Ok, so I know that I’ve been a lazy poo and uploaded the next post late. Sorry about that. In my defence the internet is super slow so it takes aaaaaages to upload all the pictures (we’re talking hours here). I’m going to do two weekends in one post so it may be a little bit longer (but then if you’re not interested you can always click off, right?).

So since the last post where me and dad went on our little road trip, life has gone back to normal. It’s funny, I hadn’t really been particularly homesick until dad came and then left – I think it reminded me of the family-ness I don’t have so much here. But that said, I only moped for a day or two!

Sooo, last weekend I went to a medieval picnic (SO AWESOME!). The thing I love so much about Ildhafn (the medieval guild I’ve joined) is how into it everyone gets! So people were turning up in full dress (yeah, I got some funny looks on the train) and were doing some really cool stuff, playing instruments from the time period or making knife sheaths… One of the guys had made his own bread to a proper recipe and had the proper leather and wood shoes from the time! I was very jealous!

I met some super nice people and one of the ladies offered to give me a lift to archery the next day (It’s pretty much impossible to get to some places round Auckland without a car). So last Sunday I did archery practice! Bearing in mind that the last time I tried archery I managed to hit a pushchair BEHIND me, I was not very confident that I would even go anywhere near the target but … *drum roll* … I hit the milk bottle in the middle, not once but twice! (I’m very excited about this). I have to say though that it came at a price and I could barely move my neck and shoulders the next day! I think I’m going to have to build up some of those muscles 😉

This Tuesday we had a crazy powerful storm. Well, *I* thought it was crazy powerful – not sure everyone else was so impressed. Apparently it was a category two cyclone and it tore up huge trees (which kinda sucks) and left a lot of people without power (luckily not me!) – some people are still without. Most unfortunately I came home knackered that day and crawled into bed completely forgetting I’d left my washing on the line. Some of it was still there when I woke up the next morning but most of it was strewn about like an Easter egg hunt in the garden. I got most of it back except for a pair of my knickers that I saw was hanging from the next door neighbours apple tree like a Christmas tree angel. I didn’t go ask for them back and consoled myself that they can’t *know* they were mine! (well, the union jack love hearts on them might have given it away but I can’t be the only British person round here, right?). I don’t know where they are now but the next day they were gone. We had some more pretty strong winds so I like to think that whatever tree they are adorning now is far enough away that their origins can’t be traced back.

Then this Saturday the same super awesome lady who took me to archery invited me to go fabric shopping with her to find stuff to make a late 14th century gown. You can imagine how much I enjoyed that! I spent my birthday money on some super cheap brocade, green cotton and some pale cream silk/linen offcuts. They were all end-of-line surplus things so I got them super cheap ($27 or £14 for enough material to make an over dress and 2 different pairs of sleeves). I also got some leather offcuts which I am now using to make my own pair of medieval overshoes. The idea is that I can put them over the top of some normal shoes so I still have comfortable feet but don’t have to look too 21st century at the next picnic / feast etc.

The other exciting news is … *drumroll again* … that I may be getting a car later this week! I might not of course, but hopefully if it isn’t sold before I go check it out (with an AA dude who actually knows about cars) Thursday, then I might be getting a 1998 Mazda Demio for $2500 (£1300). It’s twenty years old, so only a few years my junior and a little scratched and dented and dated but I have hopes that we’ll go on lots of adventures together!

Well, that about covers the last two weeks and hopefully next time I won’t be so woefully behind on my posting!

Speak to you guys soon!
Annabelle