Maid for All Seasons

Let it Snow

2008-12-26T20:50:00.001Z

Nearly done and dusted

2008-11-28T17:08:00.006Z

I am so pleased to see Miss Laval's forthcoming exhibition at my favourite library.

I dusted in preparation.

Cloud Busting

2008-10-10T16:12:00.002+01:00

Relay for Life

2008-05-15T18:52:00.003+01:00

Due to RL commitments, I will have to wave a fond farewell to the virtual world that we call Second Life.

Thank you for visiting.

Tulips from Amsterdam

2008-04-12T15:03:00.002+01:00

Horse is a horse (or a camel)

2008-04-10T17:55:00.004+01:00

If you visit Port Babbage, don't be too surprised if a horse and cart approaches you and asks if you want a ride.

I spent a lovely tour of the environs sat in the back of a buggy.

Mr Django Camel is apparently available for weddings and any other events.

Out damn spot

2008-04-10T17:50:00.003+01:00

The Red Flag Act

2008-04-06T11:25:00.008+01:00

Oooh.. as I was a dusting around Mr Sand's Emporium, I saw this strange horseless carriage. Looking at the picture, it is "steered" by the gentleman and not a horse.

Further investigation shows that...

Reaction to the introduction of the motor car varied from country to country. In Great Britain it was seen as a threat to the established order, as had been the steam-driven vehicles that preceded it, and restrictive legislation was enacted. The most famous such piece of legislation was that of 1865 which became known as the Red Flag Act. This superseded the Locomotive Act of 1861 and required mechanically-propelled vehicles
~to give priority to horses or horse-drawn traffic;
~be fitted with two efficient and conspicuous lights, one at each side on the front, from an hour after sunset to an hour before sunrise;
~have at least three people to 'drive or conduct' the vehicle, one of whom had to walk at least sixty yards in front of it carrying a red flag to warn horse riders or horse-drawn traffic of its approach.
Keep an eye out for red flags!

A Walk In The Park

2008-04-06T07:16:00.003+01:00

It's lovely getting time off.

On a Sunday, servants are usually allowed a hour or so for a walk in the park.

Seeing as my uniform is in desperate need of a clean and a repair, I nipped into my Master's Chamber and borrowed some clothes. I'm sure he won't mind and I must admit, I think they look quite good!

Shimmy me timbers

2008-04-06T06:14:00.003+01:00

Miss Laval has the most delightful clothes for sale at her Emporium. I urge you to visit soon.

Fashions certainly are changing too.

Ankles!!

In olden days a glimpse of stocking
Was looked on as something shocking,
But heaven knows,
Anything Goes.

inSaneLy

2008-04-03T13:54:00.004+01:00

inSuLar

inStabiLity

What's your favourite word?

Catch Up

2008-03-27T06:36:00.003Z

A lot has happened since I've been away. New lands, new people and a new captain at the helm (farewell Philip, we shall miss you greatly).

I was happy to see that the fair Loch Avie is still as beautiful as I remember. As I arrived at the station, I see that a musical is going to be staged around the fair land of Caledon and I didn't hesitate to volunteer my services to help (maybe even showing an ankle or two). All in aid of a very good cause "Relay for Life 08".

I have so much post to get through. Better make myself a cup of tea, sit down and get on with it.

It may take a while.

A Chorus Line

2008-03-26T23:34:00.001Z

Coming Soon.

Windlight

2007-11-16T08:23:00.001Z

A New Sunset

A New Night

A New Dawn

Moment of Silence

2007-11-11T11:00:00.002Z

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

— John McCrae

Dodge City

2007-11-10T17:42:00.000Z

Knees Up Mother Brown

2007-11-09T14:42:00.000Z

Skating with the snowman (and dancing the can-can) has aggravated my Housemaid's Knee.

It's a condition I have suffered with many a year due to scrubbing the floors of the Workhouse as a young lass.

I was lucky to leave there when I did. You have to be thankful for small mercies I suppose...

I sometimes look up at the bit of blue sky
High over my head, with a tear in my eye.
Surrounded by walls that are too high to climb,
Confined like a felon without any crime,
Not a field nor a house nor a hedge I can see -
Not a plant, not a flower, nor a bush nor a tree...
But I'm getting, I find, too pathetic by half,
And my object was only to cause you to laugh;
So my love to yourself, your husband and daughter,
I'll drink to your health with a tin of cold water:
Of course, we've no wine, not porter, nor beer,
So you see that we all are teetotallers here.

James Withers Reynolds

An unfortunate man who spent some time in Newmarket
workhouse later became known as ‘the workhouse poet’.
This is how he described life there in a verse letter to his sister,
‘Written from Newmarket Union’, 1846

Countdown to Christmas

2007-11-08T22:48:00.002Z

Christmas is generally a busy time in the Household so before all the madness begins, I thought I'd have some fun.

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen...

2007-11-06T22:23:00.000Z

I'm not a Kitchen Maid by trade. I can easily burn a pan of water without trying very hard. However I do enjoy singing, (quite badly and mostly out of tune) whilst making my own words up to songs as I dust.

The following can be sangalong with "I'm in the mood for love"

I'm in the mood for soup
Simply because I made some
And simply because I made some
I'm in the mood for soup

Vegetables that I fry
Prior to adding water
Cumin and coriander
I'm in the mood for soup

My pot in winter weather
It'll see some soups I've made
We've put our veg together
Now in the pan, I'm not afraid

And I feel proud because
If it should boil, we'll let it
But, oh please, don't forget it
I'm in the mood for soup

Pour toutes les saisons

2007-11-04T11:16:00.001Z

With grateful thanks to Henri Toulouse Lautrec (and his artwork) for inspiring me.
For more information visit here

Voulez vous Can-Can

2007-11-03T21:58:00.001Z

Having read up on burlesque, I decided to visit Le Moulin Rouge.
It's an option I suppose. I like to dance.

History of Can-Can

Can-can first made it's appearance in the working class ballrooms of Paris in 1830.

Further reading shows:

"who knew that the French cancan had revolutionary roots, and the dance is coded, physically coded? It's a language. It's a grammar among a group of people...it was incredibly defiant but coded so the dancers wouldn't all end up in the Bastille. The cancan is entertainment, but behind the entertainment is a much deeper and smarter meaning"

Don't put your daughter on the stage..

2007-11-03T15:02:00.000Z

The Theatre in Caledon Penzance.

I wonder what entertainment will be on offer? The Theatre isn't officially open as yet (neither is the sim), but I had a wander by on my rounds. Duster in hand, of course. There is a bit of construction dust but as it's work in progress, I didn't spend much time cleaning as only more dust will appear.

I sneaked a look inside and my, it does look very grand.

Research shows that Burlesque was popular in the Victorian Era.

Originally, burlesque featured shows that included comic sketches, often lampooning the social attitudes of the upper classes, alternating with dance routines. It developed alongside vaudeville and ran on competing circuits. In its heyday, burlesque bore little resemblance to earlier literary burlesques which parodied widely known works of literature, theater, or music.

Possibly due to historical social tensions between the upper classes and lower classes of society, much of the humor and entertainment of burlesque focused on lowbrow and ribald subjects.

The genre originated in the 1840s, early in the Victorian Era, a time of culture clashes between the social rules of established aristocracy and a working-class society.
The popular burlesque show of the 1870s though the 1920s referred to a raucous, somewhat bawdy style of variety theater. It was inspired by Lydia Thompson and her troupe, the British Blondes, who first appeared in the United States in the 1860s.

Surprisingly, early Burlesque was produced, written and performed mostly by women.

Here are some interesting links to read .

The History of Burlesque
http://www.musicals101.com/burlesque.htm

Popular Entertainment in Victorian Britain
http://www.victorianweb.org/mt/index.html

Important Dates in Burlesque History
http://www.anatomyofburlesque.com/datesframe.htm

c.1890 Young Man's scrap book of pictures
http://www.costumes.org/HISTORY/galleryimages/1890sloperia/index.ht

Singalong

2007-11-03T08:18:00.000Z

Oh I love to go a-dustering
Around sweet Caledon's land
And where I go, I love to clean
With a duster in my hand

Val-deri, Val-dera,
Val-deri,
Val-dera-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha
Val-deri, Val-dera.
My duster in my hand

I love to wash all the glass
Enhance all that I see
Polish all the wood and brass
then have a cup of tea...

Visiting the Titanic

2007-11-01T08:30:00.002Z

Happy Pumpkin Day

2007-10-31T07:59:00.001Z

I'm busy dustin' pumpkins
Dustin the whole day through
(Trying to find my suitcase too)
I'm busy dustin' pumpkins
Just look at all the grime
I'd like to wish you a
Happy Pumpkin Day too

Titanic

2007-10-29T21:33:00.000Z

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Volcano Cay/172, 167, 23

To read about the Titanic visit Encyclopedia Titanica which lists biographies of most of the passengers and crew aboard. The ship hit the iceberg on her maiden voyage at 11.40pm on the 14th April 1912 and she sank at about 2.20am on 15th April 1912.

712 were rescued and 1496 souls perished.

Further research shows that there were 20 Personal Maids on board. All were saved.

Incidentally, one of the crew was an "Archie Jewell" click here to read his story. And click here to read his testimony at the official inquiry to the tragedy.

Happy Halloween

2007-10-29T17:54:00.001Z

I have been very busy dusting the pumpkins...

Chichen Itza

2007-08-20T19:15:00.001+01:00

Chichen Itza can be found in the Mexico sim (unlike my suitcase)
(181,60,41)

It's a chronological conundrum as scientists are unsure when it was built

I was surprised to see it raining when I arrived.. I hadn't brought a jacket with me.

CEBSC Thursday 16th August 12pm SLT

2007-08-14T15:02:00.001+01:00

Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise....Our two weapons are fear and surprise... and ruthless efficiency....Our three weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope....Our four... no...Amongst our weapons... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise...

I'll come in again.

(Ladies.. for all your facial hair needs, a visit to Mr Enoch will brighten your day...and put hairs on your chin.)

Thank you again, Sir.. a star!

Garden Croquet

2007-08-14T10:14:00.000+01:00

Here is the pretty (yet pretty useless) set of croquet mallets and balls that I came across. It is a shame that you can't play with them.

I've come across the rules of Garden Croquet which can be found here. (uk site)

Although in America, "Backyard Croquet" or Nine Wicket Croquet can be found here.

An amusing quote from The Lakewood Croquet Club rules:

Section 45, Paragraph 1: Speaking in Tongues
"God save the Queen..."
As much as possible, competitors should attempt to speak only in pompous, over-the-top, grating approximations of British accents during match play. These accents should be somewhere in the region of the dialect displayed in early Monty Python movies. Players should also attempt to invoke the name of the Queen as often as possible, as well as belittling opponents by referring to them as members of Oasis. Of course, players who are not capable of a proper, obnoxious British accent should refrain from even attempting to speak in such a manner during match play. These players should allot a reasonable amount of practice time outside of matches to correctly perfect the accent so that it can be used in later match play.

Antiquity Snapshots

2007-08-08T21:30:00.001+01:00

Waiting

2007-08-07T20:06:00.001+01:00

Flea Circus

2007-08-07T15:56:00.000+01:00

Do the okey -Croquet

2007-08-04T21:06:00.001+01:00

Brighthelmstone..

2007-08-04T16:10:00.000+01:00

Better known as Brighton.

I have been travelling around the grid to see if there are any builds of Brighton in world but I have not been very successful. (any ones you know about please leave a comment)

I came across this "Brighton Pier"

The Prince Regent spent much of his leisure time in Brighton and commissioned the exotic and expensive Royal Pavilion as a "holiday home" for him and his mistress. Or so the story goes.

You would think such a fine building would have a facsimile inworld. But as far as I could search, No Royal Pavillion. Which is a shame.

According to resources, between 1815 and 1822 the designer John Nash redesigned the palace.

Linden Labs are situating their new UK office in Brighton , coincidence or just strange... you decide.

History: Regency Fashions

2007-08-04T10:14:00.001+01:00

The Gentlewomen of the Regency period temporarily abandoned tightly laced corsets in favour of a high-waisted, natural figure. The Empire Line was born. Although the Empire line was named after the First French Empire and not the British one.

The material used was often white muslin (almost transparent) although young ladies could also wear softer shades such as pinks, periwinkle blue, or lilacs.

The more mature matrons were advised to wear stronger colours such as Purple, black, crimson, deep blue or yellow.

Useful links to read more

http://fashion-era.com/regency_fashion.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1795-1820_in_fashion

http://locutus.ucr.edu/~cathy/reg3.html

http://janitesonthejames.blogspot.com/

http://www.janeausten.co.uk/index.ihtml

History: Regency

2007-08-04T09:58:00.001+01:00

I've been hearing that Caledon Regency is under construction and being an inquisitive soul I have to read and find out when exactly was "The Regency" period.

According to the Aethernet, the English Regency period refers to the years 1811-1820. There was a French Regency (Régence) period that occured earlier between 1715 to 1723.

King George III being incapacitated with mental illness, his son, The Prince Regent, took control of the throne so to speak.

It was a time characterised by distinctive fashions, politics and culture.

Profile : Nancy

2007-08-03T18:52:00.000+01:00

"They wore a good deal of hair, not very neatly turned up behind, and were rather untidy about the shoes and stockings. They were not exactly pretty, perhaps; but they had a great deal of colour in their faces, and looked quite stout and healthy. Being remarkably free and easy with their manners, Oliver thought them to be very nice girls indeed. Which there is no doubt they were. [Oliver Twist, p.62]"

In the first edition, Dickens writes in the introduction that 'Nancy is a prostitute,'. We don't know exactly what has led Nancy astray but was presented as a part of Fagin's gang from an early age. She was a trained thief who longs for a better life. She works at a public bar, drinks heavily, and has a side job as a prostitute even though she was Bill Sikes' girl.

"Beginning in the late 1840s, major news organisations, clergymen and single women became increasingly interested in prostitution, which came to be known as "The Great Social Evil." Although estimates of the number of prostitutes in London by the 1850s vary widely (in his landmark study, Prostitution, William Acton reported that the police estimated there were 8,600 in 1857 London alone), it is enough to say that the number of women working the streets became increasingly difficult to ignore."

"While the Magdalen Hospital had been "reforming" prostitutes since the mid-18th century, the years between 1848 and 1870 saw a veritable explosion in the number of institutions working to "reclaim" these "fallen women" from the streets and retrain them for entry into respectable society—usually for work as domestic servants."

Definition: Kitchen Maid

2007-08-03T18:27:00.001+01:00

A kitchen maid's salary was slightly more than that of the scullery maid. She got a a pricely sum of £15.00 per year (about $30.00). Her day started at 6.30am but generally ended at 9.30pm.

In large households, the head kitchen maid is an under-cook and assumes many of the plain-cooking responsibilities. In small households, the kitchen maid prepares vegetables, game and poultry, does the dairy-work, and bakes the bread. If there is no stillroom maid, she makes the cakes for luncheon, tea and dessert and the rolls for breakfast. She keeps the kitchen clean and keeps things in order.

She is only allowed upstairs once a day, to attend Morning Prayers. Otherwise she spends all her time between her bedroom in the attic and the Kitchen. She usually dines in the kitchen with the scullery maid.

Gin toddies -- large measures --

2007-08-02T22:21:00.000+01:00

"Small pleasures, small pleasures,
Who would deny us these?
Gin toddies -- large measures --
No skimping if you please!
I rough it. I love it.
Life is a game of chance
.I'll never tire of it --
Leading this merry dance.
If you don't mind
having to go without things,
It's a fine (second) life!

Your own imaginations

2007-08-02T17:11:00.001+01:00

My sewing skills are still, how shall we put this.. messy but I managed to fashion a likeness of Nancy's dress from the well known Mr Dicken's book, Oliver Twist. (well according to the musical Oliver!)

"There's a little ditty,
They're singing in the city,
Espeshly when they've been
On the gin
Or the beer.
If you've got the patience,
Your own imaginations
Will tell you just exactly what you want to hear... "

Definition: Scullery Maid

2007-08-01T22:07:00.000+01:00

So what exactly does a Scullery Maid do?

According to the dictionary, the word "Scullery" comes from :

"Old French escuelerie, from escuelier, keeper of dishes, from escuele, dish, from Vulgar Latin *sctella, alteration (influenced by sctum, shield) of Latin scutella, salver, diminutive of scutra, platter."

Scullery maids were the lowest ranking of the female servants. They had the most physical and demanding tasks in the kitchen. Being at the bottom of the servant hierarchy meant they were mocked and ridiculed by upper servants and completely ignored by members of the household.

Duties included, cleaning the floor, stoves, sinks, pots, pans and dishes. They would rarely handle the fine china due to the expense if they were damaged. They were sometimes expected to collect water and empty females servants chamber pots.

They worked from 6.00am in the morning to 11.30pm at night with poor wages to compensate them. All this for £13.00 per year (about $26.00 per year)

If the household was not wealthy enough to employ a junior parlour maid and a scullery maid, they may employ a ‘tweeny’. They were nicknamed 'tweenies' because they worked 'between stairs' in the basement helping the cook or upstairs in the family rooms with the parlour-maid. She would usually get a Sunday afternoon off but was expected to attend church in that time. She would get one week's holiday a year.

There was an old woman

2007-07-29T09:51:00.001+01:00

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe,
She had so many children she didn't know what to do!
So she gave them some broth without any bread,
And she whipped them all soundly and sent them to bed!

There are two theories of the history of this rhyme - both in English History.

The first references Queen Caroline as the 'old woman'. Caroline was the wife of King George II who had eight children.

The second theory places King George as the 'old woman'. King George was the one to begin the men's fashion of wearing white powdered wigs, thus making him the old woman. The 'children' in this theory are the members of parliament and the bed was the Houses of Parliament. The term 'whip' is still used in the English Parliament to describe a member of Parliament who is assigned to making sure that all members 'toe the party line'.

Plaque: to the Future

2007-07-28T09:19:00.000+01:00

The plaques that I fashioned (before breakfast) have now been installed.

No rest for the wicked

2007-07-27T21:53:00.000+01:00

Another busy, busy day.

As my suitcase is still missing, it seems that I am very busy sewing new clothes.

Lord Smythe-Kurkin sent some material for me to use. Quite exotic but beggars can't be choosers. Included in the package was a lovely Cameo Brooch that was designed especially for me and features my very own face no less. (Silhouette in Jet from Whitby, North of England)
He apologises profusely for leaving me behind and hopes I am keeping well. He will be back over Caledon way as soon as his business allows him.

Since reading the Needlework volumes, I managed to make myself this new outfit using the free dresses as a pattern that is available in Caledon Victorian City Square.

The Needlework volumes are now in place in the Library so I can have a read whenever I need to.

Mr Drinkwater had another project for me this time required at the 11th Hour. A request for copper plated plaques no less. Metalwork not being one of my strongest skills, I fashioned 17 of them before breakfast.

All in aid of a good cause. The Relay for Life.

I lost my Mother to this dreadful disease, and nursed her through her final days. She had suffered many years but always had a smile and a twinkle in her eye.

I miss her terribly.

Early Bird catches a turn

2007-07-27T09:18:00.000+01:00

A wonderful time was had by all
At the Early Birds Social Club Party - nay Ball!
So many faces, so many names,
Food and fine port, so many came
Miss Abigail Raymaker was the perfect host
Twas her birthday too, we offered a toast
To good health and happiness, good friends galore
(pity the lag become such a bore)
I danced with a fox, a right proper gent
He twirled me around; how quickly I went
The ladies looked lovely in their dresses so fine
(I had to nip off and redesign mine)
Then back to the party and it was still there
I felt ever so special with a red rose in my hair

History : Domestic Servants

2007-07-26T12:50:00.000+01:00

To be ‘in service’ involved hard work, very little time off and was not well paid, but generally it was a secure job, and live-in servants could be sure of a roof over their heads and food to eat.

Domestic servants were divided into upper and lower classes

Upper Servants
Butler, Footman, Governess, Skilled Cook, Housekeeper, Senior parlour-maid, Head house-maid and Lady's maid,

Lower Servants
Scullery-maid, Kitchen-maid, Laundress, Nursemaid, Housemaid, Stable-boy

Only wealthy persons employed male domestics since there was a servant tax on them.

History: Registry Office

2007-07-26T12:27:00.000+01:00

In 1851 domestic service was the second largest occupational group in Britain with over one million servants.

Registry Offices were places where servants would place their particulars in the hope of being employed by a suitable household.

They were divided into three classes.

1. Those which take fees from both servant and mistress.
2. Free registries, where the mistress pays the fee and the servant pays nothing.
3. Registries for foreign servants. Lodgings are provided until they obtain situations. Sleep five or six in a room, two or three in a bed, for sixpence a night.

Some of the registries were respectable and safeguarded servants. However some were only interested in the fee and bundled girls off into situations without inquiries as to where they were going or who is to be their mistress.

Girls were warned against advertisements of situations with high wages and little work.

Scams were rife where a gentleman would keep a dozen good looking girls on the premises to see mistresses. An engagement was made and the fee was paid but the girl did not enter the situation. When the mistress complained and tried to reclaim the fee, the gentleman refused and made excuses saying it wasn't his fault that the girl did not keep to the engagement.

The greatest number of frauds take place in foreign registries.

Advertising English situations with glowing colours, agents would bring girls in from the continent promising high wages and passage money. The girls would sign an agreement and their boxes sent arriving before the girls themselves.

These boxes contain all their worldly goods. On arrival, they are requested to pay for their passage and consequently have to sell their clothes and such to pay for the journey. After a bill is run up for board and lodging, the girls have little choice but to become prostitutes to settle their debts.

http://www.victorianlondon.org/

Maid in no time

2007-07-25T20:01:00.001+01:00

A request was sent for several Needlework volumes for Miss Ofeq and Miss Watkin which Mr Drinkwater kindly posted to me yesterday evening.

Staying up most of the night, with hardly a wink of sleep, I duly completed them at dawn this morning.

I did overhear my employer once say that a good maid should sleep like a needle.. "with one eye open" and be at the ready to do any task that is asked of them.

I'd like to think of myself as a good maid.

Gastronomy Delights

2007-07-24T22:46:00.001+01:00

My collection of cookery books were delivered to Mr Drinkwater this evening.

Fair enough

2007-07-23T23:14:00.000+01:00

This afternoon, I had a wander around a very empty fairground.
It was in aid of Second Life Relay for Life and after donating $L50, I hooked a duck and got a Caledon Spork as a prize.. hmmm..

Me and my hooked duck

I then treated myself to some "Cotton Candy" or as I like to call it Candyfloss.

Other exciting things was a trip to the top of a giant beanstalk and eating pecan pie.

I do feel quite sickly now so I'm off for a lie down

Books, books, everywhere and all for me to read

2007-07-23T09:48:00.001+01:00

I managed to come across a copy of Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management and have spent most of my time reading it.

I also came across more cookery books. As a member of "Downstairs", it's important to know of the latest procedures, I do need to peruse but there are quite a lot of them.

"We could live without poets,
we could live without books,
But how in the world
could we live without cooks."

Wayward Librarian

2007-07-21T14:28:00.000+01:00

I have been most busy these past few days searching for my suitcase.

I met with Mr Drinkwater with regards to helping out at the Library and he was most agreeable. I have my duster at the ready!

As I am currently without a permanent abode, he said he would have a talk with Miss Scanderoon Beck, an Officer of the Caledon Library, who has a spare room at the Home for Wayward Librarians in Port Caledon. And I quote "There are a few small conditions that come with the use of the room, which I will make plain to you if you and Miss Beck come to terms."

I graciously declined but am now having second thoughts myself. It can get a bit chilly under the stars and one can only eat berries and nuts for a small amount of time. I am a vegetarian so the thought of snaring my own hare and cooking it on an open fire chills me to the bone... but then again I fear that I can be no chillier that I am right now.

I do enjoy cooking and have been recommended to read a Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management and also Mrs EE Kellogg's "Science in the Kitchen" which I shall search Caledon Library for.

I recently found out that Mr JH Kellogg, who was Ella's husband, was a vegetarian too. He was the inventor of Corn Flakes and other "healthful" foods such as peanut butter and granola.

"In 1876, on a summer visit to an aunt in Battle Creek, Michigan, her sister (who made the trip with her) was stricken with typhoid fever and taken to the near-by Battle Creek Sanitarium, , a reform medical institution established by Seventh-day Adventists. It was there, while caring for her sister, that Ella Eaton met Dr. John Harvey Kellogg (1852 - 1943), the new superintendent of the sanitarium."

Snapshots

2007-07-19T21:55:00.001+01:00

The Globe Theatre

2007-07-19T20:34:00.000+01:00

On my travels, I came across not one but two Shakespeare's Globe Theatres. The first was located at sLiterary's Cookie Island!, Cookie (44, 84, 25). Such a wonderful building.

I note that they are planning to show "Hamlet" in February 2008. Now that will be such a thing to see. I've never seen a Shakespeare play so I must go and watch.

And the second one is on Renaissance Island (204, 45, 27) again, beautiful architecture.

Further research shows that the original Globe Theatre was built in 1599, but was destroyed by fire in 1613, rebuilt in 1614 and finally closed down in 1642. A few years before my time.
A modern reconstruction of the original Globe, named "Shakespeare's Globe Theatre" or the "New Globe Theatre," opened in 1997.

Act V, Scene 2; Of carnal, bloody, and unnatural acts,; Of accidental judgments, casual slaughters,; Of deaths put on by cunning and forced cause

Of course, lock up your daughters.

... The rest is silence. (Hamlet's last words)

Caledon Library

2007-07-18T08:43:00.001+01:00

I have been having a look around Caledon - Victorian City and have been reading in the library. Well, I didn't get much chance to better myself whilst I was in service.

Seeing as I am between employment at this present time, I sent a note to Mr JJ Drinkwater to see he needed any help around the place.

I await his reply.

"The Rules"

2007-07-17T20:41:00.000+01:00

I am so happy to be free of "The Rules". Each and every day whilst in service, these have been the rules by which I have had to live by:

1 - When being spoken to, stand still, keeping your hands quiet, and always look at the person speaking.

2 - Never let your voice be heard by the ladies and gentlemen of the household, unless they have spoken directly to you a question or statement which requires a response, at which time, speak as little as possible.

3 - In the presence of your mistress, never speak to another servant or person of your own rank, or to a child, unless only for necessity, and then as little as possible and as quietly as possible.

4 - Never begin to talk to the ladies or gentlemen, unless to deliver a message or to ask a necessary question, and then, do it in as few words as possible.

5 - Whenever possible, items that have been dropped, such as spectacles or handkerchiefs, and other small items, should be returned to their owners on a salver.

6 - Always respond when you have received an order, and always use the proper address: “Sir”, “Ma’am”, “Miss” or “Mrs,” as the case may be.

7 - Never offer your opinion to your employer.

8 - Always “give room”: that is, if you encounter one of your betters in the house or on the stairs, you are to make yourself as invisible as possible, turning yourself toward the wall and averting your eyes.

9 - Except in reply to a salutation offered, never say “good morning” or “good night” to your employer.

10 - If you are required to walk with a lady or gentleman in order to carry packages, or for any other reason, always keep a few paces back.

11 - You are expected to be punctual to your place at mealtime

12 - You shall not receive any Relative, Visitor or Friend into the house, nor shall you introduce any person into the Servant’s Hall, without the consent of the Butler or Housekeeper.

13 - Followers are strictly forbidden. Any member of the female staff who is found to be fraternizing shall be immediately dismissed.

14 - Expect that any breakages or damages in the house shall be deducted from your wages.

________

It's so good to be free!

All remote

2007-07-17T20:20:00.000+01:00

Oh dear. I seem have been left behind by my employers. I do intend to charter my adventure whilst they are up, up and away in the beautiful steampunk balloon.

Updates to follow