12th September 2012 - Missed a day yesterday..

Not sure what happened yesterday... seems that the day came and went and never a moment to get onto the Blog!!
Managed to take the empty kegs back to Glamorgan Ales and as agreed they took the two Carlsberg back. Had hoped that the hot weekend would have given the opportunity to sell the Lager and Cider as well as the ales - but the lack of advertising meant that there really were only a few public around. Last year was not good for public, and Caldicot have never really pushed the advertising for the event - but this time everything was looking good - the weather was fine, the traders were up, the re-enactors were up - but the whole sale ratio was very difficult.  Have not done the sums yet - and there is no doubt that we made money - but a lot less than I would have liked for the last big event for the Crimson Moon in our hands.

Bonus - they also took one of the spare kegs of Ffarwel Haf - the Summer Ale - which was not the agreement - but as the ale had been well looked after - they were happy.

Managed to get some more oil for the Biodiesel - so another batch started last night.

Also looked at options to have the laptop repaired - seems that about £100 plus VAT will be the cost - which is not excessive - but needed to get the pictures the videos and the music transferred before letting it go for repair - as for many - it is my only copy other than the ones uploaded to Youtube.
Found a second hand laptop in Cash Converter - the Pawn Shop in town, which seemed a good specification and for the cash  came to £300 .... So decided to get a new one as well as the old - will get the old repaired in due course.  Spent a little time converting some software and learning Windows 7.

Managed to empty a few things out of the Van - but did not get to the Trailer....  Will have to do that this morning.

Up at 8am, Susie out - probably doing the Diesel - so a few minutes to catch up before going to make a cuppa...

10pm - and a successful day .
Went shopping for the holiday and spent some money - not too much - but enough for a set of clothes for a trip to Crete.
Trailer is empty and ready for set up with the kitchen for Hadrian's Wall
Van is empty except for a few boxes of mead for the Mortimer's Cross this weekend.
Ordered another 9 cases of Wines for the weekend to be delivered to site tomorrow,.
Have put the last set of photos onto the machine - but need to work on them before putting up onto Facebook and FLICKr

Misty Morning at Caldicot - Crimson Moon 

Copying videos from the old Lap top to the new one.


Worked upon figures for the business over the last four years for prospective purchasers.
 Now  watching Stallone in the Assassins - and resting ...
Maybe better get a glass of scotch ...

10th September - 2012 - Home again - Post EMA 

Sitting at home with a Chinese meal in my tummy and a glass of red wine ( well a couple actually) back home, at 9pm - washed, showered, warm ( well sort of ) and very tired!!.

Managed to get the 4-master down last night immediately after the public left the event at 5pm. All the canvass away with the threat of rain for the morning - so taking advantage of the moment to get the canvass away dry. Also separated into sections - for a little final repair before moving on. The 4 Master will not be use again by us!!  It will be packed now for the sale.

Then a very pleasant evening in the 2 master,   with some of our friends in the Early Medieval Alliance staying and having a pint or two and some meads while we sang some old songs and enjoyed the fire.

And the rain started about 9pm yesterday - and continued for the night. But we were warm and dry - the tarpaulin over the bedroom keeping all the water out.

Morning saw a wet ground and wet tent - but the sun was trying to break through...
Took until 4pm to sort all the bar and contents, and get everything stacked away  - and we dodged a rain shower or two - but over all the sides and main canvass went away dry. Thanks once again to the Weather Gods for looking after us !!!

Will look at the pictures to morrow - only took a few but hoping there will be a few worth while to remember the event by.
Had many people say nice things about the Moon and ourselves - I think we may be missed !!1.

But now - sheer exhaustion is setting in ...
Night !

5th September 2012 - The year is flowing away !!

Seems like only a week ago that I started the Blog - but that was back in April and a whole season has come and gone since then. Still - one last load of the van for a Big event and then just the small events before the end of the year.

Managed to upload some photographs of the party in Exmouth while it was quiet yesterday.

Susie was up at 7am getting the Bio-diesel started and now it is 9am and a cup of tea and a quick check of the Blog and the emails before I start the big load.

Sadly will have to empty most of the van and trailer to get the extra stuff in - even though I will be needing most of the kit that is in both - but they will need to be packed differently. Is always the way !

Things to remember: Party Plastics, Cash flow, Orange and Vodka - not in any particular order !!
If I get the chance I will get the T shirts ordered and some new badges for those who served at the "Ta Ta Tiffin" ..

Tabs are still trickling in form the Renewal - at least half are in now and I will expect the rest over the weekend.

So - teas is finished - best get some work done !!

Time now 7pm - and work mainly done. Trailer was fairly easy to re-adjust and fill - brought it around the front of the house with the car - could not have done that with the old Suzuki!! Managed to get all the crates in - except anything for the kitchen tomorrow. The van was more about taking everything out and putting the bar pieces in and then re-filling the van -we are taking more than we need -cos I could not find all the bits of canvass to sort -but that is not really important - we can sort that at Caldicot. Weather still holding and looks good.

Got change - decided on £500 in pound coins and £200 in fifty pence - have a few in twenty and tens available as well.
Did not get to the T Shirt place in time - so will email the order through this evening.
Think we will have to drop off at Bookers on the way to get the Coke and Vodka and more Gin. This we can get away with everything else - may need orange in the end - but cannot get to the fridge to find how much we have left - I think it is a few slabs.
Party Plastics tonight to get the Pint pots - we have about a thousand wine glasses and about 2,000 1/2 pints which we can use for wine if we get short.
I think we will buy in 3 boxes - that is 2,100 pints - that will leave us a stock of about a box for the new buyers.

Sunset at Exmouth

Birthday Cake for Erin

Torren  and Oma

Stu in charge of the BBQ 

4th September 2012 - Back to normal then ...

The small heat wave of the last two days has dissipated ... and only two days to get ready for the next one.. Seem to have drifted a little yesterday!

Had the bill form McGee's for the beer last event and quesdtioned the price on one keg - but otherwise we both had a good event methinks. I have taken three Eagle onwards with me towards this event - but otherwise we will be all paid for with a little money in the bank.

A little disappointed that the couple that we expected to be with us for the weekend are now no longer with us for set up and the weekend. Which means that we are short of staff really. I have not tried to arrange anyone else as there were four of us there . Luckily - Tarn has taken the weekend off and will be coming to join us.

Dentist this morning - seem to have lost a filling over the weekend but managed to get an emergency appointment..  

Firepit at Exmouth

Managed to get some more cooking oil for the biodiesel - but too late to start it until this evening as it needs to settle for 12 hours after initial heating.

Van insurance sorted - quoting me £506 for renewal - but Go Compare gave me £386 for the same - so they decided to equal that and give me a £25 voucher to renew the Market Trading Membership which we will continue with even though we are selling the business. Didn't get a Meerkat though as I went back to Market Traders.

Seems that I only have to give a couple of days notice for cancelling the credit card system - so that will not prove a problem.

Dentist was simple - quick change of the filling as there was no deterioration of the tooth underneath.
Vitis wines sorted - getting a selection of meads in 6 cases - and 8 cases of the more popular fruit wines delivered to the site - and 10 cases of Moniack  from Lyme Bay ...

Glamorgan Beer - I have ordered 4 x Ffarwell Haf - been popular in the past - 4.5% and a blonde ale ... to add to the 3 Eagle that I am taking from last event, ordered  4 x Black Rat as well and asked about sale or return on a couple of Lagers...

Need to think about change again tomorrow, T shirts still have not been ordered, ho hum
Tomorrow will be load the van day I think ...

3rd September 2012 - Back to Wales ...

Well, a couple of fine days by the seaside - but despite the sunshine and the wonderful views and the company, it was really time to get back onto the M5 and M4 and return home.

Took the opportunity of  calling in at Caldicot Castle to examine the ground - which was wet but not excessive - so should be suitable for the weekend. Contacted Vitis Wines and found that it will be necessary to get the Moniack from Lyme Bay direct - so will get a 1/4 pallet of fruit wines and other meads sent from Vitis direct to the Castle.

Other tasks for today

1. Order new T shirts - paid for at last event
2. Cancel Streamline the Credit Card service as we will be ceasing trading in a month 
3. Van Insurance - due on the 8th 
4. Details to be sent to Crete regarding flight times .... 
5. 
   

2nd September 2012 - Exmouth....

Oh well - the original decision was to pop down today and stay over while the rest of the family went back to work...  The second plan - updated, was to travel down yesterday and have an evening around the firepit and then come back today...
Somehow - during the evening - the decision was to have another Gin and Tonic and not drive back today.....  So it is now lunchtime at Exmouth - overlooking the sea - grandkids are on the beach, Stu and I are in the living room on laptops while Susie and the Girls are building a gate in the fence between houses.

Slightly a role reversal - but not really for us!!

A few songs around the camp fire last night and a fairly early night for us - probably about 3.30am and sleeping on the floor but fairly comfortable..

One of the shots from the Tavern weekend...

Can't update from the new photos as not able to use my own laptop as the screen smashed when it fell off the fridge in the tavern!!   And if you wonder why it was on the fridge it was because I was using it as a music machine with the Angry Bird Speakers...

Now have a choice as to whether to replace the screen on the lap-top - which will probably be the best option and the cheapest.

Have to think about the next event tomorrow - Caldicott Castle and the Early Medieval Alliance.
For the moment - it will be a chill day at the seaside...
   

1st September 2012  - Summer is over ...

Well - surprise surprise - Summer is over they say because we are now officially into September and the Autumn. However - we seem to have lost Summer somewhere in the midst of the rain and storms of July and August.

But Renewal is over - we have been away for two weeks pretty well and back home. Most of the weather at the event was fairly good - sunshine with a few real downpours. Of course - the take down is always the important thing. Weather forecast was poor so we were up at 7am to get the 5 master down in the dry - and succeeded in getting everything packed. The two master was still up and we were getting on well when we get a phone call from my daughter - living 20 minutes away - asking if we were getting VERY wet !!!

Of course - as soon as I said that we had had no rain - it was jinxed......   Ten minutes later and the skies opened and we were soon soaked - pack up by 3pm - which was pretty good for a full set of canvass and a long drive home in the rain...

But we had a good time and the opportunity to say goodbye to everyone in Curious Pastimes - which was - after all where the Crimson Moon started......
Opportunity for a party at the Tavern on Sunday afternoon after the battle.

Ta Ta Tiffin at the Tavern was advertised and on the Facebook Event Page over 290 people stated that they would be attending. I think we exceeded the number. We set up tables under the canopy and used some old red banquet roll that had been hanging around since a wedding last year - and Susie and the girls including grandchildren dutifully iced all the fairy cakes - many of them as Green Ones !
Then hundreds of scones with Jam and Squirty Cream... just to continue the controversy as to whether  the jam goes on first (of course) or the cream !!!

But a fine time was had by all - and some lovely gifts were forthcoming......

As a last event it went very well......

Late decision that we would head down to Exmouth and celebrate Erin's 6th Birthday around the firepit and Pimms and Wine.....  so that is what we did...