Raven Hair 2

 Greetings

Here is the first variation on this new piece of  computer art.

Until next time

Adieu

Great Seal

 Greetings

Whilst I was waiting for Teddy and our passenger after the ball in Putney, I noticed this marvelous charter on the wall.

My father used to do volunteer conservation work on documents at the National Achieves at Kew and used to refer to the cases for documents with the Great Seal as 'banjo boxes', as the seal has to has its own circular compartment.

This is the second time I have seen a document with the Great Seal. The first time was the charter setting up Queen Anne's Bounty to the Church of England ( I used to work for the adminstation side of the Cof E).

This one has, of course, the Great Seal of Elizabeth the second, just like all the Acts of Parliament of her reign. 

I'm told that,after Royal assent, each Act is printed on vellum and sealed with the Great Seal and one of the heralds has to take the document to Parliament and when its title is announced declare 'La Reyne Le veult' ( the queen wishes it- in Norman French) 

Apparently, the seals are so heavy that the herald has to remember to support it with one hand to stop the document tearing.

Of course the matrix for this seal will have been destroyed at the Queen's death.

A new Great Seal will have been made for King Charles the third and the heralds will say 'Le Roy le veult".

Here is a close up of the seal.

Until next time

Adieu

Raven Hair 1

 Greetings

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

As usual, I shall post different versions of this piece later.

Until next time

Adieu

Floral Ball, Putney

 Greetings.

I have recently attended a Floral Ball at a hospital in Putney.

This is quite a convenient location for us, as we do not live far away.

The beginning of the evening was, not, however, tranquil. 

My husband, Teddy, is not the most organised of people and we left the house a little late and in a great rush only to find on our arrival that he had managed to leave his coat and waistcoat behind.

I had to drive us all the way home again to fetch them and we had missed the first danc by the time we arrived.

The ball was well attended and I soon relaxed and started to enjoy the dancing.

After a few measures, we adjoured for our dinner.

Then there was a raffle with the proceeds going to one of the hospital's charities. Teddy and I bought three strips of tickets each and , between us ended up with four books and bottle of bubbly. 

Unusually successful for me...

We then returned to the Ball Room. I dance most of the dances, but decided to sit out the Quadrille, as I find they have too many bits for me to remember.

I decided I didn't want to waear any of my military uniforms this time, so wore the tailcoat from my Court Dress (civilian) uniform with my white britches and black gorsgrain silk waistcoat.

I think it worked quite well as a combination and may wear that again.

We gave one of the other dancers a lift down to Wimbledon station and got home around 11.30.

Until next time

Adieu

Unexpected flower.

 Greetings

My longest surviving houseplant is a succulent called Wandering Jew.

Despite my poor memory and neglect, I have two examples that have , so far , survived since the 1990's.

One has even gone on to surprise me by flowering for the first time...

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 27

 Greetings

Here is the final version of this computer art.

As nature intended- with a little censorship for this blog...

Until next time

Adieu

Faversham 2026

Greetings

I have just been to a event in Faversham, Kent.

This was a one day event on a Sunday and they had asked us to be there a 8.30 to set up. In order to get there in time, I had to pack the car on the Saturday and get up at 5.00AM.

I achieved this and arrived (just) on time.

The site was very cramped and we had to empty the vehicles and get them off to the arranged parking straight away. Luckily, this was not too far off. We got the camp and arena set up in time for the opening at 10.00.

We started off with a Kids' Battle, which I marshalled. 

This went a lot better than at Amersham, though poor Deejay found himself assaulted by some of his own side, as well as the enemy.

I armed up and then narrated the Arming of the Knight with Deejay as the knight in question and we went stright into the tourney, ending in a melee , which I won.

We had a good reaction from the public and I was able to do a fair amount of educating.

The vent ended at 3Pm, which was nice and I ws lucky enought to find a parking spot right next to the camp, which made take down much easier.

The journey home did not go quite a smoothy, as I took ne wrong turn that delayed me for 20 minutes and then ran into several traffic delays after that, but I still got home just after 6.00.

I wasn't able to take any pictures, but here are a couple more from Amersham.

Despite the early start, I quite enjoyed the event and might do it again.

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 26

 Greetings

Here is another version of the new outfit.

This one requires a little censorship for this blog...

Until next time

Adieu

Amersham 2026 2

 Greetings

The show at Amersham was a relatively quiet one this year.

We didn't have as many of us there and, unfortunarely, this led to the tent being set up a bit too far forward, so we had to set up a slightly restucted arena at the side.

We did Arming The Knight and then tried a Kids' Battle.

This was a very restained affair compared to all other kids battles I have seen. The kid were very tentative and it was practically impossible to get a sound out of them. I have never seen the like...

We then got armed up and did a small tournay, which went very well considering there were only six of us.

Here are some more pictures (courtesy, again, of Member of the Public Connor, who gave permission for me to use them)

The take down wnen smoothly and I had a reasonable journey home.

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 25

 Greetings

Here is another version of the new outfit...

Until next time

Adieu

Amersham 2026 1

 Greetings

I recently took part in a one day event at Amersham.

I have done this event many times before. It is a relatively low key affair, but is usually fun.

Here are some pictures( thanks to Connor , a nice member of the public, who sent these and gave permission for them to be used)

Here the bishop shows off a hauberk( mail shirt).

Before starting to arm for fighting

His grace awaits his fellow knights. ..

I will post more pictures later.

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 24

 Greetings

Here's another version of the new outfit...

Until next time

Adieu

New Regency 6

 Greetings

I have been working on the collar.

This is interlined to stiffen it and will be lined in the chequerboard grosgrain silk.

I have sewn the two parts of the stand and the two parts of the fall together ( in the wool), faced them in buckram and then sewn the stand to the fall.

I then sewed the stand and fall lining together in the silk.

I will reduce the seam allowance on the wool  and trim back the buckram in the seam and then sew lining to the wool. 

When the collar is on the coat the silk will be on the outside to match the lapels.

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 23

 Greetings

Here's a new variation on the latest outfit.

Until next time

Adieu

New Regency 5

 Greetings

I have started working on the lining of the coat.

I am using some of the chequer-board grosgrain silk for the lapels, but aso wanted it show if I wore the coat open, so I have faced the relevant  lining pieces.

I then proceeded to sew the lining pieces together.

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 22

 Greetings

Here is another version of the new outfit.

Until next time

Adieu

Discworld Convention 2026 4

 Greetings

I had great fun at he convention and hope to be able to get membership to the next one.

Here are a few pictures  I took whilst I was there....

A kid dressed as the Death of Rats...

A witch and wizard...

Teddy with some witches..

A successful member of the Seamstress's Guild...

With a magnificent coiffure...

And a creature I took to calling the Notyeti...

Until next time

Adieu

Oriental 21

 Greetings

I have come up with a new outfit for him...

Until next time

Adieu

Discworld Convention 2026 3

 Greetings

I was not planning to take an overly active part in any programme at the convention.

Nevertheless, I ended up taking part in two.

I have already told you how I took part in one item, playing 'Just A Minute.@

The second item was entirely due to some people finding out that I am a filker and, thus, can sing and that I have also sung Mozart, Gilbert & Sullivan and other operatic arias.

It transpired that, as the theme was Masquarade, one of the other attendees had written a libreto for a short comic opera. He had basically filked several classical composers- and some of the filks were in Italian.

The work was called "Le Conte De Gribeau" and the story seemed to be a sort of contest between Gribo and Count Cassanuda as to who was the greatest lover.

As this involved both dwarves and cats, I quickly decided not to examine this concept too closely...

He even painted and produced a poster to advertise the opera.

My bass baritone was the lowest pitch, so I was assigned the bass line in the chorus for three songs, as well as first voice in a duet.

My part was Sergeant Colon of the Ankhmorpork City Watch and the tune was Offenbach's 'The Bold Gendarrmes' with appropriately filked words.

I opted to wear my scarlet Guards tunic with the waist belt, but without epaulettes or medals. I wore the officer's sash crosswise over my left shoulder, to idicate my NCO rank and wore shorts, long socks and crocks.

It was decided that this was sufficiently silly.

We had two rehersals, one, mostly, for blocking entrances, exits etc and the second for singing. Neither was on the actual stage.

Despite this, the perforamnce went off without a hitch and were very well received by the audience.

I was particularly pleased with the duet, as I had practiced it only twice with the complete stranger I had been paired with. We even achieved a very pleasant harmony on the joint parts of the chorus.

I still find it something of a mystery that these things go so well with so little preparation.

But, a famous rabbit once said,...

That's Opera, Doc!

Until next ime

Adieu

Oriental 20

 Greetings

Now his shirt's all ripped...

Until next time

Adieu