he WON he WON he WON!!!!!!
Martin Scorsese FINALLY won the directing Oscar he SHOULD have won for:
Raging Bull
Goodfellas
Anything Else he EVER directed.
AND
\he FINALLY WON!
"For those of you keeping score, that's 3-6 Mafia ONE Oscar....Martin Scorsese..."
WON!!!!!!
(flim geek hat off and Y.T. off to bed).
Hugs,
Alysoun
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Read any Good Rumours Lately?
There are days.....
Alas, Yours Truly has had the Variable Luck of being a peer of the realm for several years now. While most of the time this honor allows for the having of Much Big Fun and certainly Y.T. holds that responsibility is, in and of itself, Much Big Fun, there are days when Certain responsibilities of peerage do verily sucketh.
Recently, I had the moral and fealty-based responsibility to advise the Crown of a possible breaking of Their Order in a ceertain matter. As the information was secondhand, I advised the Crown that should they feel this secondhand information warranted investigation, They woould need to contact the First Hand witnesses directly.
The Crown ordered an investigation, the information was found to be entirely accurate. The result was twofold:
1) An individual was told most officially to walk away from the Game for awhile. NOT forever, merely "a while": a clearly defined, self-limiting "while." An enforceable "time out" as it were.
2) Yours Truly has been accused of being a liar, a manipulator, a person with a massive grudge and dishonorable besides. Also other words entirely inappropriate for a Family Blog.
While this is not pleasant for anyone, I have seen situations like this before and KNOW that it will All End Fine, as hurt feelings and bruised hearts mend in time.
And while Y.T. does in fact NOT enjoy being the target of threats, insults and outright lies, you know what keeps my heart strong and my chin locked in its upright position?
The support of my Crown, of my Dearest Friends, and the bone-deep knowledge that doing Right never hurt the doer.
I hold my head up and gaze on the light, leaving the scrambling in the dirt to others.
Much hugs to the SheepyWonder, the Turtle and Norse Boy for their unshakeable love and support and to my Crown for being....well....truly Royal. Getting to be in a state of fealty to Such as You both is the best balm for all bruises.
Much hugs,
Alysoun
There are days.....
Alas, Yours Truly has had the Variable Luck of being a peer of the realm for several years now. While most of the time this honor allows for the having of Much Big Fun and certainly Y.T. holds that responsibility is, in and of itself, Much Big Fun, there are days when Certain responsibilities of peerage do verily sucketh.
Recently, I had the moral and fealty-based responsibility to advise the Crown of a possible breaking of Their Order in a ceertain matter. As the information was secondhand, I advised the Crown that should they feel this secondhand information warranted investigation, They woould need to contact the First Hand witnesses directly.
The Crown ordered an investigation, the information was found to be entirely accurate. The result was twofold:
1) An individual was told most officially to walk away from the Game for awhile. NOT forever, merely "a while": a clearly defined, self-limiting "while." An enforceable "time out" as it were.
2) Yours Truly has been accused of being a liar, a manipulator, a person with a massive grudge and dishonorable besides. Also other words entirely inappropriate for a Family Blog.
While this is not pleasant for anyone, I have seen situations like this before and KNOW that it will All End Fine, as hurt feelings and bruised hearts mend in time.
And while Y.T. does in fact NOT enjoy being the target of threats, insults and outright lies, you know what keeps my heart strong and my chin locked in its upright position?
The support of my Crown, of my Dearest Friends, and the bone-deep knowledge that doing Right never hurt the doer.
I hold my head up and gaze on the light, leaving the scrambling in the dirt to others.
Much hugs to the SheepyWonder, the Turtle and Norse Boy for their unshakeable love and support and to my Crown for being....well....truly Royal. Getting to be in a state of fealty to Such as You both is the best balm for all bruises.
Much hugs,
Alysoun
Thursday, February 15, 2007
DARLING MAN DRIVES THE CLUE BUS
Happy Post-Valentine's Dayt, dear friends.....
I must say that, after last year's Debacle of Stoopid, wherein the beloved Spouse began acting like the not-so-beloved Vulcan, D.M. did most excellently make up for it. He made reservations (that's TWICE IN A ROW now - we wonder if it's a brain tumor) at a great Indian restaurant and much fun and big eating was had by all.
You read rightly - Mr. "I don't make reservations anywhere and I think V-Day is ridiculous and I don't think I should make a big deal of treating you like a princess" 2006 Winner of Most Idiotic Response to A Wife Ever - PURCHASED the CLUE! Happy marriage continues traisping on.... He got fine cigars and the gift of a happy and relaxed (amd exceedingly well fed) wife.
Yay him :)
Much hugs,
Alysoun
Happy Post-Valentine's Dayt, dear friends.....
I must say that, after last year's Debacle of Stoopid, wherein the beloved Spouse began acting like the not-so-beloved Vulcan, D.M. did most excellently make up for it. He made reservations (that's TWICE IN A ROW now - we wonder if it's a brain tumor) at a great Indian restaurant and much fun and big eating was had by all.
You read rightly - Mr. "I don't make reservations anywhere and I think V-Day is ridiculous and I don't think I should make a big deal of treating you like a princess" 2006 Winner of Most Idiotic Response to A Wife Ever - PURCHASED the CLUE! Happy marriage continues traisping on.... He got fine cigars and the gift of a happy and relaxed (amd exceedingly well fed) wife.
Yay him :)
Much hugs,
Alysoun
DARLING MAN DRIVES THE CLUE BUS
Happy Post-Valentine's Dayt, dear friends.....
I must say that, after last year's Debacle of Stoopid, wherein the beloved Spouse began acting like the not-so-beloved Vulcan, D.M. did most excellently make up for it. He made reservations (that's TWICE IN A ROW now - we wonder if it's a brain tumor) at a great Indian restaurant and much fun and big eating was had by all.
You read rightly - Mr. "I don't make reservations anywhere and I think V-Day is ridiculous and I don't think I should make a big deal of treating you like a princess" 2006 Winner of Most Idiotic Response to A Wife Ever - PURCHASED the CLUE! Happy marriage continues traisping on.... He got fine cigars and the gift of a happy and relaxed (amd exceedingly well fed) wife.
Yay him :)
Much hugs,
Alysoun
Happy Post-Valentine's Dayt, dear friends.....
I must say that, after last year's Debacle of Stoopid, wherein the beloved Spouse began acting like the not-so-beloved Vulcan, D.M. did most excellently make up for it. He made reservations (that's TWICE IN A ROW now - we wonder if it's a brain tumor) at a great Indian restaurant and much fun and big eating was had by all.
You read rightly - Mr. "I don't make reservations anywhere and I think V-Day is ridiculous and I don't think I should make a big deal of treating you like a princess" 2006 Winner of Most Idiotic Response to A Wife Ever - PURCHASED the CLUE! Happy marriage continues traisping on.... He got fine cigars and the gift of a happy and relaxed (amd exceedingly well fed) wife.
Yay him :)
Much hugs,
Alysoun
Monday, February 12, 2007
Tridently Yours...
This past Saturday, Y.T. had the very great joy of attending the Barony of Darkwater's Trident Tourney - the occasion wherein the Old Baronial Nobles (hereinafter OBN) get offed and the New Baronial Nobles (hereinafter NBN) get Beaned with the Shiny Hats of Doom.
The OBN were members of my Clan, and so it was both quite delightful to see them under those hats, AND a relief to see them out from UNDER those hats....
The NBN are also dear friends, so anyway you look at it - BatGirl wins :) And did NOT the NBN look mightily wonderful in their garb? Y.T.'s dear friends Ramon and Elaine helped make it and the garb verily glowed.
And...the WAY BIG GOOD NEWS. Dearest Arsalon get knighted at Trident. Arsalon, for those of you who may not know him, is one of the lovliest persons I know - he has , in his heart, been a true Knight for quite some time and it elevated YT to tears to see this internal truth confirmed externally with Chain, Spurs and Belt. His Excellency Sir Arsalon INDEED!
Then there was the fencing - YT suckethed yea verily, in that I lost all my bouts, but Much Big Fun was had and all the other fencers made a point of giving me encouragement and complimenting my techniques -even the ones that made me lose...Apparently, I look GREAT as I die. LOL
The best news of course, was that the plackett belt I bought is now TOO BIG for me and two placketts have to be removed (thankyou Bryndis for the Accurate Math!!!). My bowflex is my best friend and I am actually starting to NOT hate all photographs taken of me. Yay.
Much excellent thankyous must be given to the Lovely SheepyOne, the Countess of Cool, the Laurel of Love, who at Great Personal Risk to herself, fetched for us the Platonic Ideal of chocolate covered Cherries from the Northern Shores of the Midrealm. Yea, doth the Excellent One Rocketh!!!!
The Turtle and Norseboy also get, again, my Undying Love and Gratitude for the Stepping UP they did on my behalf...you dear gentlemen insist always in revising my estimate of you and your combined chivalry upwards....
And there was the obligatory tweaking of NorseBoy, which he took with the same good grace (get it..grace...get it?) and ... unique... good humor he always does. Remember son, it's Arabian foals or you are stuck playing cards!
Anyway, off to accomplish MORE sewing and MORE weight training as I now have all those cherries to work off..
Hugs and snuggles,
Alysoun
This past Saturday, Y.T. had the very great joy of attending the Barony of Darkwater's Trident Tourney - the occasion wherein the Old Baronial Nobles (hereinafter OBN) get offed and the New Baronial Nobles (hereinafter NBN) get Beaned with the Shiny Hats of Doom.
The OBN were members of my Clan, and so it was both quite delightful to see them under those hats, AND a relief to see them out from UNDER those hats....
The NBN are also dear friends, so anyway you look at it - BatGirl wins :) And did NOT the NBN look mightily wonderful in their garb? Y.T.'s dear friends Ramon and Elaine helped make it and the garb verily glowed.
And...the WAY BIG GOOD NEWS. Dearest Arsalon get knighted at Trident. Arsalon, for those of you who may not know him, is one of the lovliest persons I know - he has , in his heart, been a true Knight for quite some time and it elevated YT to tears to see this internal truth confirmed externally with Chain, Spurs and Belt. His Excellency Sir Arsalon INDEED!
Then there was the fencing - YT suckethed yea verily, in that I lost all my bouts, but Much Big Fun was had and all the other fencers made a point of giving me encouragement and complimenting my techniques -even the ones that made me lose...Apparently, I look GREAT as I die. LOL
The best news of course, was that the plackett belt I bought is now TOO BIG for me and two placketts have to be removed (thankyou Bryndis for the Accurate Math!!!). My bowflex is my best friend and I am actually starting to NOT hate all photographs taken of me. Yay.
Much excellent thankyous must be given to the Lovely SheepyOne, the Countess of Cool, the Laurel of Love, who at Great Personal Risk to herself, fetched for us the Platonic Ideal of chocolate covered Cherries from the Northern Shores of the Midrealm. Yea, doth the Excellent One Rocketh!!!!
The Turtle and Norseboy also get, again, my Undying Love and Gratitude for the Stepping UP they did on my behalf...you dear gentlemen insist always in revising my estimate of you and your combined chivalry upwards....
And there was the obligatory tweaking of NorseBoy, which he took with the same good grace (get it..grace...get it?) and ... unique... good humor he always does. Remember son, it's Arabian foals or you are stuck playing cards!
Anyway, off to accomplish MORE sewing and MORE weight training as I now have all those cherries to work off..
Hugs and snuggles,
Alysoun
Monday, February 05, 2007
Groundhog Day and Colts and Things Oh My
Good and happy February, everyone!
Yours Truly is pleased to report that February is off to a MUCH slower start than January, which Lordy knows we could certainly USE....
Darling Man's hand is recovering much faster than we thought and his mobility is icnreasing too. Surgery may yet be avoided. WooHoo!
Gulf Wars sewing continues unabated - the Blue and White Norse is almost done, except for hems, and the cotes await. The Goal is to be able to wear NOTHING but the new Norse and cotes for the War...hey! A girl can dream, can she not? And Sheepies has promised that she will instruct Y.T. in the Mysterious And Holy Ways of the Bliaut upon the conclusion of the War.
In anticipation of this event, I am now taking donations for the linen/cotton/silk/wool fund. Find me at the events and we'll talk terms. :)
And the AFC champion Colts won the Super Bowl, again proving that the AFC is the Only Conference That Matters. So there :)
On a serious note, the recent tornados through the belly of this state leave the blood banks in desperate need - open a vein! You will feel FABULOUS for doing this. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about.
More later.
hugs,
Alysoun
Good and happy February, everyone!
Yours Truly is pleased to report that February is off to a MUCH slower start than January, which Lordy knows we could certainly USE....
Darling Man's hand is recovering much faster than we thought and his mobility is icnreasing too. Surgery may yet be avoided. WooHoo!
Gulf Wars sewing continues unabated - the Blue and White Norse is almost done, except for hems, and the cotes await. The Goal is to be able to wear NOTHING but the new Norse and cotes for the War...hey! A girl can dream, can she not? And Sheepies has promised that she will instruct Y.T. in the Mysterious And Holy Ways of the Bliaut upon the conclusion of the War.
In anticipation of this event, I am now taking donations for the linen/cotton/silk/wool fund. Find me at the events and we'll talk terms. :)
And the AFC champion Colts won the Super Bowl, again proving that the AFC is the Only Conference That Matters. So there :)
On a serious note, the recent tornados through the belly of this state leave the blood banks in desperate need - open a vein! You will feel FABULOUS for doing this. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about.
More later.
hugs,
Alysoun
Thursday, January 25, 2007
More!
Look! More posting from Yours Truly....
January did NOT slow down, friends, so please forgive the lack of consistent updates, yes?
Scots Welsh was a lovely little war...got to say hello to the Usual Suspects (you know who you are) and wave cheerily to Norse Boy off in his unelectronic corner :) The Mittens was also appropriately tortured, so all is Well.
Most excellently, found little teeny stone bats that SheepyOne transformed, out of gracious generosity, into BEAUTIFUL bling for the new Norse outfits. They may also be used as regular necklaces for the FAB new cotehardies. As always, Sheepy proves herself a rare Gem. thankyouthankyouthankyou.
Of course, Yours Truly being Yours Truly, I prompty broke both wings off ONE of the bats...hugging a Duke of prolific Ducal Profile porportions LOL.
Also got to spend a HUGE amount of time with Sheepy and the FarFlung/Crimson Fist/Wyndryder brigade and can state that I have now been Officially Noticed Doing Not Much at an event. So, all of you out there INSISTING I never just sit around and kibbitz.....
PFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFT. So there :)
Have also dropped a SIZE since Christmas! YAY!!! At this rate, I will be SKINNIER at THIS Gulf Wars than I was at Gulf Wars 2003 - this is a Very Good Thing.
Passings:
Denny from the Mamas and the Papas - much missed
E. Howard Hunt -Watergate criminal, frankly not so much.
The Mamas & Papas made music they shared with the world out of their hearts and enriched us all. Mr. Hunt used the Consitution as toilet paper on his way to his goal of assisting a corrupt politician attain greater powers than that document allows. More about this selfishness issue in a bit...
Another gentle from the SCA has recently died - she and I unfortunately grew apart over the last few years, but I mourn both the friend that was and for my friends who were still close to her who grieve still. Sadness abounds, does it not?
Late last year, of course, we suffered the deaths of Scout and Earl Brendan (MAN is that still hard to write) and there are memorials planned for both at Gulf Wars.
Yours Truly hereby anounces that there will be NO DEATHS this year. Everyone go get your heart checked.
Speaking of Death, it got me thinking that we do NOT appreciate the effect our choices have on our lives and on our friends. Brendan especially left his mark on me, making me a better Scadian and a better person. It was selfless on his part.
Too often, though, we make selfish choices that have exceedingly negative effects on the lives of people we allege to love. Some goal seems to become far more important to us than the hurt the journey to same does to our friends and off we go....All of us, me you our cats, make decisions based entirely on the effect they will have on OUR lives and spend far too little time thinking about how it will affect others. In my long experience, this NEVER works out and, once we Do achieve the goal that was so important to us that we willfully and knowingly hurt our friends and in instances made them do what they did NOT want to do; the Attained is not as shiny as we thought and its attaining did us nothing.
And then we look around and notice a trail of borken hearts and hurt friends behind us, NOT loving friends beside us as we travel.
So, let's all stop doing that, shall we? And look out for one another a little more. Listen to the true desires of our friends and loved ones a little more intently and then; being in possession of this knowledge, spend a LOT less time running roughshod over them. No Grail was ever found by the selfish. I may fail in this attempt more often than I succeed, but I committ to trying to changing that ratio. Wanna come along?
hugs,
Alysoun
Look! More posting from Yours Truly....
January did NOT slow down, friends, so please forgive the lack of consistent updates, yes?
Scots Welsh was a lovely little war...got to say hello to the Usual Suspects (you know who you are) and wave cheerily to Norse Boy off in his unelectronic corner :) The Mittens was also appropriately tortured, so all is Well.
Most excellently, found little teeny stone bats that SheepyOne transformed, out of gracious generosity, into BEAUTIFUL bling for the new Norse outfits. They may also be used as regular necklaces for the FAB new cotehardies. As always, Sheepy proves herself a rare Gem. thankyouthankyouthankyou.
Of course, Yours Truly being Yours Truly, I prompty broke both wings off ONE of the bats...hugging a Duke of prolific Ducal Profile porportions LOL.
Also got to spend a HUGE amount of time with Sheepy and the FarFlung/Crimson Fist/Wyndryder brigade and can state that I have now been Officially Noticed Doing Not Much at an event. So, all of you out there INSISTING I never just sit around and kibbitz.....
PFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFT. So there :)
Have also dropped a SIZE since Christmas! YAY!!! At this rate, I will be SKINNIER at THIS Gulf Wars than I was at Gulf Wars 2003 - this is a Very Good Thing.
Passings:
Denny from the Mamas and the Papas - much missed
E. Howard Hunt -Watergate criminal, frankly not so much.
The Mamas & Papas made music they shared with the world out of their hearts and enriched us all. Mr. Hunt used the Consitution as toilet paper on his way to his goal of assisting a corrupt politician attain greater powers than that document allows. More about this selfishness issue in a bit...
Another gentle from the SCA has recently died - she and I unfortunately grew apart over the last few years, but I mourn both the friend that was and for my friends who were still close to her who grieve still. Sadness abounds, does it not?
Late last year, of course, we suffered the deaths of Scout and Earl Brendan (MAN is that still hard to write) and there are memorials planned for both at Gulf Wars.
Yours Truly hereby anounces that there will be NO DEATHS this year. Everyone go get your heart checked.
Speaking of Death, it got me thinking that we do NOT appreciate the effect our choices have on our lives and on our friends. Brendan especially left his mark on me, making me a better Scadian and a better person. It was selfless on his part.
Too often, though, we make selfish choices that have exceedingly negative effects on the lives of people we allege to love. Some goal seems to become far more important to us than the hurt the journey to same does to our friends and off we go....All of us, me you our cats, make decisions based entirely on the effect they will have on OUR lives and spend far too little time thinking about how it will affect others. In my long experience, this NEVER works out and, once we Do achieve the goal that was so important to us that we willfully and knowingly hurt our friends and in instances made them do what they did NOT want to do; the Attained is not as shiny as we thought and its attaining did us nothing.
And then we look around and notice a trail of borken hearts and hurt friends behind us, NOT loving friends beside us as we travel.
So, let's all stop doing that, shall we? And look out for one another a little more. Listen to the true desires of our friends and loved ones a little more intently and then; being in possession of this knowledge, spend a LOT less time running roughshod over them. No Grail was ever found by the selfish. I may fail in this attempt more often than I succeed, but I committ to trying to changing that ratio. Wanna come along?
hugs,
Alysoun
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Yes, IT HAS BEEN A WHILE....
OK....so what HAVE Yours Truly and the Mob been up to?
Hmmm...where to begin..where to begin...
12/21/06: early afternoon; Father in law is spending several days with us
12/21/06: later afternoon: Father in law is NOT spending several days with us.
12/21/06: Still later afternoon: Sister in law kicks Father in law out of house because Fther in law IS now spending several days with Us.
12/21/06; Simultaneously with above: Darling Hand breaks hand on cinder block because Sister in law's face is unavailable.
12/22/06: Father in law arrives. Loves us and apologizes.....much cooking ensues.
12/23/06: Much more cooking.
12/24/06: Much and MUCH more cooking and tree-decorating
12/25/06: FINE day...much cooking and dart-playing.
12/26/06: Father in law goes home.
12/27/06-present: Darling Man's hand continues to be broken. Sister-in-law still lives.
12/31/06-1/1/07: Very Happy New Year, what with the Vodka and Percocets and everything :)
1/5/07-1/7/07: Yours Truly attends Tourney of the Wolf Moon and has a Fine Time.
Also of interest: Have finished the second Norse and am starting in on a series of particolored cotehardies.....to be followed by More costuming because the Sheep is a Bad Influence. Received a HUGE sewing kit for Yule and love it muchly, also received books and many nifty other thingies. Big Find: cobalt blue linen, perfect for Trimaris Court garb. woohoo!!!! and little teeny tiny horse head buttons for one of the particolored cotehardies -and they are ARABIAN horse heads. muahahahaaaa.....
What is interesting to me is that Darling Man is a terrible patient, but also a very odd one...can't wash his hair by himself but CAN microwave his own dinner...can't drive a stick but THINKS he can re-wire the DVD player.....thanks goodness the health insurance is fabulous...
Anyay, off to the house to Do More Sewing and Looking after the Broken..
Hugs,
Alysoun
OK....so what HAVE Yours Truly and the Mob been up to?
Hmmm...where to begin..where to begin...
12/21/06: early afternoon; Father in law is spending several days with us
12/21/06: later afternoon: Father in law is NOT spending several days with us.
12/21/06: Still later afternoon: Sister in law kicks Father in law out of house because Fther in law IS now spending several days with Us.
12/21/06; Simultaneously with above: Darling Hand breaks hand on cinder block because Sister in law's face is unavailable.
12/22/06: Father in law arrives. Loves us and apologizes.....much cooking ensues.
12/23/06: Much more cooking.
12/24/06: Much and MUCH more cooking and tree-decorating
12/25/06: FINE day...much cooking and dart-playing.
12/26/06: Father in law goes home.
12/27/06-present: Darling Man's hand continues to be broken. Sister-in-law still lives.
12/31/06-1/1/07: Very Happy New Year, what with the Vodka and Percocets and everything :)
1/5/07-1/7/07: Yours Truly attends Tourney of the Wolf Moon and has a Fine Time.
Also of interest: Have finished the second Norse and am starting in on a series of particolored cotehardies.....to be followed by More costuming because the Sheep is a Bad Influence. Received a HUGE sewing kit for Yule and love it muchly, also received books and many nifty other thingies. Big Find: cobalt blue linen, perfect for Trimaris Court garb. woohoo!!!! and little teeny tiny horse head buttons for one of the particolored cotehardies -and they are ARABIAN horse heads. muahahahaaaa.....
What is interesting to me is that Darling Man is a terrible patient, but also a very odd one...can't wash his hair by himself but CAN microwave his own dinner...can't drive a stick but THINKS he can re-wire the DVD player.....thanks goodness the health insurance is fabulous...
Anyay, off to the house to Do More Sewing and Looking after the Broken..
Hugs,
Alysoun
Monday, December 18, 2006
It's A Miracle:)
Darling Man not only remembered our anniversary, he actually made reservations. At a restaurant. On purpose.
You must understand that DM does NOT do "reservations." Back when we had two incomes, no mortgage, no car payments and no children, DM flew me to London for my birthday.
Lovely flight.
Lovely scene at Heathrow when I ask him what hotelwe are in and DM replies, "I don't know - I guess we should find one."
Now, darlings....Yours Truly has FRIENDS in London and FAMILY and stared at DM thinking to herself, "Well at least we won't be sleeping in the Tubes..."
DM then anounces that I Should Not Worry, because How Hard Can It Be To Find a Hotel Room in London At the Last Minute?
Gee, sweetie, I don't know........what are the odds of finding an affordable hotel room in the TOURIST CAPITAL OF THE EMPIRE AND A WORLD CITY AT THE LAST MINUTE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SPRING?!?!
DM looked upon YT as though I were insane.
Now, England being a very civilized country, there exists in Heathrow a kiosk entitled "Tourist Help," wherein a very nice and deeply amused girl found us a hotel room. for about 80 pounds, which Ike that was a sweet deal until I reminded him that at then-current rate of exchange that worked out to $150 per night.
We spent one night there and then *I* found us a better deal in Earl's Court, which is cooler than Mayfair and also much hipper.
Fast forward a million years to last February 14 - we spent TWO HOURS driving around Casselberry because Dm didn't think reservations would be necessary.
For Valentine's Day.
In a tourit town.
So, We were VERY happy with him over the Anniversary as it proves that, despite recent evidence to the contrary, He Can Be Taught!
YAAY!!!
Hugs,
Alysoun
Darling Man not only remembered our anniversary, he actually made reservations. At a restaurant. On purpose.
You must understand that DM does NOT do "reservations." Back when we had two incomes, no mortgage, no car payments and no children, DM flew me to London for my birthday.
Lovely flight.
Lovely scene at Heathrow when I ask him what hotelwe are in and DM replies, "I don't know - I guess we should find one."
Now, darlings....Yours Truly has FRIENDS in London and FAMILY and stared at DM thinking to herself, "Well at least we won't be sleeping in the Tubes..."
DM then anounces that I Should Not Worry, because How Hard Can It Be To Find a Hotel Room in London At the Last Minute?
Gee, sweetie, I don't know........what are the odds of finding an affordable hotel room in the TOURIST CAPITAL OF THE EMPIRE AND A WORLD CITY AT THE LAST MINUTE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SPRING?!?!
DM looked upon YT as though I were insane.
Now, England being a very civilized country, there exists in Heathrow a kiosk entitled "Tourist Help," wherein a very nice and deeply amused girl found us a hotel room. for about 80 pounds, which Ike that was a sweet deal until I reminded him that at then-current rate of exchange that worked out to $150 per night.
We spent one night there and then *I* found us a better deal in Earl's Court, which is cooler than Mayfair and also much hipper.
Fast forward a million years to last February 14 - we spent TWO HOURS driving around Casselberry because Dm didn't think reservations would be necessary.
For Valentine's Day.
In a tourit town.
So, We were VERY happy with him over the Anniversary as it proves that, despite recent evidence to the contrary, He Can Be Taught!
YAAY!!!
Hugs,
Alysoun
Friday, December 08, 2006
Yours Turly Is Pond Scum
Have you all noticed the lovely and smashing new layout of Birdrants? The graphics, the inside jokes, the glaring Pelican at the bottom??? Hmm, do you?
You can't POSSIBLY think *I* did it....no nono.
Is was SHEEPY!!! SHEEPY who rendered us so spiff and YT was SO busy riffing on Norse Boy that I neglected to thank Her Woolliness.
I Suck.
THANK YOU SHEEPY!!!
Hugs,
Alysoun
Have you all noticed the lovely and smashing new layout of Birdrants? The graphics, the inside jokes, the glaring Pelican at the bottom??? Hmm, do you?
You can't POSSIBLY think *I* did it....no nono.
Is was SHEEPY!!! SHEEPY who rendered us so spiff and YT was SO busy riffing on Norse Boy that I neglected to thank Her Woolliness.
I Suck.
THANK YOU SHEEPY!!!
Hugs,
Alysoun
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
EVENING, Captain TriFireNorseFabioMan!
We are your friends. We love you very much. And while we are all medievalists and very busy re-creating the middle ages, WE have managed to figure out how to communicate without running up our cell phone minutes!
GOODNESS, Man! *I*, the Official Luddite of Trimaris, figured out how to do this....YOU passed Fire Shool and all kinds of complicated scary stuff and a LITTLE ITTLE BITTY COMPUTER scares you?!?!?! Man up, Brother....just sayin'.
And if you NEED motivation, just remember that the public and electronic ribbing of your NorseNess will continue until you jump on board.
It's for the best, really. Would *I* steer you wrong???????? Dear Sweet ME?!?!?! Who you love like a SISTER?!?!!? and TRUST?!?!!? Would *I* lie to *you?!?*
Certainly not......
And feed the GunnarBat while you're here, OK? And catch up on all my posts - I am FUN to read.
Much love,
Alysoun
We are your friends. We love you very much. And while we are all medievalists and very busy re-creating the middle ages, WE have managed to figure out how to communicate without running up our cell phone minutes!
GOODNESS, Man! *I*, the Official Luddite of Trimaris, figured out how to do this....YOU passed Fire Shool and all kinds of complicated scary stuff and a LITTLE ITTLE BITTY COMPUTER scares you?!?!?! Man up, Brother....just sayin'.
And if you NEED motivation, just remember that the public and electronic ribbing of your NorseNess will continue until you jump on board.
It's for the best, really. Would *I* steer you wrong???????? Dear Sweet ME?!?!?! Who you love like a SISTER?!?!!? and TRUST?!?!!? Would *I* lie to *you?!?*
Certainly not......
And feed the GunnarBat while you're here, OK? And catch up on all my posts - I am FUN to read.
Much love,
Alysoun
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
My GOSH it's DECEMBER!!!!
Yours Truly, Darling Man and the Children have a HUGELY busy December. D.M. has his birthday, WE have our anniversary and of COURSE, there also exist Hannukkah, Solstice and Christmas. We do NOT, accordingly, suffer ANY lack of Holiday Cheer :)
So now...where were we...ah yes, the GARB.
We have spent a small fortune on linen and a sewing machine and are pleased to anounce that we can now play the role of both French and Norse nobility with real panache. Now, we must learn How To Line things, so that our Silk budget can also equal the GNP of Chad. After all, we woiuld NOT want the linen to feel left out......Also buying some lovely wool from which to make Appropriate Cloaks. ('cmon LOTTO - Y.T. needs some BLING).
I have determined that I look Spiffily and prettily FAB in Norse and FAB in cotes. Therefore, even my nightgowns will now be in these styles. LOLOL.
Onto the 21st Century for a moment.....
If you have not done so already, being people of Fine Great Taste, RUN do not WALK to the store and purchase the Who's new CD, "Endless Wire." The first new Who in 24 years has been well worth the wait and Yours Truly now finds herself humming "Mike Post Theme" in her sleep. The band is also touring, and reports are that they Sound Marvelous, although Dearest Roger's voice needs more rest than it used to. Well....he IS 62 for heaven's sake.....I have just seen the Sunrise show (11/20/06) and they Kicked Derriere. Yours Truly finds herself again, indecently grateful that they did NOT all die before they got old. (Sorry Pete - you bought that undying reference 41 yearss ago and Are Stuck With It - loveyameanit).
Also, "Tea and Theatre" is simply achingly beautiful and if it does not make you wistful, you have no soul. Pete wrote this as a memento morte for Keith (9/7/78) and John (6/4/02) , and also as a promise to Roger. Listen to it. Listen to it NOW. You will NOT be sorry. Now of course, we must Only Hope and Pray that it is not ANOTHER 24 years before the NEXT new CD......
Back to the Middle Ages:
I REALLY like the way I look in this grab. Sheepy, there remain NO words adequate to thank you for the gift of teaching me to sew. I am but an egg in this skill, but at least I finally made it out of the chicken's...well...you know. :0)
Hugs,
Alysoun
Yours Truly, Darling Man and the Children have a HUGELY busy December. D.M. has his birthday, WE have our anniversary and of COURSE, there also exist Hannukkah, Solstice and Christmas. We do NOT, accordingly, suffer ANY lack of Holiday Cheer :)
So now...where were we...ah yes, the GARB.
We have spent a small fortune on linen and a sewing machine and are pleased to anounce that we can now play the role of both French and Norse nobility with real panache. Now, we must learn How To Line things, so that our Silk budget can also equal the GNP of Chad. After all, we woiuld NOT want the linen to feel left out......Also buying some lovely wool from which to make Appropriate Cloaks. ('cmon LOTTO - Y.T. needs some BLING).
I have determined that I look Spiffily and prettily FAB in Norse and FAB in cotes. Therefore, even my nightgowns will now be in these styles. LOLOL.
Onto the 21st Century for a moment.....
If you have not done so already, being people of Fine Great Taste, RUN do not WALK to the store and purchase the Who's new CD, "Endless Wire." The first new Who in 24 years has been well worth the wait and Yours Truly now finds herself humming "Mike Post Theme" in her sleep. The band is also touring, and reports are that they Sound Marvelous, although Dearest Roger's voice needs more rest than it used to. Well....he IS 62 for heaven's sake.....I have just seen the Sunrise show (11/20/06) and they Kicked Derriere. Yours Truly finds herself again, indecently grateful that they did NOT all die before they got old. (Sorry Pete - you bought that undying reference 41 yearss ago and Are Stuck With It - loveyameanit).
Also, "Tea and Theatre" is simply achingly beautiful and if it does not make you wistful, you have no soul. Pete wrote this as a memento morte for Keith (9/7/78) and John (6/4/02) , and also as a promise to Roger. Listen to it. Listen to it NOW. You will NOT be sorry. Now of course, we must Only Hope and Pray that it is not ANOTHER 24 years before the NEXT new CD......
Back to the Middle Ages:
I REALLY like the way I look in this grab. Sheepy, there remain NO words adequate to thank you for the gift of teaching me to sew. I am but an egg in this skill, but at least I finally made it out of the chicken's...well...you know. :0)
Hugs,
Alysoun
Monday, November 27, 2006
Putting My Foot Down, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Machine
So, the weekend before Thanksgiving, our very own Dear Countess SheepyOne took her life into her hands and held MY hand while *I*, yes, ME, measured, cut and sewed (YES - on a MACHINE) my very first ever "did it myself" (with the aforementioned adult supervision) Norse Apron Dress. The Woolly Laurel looked it over and pronounced that it did Not Suck. And performed great and beautiful acts of embroidery upon it.
We feel as though we have finally entered the World of Grownups and owe the Sheep unrepayable thanks for teaching Yours Truly how to FINALLY dress herself.
This coming weekend, I do it without adult supervision. Stay tuned. ")
What I Learned:
1) Sewing machines do NOT, as a matter of fact, JUMP out at you and eat your fingers just because. This DID come as news.
2) If you DON'T put the foot thingy down, no actual sewing takes place.
3) Putting the Pedal to the Metal makes Laurels giggle at you.
4) I can be taught!!!!!
5) Sheepy is even more awesome than originally thought.
6) Turtle Boy has more patience than the entire list of saints in the church calendar.
7) Bobbins DO run out! Who knew?
In seriousness, you all have to know that ever since the Great Sewing Machine Massacre of 1991 (I was attached to the maching BY THE NEEDLE and paramedics had to cut me out), I have avoided learning to sew - a fact that brings no great shock to those who SAW my wardrobe in the ensuing decades. So, to have gotten OVER this, to the point where I am acquiring my OWN sewing machine and am looking FORWARD to this, is an accomplishment in which Sheepy should take great pride.
I, myself, am just relieved to discover that I can still take directions :)
Thanksgiving itself was a much-needed respite of calm, happy family interaction (no, really) and much Good Eats. Yours Truly gave thanks for the usual, and of course added special thanks for the Sheep and Turtle. And the flax plant :)
Much hugs,
Alysoun
So, the weekend before Thanksgiving, our very own Dear Countess SheepyOne took her life into her hands and held MY hand while *I*, yes, ME, measured, cut and sewed (YES - on a MACHINE) my very first ever "did it myself" (with the aforementioned adult supervision) Norse Apron Dress. The Woolly Laurel looked it over and pronounced that it did Not Suck. And performed great and beautiful acts of embroidery upon it.
We feel as though we have finally entered the World of Grownups and owe the Sheep unrepayable thanks for teaching Yours Truly how to FINALLY dress herself.
This coming weekend, I do it without adult supervision. Stay tuned. ")
What I Learned:
1) Sewing machines do NOT, as a matter of fact, JUMP out at you and eat your fingers just because. This DID come as news.
2) If you DON'T put the foot thingy down, no actual sewing takes place.
3) Putting the Pedal to the Metal makes Laurels giggle at you.
4) I can be taught!!!!!
5) Sheepy is even more awesome than originally thought.
6) Turtle Boy has more patience than the entire list of saints in the church calendar.
7) Bobbins DO run out! Who knew?
In seriousness, you all have to know that ever since the Great Sewing Machine Massacre of 1991 (I was attached to the maching BY THE NEEDLE and paramedics had to cut me out), I have avoided learning to sew - a fact that brings no great shock to those who SAW my wardrobe in the ensuing decades. So, to have gotten OVER this, to the point where I am acquiring my OWN sewing machine and am looking FORWARD to this, is an accomplishment in which Sheepy should take great pride.
I, myself, am just relieved to discover that I can still take directions :)
Thanksgiving itself was a much-needed respite of calm, happy family interaction (no, really) and much Good Eats. Yours Truly gave thanks for the usual, and of course added special thanks for the Sheep and Turtle. And the flax plant :)
Much hugs,
Alysoun
Monday, November 13, 2006
The Queen Gives Birth!!!!
Let the Bells Ring in delight that our Gracious Queen, Islay II of Trimaris, has been safely delivered of a strapping, 180 pound baby Boy to lead the Kingdom when She and Martin II are dead and moldering in their graves...Ardion and his lovely wife Lisa will now, in their time, bear the Triskele Crowns!!! YAY!!!
This was supposed to be The Lyst That No One Entered, so of course there were 17 combatants and the Lyst lasted nearly four hours, but who's counting? The rest of the event was blissfully uneventful, but Much Big Fun was had by all - the masked Ball, the peerage meetings...what was not to love?
Subadai is now Subadai Ba'ador, which means for you Round-Eyes out there that he completed his vigil and now takes his place as a Knight. YAYAYAYAYAAYAYAYAY! And the lovely Koshka also completed her vigil, enriching the Kingdom by becoming its newest Laurel. YAYAYAYAYAYAYAAY!
And if that wasn't good ENOUGH, our Own Dear Son, Innis, received his Grant of Arms AND...the dear HL Arsalon WILL be knighted at Giulf Wars!!!!! WE veritably caper with delight.
But the best, the most lovely gift ALL weekend - that jewel of jewels that lent its bright sparkle to the dark heart of despair, that Gift Beyond Measure?
Mittens said Fabio was a "hottie" and if he had to go gay, he was glad that "at least he got a hottie." thank you, Sheepy, without you, such a jewel would have remained dark, thank you thank you thankyyou.
I die happy....
Much hugs,
Alysoun
Let the Bells Ring in delight that our Gracious Queen, Islay II of Trimaris, has been safely delivered of a strapping, 180 pound baby Boy to lead the Kingdom when She and Martin II are dead and moldering in their graves...Ardion and his lovely wife Lisa will now, in their time, bear the Triskele Crowns!!! YAY!!!
This was supposed to be The Lyst That No One Entered, so of course there were 17 combatants and the Lyst lasted nearly four hours, but who's counting? The rest of the event was blissfully uneventful, but Much Big Fun was had by all - the masked Ball, the peerage meetings...what was not to love?
Subadai is now Subadai Ba'ador, which means for you Round-Eyes out there that he completed his vigil and now takes his place as a Knight. YAYAYAYAYAAYAYAYAY! And the lovely Koshka also completed her vigil, enriching the Kingdom by becoming its newest Laurel. YAYAYAYAYAYAYAAY!
And if that wasn't good ENOUGH, our Own Dear Son, Innis, received his Grant of Arms AND...the dear HL Arsalon WILL be knighted at Giulf Wars!!!!! WE veritably caper with delight.
But the best, the most lovely gift ALL weekend - that jewel of jewels that lent its bright sparkle to the dark heart of despair, that Gift Beyond Measure?
Mittens said Fabio was a "hottie" and if he had to go gay, he was glad that "at least he got a hottie." thank you, Sheepy, without you, such a jewel would have remained dark, thank you thank you thankyyou.
I die happy....
Much hugs,
Alysoun
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Honor
Chivalry got me thinking . How is honor best described? Is it the same as integrity, or a function of integrity?
We say of those who keep their word that they are honorable to do so.....but what if the word they keep is to do harm? Is there honor still in a promise unbroken, no matter the promise?
Who decides?
I believe it is almost like the Supreme Court Justice who, speaking of pornography, said that he could not define it, but knew it when he saw it. While I would not equate pornography with honor, I do believe the the Justice had a point...
We recognize the honorable when we see them... So, when we see them, what IS it we see that leads us to conclude that honor is in them?
Just as with our musings on chivalry, these matters have been much on my mind lately.....I have seen much honor done recently. I have seen other gentles convinced that honor demands they engage in the willful harming of others. I don't get it.
Those gentles I perceive as honorable are those who keep their word, who keep their oaths, who also do this keeping with as little damage to the feelings of others as they can manage. However, is the second half of that sentence a qulaity more akin to gentility or courtesy than Honor?
It boggles the mind some days - especially this one.
Crown Lyst approaches and many brave people will take the field for, among other things, Honor. For Honor.......lay on. The Field of Honor....Honorable combat. For the honor of their consorts. The consorts are reminded to be worthy of the honor done them.
For the rest of the crowd, who will neither be fighting nor being fought for, I think honor is in paying attention to the honorable combatants - and not sniping at them for decisions on the field we think we may have made differently. There can be no honor in that, most assuredly.
The winners are honored not only by the bright new shiny metal coronets plonked on their heads, but by the sight of the populace showing support and not grimacing...the losers laughing in relief that THEY are spared the Metal Rounds of Doom instead of lamenting their loss in public.
Higher honorable acts, of course, abound in private - where hearts are mended by kind words, no advantage taken of the weak and no harsh or immoderate words belittle the reputations of those not present to defend them. Perhaps honor is also seen in THAT - the *conscious* absence of harmful actions - the Holding of Tongues bound together with the outreaching of hands.....
See you Sunday,
Alysoun
Chivalry got me thinking . How is honor best described? Is it the same as integrity, or a function of integrity?
We say of those who keep their word that they are honorable to do so.....but what if the word they keep is to do harm? Is there honor still in a promise unbroken, no matter the promise?
Who decides?
I believe it is almost like the Supreme Court Justice who, speaking of pornography, said that he could not define it, but knew it when he saw it. While I would not equate pornography with honor, I do believe the the Justice had a point...
We recognize the honorable when we see them... So, when we see them, what IS it we see that leads us to conclude that honor is in them?
Just as with our musings on chivalry, these matters have been much on my mind lately.....I have seen much honor done recently. I have seen other gentles convinced that honor demands they engage in the willful harming of others. I don't get it.
Those gentles I perceive as honorable are those who keep their word, who keep their oaths, who also do this keeping with as little damage to the feelings of others as they can manage. However, is the second half of that sentence a qulaity more akin to gentility or courtesy than Honor?
It boggles the mind some days - especially this one.
Crown Lyst approaches and many brave people will take the field for, among other things, Honor. For Honor.......lay on. The Field of Honor....Honorable combat. For the honor of their consorts. The consorts are reminded to be worthy of the honor done them.
For the rest of the crowd, who will neither be fighting nor being fought for, I think honor is in paying attention to the honorable combatants - and not sniping at them for decisions on the field we think we may have made differently. There can be no honor in that, most assuredly.
The winners are honored not only by the bright new shiny metal coronets plonked on their heads, but by the sight of the populace showing support and not grimacing...the losers laughing in relief that THEY are spared the Metal Rounds of Doom instead of lamenting their loss in public.
Higher honorable acts, of course, abound in private - where hearts are mended by kind words, no advantage taken of the weak and no harsh or immoderate words belittle the reputations of those not present to defend them. Perhaps honor is also seen in THAT - the *conscious* absence of harmful actions - the Holding of Tongues bound together with the outreaching of hands.....
See you Sunday,
Alysoun
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Chivalry
I was musing on chivalry last night and determined that it is SO far from dead that I could sleep easy on this issue forever.
Earlier, I had the occasion to be the recipient of not only much chivalric behavior, but true gallantry as well. A dear friend finds himself between a rock and hard place and has come to the only decision that Honor can allow. He did this while insuring that my own feelings are all good and safe and protected and my *own* honor in excellent hands.
This was no mean feat, as Yours Truly was possessed of much hurt feelings, a badly bruised heart and had been leaking odd salty substances from the eyes for much of the week. The pure chivlary shown me last night did make it Much Better. That is a rare gift in the world at large, BUT, we say with much True Joy, NOT so rare among those we dearly love.
The cool thing is, this is ROUTINE BEHAVIOR on his part, and on the part of other men I know and well love. Yours Truly teases Norse Boy and Mittens unmercifully, but.....the truth? There are no finer men on the planet. They are true knights and I just want to make sure everyone knows that.
Hugs,
Alysoun
I was musing on chivalry last night and determined that it is SO far from dead that I could sleep easy on this issue forever.
Earlier, I had the occasion to be the recipient of not only much chivalric behavior, but true gallantry as well. A dear friend finds himself between a rock and hard place and has come to the only decision that Honor can allow. He did this while insuring that my own feelings are all good and safe and protected and my *own* honor in excellent hands.
This was no mean feat, as Yours Truly was possessed of much hurt feelings, a badly bruised heart and had been leaking odd salty substances from the eyes for much of the week. The pure chivlary shown me last night did make it Much Better. That is a rare gift in the world at large, BUT, we say with much True Joy, NOT so rare among those we dearly love.
The cool thing is, this is ROUTINE BEHAVIOR on his part, and on the part of other men I know and well love. Yours Truly teases Norse Boy and Mittens unmercifully, but.....the truth? There are no finer men on the planet. They are true knights and I just want to make sure everyone knows that.
Hugs,
Alysoun
Monday, October 30, 2006
My, How Time Flies!
When last we spoke, Yours Truly had returned from Village Faire, awash in the warm afterglow of Medieval Muppetry.
Since then we have: attended Panhandle (BIG fun had by ALL); survived the post-Panhandle I-10 Hurricane and Flood Watch (NO fun had by ANYONE); sewn up a surcoat and survived a NearDeathExperience involving Amanda's brakes deciding to go on leave without so much as a memo or email.
Details follow:
Panhandle Skirmishes; A fine, fine event....much revelry both nights in the company of old friends We Do Not Get To See Often Enough, and sweet bardics. Yours Truly "fenced" until the shoulder was slightly injured and was acutally witnessed Sleeping In a Tent. Voluntarily. Dear Mooboy still hasn't fenced me, though...hmmm...
The I-10 Hurricane Party: Apparently, in a valiant attempt to make up for a lackluster season, all the rain you normally get in a Cat 1 storm fell on I-10 starting approximately 45 seconds before the clsoe of the event and ending 45 seconds after we all turned onto I-75. I can now Officially Say that I Will Never Suffer a Stroke, because if that ride didn't do it to me, mere clogged arteries stand NO chance...
Sewing Surcoats: Sweetsheep and Jilll1 have taught Yours Truly how to sew. So, of course, I have butchered VERY expensive velvet in the process. You see, when we measured out the pattern for the surcoat, Yours TRuly was possessed fo significantly more line-backer qulaity shoulders than we currently possess. So the SURCOAT is very off-the-shoulder. Greart sexy look, but not for the 14thc.
Luckily, I was buying our bolts of the stuff, so it CAn be re-cut and sewn properly tonight. Under adult supervision.
Also, brakes that don't work are Not Fun. But, Moi and the Boy made it home safely anyway and Darling man is fixing the brakes as we speak, to the tune of $800. How was YOUR month?
Coming Soon:
The Great Martinmas Moot Parade of Peers
Much hugs,
Alysoun
When last we spoke, Yours Truly had returned from Village Faire, awash in the warm afterglow of Medieval Muppetry.
Since then we have: attended Panhandle (BIG fun had by ALL); survived the post-Panhandle I-10 Hurricane and Flood Watch (NO fun had by ANYONE); sewn up a surcoat and survived a NearDeathExperience involving Amanda's brakes deciding to go on leave without so much as a memo or email.
Details follow:
Panhandle Skirmishes; A fine, fine event....much revelry both nights in the company of old friends We Do Not Get To See Often Enough, and sweet bardics. Yours Truly "fenced" until the shoulder was slightly injured and was acutally witnessed Sleeping In a Tent. Voluntarily. Dear Mooboy still hasn't fenced me, though...hmmm...
The I-10 Hurricane Party: Apparently, in a valiant attempt to make up for a lackluster season, all the rain you normally get in a Cat 1 storm fell on I-10 starting approximately 45 seconds before the clsoe of the event and ending 45 seconds after we all turned onto I-75. I can now Officially Say that I Will Never Suffer a Stroke, because if that ride didn't do it to me, mere clogged arteries stand NO chance...
Sewing Surcoats: Sweetsheep and Jilll1 have taught Yours Truly how to sew. So, of course, I have butchered VERY expensive velvet in the process. You see, when we measured out the pattern for the surcoat, Yours TRuly was possessed fo significantly more line-backer qulaity shoulders than we currently possess. So the SURCOAT is very off-the-shoulder. Greart sexy look, but not for the 14thc.
Luckily, I was buying our bolts of the stuff, so it CAn be re-cut and sewn properly tonight. Under adult supervision.
Also, brakes that don't work are Not Fun. But, Moi and the Boy made it home safely anyway and Darling man is fixing the brakes as we speak, to the tune of $800. How was YOUR month?
Coming Soon:
The Great Martinmas Moot Parade of Peers
Much hugs,
Alysoun
Thursday, October 19, 2006
THE PUPPETS WERE NOT MY FAULT!!!
OK...Maybe the PRESENTATION involving SOME of the puppets were my....doing...but Sheepy over there...SHE is the one who MADE the things!
Ah..Village Faire...the SCA at its purest - NO business meetings, MUCH fun, far too many idle Peers with NOTHING BETTER TO DO than torture the Missing.
Picture it.
Mittens - A DUke, Knight, Don and dear friend.....reduced to a cowprint joke in a tabard.
Fabio - A Duke, Knight and dear friend - hidden in his Superhero guise, generally cliueless expression intact.
Others bit it as well; Her GRace Elspeth, the Baron Thallaabi, the Baron of An Crosaire...Count Yoan...the list goes on. Much giddy fun was had by all and there were ACTUALLY some NEWCOMERS in attendance.
Then, there was Marshmallow War, or, The Fued of Fluffy Goodness (tm)
At feast, the populace was "encouraged" (and by encouraged we mean HEAVILY ARMED BY THE staff and FORCED to stare at the ammo) to toss the marshmallows at the Royals and Barional Nobles as they processed into feast..
It MAY have gotten a bit of hand....Yours Truly was finding marshmallow bits everyhwere about Our person: inthe coronet, the hair, the bodice...the Drinking Mug, which brings us to...
The Great Linen Hem Disaster of AS 40!!!!
Yours Truly has a lovely green linen backlaced gown that looks very, very good on Us. It sways, it flows, it gives us the Illusion of a Waist......
And it also gives a home toANTS....the hem of this treasure was COATED in spent sugar ammo and was STICKING to itself....it is all better now, but now We have to re-hem the thing...
Ah well...it was truly lovely to get to participate in the kind of event one reminisces about for years - NO high drama, much Great Fun and dear friends who also shared in the delight.
Off to Panhandle....
Alysoun
OK...Maybe the PRESENTATION involving SOME of the puppets were my....doing...but Sheepy over there...SHE is the one who MADE the things!
Ah..Village Faire...the SCA at its purest - NO business meetings, MUCH fun, far too many idle Peers with NOTHING BETTER TO DO than torture the Missing.
Picture it.
Mittens - A DUke, Knight, Don and dear friend.....reduced to a cowprint joke in a tabard.
Fabio - A Duke, Knight and dear friend - hidden in his Superhero guise, generally cliueless expression intact.
Others bit it as well; Her GRace Elspeth, the Baron Thallaabi, the Baron of An Crosaire...Count Yoan...the list goes on. Much giddy fun was had by all and there were ACTUALLY some NEWCOMERS in attendance.
Then, there was Marshmallow War, or, The Fued of Fluffy Goodness (tm)
At feast, the populace was "encouraged" (and by encouraged we mean HEAVILY ARMED BY THE staff and FORCED to stare at the ammo) to toss the marshmallows at the Royals and Barional Nobles as they processed into feast..
It MAY have gotten a bit of hand....Yours Truly was finding marshmallow bits everyhwere about Our person: inthe coronet, the hair, the bodice...the Drinking Mug, which brings us to...
The Great Linen Hem Disaster of AS 40!!!!
Yours Truly has a lovely green linen backlaced gown that looks very, very good on Us. It sways, it flows, it gives us the Illusion of a Waist......
And it also gives a home toANTS....the hem of this treasure was COATED in spent sugar ammo and was STICKING to itself....it is all better now, but now We have to re-hem the thing...
Ah well...it was truly lovely to get to participate in the kind of event one reminisces about for years - NO high drama, much Great Fun and dear friends who also shared in the delight.
Off to Panhandle....
Alysoun
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Fang, R.I.P.
So, anyway, when Yours Truly separated from her Starter Husband, she left the cats Gloria and Spot in his custody...
There We sat, alone in our new apartment, no husband (yay) and no cats (bad).
Yours Truly worked at the federal courthouse in Miami at the time and there was a judge's secretary who rescued stray cats. A couple of weeks after I moved out on the S.H., secretary called and asked if I was still interested in a new cat...I said yes.
I went to the judge's chambers and there was this......microball....of black fluff. Baleful
green eyes surveying the domain with pure feline contempt.
This little baby, aged about 5 weeks, was the sole survivor of Miami traffic that had taken her mom and litter mates. She fit in the palm of my hand with room left over. If she had been bald, she would havev been mistaken for a mouse. NOT a rat, a MOUSE. We are talking TINY.
By the time I arrived upstairs, this microkitten had:
1) Bitten the judge;
2) scratched the Courtroom Deputy;
3) Peed in the xerox machine; and
4) hissed and bristled if anyone THOUGHT about approaching her.
I was told all this AFTER the following ensued:
Then she saw me.....focused right in on that large, goldplated "SUCKER" insignia on my forehead....they handed her to me....gingerly.
I sat down on the comfy couch (all judge's chambers have comfy couches), and she promptly kneaded herself a bed in the top folds of my blouse and fell asleep.
Purring.
I was SO played....took her home, and named her FANG, because...well....she was SO TINY and CUTE....
She also rarely ever again PURRED. In fact, her purring was So rare that instances of it were legitimate excuses to hang up the phone on anyone.
Fang hated everybody and everything - my subsequent cats, neighbor's dogs, air, me, the Spouse....the sons, tile, rugs, sunlight, darkness and the occasional lizard.
The groomers had standing orders to sedate her before grooming. We know she never had rabies because she alone would have been responsible for an outbreak across three counties.
She DID have an express fondness for spaghetti, though....
She would rub up on visitors, give them the Face and the Silent Meow and then, when they reached down to pet the Dear Little Thing....she would BITE them.
She never got very big and really did love me, honestly. She would spend her evenings, after a hard day of separating out the SPouse's clothes from the hamper so she could pee SPECIFICALLY on the SPOUSe'S clothes, curled up on my head, licking my eyebrows.
I chose to see this as a sign of affection. Darling Man maintained she was taste testing me.
Anyway, she was Quite the Character and people did indeed stop by the house to see HER, NOT Us.
She saw us through: moves to Cocoa Beach, Greensboro, Orlando, Casselberry - four apartments, one house, one husband, 2 boyfriends, 2 sons, 2 pet rats, 5 jobs, a handful of death threats and countless bad fashion choices. She was uncuddly and indifferent to human suffering.
When we came home from the Occasion of Our Elevation to the Order of the Pelican, she waited for me to put the medallion on the dresser. When I was in the bathroom, she dragged it into the litter box.
After a long and fruitful life of commenting on the inferiority of the rest of us, the Girl developed a very rare blood infection that caused her body to turn its own fat into soap.
Go ahead and laugh, all who knew her thought it should have been a Pillar of Salt.
We spent weeks carrying her from her food to the litter box, as she quickly became unable to walk herself into it. But, being held by Yours Truly did give her comfort, and she continued to sleep well with her soft scrawny back pressed into Our belly.
Then, on October 8, 2003, when We picked her up for the night, she screamed in pain. I knew it was time and on October 9, 2003, We put her down. Yours Truly does occasionally feel as theough she murdered Fang, but logically, we knew that when even the possibility of scratching Us in her sleep could not ease her pain, she needed to go....
I have not stopped missing her and she has been especially in my heart today - I dreamt of her last night and she did, indeed, groom my right eyebrow (which apparently tastes better than the left), and BIT it...We were quiet surprised to find no scar this morning...except the one on Our heart.
Fang died on John Lennon's birthday. Bit the vet tech as he prepped her for the Shot :))
Miami, June, 1991 - Casselberry, October 9, 2003.
Furrily bereft,
Alysoun
So, anyway, when Yours Truly separated from her Starter Husband, she left the cats Gloria and Spot in his custody...
There We sat, alone in our new apartment, no husband (yay) and no cats (bad).
Yours Truly worked at the federal courthouse in Miami at the time and there was a judge's secretary who rescued stray cats. A couple of weeks after I moved out on the S.H., secretary called and asked if I was still interested in a new cat...I said yes.
I went to the judge's chambers and there was this......microball....of black fluff. Baleful
green eyes surveying the domain with pure feline contempt.
This little baby, aged about 5 weeks, was the sole survivor of Miami traffic that had taken her mom and litter mates. She fit in the palm of my hand with room left over. If she had been bald, she would havev been mistaken for a mouse. NOT a rat, a MOUSE. We are talking TINY.
By the time I arrived upstairs, this microkitten had:
1) Bitten the judge;
2) scratched the Courtroom Deputy;
3) Peed in the xerox machine; and
4) hissed and bristled if anyone THOUGHT about approaching her.
I was told all this AFTER the following ensued:
Then she saw me.....focused right in on that large, goldplated "SUCKER" insignia on my forehead....they handed her to me....gingerly.
I sat down on the comfy couch (all judge's chambers have comfy couches), and she promptly kneaded herself a bed in the top folds of my blouse and fell asleep.
Purring.
I was SO played....took her home, and named her FANG, because...well....she was SO TINY and CUTE....
She also rarely ever again PURRED. In fact, her purring was So rare that instances of it were legitimate excuses to hang up the phone on anyone.
Fang hated everybody and everything - my subsequent cats, neighbor's dogs, air, me, the Spouse....the sons, tile, rugs, sunlight, darkness and the occasional lizard.
The groomers had standing orders to sedate her before grooming. We know she never had rabies because she alone would have been responsible for an outbreak across three counties.
She DID have an express fondness for spaghetti, though....
She would rub up on visitors, give them the Face and the Silent Meow and then, when they reached down to pet the Dear Little Thing....she would BITE them.
She never got very big and really did love me, honestly. She would spend her evenings, after a hard day of separating out the SPouse's clothes from the hamper so she could pee SPECIFICALLY on the SPOUSe'S clothes, curled up on my head, licking my eyebrows.
I chose to see this as a sign of affection. Darling Man maintained she was taste testing me.
Anyway, she was Quite the Character and people did indeed stop by the house to see HER, NOT Us.
She saw us through: moves to Cocoa Beach, Greensboro, Orlando, Casselberry - four apartments, one house, one husband, 2 boyfriends, 2 sons, 2 pet rats, 5 jobs, a handful of death threats and countless bad fashion choices. She was uncuddly and indifferent to human suffering.
When we came home from the Occasion of Our Elevation to the Order of the Pelican, she waited for me to put the medallion on the dresser. When I was in the bathroom, she dragged it into the litter box.
After a long and fruitful life of commenting on the inferiority of the rest of us, the Girl developed a very rare blood infection that caused her body to turn its own fat into soap.
Go ahead and laugh, all who knew her thought it should have been a Pillar of Salt.
We spent weeks carrying her from her food to the litter box, as she quickly became unable to walk herself into it. But, being held by Yours Truly did give her comfort, and she continued to sleep well with her soft scrawny back pressed into Our belly.
Then, on October 8, 2003, when We picked her up for the night, she screamed in pain. I knew it was time and on October 9, 2003, We put her down. Yours Truly does occasionally feel as theough she murdered Fang, but logically, we knew that when even the possibility of scratching Us in her sleep could not ease her pain, she needed to go....
I have not stopped missing her and she has been especially in my heart today - I dreamt of her last night and she did, indeed, groom my right eyebrow (which apparently tastes better than the left), and BIT it...We were quiet surprised to find no scar this morning...except the one on Our heart.
Fang died on John Lennon's birthday. Bit the vet tech as he prepped her for the Shot :))
Miami, June, 1991 - Casselberry, October 9, 2003.
Furrily bereft,
Alysoun
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
It's the MOST WONderful TIME of the Year...
So, it is OCtober - the month that makes Floridians of all Northerners and at which point the State is at its best. The weather is not-too-hot and not-t00-humid during the day, the nights are cooler and crisp, the sky is bright bue, the bugs have mostly gone on vacation.
Visitors come here in October and decide to stay, putting an undue stress on the environment, our schools and our roads.
So, A Modest Proposal:
We BAN non-residents from Florida until Thanksgiving. Also, should anyone express a desire to move here, either by attempting to rent or buy a dwelling, looking for work ,etc., we make them spend AUGUST here, first.
I predict a marked decrease in our congestion :)
In Other News....
Trimaris and Yours Truly begin their dazzling interaction in earnest come the 13th, which date will fund us happily ensconced at Village Faire, teaching much fun newcomer stuff in tandem with SheepGirl.
Watch this space....
hugs,
Alysoun
So, it is OCtober - the month that makes Floridians of all Northerners and at which point the State is at its best. The weather is not-too-hot and not-t00-humid during the day, the nights are cooler and crisp, the sky is bright bue, the bugs have mostly gone on vacation.
Visitors come here in October and decide to stay, putting an undue stress on the environment, our schools and our roads.
So, A Modest Proposal:
We BAN non-residents from Florida until Thanksgiving. Also, should anyone express a desire to move here, either by attempting to rent or buy a dwelling, looking for work ,etc., we make them spend AUGUST here, first.
I predict a marked decrease in our congestion :)
In Other News....
Trimaris and Yours Truly begin their dazzling interaction in earnest come the 13th, which date will fund us happily ensconced at Village Faire, teaching much fun newcomer stuff in tandem with SheepGirl.
Watch this space....
hugs,
Alysoun
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