31st October 2019 - Halloween Again

Thought for the day:"I was going to tell a joke about decimation – but only one in ten will get it "

Halloween - and in Crete we have nothing - sheer bliss...

Compulsory Spinalonga Photo

 Nope - something missing ....

Better


Cheers

30th October 2019 - Just a thought - and bacon

Thought for the day :" Got myself a job clearing up leaves 🍁. I’m raking it in."

Just a thought traveling to Crete ...

29th October 2019 - Travel day and a Freemsonry Tale

Thought for the day:"Apparently your eyes are the last organ to expire – they dilate"

So  - a travel day so not much to report here

I did see this little story which is first of a book of tales form the Lodge Room, and village relating to Freemasonry - will leave it here for a reference in case I decide to read in the future...
 
Freemasonry - story

Best just do the cartoon I think ...

28th October 2019 - Mythodea Music Trailer - Was Hast du vermisst ?

Thought for the day :"Rolling out of bed in the morning is the easy bit.. getting off the floor is another problem"

Lliedi Installation this afternoon and then off to Crete - need to get some money out

But managed to get the Trailer out and ready for showing ...

What did you miss???
Was hast du vermisst?

May get back to some other stuff later - but if not then ...

Cheers !

27th October 2019 - Sunday - Chilled

Thought for the day :"I told my wife that men age like wine and get better with age!!  Can someone please let me out of the cellar… "

Spend a while putting a trailer together for Mythodea videos - thought it would be a better idea than just putting the videos out - I think it is a good link ..

waiting for it to process - it will probably be ready tomorrow

Meanwhile - Black Labradors seem to be getting into my newsfeed.

A blast from the past also showed up - must be getting near to Halloween

Enough for one day ...

Cheers !

26th October 2019 - King Alfred, Clocks, and Locations of Ill Repute

Thought for the day:"I’m in trouble – apparently the Clocks go back in October and I can’t remember where mine came from "

Seems Legit....

So, two days away in Leicester and two huge dinners and a few glasses of wine...
Now A knight of the Ancient Masonic Order of King Alfred - and of all the surprises - find that I return into the Lodge building with stolen banners from the Vikings... Yup - those banner were clearly a version of the Wolves Banner that I have fought under for many years...

The Ravens of Odin - Huginn and Muninn - must be why I feel so comfortable in this order...

The Valkyries arrive to gather the dead - Stormwolves Ritual

Defending the Wolves' Gate 

Into Battle

okay - not exact - but close enough 

And so I am now a Knight of the ancient Masonic Order of King Alfred..

So this is the Leicester Masonic Hall - a lovely building...

The lodge building has terrible acoustics with microphones used to try to allow the annual Lecture to be heard...  but was a good place to be...

And the dining - to be fair  - was of a good standard  but my catering associate and I could not understand the principle of supplying all the veg first and then bringing the meat !!!

I will admit - my argument was - allow the veg to sit in the serving dishes which were burning hot - and therefore stay hot!! allow the silver service to put the meat into the plate and then in a civilized fashion dish out the veg...   But no - everyone had to take their veg onto the plate because it was on the table!!!   Surrounded by Philistines.. Actually - the service was fast enough so nothing was cold - but it makes you think!!

And talking of my catering expert friend and colleague.
Apparently he  traveled up late - having had a meeting in North Wales on Friday Night.
Finding that the gates were shut for the Hall he parked int eh small lane adjoining the lodge and settled down for a few winks in the driver seat...
Unknown to him, it seems that Leicester Masonic Hall coincidentally is situated within the "Red Light District" of Leicester...   It seems that on four occasions he had a discrete knock on the window and a query whether he was looking "for business". He states that the offers were made from those who had to be described as "pretty rough" such that he felt it better to lock the car doors ...

Later enquiry to the management of the centre suggests that at least two "Houses of ill repute" were in that road itself ...  and similar incidents had been experienced in the past...

A corollary is that this tale was recounted at the festive board at which it was outlined that at least one other Masonic Centre - that of Rochdale, was apparently also int he depth of their red light district.. This prompted the concept of a new Masonic Study - and perhaps a subject for the Chevalier Lecture - studying the correlation of Masonic Centres and areas of Ill repute....

There is nothing within the tenets and rituals of Freemasonry which would suggest such a connection - but the impact of Freemasonry on Society is only just being realised through many studies and Research Degrees into Masonic Studies..  but the Social Impact of Freemasonry into society is undoubted..    It would be interesting to consider if there is such a link !!!

But now I am back from my travels ... I am enjoying a glass of scotch .. The Clocks will go back for an hour tonight   and I shall have a restful Sunday..

and on a political thought ...

Cheers !

25th October 2019 - Off to Leicester

Thought for the day:"I'm fed up with maths puns?? They are the the first sine of madness"

Happy Friday ...

So - I must go forth and spread Shenanigans....

Early start and a trip to Leicester for the Masonic Order of King Alfred and Athelstan Grand Court.
Luckily have managed to get a lift if I can find out what time they want me to meet them ....

So have some photos to keep going... Hawkestone Follies

iPhone XR Product Red

Meanwhile - in other news - a Trumpton appeared..

"We're building a wall on the border of New Mexico. And we're building a wall in Colorado," Trump said.
Colorado, located directly north of New Mexico, is not on the US-Mexico border.
Trump went on to say the wall would be "a big one that really works -- you can't get over, you can't get under."
"We're building a wall in Texas," he said. "And we're not building a wall in Kansas, but they get the benefit of the walls that we just mentioned."
Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis tweaked Trump over the remarks on Twitter.
"Well this is awkward ...Colorado doesn't border Mexico," Polis wrote. "Good thing Colorado now offers free full day kindergarten so our kids can learn basic geography."
You cannot make it up!!

Cheers !

24th October 2019 - Ramblings

Thought for the day :"I was offered a job as safety officer in a children’s playground. I think my career is on the slide."

Saw this and enjoyed - back to the woods....

Played around a little with Tags and Flickr... Seems that Adobe Flash is to be retired in 2020 so started looking for an alternative to Flash for slideshows...  Used to have a really nice application that scrolled all the photos around in a lovely fashion  - but that all went out the window a while ago

So trying one called Flickrembed ..... seems to work - this one is Mythodea

iPhone XR Product Red

Powered by flickr embed.
And a new Video .. More Trancas' Trabanten from the pre conquest party

Off to Leicester tomorrow .. Knight of King Alfred and Athelstan Grand Court

Cheers!

23rd October 2019 - Meetings and Mythodea Concert

Thought for the day :"What do we want? Procrastination – When do we want it? No rush"

Sounds a bit like Brexit to me!!

A day of committee meetings and rehearsals. Scarlet Cord Provincial arrangements for next year and installation details for next week in the Mark.

Have done a little video editing from last Mythodea and the pre event party  - here are Trancas' Trebanten.. which may mean something like Trancas' satellites...

Enjoy

Meanwhile - in History - The War of Jenkin's Ear ...

On 23rd October 1739, the War of Jenkins' Ear Began. It was a conflict between Great Britain and Spain that lasted from 1739 to 1748.

Robert Jenkins, from Llanelli, was captain of a British merchant ship, returning home from the West Indies when his ship was boarded by the Spanish on suspicion of smuggling. The Spanish commander bound Jenkins to the mast and cut off one of his ears. He then told him to tell his King, that he would get the same.

On his return, Jenkins exhibited his severed ear in Parliament and this was the spark that ignited a simmering resentment towards the Spanish, who had reneged on an agreement for Britain to sell slaves in Spanish America. After 1742, this war became part of the much larger, War of the Austrian Succession, in which most of the states in Europe became involved. In particular, France and Britain, who were fighting each other for control of the American and Asian Colonies.

Cheers !

22nd October 2019 - 31° Grand Inspector Inquisitor Commander

Thought for the day :"I have an unhealthy obsession with seaweed. Whatever I do I will see kelp."

Doing some welsh Lessons - got to two so far ...

In other news...  saw this and was impressed...

Retractable steps..

And so to a trip to London for the 31st Degree in the Ancient and Accepted Rite - or Rose Croix

Chequers Pub - the place where everyone gathers in Duke Street - and for London a reasonable price for baguette and Chips... which is more than you can say for the Overseas Club where a Gin and tonic costs £9.50.. A bit of a shock getting £1 change from a twenty for two gin and tonics!!! At least the wine flowed quite freely - luckily I had at least one member who was on Sober October and passed a glass over to us...

 Mason's Yard .. to the side of Chequers...

And best check the emails - Chris ...

And 10 Duke Street  The Grand East ...

And so ...

31° Grand Inspector Inquisitor Commander 

 The Outer Room

 The Dark Room ...

30° Grand Elected Knight Kadosh

And a train journey ...

But the train is like the Marie Celeste late at night - Trip through wales through the Vale of Glamorgan due to track problems - but they kept the Llanelli train back or it might have been 6am

First Class

And so - to bed !!!
Cheers !

21st October 2019 - Rugby and Written Answers

Thought for the day :"I swallowed the cat’s pills – don’t ask meow"

And so - as I head for Duke Street in London ...   here is the text of the letter sent by Boris ..

PM's signed letter

Dear Donald,

It was good to see you again at the European Council this week where we agreed the historic new deal to permit the orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on October 31.

I am deeply grateful to you, President Juncker and to all my fellow European leaders for the statesmanship and statecraft which enabled us to achieve this historic milestone. I should also register my appreciation for Michel Barnier and his team for their imagination and diplomacy as we concluded the negotiations.

When I spoke in Parliament this morning, I noted the corrosive impact of the long delay in delivering the mandate of the British people from the 2016 referendum. I made clear that, while I believe passionately that both the UK and the EU will benefit from our decision to withdraw and develop a new relationship, that relationship will be founded on our deep respect and affection for our shared culture, civilisation, values and interests.

We will remain the EU's closest partner and friend. The deal we approved at last week's European Council is a good deal for the whole of the UK and the whole of the EU.

Regrettably, Parliament missed the opportunity to inject momentum into the ratification process for the new Withdrawal Agreement. The UK Parliament Representative will therefore submit the request mandated by the EU (Withdrawal) (No.2) Act 2019 later today.

It is, of course, for the European Council to decide when to consider the request and whether to grant it. In view of the unique circumstances, while I regret causing my fellow leaders to devote more of their time and energy to a question I had hoped we had resolved last week, I recognise that you may need to convene a European Council.

If it would be helpful to you, I would of course be happy to attend the start of any A50 Council so that I could answer properly any question on the position of HM Government and progress in the ratification process at that time.

Meanwhile, although I would have preferred a different result today, the Government will press ahead with ratification and introduce the necessary legislation early next week. I remain confident that we will complete that process by 31 October.

Indeed, many of those who voted against the Government today have indicated their support for the new deal and for ratifying it without delay. I know that I can count on your support and that of our fellow leaders to move the deal forward, and I very much hope therefore that on the EU side also, the process can be completed to allow the agreement to enter into force, as the European Council Conclusions mandated.

While it is open to the European Council to accede to the request mandated by Parliament or to offer an alternative extension period, I have made clear since becoming Prime Minister, and made clear to Parliament again today, my view, and the Government's position, that a further extension would damage the interests of the UK and our EU partners, and the relationship between us.

We must bring this process to a conclusion so that we can move to the next phase and build our new relationship on the foundations of our long history as neighbours and friends in this continent our peoples share. I am passionately committed to that endeavour.

I am copying this letter to Presidents Juncker and Sassoli, and to members of the European Council.

Yours sincerely,

Boris Johnson

-o0o-

And so we have Rugby fever at the moment ... So for my friends who do not play Rugby I have found this quite accurate explanation ...

On the train to London so little time for any more ...

Cheers !

20th October 2019 - Vikings, Star Wars, Weddings, Ancient Rites

Thought for the day :"The average stripper weighs 112lbs according to one pole."

Happy Sunday .....

I saw a strange blog today - and one I decided that I would link to for future reading....
Star Wars as a Viking Saga..

"I am named Thrípíó Ditússon, and this man

is my brother Artú," said Thrípíó.

"Your clothes are very bloody," observed

Lúkr, "Were you in a fight?"

Thrípíó said, "We were on a ship when a

battle broke out. But we ourselves are no warriors."

But Lúkr took Artú's bloody cape and there

found the message written by Princess Leia. He

began to read it. "I am no runemaster," he said, "But

these words say, 'Help me, Víga-Óbívan

Kvæggansson; you alone would dare to avenge me.'

- by Jackson Crawford, professor of Old Norse language, myth, literature and culture, author of The Cowboy Havamal and the new Poetic Edda translation.

Worth looking at...

In other news - off to London tomorrow for my 31st Degree in the Ancient and Accepted Rite or Rose Croix..... and this pops up on my feed - ho hum !!!

But it is rather a nice piece of Regalia...

But today is Sunday - it is not raining ..  and my cold is receding so I think I have to go to the warehouse today and empty the trailer - so I can find the electric screwdriver - so we can screw down the bed boards so that we can reverse the mattress - which seems to be doing the job - I apparently am not snoring these days - that is a win anyway - even if a very expensive one !!! More important  - Susie has not had her bad back and neck for a while so that pays for itself ...

Got around to looking at the wedding photos from Tom and Alli's Wedding today ...

More on Flickr now

Of course 40 years ago there was another wedding ...  Susie did the dress and the Bridesmaid's dresses....  How young they look...

40 years ago

To complete your Sunday...
And of course an obligatory Green One !!!

Cheers !