try something new

75. Went to a banquet at Hatfield House lastnight – awesome fun with minstrels, a jester and Henry VIII! Absolutely brilliant!!!

Already wrapped the first half of my Xmas prezzies (got a few more bits to buy still)

Got told I’m not needed in my job next year. Yeah not feeling so great about this one but I’ve gotta see it as a positive thing, making me focus more on our business.

Planned and set out an archery club shoot with a lil help from Alan and Joyce. Only 10targets but it’s good to start out small lol!

Made my famous tatty salad with a twist this time – went down a storm after the shoot :D

Had a Cadbury Caramel egg! – Like a creme egg but caramel instead of fondant nom nom nom!

Framed the ink prints I made during A-level art at last! (Still gotta string em up though)

(That’s 74 valid new things… I’ll aim for 100 before I sign this off!)

Went to Shahenshah (Indian Restaurant in Hertford) for our mate Ben’s birthday

Made a new friend – Bonnie from Adelaide

Went round Jennie&Geoff’s gorgeous flat for a few drinks

Bought 2 new yummy bras AND found out I’m now a 38D in the process!

Joined the gym and have been going and working out :D

Tried the new veggie curry at Weatherspoons… Not a big fan of it but at least I tried something new :/

I led a clan course on leatherworking on my own the other day! I made basic leather pouches with the 5 of them… Had to help them punch the holes and start off the lacings to pull it all together though. But yeah, not bad being able to lead the course after having made a pouch like it a year and a half ago!

Made a slide show advertising our business to be e-mailed to schools in the area that we haven’t contacted yet.

Went to the battle of Hastings re-enactment as a spectator this year (instead of being in the show) as Conquest and Regia weren’t taking part. Had lots of fun and found a really cheap wooden plate -only £3.50 rather than the usual £6/7! – Huzzah for having my own eating kit for the next show I go to rather than sharing Andy’s!

Made up a new recipe on the spot for a veggie sauce with pasta:

onion, carrot, salt, pepper, olive oil, red (bell) pepper, courgette (zucchini), knorr mixed herb cube, tin of tomatoes, hot sauce, soy sauce, chickpeas (garbanzos) and new potatoes all cut up and simmered together… Then poured over cooked penne pasta omnomnom. So yummy and light!

... Was made even better by the fact I made Mojitos to go with it :D

Went to Raj Curry House on our way back from Glastonbury as they had a “Tuesday night special £9.95” deal on. We found out that it was a starter, a side, a curry and rice/nan bread. The place itself was beautiful with all sorts of displays of statues, plants, candles and draped fabric.

Tried new dishes – Palak paneer (fried cheese with an awesome red sauce!), and potato and egg fritters that I can’t remember the name of (Aloo something!) – along with my usual veggie korma and a paratha (I’ve missed those fried chapatti type things) yummmmmyyy!!! I think it was the best curry I’ve had out actually, and boy was I full up!

Met a couple up Glastonbury Tor (Simon and Deborah I think?)who chatted to us about MERP… Even though I’m not a fan of Lord Of The Rings it was rather interesting.

Went to Cheddar Gorge which was awesome! The caves were gorgeous with all the mirror pools to help you see hidden bits of them. I think we upset the flintknapping guy in the museum though; me telling him an easier way to use a bow drill for firelighting, and Andy telling him to hold the flint at a steeper angle so it breaks cleanly rather than crushing the edges. Although he learnt from the daddy of knapping (John Lord) he only did half a day’s course and we’ve done considerably longer. We didn’t mean to upset him, but to make it easier for him from what we’ve learnt from our own mistakes. Ho hum.

Went to the Peat Moors Centre – busman’s holiday really, checking out an Iron Age village with roundhouses but it was BEAUTIFUL! I want their authentically decorated roundhouse with their warp weighted loom and carved benches. If I could, I’d stick it on a lorry and move it to my garden! Unfortunately they have to close down at the end of October :( Stupid council withdrawing funding! No one knows what’s happening to the site. What an awful waste!

Bought a woven belt from them for my hangerok.

Bought my 2 brooches for my hangerok while at the Festival of History.

Have finally taken pics of me in my hangerok for our business’ website. I put one of said pics on my profile here so you can see my awful sewing and beautiful brooches and belt!

Our ongoing D&D campaign took an exciting twist as we spent 12hrs (as opposed to our normal weekly 3-4h sessions) on a new dungeon the other day w00p!
Our mage has a “wand of wonder” which according to what he rolls on the percentage dice does different effects… We were in a small room with 4zombies and 2skeletons and he managed to abracadabra an elephant which proceeded to stomp them at his command LOL! Good Stampy. Was not amused by the fireball he sent at the wood golem while I was still in the room with it though .Sigh.
... But yes, much fun and BBQ food, and 3 bottles of wine between 3 of us as our mage-playing buddie is predominantly teatotal. Our characters suit us; me being a cleric who looks after people and heals them but likes smashing things with a mace when needed too hehe! Al is a particularly bad thief as he tries to be sneaky but is actually too sweet and clumsy and Andy is an “ugg! Man!!” kinda warrior LOL!

Anyway, I’ll stop ranting about it now. New thing = day long session. Nuff said.

Not freaked/stressed out entirely while making a long train journey with multiple changes (coming home from Brighton via London).

Watched a Dara O’Brian DVD and LOVED it! Possibly go see him live in the future?

Bought a wheely/trolley suitcase, £12 what a bargain!

Vaguely remembered my way around Burgess Hill and Brighton (last time I went there was 3yrs ago!)

Tried Becks Vier – not a huge fan

Tried Harvey’s “Armada Ale” and fell in love with it… Actually bought said trolley/case to carry the amount of the stuff I bought!!!

Went to “China China” (in Brighton) and had PROPER gorgeous Chinese food. As Cerys said, it’s kinda ruined the usual soggy greasy take aways for me now :(

I weeded Cerys’ patio coz I was feeling cooped up indoors and weird for spending so much time chilling out!

Download festival – my first festival.

Watching wrestling live (in person rather than on TV) “Lucha Britannia” are crazily awesome… Not for the faint-hearted by any means with the shows between matches!!! A few of my guy mates that were there with us wussed out, bless em!

Been wearing skirts/dresses almost every day the past month or so, or at least smart-ish trews and top! (Of course I lived in baggy jeans at Download though).

Tried a new milkshake flavour at Serendipity :D I love that place <3

Wore sandals without a major freak-out of not having prepared my feet beforehand – this is pretty major for me as I have quite the phobia of horrible feet! ... Of course mine are looking nice (as far as feet can be :S) now I’ve had a day off work and been able to sort them out.

Taught archery to teenagers – easier than teaching little kids by FAR! I dunno why I wound myself up so much about how I was gonna fail miserably!

I’ve got 3 days off in a row WHOAH!!! That’s so damn rare it’s being listed in all its glory. Last few weeks I’ve had only one day off per week, along with a few days working til quite late. Nuff said.

Take time out for PAMPERING myself and relaxing for the first time in ages. As I said, sorted out the feet, chilled out doing things at my own pace rather than being in a rush to get to my boyfriend’s place to get to work etc. Bliss. Also caught up on my fave webcomic and a million and one e-mails. How I’ve missed sleeping in my own bed too!!! I think I might get another early night tonight purely for that reason!

Laters x

Played Talisman – a board game by Games Workshop. Absolutely love it and was gutted we didn’t have time to finish the game before having to go home :( Stupid work the next day lol!

Met William – new guy at work who’s been into Celts/Romans etc. for many years and is just awesome for the camp. He’s actually written 5books about the period from daily life, to crafts/skills, costumes etc. ... It’s amazing!