Oriental 15

 Greetings

Here is the latest version of this computer art.

Now his britches are wet as well...

Until next time

Adieu

New Regency 3

 Greetings

There's been a bit if a gap on the project to make new civilian Regency kit( due to one thing and another), but I have now made more progress.

I have cut out the outer fabric and the inter-lining, as well as most of the lining. I still need to adjust the lining to work out which bits need to be cut from the grosgrain silk.

I have set the coat pockets in.

and set in the under pocket flap, whcih stops the pocket gaping.

As the button hole is only three eighths of an inch, I sewed it by hand. I have some nice antique bone buttons that will fit.

 

The seam for this flap is samwiched between the front and back of the pocket bag.

I am continuing to work on the coat and will post more later.

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 14

 Greetings

Here is another version of this artwork.

This time I've gone for the wet shirt look...

Until next time

Adieu

Knockhoilt

 Greetings

The Paladins were recently hired to attend a village event in the very small commuity of Knockholt.

This is south of Croydon and just north of the M25.

It was a little interesting getting there, even with a sat nav, especially as they had neglected to let us know that the main road through the village was blocked by roadworks at one end.

I tried finding a way round and after much swearing at my sat nav, found myself back at the same junction that I'd had to turn off at in the first place.

This did, however, let me see the diversion sign, that was placed so it could only be seen approaching from that direction, so I did, eventually get to the site.

We set up the camp. Here are some pictures.

We then got into kit.

The event started with a parade around the village. As the weather forecaste showed it would be dry. I had opted to parade a the bishop, in cope and mitre. It was very hot, so I decided not to wear my day robe, or my tunical. 

I was, however, wearing my poltock and hose and my medieval boots under my vestments. The group had been told we could wear modern shoes if we wished, but it was too late to change by the time this filtered down to me.

We had to walk up to near the church to take our place in the procession.

The whole thing was led by a marching band, who, it soon became clear, had not had a lot of practice marching and playing at the same time. This resulted in a lot of slow marching and frequent stops to avoid running into the groups ahead of us and,on top of that, my left boot began to give me a blister.

Eventually we got through it and I gratefully swapped to my spare ankle boots.

After a quick lunch we had a short tournay. I left off my standard and breastplate due to the heat.

This was the first official fight for young Russell and Adam( who I haved been training) as they had recently turned 16. They both did very well with me killing Adam (twice) and Russel winning the melee.

They were bth fighting in armour and seemed to have no problem with that.

We had very few visitors, but entertained those that showed an interest.

It was a low key event, but went very well.

The journey home was also interesting, particularly the moment when I turned a corner on a narrow lane and found myself nose to nose with one of the largest tractors I have ever seen. 

Luckily he was able tto back a bit to a place where, with a lot of breathing in on bith sides, we could edge past each other.

Then, once I'd also had to pull over sharply for an ambulance on the wrong side of the road a little further on, I manged to get home at a very reasonable hour.

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 13

 Greetings

Here is a new version of this artwork.

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 12

 Greetings

Heres a new version of this computer art.

until next time

Adieu

Oriental 11

 Greetings

Here is another version of this computer art.

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 10

 Greetings

Here is the ltest version of this computer art.

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 9

 Greetings

Here's the first variation on the new look...

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 8

 Greetings

Here is another version of this computer art.

I have redressed him as a Regency gentleman.

I will post more of versionsof this later.

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 7

 Greetings

Heer is the latest version of this computer art.

Until next time

Adieu

Igor

 Greetings

I have recently found another photo from my time in the Far Isles Medieval Society.

My second personna was Sir Igor Ross, Lord Red Dragon, knight of the Silver Falcon

His mother was from Ukraine and his father was a Scots mecenary,hence he had dealings with the Muscovy Company. Well, when you've got contacts at both ends...

I used a n the name I had first come up with for a tabke-top role playing charcter. The system I was using rolled up all aspects of the character, including sex and social status.

I rolled up a lesser nobilty werwolf, so I thought 'family curse' and Igor, the Weird of Ross, was born...

Until next time

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