving and producing offspring.  I have planted two out and they are enjoying their spot on the upper Garderobe windowsill.

Recently, Aragog suprised me again. He flowered. I didn't know Spider Plants did that...

Until next time

Adieu

To the Yield 29

 Greetings

Here is the penultimate version of the kinky sequence of this compter art.

Censorship has been applied for this blog...

until next time

Adieu

Gunpowder Mills 2

 Greetings

Our visit to the Re-enactors' fayre at the Gunpowder Mills in Waltham Abbey went very well.

It was a very nice day and the fayre had many and varied Re-enactors from Dark Age to Second World War.

There were a few traders there as well, but I managed to avoid spending too much money.

Here are some pictures( both by me and by our friend Kate)

I have included the unexpected Zulu impi(who had obviously adapted to our climate) and the marvelous true scale Soviet pit pony, who was animatronic and whinnied.

I may post more pictures later.

Until next ime

Adieu

To The Yield 28

 Greetings

More from this kinky lad..

Until next time

Adieu

Gunpowder Mills 1

 Greetings

Our friends Kate and Malcom down to stay with us at the weekend and we all went to the International Living History Fayre at the Gunpowder Mill in Waltham Abbey.

I took the opportunity to wear the Seventeenth Century suit I made for the 2019 Worldcon in Dublin.

It was a little snugger than when I last wore it and the forearms of the doublet were fashionably tight. 

I borrowed Teddy's bucket-top boots to go with it.They worked rather nicely with my boot hose.

! also used this an opportunity to wear my Toledo Salamanca sword.

Unfortunately, these boots had been sitting unworn in a cupboard for about ten years and the glue holding the one of the layered wooden heelsfailed, leaving me literally 'down at heel'.

Luckily I had put my Seventeenth Century shoes in the car,just in case, so went back and changed.

I will post more on this later.

Until next time

Adieu