Battlemoor III, Plums and too much going on

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August ran us over and we crashed in the Middle Ages. Aka… Battlemoor III. I barely got all of my sewing done in time to head out on a Wednesday to camp. Originally, Dan was not going to stay the whole time. He’d planned to work and then come out in the evenings. Serendipity swung her mighty fairy dust wand and Poof! Things changed. Dan got off of work a little late and didn’t have to go back on Thursday. He got his class work done and realized he might actually have a chance to take some time off. Not like we needed it or anything.

Wednesday as we sat up camp after sundown, we got to know a few of our fellow campers in Artisan’s Lane. Then we slept for the first time in ages with no real schedule for us in the morning. Ahhhhh!

We woke at dawn and started getting ready for the day. I worked on the potters wheels and the pottery tent. Dan started running errands. Then he discovered that there was no ice truck this year. So, he started running ice in from First Choice, our local grocery store. At least two trips a day. He gave free ice to the Troll gate, Chirgeons, the watch and to the parties.

I had a lot of fun working with the pottery and the fiber tent. It was the first time I’d thrown on a potter’s wheel in about 8 years. I didn’t do to bad, but I realize I will have to build up my hand strength for next year. I made a couple of hand built pieces as well. One was a small rose. It was about the only piece of mine that made it through the firing. We did do a kiln fire and realized that we need better air control next year. At least there was enough pottery to award some to the king and queen. 🙂

I got a lucet this year and learned how to make cord. 🙂 Dan bought me presents too. A torque, shears, a small knife, shoes, hair pins, a shuttle and the lucet. 🙂 I’ll post pictures below.

I think that camping with the Artisan’s Lane group was the best thing we did. I really enjoyed the company and the way it all worked. We all pitched in with cooking and cleaning up.

Once we got home, we were thrown into the craziness of ‘life’. I picked 50 pounds of plums off of my mom’s tree. Since then I have made plum jelly, syrup, jam, butter and chutney. Oh and cake and cobbler. Yummm!

We also have been to visit Morgan at least two times. Once on her 16th birthday. We took her out to eat, gave her a prezzie Dan picked up for her at Battlemoor III and gave her some money. She is really adjusting to college well. While she may be the youngest person on campus, she is on par with many of her fellow students mentally. For others, she is the adult supervision. LOL!

Wednesday, it rained almost all day long and oh was it COLD! I pulled blankets out of boxes and threw quilts on the bed. Today we got a clear glimpse of the Spanish Peaks. There was snow on the tops and the Trincheras were white! Brrrr!!!!

Last night we drove to Pueblo and had dinner at Bingo Burger. 🙂 It was Dan’s birthday treat to himself. We went to Barnes and Nobel for a while and then came home. Tomorrow we are heading out to pick her up, and then we are going to Pueblo. She and Dan need new glasses. Maybe, just maybe we will eat at Bingo Burger again. 🙂

Oh, and week after next is the Spanish Peaks Celtic Music Festival!

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Morgan and Anabel

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Life has been just a tad hectic. Between work for Dan, lots of meetings for me and life in general, we’ve had two big events. The first one was Morgan going off to college! Earlier in the month, Dan and Morgan got her Colorado ID and then registered her for college at Otero State Jr. College in La Junta. Locals call it La Hunna. 🙂 It’s about 78 miles east of us. Morgan took her accuplacer test and maxed it. I’m not sure who was more proud. Dan, because she did so well that she doesn’t need any classes below 200 level, or Morgan because she beat her dad’s scores. 🙂

Then the great packing began. Morgan had lots of stuff. Some she left, some was trashed and loads was packed to go to college. Our big worry was housing. At nearly the last minute, we did find her some temporary housing. It is a very nice house about 3 blocks from the college. So, on Sunday we drove her out there, met the woman who owns the house, unpacked Morgan and then took her to Walmart for some groceries. Morgan had a little melt down, but not bad at all. Especially as she won’t be 16 until next month!

Then we said our goodbyes and headed home. On the drive home, we hit a coyote. 🙁 No help for it though. We dropped like rocks into bed.

Monday morning, Dan went off to work by 6am and Anabel, my grandaughter arrived at 9:30am.  She’s 8 and I hadn’t seen her in a year. It was so good to see her. We talked, took lots of pictures, made a carob cake and a carrot cake. My parents and my ex husband came over to see Anabel too. Anabel and I looked at treasures, made her a pillow, and two necklaces. She played on the Xoom while I did dishes and cooked dinner. Luckily, Dan got home in time to see her too. She’d been asking for him all day, which I thought was great. 🙂

Her Great-grandma Sue picked her up around 7pm. I’ll miss her, but we will see her soon. 🙂

And now the house is so quiet.

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I almost forgot!!!

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Dan and Morgan went to La Junta and visited Otero State Jr. College on Tuesday. Morgan took her accuplacer test and maxed it out! She is now officially a college student. :)! Since she did so well on the tests, she will have nothing but 200 level classes! As she is 15, she will live with a family like an international student. When she is 16, she will be able to take her GED.

We are so happy and excited.!!!

When she got home, and after she had told me the news, I couldn’t help but tease her just a little… I said that I was so proud of her, especially as she was now in Slytherin! She looked at me, blinked and then it dawned on her. OJC’s mascot is the Rattlesnake! 🙂

Hoppin’ Horny Toads!

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My January has been busy to say the least. I had 10 school board meetings on everything from TDIP to budget to board meetings in 8 days. Add to that school visits, work and a trip to Denver and I’m ready to call it a day and sleep for a month. No such luck though. I have a meeting this afternoon and another one on Friday. Ah, the life of being school board president.

Then there’s the house. The Wendy House. We have been trying to remove the springs from the garage door without taking our heads off. These are huge springs with tension on them and to be honest we have figured out how not to take them off. sigh… Our plans are to set the door in place for the rest of the winter and then in the springtime install a real wall, door and window. It has been a challenge.

As for the main house, we had some plumbing supplies go missing between Amazon and the vendor. They are still playing a game of ‘they lost it!” and we are minus the supplies.

The only really good thing we’ve had happen is that on New Year’s Eve, Dan rescued two dogs. Puppies actually, from in front of 7/11. We gave the one over to the animal control officer and it was reunited with it’s owner. The other one, a husky mix, now lives with us.  No one asked for it. Morgan named her Pasha. She is a sweet girl and so far, very trainable.

Anabell!

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She came to visit! Her mom and stepdad are in town visiting family and we got to visit with Anabell for about 5 hours.

We made tortillas, burritos and then I made a carob mayonnaise cake. Morgan and Anabell put mint chips and carob chips in the cake as well. It was heavenly. After dinner, we watched Tangled. Plus I gave Anabell some of my dolls. A Navajo doll, some worry dolls, and a big porcelain doll from England that has red hair. Oh, and I found a book for her. She was in heaven.

Then today, Dan sent me a picture… he was teasing me the other day about having to rip out some of my knitting, which is called tink-ing. 🙂 (knit backwards) I laughed!

Life is a bit slow at the moment. We are trying to get the house cleaned up and ready for some major construction work. That includes the Wendy House as well. Do I have the energy? Nope! Not today. I’m a slug. Hmmm….. maybe that noneuclidean sweater ate my ‘get up and go’.

Oh, and today is Erin’s 29th birthday.

Return from Battlemoor II

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Yesterday, the 4th, we packed our camp up and returned to the 21st century. sigh…

Battlemoor was great! Probably should have been called BattleDUST, but we had a wonderful time. The rain on one day did help, and made  the dust/powdered cow patties settle. I swear we inhaled/ingested at least a pound of that dust. Ughh! However, the Stroh Ranch is a working ranch and there are cattle!

We arrived Wednesday and set up camp in a lovely little dell. Amazingly, it was only 50 yards from the Town Hall. There was a cool tree that had fallen and it looked all the world like the Pi symbol or a henge. While we were all part of the Shire of Villaleon, we were also in three separate areas. So, there was the main camp, Persia where Arty and Nyusha lived and then ‘the Savages’,… us. 🙂 Rather appropriate as I’m a Viking and Dan is um…. Lothar de Savage. This lead to many jokes. “Oh, that isn’t Viking,… Oh. Wait… you plundered that didn’t you…”  and “I’m a Viking. You going to hand that over or shall I just take it?” It was a lot of fun. We teased Lothar as his era didn’t write…. “Don’t worry dear, I’ll teach you how to write…” and other bits. “He’s a savage, be glad he’s wearing clothes… eats with a spoon… cooks his meat…”

The week was busy with a number of tourneys and classes. I learned how to tablet weave and to spin!!!! Oh, and how to write/send a letter. 🙂 That was fun. I took tons of pictures and they can be seen on my Facebook page. I really enjoyed the spear tourney. Dan of course was watching most of the tourneys. Between answering questions, making comments on fighting, patching up a few fighters and other bits and pieces, he got offered belts three times! So, while he didn’t accept a belt to be a squire, he will be getting his armor together and will be getting his heavy fighters card. He teased me at one point calling me his armor bunny. I about spewed with laughter. (an armor bunny is someone who helps their knight with armor, spotting weaknesses, etc.)

There were also courts every night and revels. (parties!) Thursday night was Hafla. Rolling Thunder played drums until probably 4am. Women belly danced, people chatted, good beer was consumed and everyone enjoyed themselves.

Friday night was Halls of Valhalla. There was a Viking ship where you could memorialize someone and then the boat was burned. We payed homage to Sir Starhelm. Once again, there was great conversations and lots of beer. I had one called Vikings Drool. It was a lovely dark stout. OMG! Oh, and there was a non-alcoholic ginger beer that was heaven, as well as a sarsaparilla to knock your socks off.  I drank more of those than the beer. 🙂

Saturday was the Medieval Red, White and Blue celebration. Everyone tried to dress in red, white and blue and still stay in character. It was a riot. The drummers played again and it was about 1am before I got to bed.

Sunday night was the Farewell Siege Revel. It was a time to eat and drink all the leftovers, say goodbye to people and unwind. It was another late night, but well spent.

Monday of course came Way Too Early. However, we broke camp in about 90 minutes. We said our goodbyes and headed home. Once we were home, we unpacked, showered, checked a few things on the computers and then crashed. I even got my article written for the Huerfano World Journal and pictures sent. 🙂 We napped from 4pm to nearly 10pm. We got up for a little bit of food and were back to bed by 1am. Damn we slept heavy! I have to admit that about the only thing I missed was my BED! So, we are planning on making a Viking bed for next year. Whether we make a Viking tent or a yurt is still being discussed.

Today we are putting stuff away, cleaning and washing things and trying to move. All the aches and pains have come home to roost. We didn’t get too badly sunburned, but there were lots of bites and Dan got all itchy from bucking bales of hay used at some of the battles. Yes, we clean up after ourselves so that the ranch can be a ranch.

Only a year till Battlemoor III. 🙂

 

An End of an Era

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Yesterday was Morgan’s 8th Grade Graduation. It was a big day in so many ways. It started early with all of us getting up and trying to find an eyeball per socket. Dan dyed Morgan’s hair and helped her with her nails. The chemicals just kill me. Then after we all got dressed in the ‘nice clothes’, we headed to Gardner.

Keep in mind that Gardner School is a small family type school. Under 80 kids, Pre-K through 8th. Rich, poor, rancher, townie or alternative lifestyle… one big family. We had lunch with Morgan and the other graduates. Afterwards, I helped Morgan into her dress and it was time for the ceremony. There were five graduates this year, and Kevin Crossen, their Science/PE teacher gave the commencement speech. Kevin is a big guy. Well over 6ft. He’s standing there giving his speech about these kids he thinks of as his own. Some of them he’s taught since they were 5. He started out saying that he wouldn’t cry, and we could see him trying so hard not to do so. For the most part. We cried with him.

Morgan got the Presidential Award for Academic Excellence and she was the Valedictorian for her class. They did an imovie and gave speeches. Best part though was that Morgan, legendary for her Morgan Moments, didn’t trip once, stumble or fall. 🙂 She’s a klutz, and for once, she was graceful. In heels no less!!!

Afterwards, there was a reception in the cafeteria. Dan videoed the graduation and we took lots of pictures. It was a great day!

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Rapture Day?

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Or so some people thought it would be. As it stands at the moment, there have been no mass ascensions to heaven. I have the feeling that we will see the same thing happen in December when so many believe the end of the world will arrive because of the Mayan Calendar stops then. I’m not sure who I feel sorry for. Those who get disappointed because the Rapture didn’t arrive as promised, or those people who’s lives were damaged by people close to them who believed in the doomsday scenario in the first place.

Meanwhile in Walsenburg, the mornings are still cold and the afternoons warm and windy. It’s always windy here. We still have snow on the Spanish Peaks. It has been dry enough that I am going to pull the weeds out of the garden area and plant seeds. I had planned to do it earlier, but it has been such a cold May, that I didn’t want to loose everything to frost or snow.

It’s graduation week. La Veta and John Mall did their thing today. Gardner graduates on Wednesday. Morgan has her dress and she looks so grown up! She got a bespoke dress from Shanghai off a website. It fits her perfectly.

We’ve gotten the main room of the Wendy house (aka the guest house)  set up as a combination sewing area and work station.All the damp weather has made the front porch ‘move’ again. So, we decided to get the weight off of it. We are cleaning up the Wendy House to move into while we do some major reconstruction on the main house. I don’t want to try and breathe when we open up the floor to do the plumbing. Too many critters and dirt for my lungs. It would be a different matter if there was a real crawl space, but there isn’t. Whatever was there has been filled in by the hill moving south. I am looking forward to running water and a totally functional bathroom!!!!

Next will be relief of the dirt away from the garage wall. That will be a major undertaking unless we can get the city to help us as it is their alley which is rolling into the garage. I want to get my umbrella clothesline up too. It was my Grandma Pauline’s. I know where I plan to ‘plant’ it, we just have to get a sleeve for the end of the pole. I figure that with all the lovely sun, that it’s a shame to feed quarters to the dryers at the laundromat. 🙂

Here are some pictures of the new workspace in the Wendy House, and Morgan in her new dress.

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A year has passed

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A lot has happened in a year.

A year ago today, Dan got his divorce. 🙂

I re-purposed a blog for writing fiction.

Morgan has grown into such a beautiful young lady.

Brandy is an only dog.

Bryan and Katie got married.

I achieved my own divorce and will celebrate that anniversary next February.

I am now the CEO of LoboSavvy Technologies.

I’m on the State Youth Council.

I write for the Huerfano World Journal.

Between weddings (Bryan’s), Thanksgiving and Christmas I have seen all of my family this year.

Survived another winter in a construction zone. (520 Pennsylvania)

I’ve been writing this blog for 3 1/2 years.

I have a bunch of goals left to accomplish and hope that the next 12 months will be just as interesting.

Out like a Lion!

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Well, at least a windy one. It’s about 70 degrees and the wind is a light breeze at 22mph! Such fun to be hauling trash in an open truck with this breeze! Dan, Morgan and I loaded the truck. Dan and Morgan have taken the stuff to the dump, aka the waste transfer station. Then they will pick up a load from Yolanda’s and take it to the dump. 🙂 She had some trashy tenants.

After they get back and we have some lunch, It will be time to work on the Wendy House a bit more. Most likely we will work on emptying the shed and getting ready to rebuild it. Plus start lifting the brick so we can dig on the one side of the house to lay the new plumbing. Wheee… Argh. Where oh where are the boys when I need them for sweat equity labor?

I’m glad Morgan can help. She is on spring break. Otherwise most of it would be done just by Dan as I am achy. Sort of feel like I’ve been run over by a truck. ugh.

We also plan to re-dye Morgan’s hair. Her mom took her to a salon and they got her hair dyed. It turned out much brassier than redder. Ugh. Not a good combo for Morgan. Her mom said to just let it grow out. No, I don’t think so. So, Dan bought hair day and we will do that today. 🙂

Last but not least, my writers block on my one story has begun to lift! Wheeee!!!!