Travelling Time and Space

There is this one person that is driving me insane. Knows everything, knows everything better and has a way with words that makes you feel bitch-slapped and berated on a constant basis.

I've so had it.

Any solutions, any recommendations on how to handle that person ?

That'd be the sound of a FedEx truck rushing from whereever to Springfield. I ordered my camera on monday, got the shipping confirmation yesterday and today - tada ! - I already received my camera !

Awesome !

Good thing I was cheap and checked the ordinary shipping service instead of the superfast and superexpensive version. I doubt it could have been any faster than this *G*

I've been playing with it for a little more than 5 minutes and it's super easy and manageable even for the most techno-gadget-unexperienc ed person on the planet. I didn't even have to read the intructions. It has a good weight and format and seems to be working juts fine :)

The only drawback : it doesn't have a little 'slipcover' to protect it :( maybe I can sew something *L*

I just received an email telling me that my digital camera I ordered a few days ago is on its way to me. That means that in a few more days I'm going to be the proud owner of a really spiffy 4.o megapixel digital camera with lots of nifty features and I won't have to wait for any lab to finish developing my pictures anymore :)

Weeeeeeeeey :)

It's part of my birthday present from my parents *G* They rock ! And there's still a package with all kinds of goodies on the way ...

Yep, still working on the sleeves from hell ... still sewing tabs, still sewing tabs to sleeve-parts and still sewing sleeve-parts to sleeve-parts.

Ugh ...

Well, by now we know that this 'plan' is one of those politically inclined internet hoaxes. Robin Williams never proclaimed this plan and seriously, I think I'd be continually throwing up if he at one point had.

Anyways ...

Please do not forget that despite my fluent english and my visa I'm not an american nor will I ever be, citizenship years down the road or not. For that you'd have to be born and grown up here in the US. I'm a european, a german, and a very liberal one at that. I grew up with a totally different understanding of diplomatic relationships and a political background. This leads to a totally different view on life and on politics. Tim and I are both very liberal which lets us get along and co-exist even if our views differ to the point of heated dicussions. I do not discuss politics with my mother-in-law because I love her. I bump heads with my father-in-law who is a pastor because I think it doesn't matter what people do in their bedrooms and that homosexual people should be allowed to commit to a civil union. If you are not interested in the "other/overseas side of things" do not toss political stuff at me. Some of it, like the Robin Williams plan, I find simply offensive and aggravating. Some is just wrong and neither of it will help anybody in understanding the other side while at the same time causing more damage.

So, please, think about what you're sending out over the net, reconsider, VERIFY and be willing to discuss and to live with people who have a different opinion.

Despite the fact that a sore throat, a somewhat sniffly nose and an equally miserable toddler with the same symptoms are trying to make my life miserable they cannot stop me from hops-ing and bouncing around the house because

a) I got to talk to my Master on the phone :o) I haven't seen him in two years and I can't wait to pick him up from the airport in november when he's coming over for a visit *G* Did I mention the hops-bounce effect that has ?

and

b) Sven who I haven't seen in more than two years called to say hello and to wish me a belated Happy Birthday. It took us quite some time getting used to eachother after first running into eachother in Hamburg, Sve being the quiet reserved northern german with the dry sense of humor and me the outspoken talkative Rhineland-chicky. Now we have this quiet relaxed and fun friendship that doesn't mind nor worries about longer spells of no contact. Every now and then, one of us will drop the other one a note, call or write a postcard, and that's a good thing *S*

- return library books
- pick up ILL books on lampworking from library [yay!]
- send off 2 packages to Pennsic giftbasket coordinator
- send irish cap back to Ireland for a bigger size
- send in defective Hot Head Torch for new one
- take Finn to Kids Hands-On Museum for some playtime
- do laundry [Ugh :( ]
- clean house [Ugh :( ]
- continue to work on stupid sleeves

Not to mention the every-day "routiners" like cleaning the litterbox [so not my favorite job - gnnph] and preparing meals for my men and myself.

Good thing the emailinglists I'm on are somewhat slow. Guess everybody is gearing up towards Pennsic *S*

The sleeves -are- a real pain and a truckload of work since there're so many pieces to each of them. Good thing we have only two arms ....

... and then there' this nifty magnifying glass with an integrated lamp I got from hubby for my birthday which I'll have to try on my next painting.

I wish I could do work as tinytiny as Master RanthulfR *sigh* Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous :)

I guess that's the better header for this kind of entry since we're not talking 'dress' but more 'wardrobe' *G* Think big.

Today I finished a simple drawstring shirt made from lightweight white cotton for hubby to wear with his Landsknecht Hosen :) Now he needs a vest and a hat which shouldn't take me much longer than another day to complete. That is, once I have the fabric.

So now it's on to the dreaded sleeves of the green dress ... oy !

Completed today

- 1 pair of black and red Landsknecht pants for hubby
- 1 black velvet Tudor flat cap with white feathers and a pretty sparkly pin

And I got started on cutting the pieces I need for my german renaissance dress sleeves :)

So there, there's no return, no escape anymore :

- bodice fashion fabric [the darkgreen cotton velvet] is cut
- bodice lining [heavy upholstery fabric with crewel embroidery] is cut
- bodice lining and fashion fabric are pinned together
- Brustfleck [plastron] lining is cut
- Brustfleck [plastron] fashion fabrics [half white batiste and brocade] are cut
- Brustfleck [plastron] fabrics are pinned together
- the first few yards of velvet for the tabs is cut into small strips of fabric
[now, what to line them with ... ?]

I'm still debating adding a trim of black cotton velvet around the bodice's 'neckline' but I'm not sure yet. Maybe just the gold and green trim that I got will be pretty enough. Aside from the stunning decollete it's going to be a rather serene dress, all in dark green with cream brocade 'highlights'. I have gold metalbeads and pearls to add 'bling' but will probably decide on this later or sometime during the process, I guess *G* It depends on how much of a pain the sleeves are going to be ...

It's coming along nicely and as soon as I'm done typing up this entry I'm back to painting the last set of Kingdom Arms. Then all that's left to do is assembling the booklets and getting them into the mail. We agreed that sunday is our deadline and it's working nicely so far :) No snags yet.

I've made some more sewing kit pouches and bead pouches with beads for the giftbaskets too which will go into the same package to the giftbasket coordinator. After that it's tackling the procession dress and of course, the tent.

The fabric, velvet in black and green, brocade in ivory and yellow, upholstery canvas with crewel embroidery for the inside of the bodice and white cotton batiste, already got their fair share of abuse in the washer and dryer and are ready to be cut and sewn. I've decided on the design of the dress and all the tabs I want for the sleeves are going to be a real pain and take up a lot of time but in the end they're going to look really spiffy.


This is my inspiration dress - mighty spiffy, hm ?

... when your husband brings you flowers in your heraldic colors :)

ust in case you've had a rough day, here is an 8-Step stress
management technique recommended in the latest psychological texts.
The funny thing is that it really works.


1. Picture yourself near a stream.
2. Birds are softly chirping in the cool mountain air.
3. No one but you knows your secret place.
4. You are in total seclusion from the hectic place called "the
world".
5. The soothing sound of a gentle waterfall fills the air with a
cascade of serenity.
6. The water is crystal clear.
7. You can easily make out the face of the person you're holding under
water.
8. See! You're smiling already.

What a ride :) Saw a lot, did a lot, met a lot of old and new people and all three of us did have a great time all weekend.

Of course, I missed my wicked Master's phonecall and other stuff but it was a pretty nifty weekend and I have now plenty of scrumptious fabric for a green dress. Oh, and about 6 weeks to finish it ;) The cats are still alive and quite happy to have us back. Tomkitty is fawning at me whereever I go and he hasn't marked a single spot in 5 days. Guess we can consider him mostly cured, eh ?

More later when I'm mostly done with laundry and stuff !

We'll be gone until next week visiting hubby's parents in PA :o)

Until then, be good !

Since our little scribal group worked on our Pennsic giftbasket project last night I ended up goingt to bed VERY late. This is the second night in a row and slowly it's starting to backfire.

Yup, I'm that pathetic. If I go to bed past midnight too often I'll be worth nothing in a few days *G* Can you say "morning person" ? Knew you could :)

The tomkitty is fixed and after spending the rest of yesterday in a groggy daze next to the foodbowl and the waterdish [he was obviously afraid of having to go another half a day without either *g*] he was quiet all night and I didn't wake to the rancid smell of male cat in the morning.

Yay ! Neutering rocks ! *G*

The cat got dropped off and will be ready for pick up - fixed and with shots and in a bad mood - between 3:30pm and 4:30pm.

I got project supplies shopping done at Michael's and was even lucky to be able to use a 40% off coupon :) I have another one left for 'other' shopping and two more for Joann's *G*

Finn got to run around at the Kid's Hands-On Museum, more an indoor playground than a real museum but fun for him nevertheless.

The van didn't make any funky noises but the a/c seems to be not working *sigh* Guess at 11 years you get to be diffcult when you're a car.

Yes, cats are sweet and fluffy and oh so cute and so incredibly independent ...

Well, unless it comes to litterboxes and canned catfood. That's when they need us. And they are two of the three or more things I do not like about cats. If I'd have my way here we'd have a dog, not two cats. I'm not a catperson as much as our cats are trying to convert me. Recently, our little tomcat is doing a particularly sucky job at staying on my good side. he's taken to marking the house and if there's anything that's worse than having to clean the goddamn litterbox it's waking up to the stink of a male cat.

Especially on sunday and monday mornings.

The only thing that helps against the gutwrenching odor is bleach. Lots of it, and frankly, I'm really really tired of having to clean either the stairs or the bedroom every day wiping it down with bleach and tossing curtains and bedding into the washer because you never know exactly where he placed his mark and after sniffing around for a while your nose got the deadly overdose of cat stink and now smells it everywhere.

Grrrrr...

Anyways, tomorrow the tomkitty will get fixed and hopefully that'll put an end to his nightly yowling for girlcats and going all manly on our place. He knows something is different and keeps eyeing me from a safe distance. Pang of conscience, hopefully, but even that is not going to safe him from losing his balls tomorrow morning.

Hallelujah to the Humane Society Spay & Neuter program !

Here he comes and even though we're hundreds of miles east of him the skies over here are falling. Rain, rain, rain - not gentle pittpattering, not enthusiastic gushes but torrendous bouts of rain, sudden and abrupt with lots of winds flustering the trees in our street. It's warm and humid and the windows keep fogging up from the outside ...

Gods have mercy on the Panhandle ...

The thing that somewhat worries me is that this year hurricane season started its activity early. It's only early july and we already have our first Cat4 hurricane and the first deaths that storms like this bring ... and we have a good 4 more months to go. Yeah, in general this area here is safe as can be and hardly ever does a hurricane hit us which is a really good thing but seeing the devastation they leave behind all around you is somewhat unnerving. And knowing it'll happen next year again ...and the year after that and the year after that ... boy, I think in the long run I'd move.
Bleh :(

Well, make that "wooshing right past us and into the Panhandle" and it's still a strength 4 hurricane.
That's so going to suck for everybody living in this area and my thoughts, prayers and held thumbs are with all of you.

Looks like "dennis" is wooshing right past us :)

Phew !

... unless it's good for a dirty joke.

However, if you have to tell people that they misunderstood you again in a way that implies that they are doing it on purpose all the time then maybe, maybe, maybe, just ever so slightly maybe you shouldn't be surprised when they are offended. Maybe you should start re-reading your emails before sending them. Reading out aloud might help too. Reading them to your SO might be a great idea.

Email with its lack of sound and accompanying body language is prone to causing misunderstandings.

If you have issues with somebody, then talking to that person face to face is usually a LOT better and more likely to lead to success than tossing out vague complaint-filled recommendations and suggestions on a mailinglist that leave people feeling confused, offended and flabberghasted.

I do feel offended. I'm not trying to misunderstand that person on purpose, that is not part of my nature and on top of that I'm very willing to blame a lot on misunderstanding language. This time, however, I feel again confirmed in my decision to keep a certain distance because I'd rather not share my time with a person that is only too willing to blame me for her problems. I'm so not your scapegoat.

Both hubby's siblings are over at our place for the weekend and we're having fun just hanging out together. We're somewhat 'stuck' at home since Finn, after a fairly rough night, is favoring a rather decent fever so we're not going to see the Dinosaurs at MOSH, Jacksonville's Museum of Science and History.
Instead we're taking it slow and easy and everybody seems to be having a good time so far, even Finn who once in a while remembers he's feeling somewhat miserable.

We've moved the babydragon into our bedroom, and he's going to move on into the den until the leak in his ceiling is fixed. About a week ago spots of his ceiling started to leak and after the first checks of the roof and some repairs there [more to follow] it appears that the a/c duct has a leak which is causing the slow dripping spots and discolored ceiling. Poor landlady, she must hate this. Everything is happening at once and it'll cost a few dollars to get things fixed and taken care of.

Today's trip to the library to pick up the ILL "Viking Age Headcoverings from Dublin" turned out even more succesful than expected. Another book on lampworking had arrived and I found a copy of "Illuminated Manuscripts and their makers" which is just absolutely amazing. I made sure hubby knows I have to have a copy for our own library :)

The Dragon Breath Brewers Guild scrolls are all done and were succesfully dropped off too :)

Now, what next ? *G*

" I can die in peace for I have seen Heaven ... "

Last night we had the great chance of meeting with Master RanthulfR and learning more about calligraphy and illumination. His works "rawks" but until yesterday I didn't know how much and jokingly I said that after seeing his level of work I'd from now on just hide my stuff in a dark corner and focus on another art. OMOGOD, his work is unbelievable and I have never seen anything like this before. The amount of detail and shading in miniatures that are a mere fingernail's width and breadth is incredible . He actually uses magnifying glasses for his work ! On top of that he's one of the nicest and enthusiastic people to have around.

I'm still awestruck and the stupid grin about his comment that my calligraphy is "pretty damn good" is going to stay for a little longer I guess *G*

Oh man ... oh man ... that was too cool and definitely worth the sleep deprivation today :)

Tonight we're meeting with one of the few Gods of the Calligraphy and Illumination Pantheon and here I am, still sitting in Jacksonville waiting for hubby to come home to take over Finn-entertainment duty - gaaah !

Martine and I will end up driving at neckbreaking speed down to Orlando all the while praying for little traffic so we can make it. Iain and Tamara promised to safe seats for us so at least we won't end up interrupting the whole set up by coming late -and- making noise ... heh :)

More tomorrow !

How fitting to name the first Tropical Depression to go Hurricane "Dennis". I'm definitely reminded of the comic figure "Dennis the menace" and that's pretty much what this storm is going to be too : a menace ... bleh

For more information go here

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What would you do ?

Trimaris's 20th Year Anniversary Celebration is going to be under the motto of "Field of Cloth of Gold" and will include many details from Henry VIII and Francis I meeting in splendour in 1520 arranged by Wolsey.

Would you spiffen up your wardrobe and wear early 16th century french or english fashion for this occasion or simply stick to what you have or spiffen up your persona's wardrobe ?

I'm kind of torn on the matter :(

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- clean house
- do laundry
- finish norse headcoverings handout
- host A&S Night
- teach headcoverings class

Oy ...

This is one of the weeks where you meet the same people over an over again, to the point where you don't want to meet with them again at least for a day or two *L* We had/have saturday-party, sunay-party, monday-party, tuesday-A&SNight, wednesday fencing/bannernight, thursday-shiremeeting [or in the scribes's case the trip to Orlando to meet with Master Ranthulfr/Randy Asplund] ...oh, and friday seems to be the first day where there's nothing, that is unless you plan on working on some of your own projects.

Heh ... talk about getting an overdose here :)

Saturday
Lazy morning
grocery shopping on saturday morning
huge thunderstorm saturday afternoon
bar-b-q party as a porchwarming get-together in the evening
Finn's outing as a social butterfly charming the crowds and the cats

Sunday
kill tomcat first thing in the morning because he sprayed the entry door again
make big sign to call vet on tuesday for snipping appointment for tomcat
lazying about the house
Tim sorting the library
Mi cleaning the computer desk for new computer
balkan-ese party in the afternoon
meet people from Serbia, Kroatia and Russia and 'suffer' their hospitality and friendliness
What fun !
home late
Finn to bed
and a shrimp dinner to boot

Monday
Yet another lazy morning
food preparations for 4th of july party
tomatoes with fresh basil and vinaigrette and pineapple/whipped cream dessert
Off to party