Good idea to camp in sub zero temperatures?

This weekend I attended a larp event in a reproduction Viking village full of poor fitting shutters and draughty thin walls, I was not expecting to be warm but was sufficiently comfortable to make the whole event very tolerable.

On Friday after a very wet start, the skies cleared and the temperature dropped overnight sufficient to freeze the puddles so wearing my thermal underwear I tucked myself away in a 3 seasons sleeping bag, fully enclosed so only my nose was exposed, then covered in a 2nd sleeping bag and blankets I managed to feel cosy enough to sleep.
So I slept about 4 hours until around 5am when my bladder became desperate for the loo, surviving another hour I resisted the bitter cold I could feel outside my warm world but could last no longer, so in thermal underwear I left my sleeping bag found my boots in the dark and walked to the loo and back over frozen mud.
By the time I returned my bedding was cold and I could not warm myself back again to feel comfortable but stayed in bed till just before 8 when Julie got up, put the kettle on and started a fire.

The only other side effect of the cold was the butane gas preferred to stay in liquid form in the can so barely produced enough heat to boil a kettle, solved by putting the cans under my clothing and swapping cans between uses.

The rest of the weekend was slightly warmer, and we also discovered fire in the huts which although very smoky and needing a shutter open to create an air flow warmed the hut a degree or more.

The event itself was good, a good main plot that allowed for plenty of skills to be used, overall I enjoyed myself. There where plenty of players new and old, and chance to pass on various pieces of information gained during downtime.
It felt a little strange to be there as player not ref, but I quickly got over it although still wished at certain quiet moments to get in there and move things along, finish odd plot areas that were left from the last Strangehaven event, although if numbers improve for the site as they did I've been told Strangehaven will probably re-start for 2009.

On Sunday I got back home to a pile of cardboard litter and brown gorilla fur created Jasmine as a present to impress Julie and Dave who stopped for a warm drink or two on the way home.
I was very tired by then, and Julie looking particularly sleepy and she had another hour and half drive, so after a shower and food (baked potato and cheese) I fell asleep on the sofa with a cat asleep on my chest from around 8.30 until 11.30 when I found enough energy to relocate to my bed.

Shopping, painting, eating

On Saturday evening I went out for meal with friends for my mate Steve's birthday, we had to stay close to there home because of his wife Deb being on call to hospital where her friend is in the hospice since a cancer she has fought for several years is now reaching a conclusion. Deb is very close to her friend and cared for her, she as been in tears many times over the last 3 or 4 years with the ups and down of her friends illness, but enjoyed the distraction of night out.

Unfortunately the theme of this post is hospitals, since another of my friends Linda, young Chris's mother for those who know him, she went to the hospital for barium meal the day before, this apparently is very heavy liquid that leaves you very loose and with stools the weight of lead. After the meal we went back to Ste & Deb's, Linda needed to go and disappeared, 30 minutes later she had not returned, because as we found out her poo was stuck in the loo, so much to her embarrassment and sorry to say our amusement she was equipped with plastic bags to remove the item.

The rest of my weekend was spent shopping and at home painting toy soldiers, I purchased a large figure case like the one Julie bought Dave, a few figures and paints from Chimera shop, high tech thermal leggings and top for winter camping, and tea strainer thing for steeping loose tea in mug.

I also started a phys-rep for use at a future AscendancyLRP event, which involved destroying a broken pocket watch.

Painting figures and building props at the moment involves a space on a table the size of computer keyboard, (because I move my PC keyboard out the way) that combined with Jasmine my cat insisting on sitting on my knee and nudging my elbow while I paint is making it all more difficult than it should be. AndyL has the right technique on my second visit of the weekend he had engaged kid's visiting the shop in undercoating his figures for him.

Painting toy soldiers

New Years day I decided to paint some wargames figures for the 1st time in well ages, by that I mean possibly 10 years, and at least 5, can't remeber when I last got my figure painting brushes out.
Anyway my figures of choice were a selection of Games Workshop Eldar on jet bikes, these were plastic figures and what I did realise is how long they would actual take to assemble so it was Thursday evening by the time the glue had set and the undercoat sprayed, I put my basic coat of paint on as the picture below, but I think I have another 3 or 4 hours work yet, but I must say the break in painting history was worthwhile since I'm actually enjoying painting the figures again, plus I have a reason, a target which is another game in Chimera shop with my mate Jock and anyone else who wishes to join in. Jock received a few packs of GW figures and as also started painting again.
I have ordered another pack of Eldar figures which I hope to collect this weekend if they arrive.

New Year

I have a New Years resolution and that's to loose weight, after loosing 1 1/2 stone in 2005/2006 I put 3/4 stone back on in 2007, I want to loose weight again, so that means reducing comfort foods like those cakes I love, I've already cut out crisps, biscuits, & ice cream, sweets I can do with out anyway, so my next target is bread, currently I consume a loaf and 12 bread rolls a week, I want to halve that by buying a smaller loaf of bread or freezing half and buying less rolls, then I need to replace the pizza in my diet with something more healthy (suggestion welcome).

That's my New Years resolution, I actually spent my New Eve at Tom & Esther's with Julie and Dave, the only other person I knew there was Niki, it was a quiet party the kind I like, perhaps a little too much Maelstrom but I should not complain I was in the majority of Ascendancy players at Sam's party and perhaps we went on bit much there in front of other guest.

The other thing I did at the party was sniff Esther scents from the Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab something I been fascinated by since Esther, Helen and few others started collecting all these scents with wonderful names like Mad Sweeney, Burial, Cheshire Cat, I tried on Neil Gaiman's Agnus Nutter which smells of Gun Powder and the one that made me interested in smelling them in the 1st place. They were great by the way one day I will order some, not sure what I will do with them if I get them, gifts perhaps who knows.

So Happy New Year everyone.

A bit about my Christmas

Christmas day spent at my mums, but apart from my sister my other 2 brothers and kids did not stay for Christmas dinner which was traditional turkey, brussels etc. why don't we eat brussel sprouts more often they are a fine vegetable.

Although my brothers did not stay we did open all the family presents at my mums which is a little tradition, still possible because we all live within 30 minutes of her, my nephews got a remote control helicopter each which they flew round the house, my mothers cat could not take her eyes off them, pupils fully dilated she occupied the high ground wherever the helicopters flew although the kids had stern warning to keep them away from the cat.

I bought my mum a learn to paint kit and make your own doll, something to do now she has fully retired, at this moment I'm not sure if they are a good idea or not I will only find out if I see them used. I also bought the same make your own doll kit for my friend Deb which did get appreciative comments.

On Boxing day (the day when we make boxes and have boxing matches of course its a Family thing *wink* ) I went to Andy and Linda's, I spent the afternoon at a football match Derby County v Liverpool and then went back for tea. I saw their son fellow larper Christopher for the 1st time since he went university, but didn't have chance to speak since he was going out with his girlfriend. I bought his sister Katie a silly hat for one her present unfortunately it actually suited her, dam I had accidental taste, but the one I bought Linda was silly enough to get me in trouble.
I left Andy and Linda's early evening since a cold was brewing and my brain had switched to standby mode, so I never got to play Kill Dr Lucky, which I was hoping to do and went straight to bed with a lemsip.

Thursday I was knocked out and did very little except sneeze and wipe my nose, I couldn't read or do anything so just focused on the telly, Friday I was meant to be at work, but woke feeling dreadful, and that combined with the time of year I decided not go in, but I'm now feeling reasonable, so tomorrow I may venture outside the house.

Oh and Jasmine had a strange scary glove bought her photo below which she loves.

Its not long to Christmas now...who's excited?

On Saturday night I went out with my super hero friends 'The Whistler Killer' with side kick 'Soft Lad' and the unstoppable 'Squeaky Brat Boy'.We went to busy pub that has lots of quiet rooms no large screen TVs, no pub quizzes, no steak nights (that I know of) called the Dead Poets because it walls have photos of dead poets on them. We learned mainly of Squeaky Brat Boys tangled loved life which is far too complex to explain in less than 2 very thick books. A most enjoyable evening The Whistler Killer silence a few whistler while Soft Lad ran to the toilet every so often since he has a weak bladder. The journey home was only memorable because of the thick fog and poor directions mainly consisting of take the next t..... yes that one we have passed, once would have been acceptable, but reversing up dark single track roads 3 times was a bit much.

By the way I can't tell you my super hero name since those of reading this may know me and therefore learn my alter ego.

Sunday I woke up sure I had a cold, I had aching legs a sore throat and felt cold, but by lunch all the symptoms had left apart from thickly cough, colds don't go that quick so who knows what was wrong.

I spent the evening a Ste & Debs ordered in a Chinese meal and watched American football which Ste is addicted to while we chatted.

Today well for some reason I found myself buying extra presents even though I had everything bought and wrapped already, nothing much those fun under a tenner stocking filler gifts that are more for the humour of gift than the gift being actually wanted, a spent a couple of hours chatting to my friends A & H in their shop, then visited Jock and Bridgette who were each in separate rooms of their house wrapping each others presents before returning home to wash the car and watch the film Lemony Snicket's.

That's my weekend, it now Christmas eve evening, so best wishes for Christmas to anyone who has the time to read this and everyone else for that matter.

PS Not sure I like having all this time before Christmas, much prefer to work Christmas Eve

Richard

Photos from the Dad side

My Dad (the one with the pipe) with his brothers and a Aunt.

Great GranddadH with a lump of coal for carnival guess the weight compitition.

my Dad's dad, GrandadH in the army

Great GrandmaH during the war as a untilty driver

Great GranddadH on his land

My dads other Grandma, Great Grandma T.

Where I was born, land workers hut, me & parents lived totally in the one room hut on the left, (I was to young to remember) one of my Dad's Uncles had the caravan on the right.

GrandmaH the one circled.

There lots more photo's in my online album but you will need to ask me for the link and password if your interested.