Hades

 Greetings

We recently celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary.

We decided to go up to the West End and see a show.

Being disorganised we tried buying tickets quite late, but the show we managed to get tickets for was Hades Town.

It was a bit of hassel getting there, despite having left the house in plenty of time, as there was a problem at Clapham Junction that backed up the trains.

We got there just in time, but it was a good thing we had printed up our tickets.

We were in the upper circle, but the view was not too bad.

These were taken before they told everyone to turn off phones and cameras.

The show was a musical based on the Greek legend of Orpheus and Euridyce. It was set in a sort of 1930 nightclub with Hades being a sort of Mob Boss.

They didn't mess with the story so much that my classical soul was made to cringe (except for one aweful moment when it looked like they were going to Disney it and give it a happy ending- but they pulled it back on the right track).

The singing was good, especially the Bass playing Hades, though the Tenor playing Orpheus obviously thought he could hit a higher note than he actually had the range for. I expect most folk didn't hear it, but I'm a trained singer and he was definitely a bit squeeky.

Unfortunately the lady singing Pesephone had to play it drunk as part of her character and her diction was not wonderful, so we missed a lot of words in her songs.

However, all in all, it was a good show. The musicains were very good, particulary the Trombone and we enjoyed it.

We went for a meal at the Angus Steak House on Charing Cross Road. This has been there since I was a schoolboy and they still do an extemely good steak.

We ambled back to Waterloo via Hungerford Bridge.

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 3

 Greetings

Here is the next version of this new computer art.

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 2

 Greetings

Here is a variation on this new piece of computer art.

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 1

 Greetings

Here is a new piece of computer art I have been working on.

I will post more versions later.

Until next time

Adieu

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