Morris Excitement

Getting along nicely with my tattercoat. (Although I now have a blister on my thumb from using the pinking shears to cut more tatters!) Am trying to alleviate my excitement for the weekend by making lists of what I need to take. I always do this and I don't know why cause I never actually use them. Hope the weather stays nice for the walk anychance.
Really wishing I was better at using my sewing machine cause I would have had the thing finished by now. Handsewing a tattercoat is not fun (still, at least it's not as mindnumbing as handsewn boning channels. I still have nightmares about my first effort at replicating a late C16th pair of bodies. I've never worn them out (although they were a fantastic learning experience and, when I come to try it again, I'll have a much better idea of what I'm doing) but if I do find myself needing body armour (for whatever reason), they should be ideal!)

Found out that Sherlock Holmes and Avatar 3D will still be on at the cinema next week so have promised my self that I will finally get round to seeing Avatar and then I can go and see Sherlock Holmes again. Still, it's nice to know I'm getting my money's worth out of the Unlimited Card!

Fiddle class tonight and then will spend the rest of the evening sewing like a sewy thing. I've taken the whole of tomorrow off and I don't have to collect Trina until 1pm so I can sort out my stuff tomorrow morning, do some last minute sewing and possibly get some clarinet practice in.

After this weekend, I'm starting a health kick. I really do need to lose the weight I put on in the Autumn (and a little extra to be honest) and I could do with being fitter. Have bought a healthy diet cook book thing so will actually attempt to cook healthy stuff rather than living off my usual tuna, soy sauce, tomato and pasta mush. Must also take more exercise so shall have to get along to the irish set classes. (Am giving up on scottish country at the moment as, for starters, I have fiddle on the same night and it'd just be too much for one night and, also, my heart just isn't in the practices at the moment. I'll still try to get along to some dances this year (she says having already missed the Edinburgh one last weekend) but it's not the priority it once was.)
So there's that to do and the flat to finally finish tidying and rats to organise.

Random Finds

On the way home last night, spotted one of those strings of fake greenery for a £1. Bought it for no better reason than 'pretty' and 'I'm sure I can find a use for that' (which is possibly why there's no room to move in the burrow!). Anyhow, got it home and thought, 'That'll look great on my top hat!' and, sure enough, it does. So good buy, I feel. Also got some more work done on the tattercoat last night (It's actually starting to resemble something other than a shirt with scraps attached) It's going to be a close run thing but I might actually finish it in time for Hathersage! Also I found out that I've got a place on the Freaks in the Peaks canal boat trip so Huzzah!

Having not touched my clarinet since before Christmas, (much to my neighbours relief, I'm sure) I now have an irresistable urge to start again so I shall.

Also have a chance at getting a very good, very cheap rat cage so that is also very good.

Continuing to bounce about the Freaks weekend which isn't helping my sewing!

Bridge Collapse

Well, was about to put fiddle in new case last night when the bridge collapsed. Fortunately, it wasn't broken (just horizontal) so I managed to resite it and retune the thing but definitely going to have to get a new bridge the weekend after next.

Rapper was good fun last night. We got through quite a lot and even had a go at putting together a simple workshop dance. The bar staff gave us all free haggis, neeps and tatties as well. Anything to stop us dancing I suppose.

Tonight I plan to make as much headway as I can on the tattercoat while watching Sherlock Holmes on DVD. I had forgotten just how good Jeremy Brett was!

More Stuff To Do.

Well, Roger is now MOT'd and i am now on bread and water for the forseeable future. Passed on everything except his emissions and his brakes. Unfortunately it seemed the whole brake system had to be replaced (Apparently deep ruts in the brake discs. They were fine last MOT which makes me wonder if the increased grit use this year has had an effect. Ah well, so it goes). Still, at least I know he works. Must get his tax renewed now. Scary thing is, even with all this added cost, he's still been cheaper than any other car I have ever had. (This possibly means that I need to look closely at all my previous cars more than anything else!). No matter, he is set for going down to Hathersage and I am a little excited.

On the subject of Freaks, I made a start on bringing the tatters and the shirt into conjunction this weekend. (Nothing like leaving it to till the last minute). I reckon, if I work at it, I may get it finished before the weekend. Will have to see. Did a lot of fiddle practice this weekend too. Tried a lot of the morris tunes. Am really liking the tune for Twiglet. May even possibly be able to play it at weekend (albeit slowly and badly).

Snark rapper is coming to Edinburgh. Although we can't get a full Mons Meg team together to tour with them, a few of us intend to follow them around and take in the Snark experience. Also, it's rapper, you just have to!

Tried to get hold of the GMC on the phone but nothing doing so have e-mailed them again with a long and detailed explanation of what has happened, what is currently happening and what would like to happen. Will see what this does.

On a positive note, the washing machine behaved itself this weekend, (no doubt because I didn't go anywhere near it while it was on) so I may let it live.

Apparently Sherlock Holmes is still on at the cinema but I managed to go the whole weekend without wandering along which is a good thing but I am not allowed to go again until the tattercoat is finished (Otherwise it will never be finished, ever!)

Never managed to go and geet the fiddle's bridge fixed this weekend (mostly cause I was sat by the phone waiting to see if I could collect Roger) but I am waiting on it's new case arriving. It's original case sadly gave in to time last week and disintergrated on the way back from class, nearly dumping my fiddle on the road! Fortunately, managed to rescue the fiddle in the nick of time so it's still fine (apart from the bridge, obviously). Anyhow, new case is not exactly going to be state of the art (thougt process went, 'Arrgghh! Need something safe to put fiddle in it, what can I afford. Roger's MOT is coming up so probably not a lot. Oh look, cheap fiddle case on Amazon) but it will, apparently have a carry strap which would be nice since it will stop me nearly killing people with it when I have it in my hand.

Ooh, and we're entered in DERT!!!! Huzzah, let the nit-picking begin in earnest!

Weekend Plans

Didn't make it to Dot's thing last night cause I was completely knackered after fiddle class (where we're learning Auld Lang Syne in order to terrorise friends and family on Burn's Night!)

Getting increasingly nervous about Roger's MOT. Please let whatever he fails on be easily (and cheaply, but that's a more distant and subdued hope!) fixable, please.

Plan this weekend is to wander into town to pick up a couple of things, tidy the burrow, have another go at contacting the GMC, create the tattercoat, maybe go and see Avatar 3D (now that I can't be sidetracked into seeing Sherlock Holmes) and probably watch lots of Jeremy Brett Holmes episodes on DVD.

Have come to the conclusion that I can't remember how to do anything on Facebook (although that kind of assumes that I had a clue what to do with it in the first place!) May have to enlist some help in order to work out what to do with it. Other people have all these groups and photos and games and I can barely find the people I already 'friended'. I think I was meant for the age of steam at the latest! On that note, the washing machine has been laying low although this could possibly be because I've not used it since. Need to do washing this weekend. Will be operating the buttons with a long stick and then going to hide in the bedroom until it's done!

Freaks in the Peaks next weekend! Little bit excited now. Never been to Hathersage but have always known it as the home of Little John thanks to Robin of Sherwood.

Murderous Machines.

My washing machine went for me last night! I was standing in the little kitchen area of the burrow, minding my own business, when it suddenly leapt at me and tried to pin me against the fridge! Have never moved so fast in my life. I think it's seen what has happened to all the electrical equipment in the burrow and decided to get me before I can get it. Anyhow, shall be keeping an eye on it in case it starts to become like my Gran's old machine which used to chase dogs and children round the kitchen and you couldn't turn your back on it or it would sneak up on you.

Managed to empty Roger last night but I still need to give him a good clean before tomorrow so I don't think I'll be able to make it to Dot's thing tonight which is a shame. Still, at least I managed to get some fiddle practice in last night. (Here's hoping they didn't suddenly leap ahead to other tunes while I was ill last week).

Really keeping my fingers crossed about Roger's MOT. I know he'll need something doing, cars always do, but please let it not be anything major. All his tyres have been replaced this year (and if I find whoever keeps leaving old nails on the roadside then there will be blood! And possibly tetanus!) and, other than his mysteriously draining battery (which has been fine since New Year) and the dead bulb where his mileage should read, he seems to be running well. I think that this might be my last year with him regardless though. With increasing costs of fuel and my leaning towards folk dancing rather than reenactment (apart from The Borderers where I don't need to take much with me) I think a smaller car may be warranted. He's insured till November so that gives me some time to decide. That said, he's been great this past year and a half. It may take a while to get him going but when he goes, there's no stopping him and his bootspace has been useful.

Right, definitely tattercoat sewing this weekend otherwise I'll have nothing to wear in Hathersage (Other than everyday clothes obviously, cause that would be chilly!) and, damnit, I want my own tattercoat!

Have booked my ticket for IVFDF so at least that's done. Have ordered a purple hoodie rather than a T-shirt cause the last one came in really useful. (May investigate whatever T-shirts are remaining at the actual weekend). Have been looking at the evening stuff and I quite fancy the 422 ceilidh on the Friday evening and Vertical Expression contra, followed by Whapweasel (who are also playing at The Big Session this year) on the Saturday. Of course, also on the Saturday is the Northumbrian ceilidh so there may be a bit of lateral drift throughout the evening. No idea about the workshops yet but if there are any random musical ones then I intend to go and loiter in a corner to get tips. Really enjoyed the fiddle one last year (and one day I hope to be able to put it to use!)

Ian has put up some pictures of one of our early day rapper practices on Facebook. There is a very odd picture of me curled up on the ground. I'm still wondering what on earth I was doing.

Odd Happenings

Didn't really do much last night except watch Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes on DVD (The complete episodes DVD was on Amazon for £30. It usually costs over £100. Dot talked me into getting it. She didn't need to do a lot of work...). It's as good as I remember and Jeremy Brett is Sherlock Holmes. I suspect I'll start to feel a little sad when I reach the last series since that's the one where his health starts to go and you just see him go downhill on screen and yet the episodes are still great.

Anyhow, while I was busy doing nothing much, I had a sudden flash of inspiration and remembered my Facebook password so quickly logged on before I forgot it. There may have been quite a few people who I needed to 'friend'. It may have been some time since I was on. Anyhow, while I was trying to catch up, this little box appeared in the corner with a message from one of my best friends from school who I've not seen for years and years. It took me a little while to realise it was an instant messagy thing and even longer to work out how to reply. (Accidently hit return to get a new paragraph (Yep, I don't exactly have the art of 'messaging' down either) and found I'd replied) and ended up having a conversation (albeit a slightly confused one due to me still typing in paragraphs) with her. It was lovely to hear from her again (and talk about the possibility of meeting up in the summer when she's over from America) and I'm reminded that there are a fair few people I should probably try and catch up with. We got to chatting about the Yellowthread Street boks by William Marshall who we were both huge fans of in school. These are fantastic books about police detectives in Hong Kong when it was still under British rule, exciting, dark and hilarious by turns. Haven't read them in ages and I suddenly have the urge to read them all again.

Off to catch Sherlock Holmes at the cinema for the last time (I think it's ending it's run this week. I hope it's ending it's run this week, I might actually manage to get stuff done! It's Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean all over again!) and then I have to empty Roger of all the stuff that's currently living in him since he's booked in for his MOT on Friday (My bank account is cringing in anticipation!). Fiddle class tomorrow and then I might head to the Voodoo Bar to go and see Dot's pipe playing.