Time Flies When You're Having Fun

This past week has been a very busy, fun filled week. The excitement started Thursday night as Edward and I hosted a small party in honour of Queen Victoria's birthday. It was also a housewarming party as it was the first event we have had at Davaar. Other than SL pulling it's usual shenanigans, all went well. The guests appeared to have a lovely time in the garden and I am very grateful to her Grace, the Duchess of Carntaigh and Sir Red Caliber for the wonderful music. Please refer to Sir Edward's journal for pictures since he had the presence of mind to take some and I did not.

Friday night was the dance in Steelhead, black and white being the theme. It was a riot! I scandalized a few people in my rather brief attire but I think it's good to shake people up now and again. Besides, my behaviour was as good as usual, so that's the main thing....right?

Saturday evening I was unavailable to attend her Grace, the Duchess of Loch Avie's super secret rez day party. I hear it was an enjoyable time, if rather lacking in clothing.

Sunday held a surprise "Pirates of the Caledonian" party as a fundraiser of the RFL. I was able to attend a small portion of the event, much to my sorrow. Later in the evening was the monthly Masquerade Ball at the Steelhead hotel, which Edward and I managed to win the best male and female! What a lovely surprise.

With all of this socializing, I'm afraid my efforts to get my bakery operational have been somewhat thwarted. I did manage to negoiate with Sir ZenMondo Wormser to do some scripting for my cookie plates so that the person may choose the cookie he or she desires from the assorted plateful. Hopefully I get more time to focus on this and Sir Edward's and my upcoming nuptuals!

THE Day is set!

It has finally been decided....at the most recent ball at Carntaigh Court, Sir Edward and I managed to settle on a date for our handfasting.

The war had thrown a bit of a spanner into the works, and sadly, patience is not my strongest virtue. However, I think I was able to bide my time with more calmness and sensibility than usual and now the date has been decided, although many of the details are still rather fuzzy.

We have settled on June 15, after a 46 day engagement. However, please be advised that the ceremony portion will be quite small, so I hope everyone manages to remain unoffended if they do not receive an invitiation.

I am looking forward to this day with great anticipation!

Miss Christine...You make GOOD cookies!!!

For those who have pointed out to me that my blog is exceedingly boring, I apologize. However, when one's beloved is in the armed forces and he is at war, it is prudent to stay close and keep the home fires burning. So, in the absense of being able to gad about and have adventures, I've been frantically trying to get everything in order for my bakery.

So far I've put together several plates of cookies in a variety of combinations. I will see which sell better and perhaps cull the rest out. I've also made a plate of doughnuts and some cupcakes. My biggest problem is deciding what colours of icing to make....I know it's really just a visual thing, but I suppose I could make a notecard that tells potential customers that if they don't like pink (or blue or green or whatever) icing, I would be happy to change it. I need to build up my inventory of cakes, preferably the lower prim variety.

On that note, I was pleased to make a cake on the Duchess of Loch Avie's request for the delightful and talented Miss Kate Nicholas' rez day party. It was a bit of a hurried job, so I intend to fix it properly. As well, Professor Alfonso Avalanche was ever so kind to make me an animation where one holds the cake on a plate and eats it with a fork (or spork as the case may be). Far more civilized than smushing the cake into your face, as I was forced to do before.

So, with any luck, my bakery will be open within the week. I've settled on the name "Rosehaven Recipes" and I'm hoping my beloved will make a sign for me as he is so talented (hint hint Sir Edward! *grins). I am looking forward this new venture. I'm hoping to include a few pies as well and would be willing to try my hand at other items, so if you have a favorite item, please let me know so I can attempt to include it in my inventory.

Whirl of Activity

Life has been quite busy for Sir Edward and myself lately. He is still healing from his wounds, but it would appear progress is being made, and for this I am very grateful. He's been occupied with various small building projects to keep himself occupied in his convalescence and I have been keeping busy with my baking.

I apologise for the lack of illustrations, but I think my baking (and building) skills are coming along nicely, with a little extra tutoring from my beloved. While I don't think I have the skills to quite make a cake suitable for a charming person of the opposite sex to jump out of just yet (what a strange idea...a terrible waste of perfectly good cake, but anyhow) I have made up cupcakes, some muffins, cookies and of course smaller cakes. I could do them in many colours, but I'm wondering if I should or just have a note that I can, if the customer is interested.

I've also been busy puttering in the gardens of Davaar and Rosehaven....I do love flowers. They add such a lovely and civilising touch, turning a building from being a house into a home. I found a sundial and an enchanted gazing ball for Davaar. They will give Percy (our pet peacock) something to look at as he wanders about.

Of course, Sir Edward's and my upcoming Handfasting has been quite pressing on my mind as well. I have found the most beautiful dress, which I plan on wearing. It is not a traditional white dress, but I don't care. I love it and I hope Sir Edward will agree when he sees me in it as well. We've also been discussing venues and such....we are planning on a small ceremony followed by a larger celebration after. At this time,we are thinking of having one part in Caledon and the other in Steelhead, which is very fitting. To say that I am very excited is a gross understatement!

There's been a flurry of building in both sims too....Steelhead is in a state of change, new shops appearing, new homes as well. Caledon's Steam SkyCity is being built up and Kittiwickshire is up too, although not wholly. Mr. Abel has told me he will be renovating his family estate there. It seems to have fallen into a little disrepair in his absence. I'm sure it will be a place of beauty and refinement when he is finished though.

I hope this war will be over soon....I am so wanting to get the plans for our handfasting underway and move onto happier things. Patience has never been my strongest virtue! Anyhow, I had best get back to baking if I am ever going to get my shop open. Now to think of a name......

Warning: Grains of Salt Required...perhaps the whole bag!

I have been mulling over the war as of late, thinking about some of the things that have happened to those I count among my friends because of it. Many of my good friends are quite heavily involved with this fundraising project, and one person who is very near and dear to me as well. I am rather discouraged with the responses they have had to their efforts and work, to the point where one person has been physically accosted while out shopping in Steelhead.

While I realize that not everyone shares the same point of view on this "war" (and really, isn't variety the spice of life?), I find that the escalation of attacks on these people who have spent vast amounts of their time to arrange, co-ordinate, plan, rehearse and otherwise have given a pound of flesh for this project disturbing. The bottom line is that this "war" (and yes, war is hell, but please....it happens all the time, usually not nicely scripted and following rules of conduct) is to raise money for a noble and worthwhile cause. I am also disheartened at the amount of people who, and pardon my choice of words, are whining that they were a) not consulted on this, b) were not asked to be involved in this c) disagree with this, so therefore it should not happen or d) think they know better than everyone else and therefore should be called in for their "expert" opinion. To my knowledge, no one involved with this war is a 4 star general or a military strategy planner. At the end of the day, this is a GAME. Surely to goodness there are far more pressing issues to be found at hand than these! I feel for the volunteers who have put forth such effort to be called down, ridiculed, belittled and even attacked by others.

I do realise this post is coming off as a bit of a rant, but so be it. Perhaps it is my own experiences as a volunteer in RL that are driving this, I do not know, but I do know that a good way to kill your community spirit and make your volunteers to quit is to critizise them, pick their efforts apart, attack, whine and complain with a self-righteous look upon your face. The ironic thing is, it is usually those same persons who are the first to raise the cry of "There's nothing to do! Why doesn't anyone plan something???"

I honestly don't know if there will be another event of this magnitude in Caledon. Perhaps time will dull some of the hurt and aggravation. I know lessons have been learned from this, but whether the group of people who are behind this venture will plan another is anyone's guess.

I suppose the bottom line is this....if you are one of those people who have been more of a stumbling block than a stepping stone, it's time to take a good look at your actions. Wouldn't more be accomplished if you held your tongue, said some words of encouragement (and really, even something like "Thank you for raising money for cancer" would be great...I'm not asking anyone to start loving war or fights or such...this is about fighting cancer) and then perhaps offered to help, even in a "behind the scenes" sort of way for the next event? I am reminded of something my 4th grade teacher said to us as a class..."When you point a finger at someone else, there are 3 pointing back at you". To those of you who have gamely played along with this, even if you aren't into roleplay, I thank you. This isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I'm sure with some common respect, we can all co-exist together on the grid.

*steps off of her soap box*

That is all, thank you.

Beltane and a Most Wonderful Question

Last evening a festival called Beltane was held at the Duchess' estate in Loch Avie. Edward was feeling strong enough to attend, so we donned our Celtic inspired garments and attended.

It was a lot of fun...there was a delightful Maypole which was cleverly done and lots of fun and revellry. I was enjoying myself immensely dancing around the maypole until I noticed my dear Sir Edward had stopped dancing. Fearing that he was not feeling well, I stopped too...but he seemed to be in good health, so I accepted the invitation to dance with the Fairy Darkling Elytis. No sooner had I started dancing, then Her Grace, Gabrielle Riel made an annoucement over her sound system and then my beloved joined her on the air. "What a pleasant surprise!!" I thought, as I continued to dance. However, it soon became apparent that I should stop dancing.

To prevent myself from waxing profound about how lovely and wonderful and simply marvelous and amazing, not to mention sweet and dear and.........*sighs dreamily with her hands clasped to her chest* My beloved Sir Edward Pearse asked me to join him in Handfasting on air, in front of all the guests at Beltane. I am so delighted to become his betrothed....mere words alone cannot express my joy and happiness!

We haven't set a date as of yet....we are looking at after the hostilities settle down between Caledon and Neualtenberg. We are looking at a smaller ceremony and then a larger celebration afterwards...nothing is written in stone yet, but I'm sure I'll keep everyone posted.

May 1 will always be remembered with the most fond feelings. *smiles with her eyes shining*

The Four Sweet Months

First, April, she with mellow showers,

Opens the way for early flowers;

Then after her comes smiling May,

In a more rich and sweet array;

Next enters June that brings us more

Gems, than those two that went before;

Then lastly July comes and she

More wealth bring in than all those three

-Robert Herrick

Taken from the Alexandra Readers, Second Reader published 1908