Sunday miscellany

1. Forgot to mention, got an AWESOME birthday card at work, all full of little post-it notes with helpful tips like "socks first, then shoes," and "food in microwave, clothes in dryer."

Those who know me in real life can say that's not age... I've always been something of a ditz.*


2. So far, the "next export of books" is working well (Travis - I've found it helps when you don't go to the book store. ;) )

Anyhow, finished Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England which has been sitting around half finished for ..um... longer than I want to admit. I won't say it's revolutionary or anything, but if you like "slices of what life was like" sort of things, it's quite good. One interesting thing I'd never heard before was the other half of how "hue and cry" worked prior to organized policing. That is, when you hit the age of majority, you were assigned to your little group of fifteen, and you made your loyalty oaths. If you did anything wrong, they were expected to rat you out. And were fairly heavily fined if they didn't.

Hunh.


Also.. that classically American contempt of the idea of royalty? Yeah... not helped by this book. It doesn't take many stories of peasantry starving to death while the royals take their stuff and live high on the hog to make you think that maybe the Frenchies might have been onto something a few centuries later.

Incidentally, tip from the Peasant's Revolt to always remember. When you're winning and have the sovereign cornered, he'll promise you anything as long as you lay down your arms and go away peacefully. In case you're ever tempted by honeyed promises of love for the people and the country and how much he understands.... know that as soon as you do he'll kill (at least) the leaders and reneg on everything he promised.

... so in for a penny, in for a pound.



Finally, the "net decline of books" promise also applies to sewing projects. So far have it down by one, and am making great progress on my fiddle case bag. Next payday I'm treating myself to the oilcloth for a cover and a set of bluegrass videos from this guy. Best video instruction I've seen yet. W00t!


Anyhow - happy week all. I got two days vacation left.
Time to actually get out and about some. :)





















* Come by it honestly from my Mom. But really, it works out well, since my Dad had a touch of OCD. I got just enough of both that every time I start to obsess over something, I ...um... forget what it was that I was supposed to be obsessing over. Works great. :)