Diary > Summary- Week ending 12th September 2021

[Mowsehowse]

While I am here perhaps I will start the next one......
This morning it is very Autumnal here in Torbay, with very low mist hanging and obliterating the view, though there is an event take place in the park, with a good gathering of perhaps 50 people.
My plans include a meet up group at an outside seating area, so I hope the weather is dry.
Also an outdoor Morris practise and a day volunteering for the National Trust, dressed in Tudor working dress, which always makes the visitors blink, and does seem to promote conversation.
Next Sunday morning the Morris group will be dancing at Ugbrooke House (TQ13 0AD) all being well, to raise money for the Lifeboats.
Hope everyone has a good week, despite personal sorrows and Covid restrictions.
Best wishes.

[Roobarb]

Good to hear that your Morris group has resumed public dancing MH. I hope your Tudor dress doesn't include all the layers, I recall seeing a programme where Lucy Worseley got togged up in it all, I can't imagine how women wore all of that every day.

[Mowsehowse]

Hi Roobarb, glad to know you are recovering, albeit slowly.

Regarding Tudor dress: I elected to be a maid servant, so I don't imagine clothing would include all the layers of the more wealthy women. My neighbours decided some while ago that I am completely crazy, so it hardly matters.
I too saw that Lucy Worseley programme, and while it might be fun to do the full farthingale and "bumroll" experience, I was looking to be a bit different from the others, and perhaps be more comfortable as well. 

I have cheated a little, but I expect the character I am playing would have had fabric brought back from overseas by her mariner husband, and that she would also have received cast offs to alter from Her Ladyship.

Consequently I do wear bra and knickers, which were not worn by women in Tudor times, and knee socks rather than woollen stockings tied with knitted garters. (Though I might give that a try one day!  )
I bought a square necked M & S cotton nighty, which is mid-calf length on me, to be my shift, which is what all Tudor women wore next to the skin, serving as underwear and blouse. Though strictly it should be linen as we didn't have cotton until later.
On top of that I have a long plain claret coloured silk skirt I found in a charity shop, topped with a blue overskirt I made from a curtain. This wraps right round with no seam and has an open front.
I also have a waistcoat made from woollen fabric, which is a touch whimsical, but just about passes as suitable period dress, and to cover my hair I made a coif cap, with a tiny lace trim.
I have swapped my small rucksack for a wicker basket to carry my lunch, keys and water bottle.
           

[Caw1]

Think we might like to see a picture MH as it sounds delightful! Do you have a kitchen boy in attendance too…..
I’ve always wanted to be part of a NT place but all are too far away from us…

When in Rome with two sets of friends our men folk fancied dressing up as the Roman soldiers outside the colosseum as the ones there were getting lots of attention from young ladies..😂😂
It was the same when visiting Hadrian’s Wall just before one Easter they were looking for male volunteers for the w/e… they were disappointed we weren’t staying that long! … we ladies were quite thankful as I’m sure they’d have embarrassed us… or themselves it was bad enough when we were in the shop and they decided to don helmets and swords for a mock fight… brightened up,the day for the two ladies in the shop though…

Pleased to hear you’re back to your Morris dancing lots of exercise…

Caroline

[ThrelfallYorky]

Always had a bit of a secret yen to be some sort of re-enactor in Tudor or Jacobean timeframe. Really like the idea of devising that sort of costume. 'Though I've been a Nat Trust member for decades, I'd never dare offer myself! Good for you, MH
TY

[Roobarb]

Great description MH, would very much like to see a photo.    A good move to opt to wear undies,could get very draughty around the nether regions! I remember from a historical novel that the garment that goes over the shift is called a kirtle. I'm still giggling at the possibility of your response being that no you didn't work there, just on your way to Tesco. 

[BushInn1746]

Hope all are well or improving.

Mrs P and I went for a nice walk on the footpath around the reservoir. I don't go out without drinking water now, it seems to help several problems - thirst, noises from my neck connective tissue and the inflammation in my right arm and hand I'm still left with.

I recall getting on the Steam Railway, I think at Toddington, Gloucs., (GWR Steam Railway) and some Morris Dancers got on, dressed up in their clothing 

Feeling positive here, nausea gone, but still waking and getting up about 3 times during the night due to severe thirst and needing to drink water, then awoke early at 5.30am thirsty, so another drink, then put my washing on.

The virus (Influenza) even though it began with an awful dry cough in January 2020, also entered via the Oral area and has damaged my Saliva glands and then wreaked further havoc in my digestion system and bowel (that would explain my problems there too, since Jan 2020 etc).

Also explains why a tooth was dead inside when x-rayed end of last year and my Dental Surgeon had to remove it.

I'm still very thankful to be here     

All the best, Mark

[Viktoria]

Well ,what a scorcher was yesterday!
Cut back the lovely roses that are very welcome invaders from over the
fence .
My lovely neighbour’s daughter and s in law keep her back garden tidy but it honestly  is 90% flagged over .
Same at the front!

The roses come right over and I get such pleasure from them so to cut off dead heads etc  when first flowering is over is no trouble at all.

Drain man supposed to come yesterday but he phoned to ask was it OK to come Sunday,just had an emergency call out so would come Sunday to see and chat about remedies.
At least he phoned .
I want to know so I can plan my journey to see my friend in Shropshire.
I am getting a sense of I must do the visit soon or I will regret it .

Duller weather today ,gardens need some rain.
I am fed up with slugs and snails ,nothing seems to discourage them,well the  garlic infusion was doing but during the week I was away they had free rein to gobble everything up .
I think the border in the front garden might be quite interesting with dwarf shrubs -“evergreens “ of all colours ,some flowering .
Job for Autumn.
Hope all is well with you all,big changes to health care etc , re home care costs and selling homes to pay!
Money has to come from somewhere but a week or so back a young footballer was to gain something like £69,000000 - it beggars belief!
Health officials earning £172,000-on the radio this morning.
Yet a 1% only rise  for nurses last year and I think 3% this year.
But 3% of what?———-

Oh dear life is not fair ,no one said it would be but differences like that are
obscene.
I have always had enough ,good examples from parents etc meant I only had modest ambitions re what I needed and was brought up ( out of necessity) to see the difference between genuine need and just wanting .
But times change and I just shut my eyes  and ears to things my grandchildren do.
I help them a lot, but then think I can do that because I am careful and deny myself lots as being silly frivolities, always have been like that.
I must not however get cynical ,my life always has been on a modest scale because to me ,my parents and my husband the luxury in our lives was having a modest “ enough “ and the big luxury was being free from any debt except the mortgage .
The day we paid the last payment of that - yippee!- and it was an endowment mortgage of the old kind so a good lump sum .
Wow,we had a cup of tea to celebrate!
I do feel sorry though for youngsters nowadays.
Mustn’t judge by old standards that do not pertain any longer.

Well ,no news really , but that too can be a good thing.
Oooh A Peacick butterfly basking on the stones round my dwarf apple tree.
There for ages.
Well cheerio ,look after yourselves everyone.
Viktoria,

[Annette7]

Not much of anything worth reporting - last 2 days were very hot so kept in the shade when I ventured outside.   Tuesday morning had a check-up appointment with nurse at surgery which was all good - she explained (as I'd already heard) that flu vaccines would be late this year due to problems so not to worry if I didn't hear anything.   In the afternoon I visited my sister and we sat in the garden drinking coffee and putting the world to rights!   Whilst there my phoned pinged and guess what?   Message to say surgery had received a small supply of flu vaccine and to ring for an appointment.   Shame it wasn't known about when I visited just a few hours earlier.   Anyway, phoned and have an appointment for Wednesday, 15th.

Looking forward to this coming weekend.   It was a friends 60th birthday in August and although we met up for a birthday meal at another friends wanted to mark it in another way and decided to have a weekend away.   J found a house via airbnb which is in Drayton, Norfolk and booked for 11-13th September - plan to visit places we haven't been to before so playing it by ear although we have booked a visit to Holkham Hall for Sunday afternoon.   Although not far away will be my first trip away since the first lockdown.   Will be 4 of us - myself, my sister and 2 friends.   Just a short trip but baby steps!!

Annette