Very few of us at rapper last night so I ended up dancing at 5. This is a position I used to dance fairly frequently so I should have known it but, it seems that I've become so entrenched at Number 2 that I instinctively try to end up in that position (which is a problem when there's someone already there!) Still, it was really good fun and I would like to do a bit more dancing at different positions cause it makes me think.

There is a leak in the stair outside my door. It's not very big at the moment so it's not an emergency fix so could take some time to get it repaired so I'm storing towels and dishcloths near the door just in case it decides to worsen rapidly.

Was early to work this morning cause I forgot my clock is an hour fast (and has been ever since the clocks changed so it's not exactly a new thing) I thought the buses were a bit quieter than usual. It's been a long day so far.

Tonight should involve me trying to tidy the burrow a bit while staying as near to the front door as possible listening for the sound of suddenly gushing water. What will probably happen is that I will end up sat with my back to the door while reading another Bartholomew book (had forgotten how funny this series is!) and the first I'll know of any flooding will be when my bum gets wet!

Anyhow, if it's not fixed before the weekend, the burrow will have to fend for itself cause nothing is getting in the way of a rapper weekend!

Well, started tidying the burrow this weekend but, due to the burrow being full of stuff and me, apparently, being infinitely destractable, it now looks worse than it did and there is no clear space anywhere. On the other hand, I got a huge amount of fiddle and clarinet practice done, finshed 4 puzzle books and managed to get through 7 of the Matthew Bartholomew books by Susannah Greogory.

It looks like I will be attempting to replace the bridge on the fiddle myself. Have been investigating various guides and how-tos and, once I have space to put the blinking thing down, I will give it a go. (This could obviously be quite a while...)

Ended up ordering new laptop powercord online from Dell since it's cheaper and I know it will work with my laptop.

At least I got my washing done this weekend. Now I just have to find somewhere to dry it. Was considering trying the line outside again and then it started raining, so maybe not!

Ah well, rapper tonight.

Fiddle was fun last night. We were having a go at Freedm Come All Ye at a slightly faster pace than we usually do which I really enjoyed. If I can, I'm going to go and see if I can get a new bridge for the fiddle this weekend (and see if I can aford it! Have been hearing horror stories from the rest of the group. If it's a lot then I could be learning to do it myself!)

Off to PC World tonight to try and get a replacment power cord for my laptop since I think I've killed mine so that should be fun.

The pain in my shins has lessened somewhat but is still very tender in places which is worrying me slightly. No doubt that will pass though (The pain possibly, the worry certainly)

Anyhow, the Big Burrow Tidy of 2010 starts tonight!

Well, I got to the cinema last night. Really enjoyed Sherlock Holmes... I swear, I'm going to go and see Avatar this weekend.

Considering either The Oxford Folk Festival or Folk by the Oak this year (Mainly cause both are being attended by Bellowhead who I still haven't seen live and would dearly love to.) Will have to have a muse.

Fiddle practice tonight and have just realised I've spent the entire week practicing morris tunes rather than what I was supposed to. Ah well

Another bloody fire alarm this morning (I'd only just got in so I went and sat in the car instead of tramping all the way round to the park cause there's no snow to build snow bunnies now) I hope this isn't going to start up all over again!

Picked up the rat cage yesterday. It's a little bigger than I was expecting, the rats will have space to do whatever they want, I will be huddled in a corner of the settee! Still, very cool.

Didn't go to the cinema last night but I did work out how to renew my library books on line. This is useful because I always read them all in the first week, if that, and then I forget all about them as I get through my other books so being able to renew them online means I can have a last minute panic and still not have to pay a fine.

( Telly musings )

Going to make an appointment with the GP at some point just to check on the shins. It suddenly occured to me that this has been going on long enough and is different enough this time that there is the, admittedly small, chance that there might be a stress fracture. It almost undoubtedly isn't one but I've got the thought in my head now and it would be sensible to just reassure myself that it isn't before I go off and do something really stupid.

Have put my 3D glasses in my bag to go and see Avatar tonight. I will go and see it tonight!

Rapper practice was fun last night but I couldn't dance much cause of the pain in my shins. At some point I should really go and see someone about that. I think I did the damage while scottish country dancing and it's probably something I will just have to live with (cause I'm not giving up morris now I've finally managed to start) but I should probably make sure it's not going to have a long term effect that could stop me rapper dancing. Anyhow, I still had a good time at practice since I got to watch the dance and pick up bits that need work. It had also been suggested that we should get the Tommy to bring in a box for me to stand on in the backlock in Winalton. I feel I should be insulted but, at the same time, I have to admit it would be very funny (and probably helpful!).

Not impressed with the snow this morning (although fairly impressed with the amount that's managed to fall overnight). I'm off to Bo'ness tonight to collect a rat cage so I'm hoping that's all the snow we're going to get.

Off to the cinema when I get back tonight. I'm intending to see Avatar but I suspect it will be another viewing of Sherlock Holmes.

This weekend is going to be spent tidying the Burrow (and, if I have time, sorting through my DVD collection and seeing what I can sell on. I think there's quite a large number I'd be happy to get rid of.) I need to clear out a hell of a lot of stuff. There's old reenactment kit that can go, there's old electronic equipment that I've killed and which can be taken to the dump, old defunct camping kit and all sorts of other things. I really am a terrible hoarder by nature and I can't afford to be in such a small space. Am starting to consider looking for a different flat. I would quite like somewhere with a seperate kitchen (as opposed to one in the sitting room) and easier parking (parking is hell around the burrow.) and a bath would be a bonus. Will see how things go.

The weekend after is the Snark weekend. It looks like Mons Meg will be touring with them on the Saturday and then some of us are going to the meal in the evening. (I've been told it's dressy so I may have to dig out my dress and heels. There may possibly be workshoppy stuff on the Sunday as well. Really looking forward to it. We also have a tour planned in Glasgow on the 23rd Feb. We're not sure whereabouts in Glasgow we're going to go yet but it looks like nearly the whole side'll be there so it should be a good night out.

Well I didn't quite manage to get my tattercoat finished in time and managed to be 2 hours late picking up Trina due to various silly stuff and happenings (which might or might not have involved me getting lost in Edinburgh) but we finally set off to the Peak District. Journey down was easy enough (although there is still some impressive snow up on the Snake Pass which, up till this weekend has only been a name heard on the radio. Usually in travel reports saying that it's still shut because of snow!). Got down to Hathersage for around 21.30 and headed to the pub where we had a nice evening chatting to folks and listening to the session before heading back to the hall. I meant to go to bed but had a sudden urge to sew and managed a bit of my coat (while chatting to a castles expert which was nice!) before heading to bed (and I will say again that that airbed is probably my best buy of 2009!).

( Freaks weekend )
I am now shattered, missing morris very much and saying 'ow' every time I try and walk. My shins really hate me! I do not think that my rapper stepping will go well tonight!

For some reason, I always think that morris is faster than it actually is (which is what put me off taking down the fiddle) but, on really listening during the dancing, I think I can actually keep up (what it'll actually sound like is another matter!) and I will have to play out some time and Freaks are a very beginner friendly side so next time I am definitely taking the fiddle or clarinet or both and, while I may not play for dances with audiences, I am definitely going to have a go at playing for practices.

Getting along nicely with my tattercoat. (Although I now have a blister on my thumb from using the pinking shears to cut more tatters!) Am trying to alleviate my excitement for the weekend by making lists of what I need to take. I always do this and I don't know why cause I never actually use them. Hope the weather stays nice for the walk anychance.
Really wishing I was better at using my sewing machine cause I would have had the thing finished by now. Handsewing a tattercoat is not fun (still, at least it's not as mindnumbing as handsewn boning channels. I still have nightmares about my first effort at replicating a late C16th pair of bodies. I've never worn them out (although they were a fantastic learning experience and, when I come to try it again, I'll have a much better idea of what I'm doing) but if I do find myself needing body armour (for whatever reason), they should be ideal!)

Found out that Sherlock Holmes and Avatar 3D will still be on at the cinema next week so have promised my self that I will finally get round to seeing Avatar and then I can go and see Sherlock Holmes again. Still, it's nice to know I'm getting my money's worth out of the Unlimited Card!

Fiddle class tonight and then will spend the rest of the evening sewing like a sewy thing. I've taken the whole of tomorrow off and I don't have to collect Trina until 1pm so I can sort out my stuff tomorrow morning, do some last minute sewing and possibly get some clarinet practice in.

After this weekend, I'm starting a health kick. I really do need to lose the weight I put on in the Autumn (and a little extra to be honest) and I could do with being fitter. Have bought a healthy diet cook book thing so will actually attempt to cook healthy stuff rather than living off my usual tuna, soy sauce, tomato and pasta mush. Must also take more exercise so shall have to get along to the irish set classes. (Am giving up on scottish country at the moment as, for starters, I have fiddle on the same night and it'd just be too much for one night and, also, my heart just isn't in the practices at the moment. I'll still try to get along to some dances this year (she says having already missed the Edinburgh one last weekend) but it's not the priority it once was.)
So there's that to do and the flat to finally finish tidying and rats to organise.

On the way home last night, spotted one of those strings of fake greenery for a £1. Bought it for no better reason than 'pretty' and 'I'm sure I can find a use for that' (which is possibly why there's no room to move in the burrow!). Anyhow, got it home and thought, 'That'll look great on my top hat!' and, sure enough, it does. So good buy, I feel. Also got some more work done on the tattercoat last night (It's actually starting to resemble something other than a shirt with scraps attached) It's going to be a close run thing but I might actually finish it in time for Hathersage! Also I found out that I've got a place on the Freaks in the Peaks canal boat trip so Huzzah!

Having not touched my clarinet since before Christmas, (much to my neighbours relief, I'm sure) I now have an irresistable urge to start again so I shall.

Also have a chance at getting a very good, very cheap rat cage so that is also very good.

Continuing to bounce about the Freaks weekend which isn't helping my sewing!

Well, was about to put fiddle in new case last night when the bridge collapsed. Fortunately, it wasn't broken (just horizontal) so I managed to resite it and retune the thing but definitely going to have to get a new bridge the weekend after next.

Rapper was good fun last night. We got through quite a lot and even had a go at putting together a simple workshop dance. The bar staff gave us all free haggis, neeps and tatties as well. Anything to stop us dancing I suppose.

Tonight I plan to make as much headway as I can on the tattercoat while watching Sherlock Holmes on DVD. I had forgotten just how good Jeremy Brett was!

( MOT )

On the subject of Freaks, I made a start on bringing the tatters and the shirt into conjunction this weekend. (Nothing like leaving it to till the last minute). I reckon, if I work at it, I may get it finished before the weekend. Will have to see. Did a lot of fiddle practice this weekend too. Tried a lot of the morris tunes. Am really liking the tune for Twiglet. May even possibly be able to play it at weekend (albeit slowly and badly).

Snark rapper is coming to Edinburgh. Although we can't get a full Mons Meg team together to tour with them, a few of us intend to follow them around and take in the Snark experience. Also, it's rapper, you just have to!

Tried to get hold of the GMC on the phone but nothing doing so have e-mailed them again with a long and detailed explanation of what has happened, what is currently happening and what would like to happen. Will see what this does.

On a positive note, the washing machine behaved itself this weekend, (no doubt because I didn't go anywhere near it while it was on) so I may let it live.

Apparently Sherlock Holmes is still on at the cinema but I managed to go the whole weekend without wandering along which is a good thing but I am not allowed to go again until the tattercoat is finished (Otherwise it will never be finished, ever!)

( Fiddle mishap )

Ooh, and we're entered in DERT!!!! Huzzah, let the nit-picking begin in earnest!

Didn't make it to Dot's thing last night cause I was completely knackered after fiddle class (where we're learning Auld Lang Syne in order to terrorise friends and family on Burn's Night!)

Getting increasingly nervous about Roger's MOT. Please let whatever he fails on be easily (and cheaply, but that's a more distant and subdued hope!) fixable, please.

Plan this weekend is to wander into town to pick up a couple of things, tidy the burrow, have another go at contacting the GMC, create the tattercoat, maybe go and see Avatar 3D (now that I can't be sidetracked into seeing Sherlock Holmes) and probably watch lots of Jeremy Brett Holmes episodes on DVD.

Have come to the conclusion that I can't remember how to do anything on Facebook (although that kind of assumes that I had a clue what to do with it in the first place!) May have to enlist some help in order to work out what to do with it. Other people have all these groups and photos and games and I can barely find the people I already 'friended'. I think I was meant for the age of steam at the latest! On that note, the washing machine has been laying low although this could possibly be because I've not used it since. Need to do washing this weekend. Will be operating the buttons with a long stick and then going to hide in the bedroom until it's done!

Freaks in the Peaks next weekend! Little bit excited now. Never been to Hathersage but have always known it as the home of Little John thanks to Robin of Sherwood.

( Killer Washing Machine )
( Roger and MOT )

Right, definitely tattercoat sewing this weekend otherwise I'll have nothing to wear in Hathersage (Other than everyday clothes obviously, cause that would be chilly!) and, damnit, I want my own tattercoat!

( IVFDF Musings )
Ian has put up some pictures of one of our early day rapper practices on Facebook. There is a very odd picture of me curled up on the ground. I'm still wondering what on earth I was doing.

Didn't really do much last night except watch Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes on DVD (The complete episodes DVD was on Amazon for £30. It usually costs over £100. Dot talked me into getting it. She didn't need to do a lot of work...). It's as good as I remember and Jeremy Brett is Sherlock Holmes. I suspect I'll start to feel a little sad when I reach the last series since that's the one where his health starts to go and you just see him go downhill on screen and yet the episodes are still great.

( Facebook Surprise )

Off to catch Sherlock Holmes at the cinema for the last time (I think it's ending it's run this week. I hope it's ending it's run this week, I might actually manage to get stuff done! It's Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean all over again!) and then I have to empty Roger of all the stuff that's currently living in him since he's booked in for his MOT on Friday (My bank account is cringing in anticipation!). Fiddle class tomorrow and then I might head to the Voodoo Bar to go and see Dot's pipe playing.

Very good rapper practice last night. With DERT looming, I suddenly go from ever so slighlty niggly to outright obsessive (please don't let me start dreaming about Flying Pixies again, please!) about figures. DERT's not till April and we don't even know if we've got a place in the competition yet and I'm already off! Doesn't bode well. Still we picked up on a lot of stuff that we need to correct in our Number 1 dance and we've pretty much got the basic shape of the Winlaton but we really need to start on the details.

Getting fairly excited about the Freaks in the Peaks weekend down in Hathersage at the end of the month. I will have my tattercoat finished, I will!

Must remember to book my ticket for IVFDF while I'm thinking about it, come to that. Don't think I'll get the bus down with New Scotland but will meander down in Roger since it's only to Durham. May even contemplate the train or bus. Will have a think on it.

Well, missed fiddle practice due to not feeling at all well. Am trying to remember what a sense of impending doom is symptomatic for but, for the life of me, I can't recall.

( Imagined Village )
( Winter Feast )
Meant to do something constructive on Sunday. Didn't though.

Well, due to unforseen circumstances, I'm not being accompanied to the cinema tonight. Now, I could still go and see Avatar (although chances are I will do what I normally do when there's a film I know I like on and mean to go and see Avatar and end up buying a ticket for Sherlock Holmes, which is fine, but not what I intended to do in the first place.), I could stay in and do a bit of work on my tattercoat or I could just acknowledge what will happen if I try and go to see Avatar with no-one to steer me and go and see Sherlock Holmes on purpose.
Hmm, will have to consider. Mind, the cinema is warmer than the burrow. Can always concentrate on the coat on Sunday.

Possibility of a rapper tour in Glasgow the weekend after this which could be fun.

Rapper practice last night was fun but not exactly energetic. This was partly because we had no musician but mostly because none of us were really awake. We did, as predicted, do a bit of stepping practice but I think I need to do quite a bit more in the burrow between fiddle practices to get up to scratch for DERT. Speaking of DERT, must send the booking form in.

Busy this week. Off to the library tonight, going to see Avatar in 3D with Vicki on Wednesday, fiddle class on Thursday, off to see The Imagined Village in Glasgow on Friday and then COSM's mid winter feast whatsit on Saturday. After that, Roger goes for his MOT.

It's very nice that the snow is now disappearing but the thaw is turning all the pavements into sheet ice and it's a little unnerving having to cling fences as I go (although, at least it's finally stopped my neighbour from cheerfully melting the ice outside our door each morning with water from her kettle...!) and that's with my walking boots on!

Must also get a move on with my tattercoat since the end of the month is creeping up. I have the shirt, I have the tatters, I just need to bring them into conjunction.

Had fun at Vicki's on Friday. We watched 'The Librarian; Quest for the Spear' which was hilariously bad. Apparently there are 2 sequels. Must look our for these.

Saturday was the Mons Meg ceilidh thing which has become known as 'The Soiree'. Was a little late meeting up with folks at Nobles (a pub which might have been built for rapper) for tea because I had to wait for the telephone repairman. On the other hand, I now have a working phone for the first time in months, which is nice. Now I just have to work on the Tv and the heating... Anyhow, had a nice tea (and got given a soft toy duck billed platypus by Trina. I have named him Bruce) and then decamped to The Village Inn. Absolutely fantastic evening.

( Soiree )
Anyhow, rapper tonight (I suspect we may be practicing stepping in 8's).

Started learning Mairi's Wedding at class last night. I found I was either singing along or running through the dance in my head so paying no attention to actually playing the thing at all. Might need to put a stop to that.

Yet another fire alarm this morning (I now strongly suspect a devious scheme by work to get us to go for walks in the morning!). There is now another snowbunny (with slightly better eyesight) flanking my snowgremlin.

Roger's behaving himself which makes me think he's up to something but at least it means I can get to the Post Office depot tonight to collect an Amazon parcel which (I hope) contains some books including 'The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard' by Arthur Conan Doyle which I used to have years ago in Northumberland but was sadly lost to time. Should also hopefully contain Vicki's Christmas present since I'm off there tonight. Have decided to leave the library till next week.

As well as Mons Meg's do, have a COSM meeting in Cupar on Sunday. Hope the roads are clear. Apparently we're organising cooking for our Mid-Winter Feast next week. I think I shall volunteer to make bread if I can since that's pretty much my limit in a modern kitchen. (Hopefully it should go better than my attempts at Linlithgow!)

Am planning to go along to the Irish Set classes when I get the chance (ie not this week cause of Vicki and not next week when I'm going to see The Imagined Village) so we'll see how that goes.