Oriental 6

 Greetings

Here is the latest version of this computer art.

Until next time

Adieu

Lord James

 Greetings

Teddy was showing someone some old photos the other weekend and this one was amongst them.

I think this was sometime in the mid 1990's and this is what I looked like then.

This is a Far Isles Medieval Society event and I am dressed as the Bishop's evil twin, James de Velmont, Master of Danmar. He wore lots of rings (two of which could be opened) and did 'little favours' for the Medicci...and the Borgias... and the Doge...and the Pope...(you get the idea).

Here's a close up

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 5

 Greetings

This is another version of this new computer art.

Until next time

Adieu

Anya's Birthday Ball

 Greetings

Teddy and I have been going to Regency Dance class for a few years now.

We usually do not attend any balls in the Spring and Summer, as Teddy overheats in costume and I have to give priority to my medieval re-enactment group, the Paladins of Chivalry.

However, one of our friends from Regency dance had decided to throw a private ball to celebrate her 6oth and the venue was only a half hour drive away, so we decided to go. We also offered to get there early to help with setting up chairs and tables etc.

Teddy was hoping to wear his new coat, but, partially due to the extremely hiot weather, but mostly due to the darstadly recalcitrant sleeves, this was not finished, so he wore his wrapping gown and long waiscoat.

I wore my line officer's uniform( with order of the Thistle)and my' Peninsula' medal, but when I got there, I realised I'd forgotten to pack my epaulettes.Oh, well, I blamed my man...

Here is a picture of other attendees marking their dance cards as they enjy some celebratory champagne.

The meal was picnic style , bring our own food. So we brought our tin plates, wooden bowls, napkins , coloured glass goblets, pottery jugs etc and( as Teddy was in charge of the catering) too much food.

We ended up taking the pork pie and all the scotch eggs home again..

The.ball was great fun and I danced most of the dances, despite the heat.

Teddy, unfortunatlely, found he'd pulled a muscle on his rib getting chairs down from a rack and had to sit out ( I strapped it up for him the next day and that seemed to help a lot).

We stayed at the end to help the hall's caretaker to put all the chairs and tables away, but his did not delay us overmuch and we were home before midnight.

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 4

 Greetings

Here is the next version of this new computer art

Until next time

Adieu

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

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

To The Yield 27

 Greetings

Here he is a high level of kinkiness...

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 26

 Greetings

Another kinky version for you...

Until next time

Adieu

Iridescence

 Greetings

Teddy and I spent the long Easter weekend at Iridescence, the 2026 Eastercon. ( Eastercons are the annual Science Fiction national convention for the UK)

This was at the Hilton Metropole in Birmingham and, when we got there, we found we were sharing the hotel with an anime convention. An excellent detente had been worked out between the committees. They had access to our dealers room and artshow and we had access to their traders hall.

This worked extreemly well and we also gor to enjoy the large number of them walking about in costume.

I even started to regret deciding not to bring any of my costume.

It turned out that they had had no idea our sort of conventions existed. Some of them bought memberships to our con and many said they'd be joining next year's con.

Their traders hall turned out to be a slightly dangerous place. I discovered a stall selling discounted anime figures and ended up buying three.

I put both originals and prints in the artshow.

All the pictures here except the centre top one( armoured girl with sword) are being shown for the first time. They are all originals except the hussar( top right) and the young man with a sword(base middle) which are framed prints. The originals of those two are much larger.

Here are the displayed prints ( I had more in a box on one of the tables)

 I didn't sell any originals, but did sell two prints.  So, better than nowt.

Catspaw ( second down on the left)

and a cartoon from the box- Nosfer-R2 (again).

This , to date , is my most successful cartoon.

I think I also gained some fans of my work from the anime convention.

The convention went very well and , unusually, we both found several programme items we wanted to go to.

The journey to and from, however ,was very long. We were giving our friend , Melusine, a lift and she came to our the night before, but we were also taking Teddy's cousin, Gail ( who is in a wheelchair).

Thus, I had to drive the wrong way round the M25( vis the Dartford crossing) to go in to pick her up from Walthamstow, then drive on round to the M40 to get to Birmingham. Then I had to do that in reverse on the way back. So I drove nearly all the way round the M25 - twice.

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 25

 Greetings

Here's a version in leather gear

Until next time

Adieu

To the yield 24

 Greetings

Here's another kinky variation of this artwork...

Until next tim

Adieue

To The Yield 23

 Greetings

More kinky gear for this lad...

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 22

 Greetings

Another kinky gear version of this computer art for you.

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 21

 Greetings

Here's a new version.

I decided ( 'cos I can...) to redress him in something kinkier...

I think I may do some more...

Until next time

Adieu

Civil War

 Greetings

We went to visit our friend Karen in Chicago in 2010.

We all went to an American Civil War re-enactment at Napier Settlement. We had been told we would be going , so had brought appropriate clothing.

She recently came across some pictures of us( used with consent).

and here's one of Teddy- being silly...

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 20

 Greetings

Here's the new version of this computer I'll soon be applying the usual censorship...

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 19

 Greetings

Here is another version of the computer art.

We went to the Biannual re-enactors' markets yesterday. I am trying to gather enough suitable silver metal buttons to replace the plastic fake-metal ones on my 18th hussar uniform. Then I'll be able to have it dry cleaned.

There are 18x4 buttons on The waistcoat, dolman and pellisse each have eighteen rows of buttons across.  So that's a lot of buttons.

I only rarely wear the pelisse and its away from my body, so I'm leaving that as it is,

I've already managed to find the eighteen full round buttons for 'active' buttons of the dolman, but I still need about forty more half round buttons. Unfortunately the stall I bought thirty odd buttons from at the previous market wasn't there this time...

The buttons for the waistcoat are just domed( which are a bit easier to find) and I think I might have enough now- or possibly nearly enough...

Apart from not finding buttons (Drat!), I didn't spend too much.

I found a nice set of alternative shoe buckles for my Regancy shoes; a spare fan ( It's hot dancing in two layers of wool);a rather nice snuff box set with mother of pearl chips; a reduced end of roll of tartan(enough to make ar a new small kilt), some £5 a meter silk for a new waistcoat; a few bottles of interesting alcohol

 -and my most unexpected purchase -a small anvil, so I don't have to keep risking my cobblers anvil when re-riviting bits of armour ( it only weighs 9lbs( 4kg odd), but its big enough withut being too big, came ready set on a wood block and only cost £35).

On the plus side, I left my old hounskull bassinet helm to be passed on to the chap I've sold it to and met up with one of my fellow Paladins tto sell him the mail hauberk Idon't wear anymore.

So all in- sucessful.

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 18

 Greetings

Here is another variation on my latest computer art.

I am currently working on a new piece of computer art.

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 17

 Greetings

Here is the latest version of this computer art

Until next time

Adieu

Wintertide Ball 2026

 Greetings

Last Saturday we attended the Wintertide Ball in Reading. 

We gave a lift to our friend Melusine and diverted to Kew to pick up Cecile( who also attends the dance classes in Surbiton)

I wore my Horse Artillary uniform including my Tarleton helmet. I made sure thwt Teddy took a picture, but, unfortunately, his camera failed him and both shots were too blurry to use. I am hoping that we will find another attendee who has an image of me.

In the meantime, here are some pictures that I took of the event.

As yiou can see in the last image, Teddy wore his wedding suit again.

On this occasion , I was the only one in uniform, so , when one dance required us to shout "Huzzar",

I declined to change my branch of the military and shouted "Artillary".

I danced all the dances before supper, including Mother Goose, The Fir Tree, Winter Walk and The Merry Party and only stood out for Queen Pulkawalka'S Waltz( a Triolet) after supper.

I danced with Melusine for Mother Goose, Maid with a Bosom of Snow and Hunt the Squirel and  with Cecile for Sir Roger de Coverley

Once again, it was a very enjoyable event, athough , with the diversion to Kew) we didn't get home unil the small hours Sunday.

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 16

 Greetings

Here is a new version of this computer art

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 15

 Greetings

Here is the latest version of this computer art

Until next time

Adieu

To The Yield 14

 Greetings

Here is the next version of this computer art

Until next time

Adieu