Hamlin Report...and a short review of parts of "Cinderella Man"

Here we are yet again, ladies and gentlemen -- another re-enactment report! I have decided I will give you the Hamlin Report now and a much-abbreviated Mumford Report later. I would have saved myself so much grief by just typing out the Mumford Report when I should have! LOL!

First, may I just say that the weather for our re-enactment at Hamlin Beach State Park was absolutely lovely! Compared to nearly-freezing-cold Letchworth and blazing-hot Mumford, Hamlin and Tinker were great. Well, Tinker was a little warm, but Hamlin was perfect.

Set-up and take-down went so smoothly, it was almost unbelievable. We had lots of help from the relatives of the people with whom we re-enact. It was really nice.

Once again I did not do hair, except for a select few people. We had our larger fly up over the Christian Commission tent, giving us lots of extra room.

For once I had some extra time, so every couple of hours or so my niece Hattie would beg me to go down to the beach with her. We'd walk through the sand, collecting rocks, shells, and sea glass (well, it was actually lake glass -- but that just doesn't have the same ring to it). There was an almost-constant breeze blowing, and the waves of the lake sounded so soothing and peaceful as they washed up onto the shore. I'll include a picture a little later. Hattie gathered so many pieces of sea glass, I think she could reconstruct most of an entire bottle of green polished glass! She had a wonderful time running about on the beach, saying every few ticks, "Oh, look, there's another one! And over there! Look, here's a tiny piece, and oh, there's two more! It's everywhere!"

We got to spend time with some friends of ours, Mack and Ilaria, and their parents. That was really nice because we only get to see them a few times a year. They're so much fun! Mack dominates every convo he's in -- he's so incredibly funny and animated! And Ilaria, being a lot quieter than he is but still maintaining a great sense of humour, is a perfect foil for him. They're great.

The only drawbacks to the whole weekend were the following: some of the people we camped with or near were, as usual, annoying; my camera didn't take very focussed piccies of the cavalry during the battle; and there were lots of dead fish on the beach.

Actually, though, the dead fish weren't that much of a put-off; I found them rather interesting, as a matter of fact. There was a cluster of dead and decaying bass or trout in a pile just under a sand dune, and a dead but not seriously decayed catfish right next to them. I spent a few mintutes hovering over the fish and wondering why the catfish did not decay at the same rate as the bass, if indeed it was washed up on the shore at the same time as they. It was a puzzling question, and is one that still plagues me.

At times I wonder whether or not I am in the right major in college. I love editing and I believe it to be my one true strength, but at the same time I am intensely interested in forensics, particularly pathology. As you may have noticed in my profile, I list Egyptology, archaeology, and paleopathology as some of my interests. Modern pathology interests me too, though I cannot for the life of me explain why.

But I am getting sidetracked! I was supposed to be giving you the Hamlin (or as Hattie says, Hamlind) Report. Hmmm...well, I suppose there is not all that much more to tell you at this point.

Weather good, annoyances minimal, friends present and very entertaining...the only thing that was missing was my Jessie girl. Pretty much the whole weekend, everybody (me included) kept whining, "I miss Jessica 2! I wish she was here! It's not the same without her!"

True, true, very true. When one is used to having Jess around, one cannot get used to suddenly not having her around. *pouty lip* I want my Jessie back!

Oh well. She'll be back. In half a year. *pouty lip and puppy-dog eyes*

Right before she left, she and I went to dinner and then out to see Cinderella Man (for her, the first time -- for me, the second time). It was AWESOME! Every time I see it, I just want to see it again and again. I don't like the language; that was entirely unnecessary. But the rest of it is so good! The scene where Jim Braddock has to go to the boxing commission guys to beg for some money to pay his electric bill so he can get his kids back home with him...oh my goodness. So moving, so well done. I can see the tears in his eyes and it makes me cry every time.

And I love the part where, after several years and the loss of most of their money, he wakes up in the morning and walks out to the kitchen to ask Mae where his socks are. She shushes him, but their little girl Rosie wakes up and comes to the kitchen table asking for breakfast. Mae gives it to her, and she starts eating.

Jim chides her for eating with her fingers: "Rosie. Use your fork, please."

Then, after she devours her slice of ham, she begs, "Mama, I want some more."

"We have to save some for your brothers, baby," Mae says in a sorrowful tone.

Jim then proceeds to tell Rosie about a dream he had the night before, one in which he was dining at the Ritz and ate a thick, juicy steak.

"I can't eat another bite. I'm stuffed," he confides. "You wanna help me out?"

Rosie nods, eyes shining, and he slides his slice of ham onto her plate.

"Jim. Jim!" Mae calls to him as he walks toward the door. He just slides her his best "it'll be okay" grin and walks out to try to find work at the docks yet again.

AWWWWWWW!!!! How sweet! Sad, but sweet. That's what daddies should be like. That's what families should be like.

What a great movie. I really hope the whole phone-throwing incident won't prevent it from winning the awards it deserves.

Did I mention that Mr Crowe learned this amazing New Jersey accent for the part of Jim Braddock? It's amusing but so well done that I can't laugh. And they changed a lot of other things about him, too, not just his accent -- for instance, I watched the movie the first time wondering what in the world made him look so different, so un-Russell-Crowe-like.

I FINALLY figured it out a few days after I saw the movie. It was the ears! Not only did the makeup people make him look really pale and older than he normally looks, not only was his hair dyed almost black, not only did they put something on his nose to change the shape of it slightly, but...during his research, he noticed that the real Jim Braddock's ears stuck out more than his own do, so he asked Ron Howard if the makeup people could put paraffin or something behind his ears to make them stick out. So they did, and the result is what you see onscreen while viewing CM!

OK, I'll stop before I get too carried away (no, despite what you may think, this is NOT too carried away. Trust me, I can get more carried away than this when discussing Russell Crowe.). Suffice it to say, CM is an awesome movie and I'm asking for it for Chrissie!

Oh yes, and Hamlin was great fun.

But I still miss Jess.

That's all for now!

SPOTTED DOG!!!!!!!!!

Jess and I have finally made Spotted Dog pudding!!!! It turned out quite nicely, "brown and appetising," as the authors of Lobscouse and Spotted Dog say.

We adapted the recipe a bit...added raisins instead of currants, boiled it in a cloth instead of a pudding basin, etc. In spite of our messing around with it and our uncertainty regarding the results of said "messing around", it turned out just fine!! Smelled wonderful and tasted pretty good too, especially with the custard sauce we made to go with it. Yummy!

Note: I have had small slices of it several times this week for brekkie, and, well, I must admit that though I like it very much, if I have one more slice of it at this point I will probably chunder. Very violently.

Back on track...Spotted Dog is quite solid indeed; I think it should be one of those foods that hikers carry and eat for energy. Though I am loath to use the phrase, Spotted Dog is one of those foods that really sticks to your ribs. A small-fist-sized chunk of it could sustain one for a week, I harbour no doubt whatsoever.

Making it and then eating it helped me better understand the world of Jack Aubrey, that's for sure. I remember reading in one of the O'Brian novels that a little midshipman was running about the ship carrying a "slice of cold plum-duff"; at the time I wondered how anyone could possibly carry a "slice" of pudding, but now I know that classic British pudding is not, per se, actual pudding as we know it. Modern pudding quakes and slides around and is generally very soft and creamy. But Spotted Dog? Not so much. ;)

I feel very...what's the word? Sophisticated? No, upon consideration, I shall be forced to admit that suet-grating does not lend sophistication to one's life. Suave? No. Worldly-wise? Never in life. Hmmm, I can't think of the word I want...oh well, it don't signify.

Wait, I have it! Cosmopolitan! That is just the thing.

Now that I have that cleared up, what I really wonder is...what would Jack think of our Spotted Dog? Would he have pronounced it delicious or atrocious?

Hmmm, that rhymes. Sort of.

OK, I'll stop, I'll stop!! :)

Tinker Homestead Report

Well, since I have just returned from the Tinker Homestead re-enactment, I suppose I will give this report before the Mumford Report -- before I forget any of the details from this re-enactment or get the two mixed up.

We set up at Tinker on Friday morning. It was a very nice day; a little warm, but not too bad. The set-up went fairly smoothly, and we were very pleased with our arrangement of the tents and tent flies. Usually we use the larger tent fly for hairstyling (my little niche in the re-enacting world), but since I officially declared myself unavailable for styling this weekend, we used it to extend our working/living area. It was great! I know it's ridiculous to be so pleased about something that simple, but having more room at a re-enactment is wonderful.

Anyway! As we were setting up, I realised we were surrounded by...well, the only word for them is pests. There was a very talkative old lady across the walkway from us and a noisy abomination of a generator next to us. I was quickly becoming very frustrated.

"I hope the guy with the generator doesn't come back tomorrow," I kept saying, until people grew tired of my repeating myself (which didn't take very long).

It may not seem like much, but when you're supposed to be re-enacting the 19th century, a food vendor in a silver truck with a generator REALLY spoils the mood. Ah, well, he parked a bit farther away the next day.

Friday night I cooked dinner over the fire for everyone. That was fun, if a bit nerve-wracking. I wanted everything to turn out well, and it did. Everybody loved my spiced chicken, and the green beans and rice turned out well too. Mum cooked those before we left, so all I had to do was season them and warm them up on the fire. It was fun to chop wood and cook, then sit down and eat.

When we tried to go to sleep, the mosquitoes tormented us. Jessica got bit up especially badly; the mosquitoes bit her feet and ankles, her face, and her hands. Poor Jessie!!! I didn't sleep for much of the night because of the constant whine in my ears and the suffocated feeling I got whenever I tried to sleep with the sheet over my head. But it could have been worse, like at Hamlin Beach a few years ago! LOL!

Saturday dawned bright and clear, and the day went fairly well. I did some hair for a certain family of horseback riders that show up at most of our events. The oldest girl in the family had the most gorgeous long, thick hair I have ever handled, and that's saying a lot. It felt wonderful slipping through my fingers as I braided it and coiled it up on top of her head. She is a beautiful girl and she rides horses very well too!

A local ladies' tea society showed up and hosted a tea for the re-enactors or anyone who would care to partake. They had scones and cake and little tiny sandwiches, as well as, of course, TEA. Lady Grey, I believe. The highlight of that tea was, for me, when a lady sitting next to me noticed the way I was eating (Continental style) and asked if I was Canadian. I replied that I was not, and she nodded.

"Ah. But you're eating in the British fashion." (Actually CS is not exclusively British.)

"Yes," I admitted, "I'm trying."

I think eating in the Continental style is very elegant, and you know me...if I have the chance to be elegant, I'll probably take it. LOL! Inside I was tickled to death to think that finally someone had noticed -- all my hard work and practise was paying off!

What's that you're mumbling, sotto voce? You think I'm vain?

*grins widely*

Oh, yeah. So you've noticed. Tee hee! No, actually eating in the Continental style is practise for just in case I happen to fall into the vortex of time and get caught in Jack Aubrey's world. Wouldn't that be paradise! Wait...did they eat Continental style then? Hmmm. Perhaps I've been wasting my time. But it does make me eat more slowly! :)

Anyway! Enough nonsense. When the string band came up that night to play for the ball, someone spilled the beans and told them that I play fiddle. They very graciously invited me to join them if I felt so inclined...and I did feel so inclined, conquering my inherent nervousness to get up there and play. I played fiddle with them all night -- well, rather, as long as the ball lasted. They were so kind and patient -- and such professional musicians.

Phil and Gretchen, THANK YOU!! :) You made my weekend!

Anyone who wants to host a Civil War ball or contredance, please hire City Fiddle. They are awesome!

Sunday went well too -- here are the highlights. Mum didn't want to cook brekkie in the morning, so she went home, took a shower, and came back with takeaway. It was yummy. Then I had an allergy attack, was late for the church service (shame on me!), and did a not-so-bang-up job of presenting information about hats, bonnets, and hairstyles at the fashion show. Ah well. I was rather distracted at that point, having just been asked out on a date (before you ask, yes, I went, and yes, he was very nice. Now leave me be, can't you?! Bloody oath, everyone always wants to know the details when you go out on a date.). ;)

So all in all, it turned out to be a nice weekend. I had a great time with Jess -- as she posted in her blog, http://clairbannerman.blogspot.com, we're getting very good at reading each others' minds. She is such a sweet friend and I am so blessed to have her. JESS, YOU ROCK!!!! :)

That's all for now...I have to go work on doing the Mumford Report. No, I actually don't always do things in inverted order...it just happened that way this time. :-)~

Girls just wanna have fun!

Well, it's hot again. But I can stand it -- for a few more days. According to the weather people, relief is in sight.

I heard someone saying today, "We didn't have summer last year. This year, summer's here -- and I don't want it to end! My kids don't want it to end!"

I said nothing, since the person wasn't talking to me, but privately I thought, "Are you CRAZY??? This can't end soon enough!!"

All right, enough about that. My sister and her family are visiting from Iowa! We rarely see them these days, so this is a real treat. I hung out with my niece Lyssa all weekend...first, on Friday, I went over to pick up Lyssa and Hattie about noon (my sisters and their families are staying together right now).

We went to lunch at a pizza place, then got ice cream afterward. I took Hattie back to her house, then Lyssa and I got back in the car and I drove home to drop Lyssa's stuff at my house.

Then we drove to the mall, loud country music cranked up on the radio all the way there, and we shopped! Normally I hate shopping, but that was fun.

We ate dinner there; Lyss had Chinese, and I had tacos. Then we meandered back to our fave store of the night and shopped a little more, picking up some cute clothes, after which we headed home. We put on a movie and then Lyssa stayed the night. She took the couch in the living room and I took the floor. It actually was not uncomfortable.

The next day, my brother-in-law came to pick up Lyss; after a few hours, she was back with me and my oldies again, riding with us as we headed off to the rodeo -- it was Qualifying Night! Woohoo!!! We watched some awesome team penning! Yeah, we're hicks. Ya gotta problem with that?

Then Lyss stayed the night again, and that was cool. She rode with us to church, and we met up with everybody there. After the service, we all ate lunch at my sister's house and sat around enjoying each other's company for a while.

My mum and sisters decided to drive down about an hour away to visit my grandmum, who's not well physically right now. Lyss rode home with me and we watched The Terminal together. Though I'm not a huge Tom Hanks fan, I adore Catherine Zeta-Jones, and I really like The Terminal.

Anyway, my mum and sisters came back later and my sisters took Lyssa back with them. I've had to work these past few days, so I haven't seen any of them lately, but it's been great having them around.

Yesterday I stopped at the library and borrowed their copy of LA Confidential. I know, I know, not the kind of stuff I normally watch, but...it's a Russell Crowe movie, for crying out loud! There are so many of his movies I haven't seen (and some I never will see!). And we have a fixture on our telly that mutes any nasty words (of which, apparently, there are a lot in LA Confidential). Long story short, I just absolutely fell in love with Bud White. What a guy!

Yeah, yeah, I know, big surprise there, right? Are there any of his characters I really don't like? Well, OK, Hando and SID are both scary. But I haven't even seen their movies, so I don't truly know what they're like. I'm just basing my opinion of them on whatever I've read about the movies.

But as I'm sure you know, I adore Jack Aubrey beyond all reason. (There are times -- honestly, I'm not lying -- when I turn on M&C while I'm eating breakfast in the mornings, just to get my "Jack" fix, and...I forget to chew whatever I'm eating. I'm serious! It's pitiful, I know, but there it is.)

And of course I like Jim Braddock and Cort and John Biebe and Maximus and "The Man" (Egan?) from Silver Brumby. John Nash is a little wacky, but that's not his fault -- and he's still really cute. And I could, perhaps, warm up to Terry Thorne too. He's a little intense, but hey...

Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, Bud White. Mmmm. I found myself growing more and more attached to him throughout the little bits and pieces of the movie I saw. I fast-forwarded and rewound and skipped scenes, but I still saw enough to know that I really, really like that man. He's so tough and strong , but he has the capability to be sweet too. Unusual.

Near the end when Bud gets shot, I was a complete basket case. I saw that bit just this morning, and it almost ruined my whole day (I made sure to go back and watch some clips from before the shooting, just so I wouldn't be depressed). When Bud pushed that weaselly little rodent Exley out of the way and took the bad guy's bullets himself, I gasped "No! Oh, no, no, no..." Then I covered my face with my hands, and cried.

I don't usually do that. Hmmm.

Well, anyway! On that cheery note, I will end here! It is time to go home from work (no matter what that timestamp on the bottom of my blog tells you, it's five o'clock here. Yay!).

So that's what I've been up to lately! I know, I know, I still have to give a report on Mumford. I will, I promise -- it's just that my DSL is down AGAIN and I'm writing this from work. When I have more time and my computer is repaired, then you will get the full-fledged unabridged Mumford Report!! Whee!!!

Bye for now!