My family in Gloucestershire are still sans water, though the actual flood water has receded nicely. I had a steady stream of visitors at the weekend who all wanted to use my shower and wash their clothes. They all marvelled at the miracle of running water and toilets that flushed. We all joked about it but it really bought home how much we relied on clean running water. The water company hopes to have the water back on mid week and then it will be a couple of days before it is safe to drink. The other potential problem is with the sewage system as there is a risk of it backing up. Eugh!
As my mother has infected cellulitis it is paramount that her legs are kept clean and this is not easy without clean water. She is seeing a specialist soon so we are hoping that she will be able to help her as the antibiotics do not seem to be working. Otherwise my family are all safe and smiling in the face of adversity. Thanks again for all your well wishes :)
Meanwhile I wanted to show you this advert I found for a 4x4 off-road (SUV). When I first saw this I thought it was very amusing, and clever too. There are bits of it that are reminiscent of Monty Python's Holy Grail. Or is that just me? Anyhoo, I hope you like it!
Monday, July 30, 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
En Garde!
In my last post I wrote about the Fight Camp I attended a couple of weeks ago and some people asked some questions so I thought I would explain a bit more about my interest in Western Martial Arts. WMA or Historical Fencing or Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) as it is also known is a distinctly different from Eastern Martial Arts, having originated in Europe and having it's own styles and techniques. It is the practice of armed, and sometimes unarmed combat using a variety of weapons. In very simple terms, it is learning how to fight and defend yourself using swords, daggers, shields, sticks and other weapons.
As I said before, I have been training now for about 18 months and am still very much a novice. I heard about a group of like-minded people who were setting up a club and jumped at the chance when I was asked it I wanted to join. WMA is not easy to learn. It takes a lot of dedicated practise and study of historical texts to learn and then master the techniques. Part of the difficulty is that many of the techniques fell out of use in the West with the invention of the firearm. Traditionally, each school of swordsmanship taught their techniques through word of mouth so much of what was common knowledge has been lost. Luckily, many of the masters recorded their fighting systems and these are used by various WMA groups.
The club I belong to is called the Academy of Historical Fencing. We train in many schools of historical fencing and use a variety of weaponry such as rapier, broadsword, longsword, sword and dagger, sword and shield and bow staffs. We almost exclusively use steel weapons to train with which are blunted, although the 'newbies' use Shinai (bamboo swords) at first until they get enough armour (padded jackets and leather gauntlets as well as fencing masks) to train safely. The pic above is of one of my first swords and is of a 17th Century Hangar which is a particular type of single handed sword. It is mostly used with a companion weapon such as dagger or buckler ( a small shield). The pic below is of a sword I have recently purchased which is a Pappenheimer Rapier (named after a great swordsman) and is the style of swordsmanship most akin to modern day sport fencing which has it's origins in these schools of swordsmanship.
People who join the club are from a huge variety of backgrounds and there are a few clubs in the UK and a number in Europe and the US. Some people have backgrounds in Eastern Martial Arts and some people who join have done re-enacting. This differs from WMA in that re-enactors recreate battles, usually for the entertainment of spectators and will often also recreate the historical living conditions through researching the period. Although they practise some aspects of WMA, the battles they recreate are sometimes staged and based on a known outcome (i.e. who is going to win). Students of WMA however, study the fighting techniques as an historical competitive martial art.
The next picture is of my first longsword which is a two handed sword and is currently the system I am learning (specifically, from the German school of Longsword). This is also a blunted sword (like all the ones we train with). Sharp swords are only ever used for cutting competitions, like the one using bottles of water in the video on my last post of fight camp. Fight Camp is an annual event where different WMA clubs get together to train. It is a great experience!
I hope that explains a bit more about it and I suspect you might have two more questions. The answers are: yes I do get bruises and yes I probably am a little bit crazy. You can blame my old junior school teacher who introduced me to The Hobbit when I was 9 years old. Ever since then I wanted to learn to use a sword and yes, one of my swords is called 'Sting' :) The video below is of two of our members sparring. I hope you enjoy watching it!
As I said before, I have been training now for about 18 months and am still very much a novice. I heard about a group of like-minded people who were setting up a club and jumped at the chance when I was asked it I wanted to join. WMA is not easy to learn. It takes a lot of dedicated practise and study of historical texts to learn and then master the techniques. Part of the difficulty is that many of the techniques fell out of use in the West with the invention of the firearm. Traditionally, each school of swordsmanship taught their techniques through word of mouth so much of what was common knowledge has been lost. Luckily, many of the masters recorded their fighting systems and these are used by various WMA groups.
The club I belong to is called the Academy of Historical Fencing. We train in many schools of historical fencing and use a variety of weaponry such as rapier, broadsword, longsword, sword and dagger, sword and shield and bow staffs. We almost exclusively use steel weapons to train with which are blunted, although the 'newbies' use Shinai (bamboo swords) at first until they get enough armour (padded jackets and leather gauntlets as well as fencing masks) to train safely. The pic above is of one of my first swords and is of a 17th Century Hangar which is a particular type of single handed sword. It is mostly used with a companion weapon such as dagger or buckler ( a small shield). The pic below is of a sword I have recently purchased which is a Pappenheimer Rapier (named after a great swordsman) and is the style of swordsmanship most akin to modern day sport fencing which has it's origins in these schools of swordsmanship.
People who join the club are from a huge variety of backgrounds and there are a few clubs in the UK and a number in Europe and the US. Some people have backgrounds in Eastern Martial Arts and some people who join have done re-enacting. This differs from WMA in that re-enactors recreate battles, usually for the entertainment of spectators and will often also recreate the historical living conditions through researching the period. Although they practise some aspects of WMA, the battles they recreate are sometimes staged and based on a known outcome (i.e. who is going to win). Students of WMA however, study the fighting techniques as an historical competitive martial art.
The next picture is of my first longsword which is a two handed sword and is currently the system I am learning (specifically, from the German school of Longsword). This is also a blunted sword (like all the ones we train with). Sharp swords are only ever used for cutting competitions, like the one using bottles of water in the video on my last post of fight camp. Fight Camp is an annual event where different WMA clubs get together to train. It is a great experience!
I hope that explains a bit more about it and I suspect you might have two more questions. The answers are: yes I do get bruises and yes I probably am a little bit crazy. You can blame my old junior school teacher who introduced me to The Hobbit when I was 9 years old. Ever since then I wanted to learn to use a sword and yes, one of my swords is called 'Sting' :) The video below is of two of our members sparring. I hope you enjoy watching it!Friday, July 27, 2007
Fight Camp & Floods
A while ago I promised you a post on the fight camp I went to a couple or so weekends back. This was a training camp for Western Martial Arts groups across Europe and was held at the Royal Gunpowder Mills. I have been practising WMA for about 18 months now and it is a great way to keep fit and is also great for confidence. The training weekend was a great opportunity to practise with other groups and pick up lots of tips. As well as the classes there was also a jousting tournament and a display by a Gatka group.
WMA or Historical Fencing is the practice of weapons-based martial arts. The techniques are of European origin and involve the use of swords, shields, daggers and stick fighting. Often these techniques were passed down orally and so very little was recorded. There are very few surviving texts so much information may have been lost as these techniques fell out of favour with the widespread adoption of the firearm but thankfully the techniques of some of the masters are not lost. One of the people that attended put together this video of the weekend which is a great account of it. I hope you enjoy it (those of you who don't like heavy rock music should turn the volume down, those who do might want to turn it up!).
The flood water in Gloucestershire is receding nicely though the rivers are still very full and the land is very soggy in places. Now the clear up is underway in earnest. There is still no fresh water there (it's been 6 days so far) and the supermarkets are out of fresh food. Bottled water is being handed out but some people are being greedy and taking more then they need and then trying to sell it on despite it being rationed. The water bowsers are always empty. My father went around 11 the other night and they were all empty. This is not great for a man in his 70's. Apparently, people have been taking more then they need and also vandals have been breaking off the taps and letting the water out. Unbelievable! Some vigilante groups are now guarding their bowsers!
Anyway, my parents came down yesterday to get some washing done and have a hot shower. It is very important that my mother's legs are kept clean and they have clean bedding and clothes and it is not easy under the circumstances. The journey down was obviously tricky for my mother but she was glad of the chance to wash properly. We also picked up some fresh food and water for them before they went home. My brother and sister are coming down this weekend with their washing too so I'm thinking of opening as a launderette! Hopefully they will get the water back on soon so their lives can get back to normal.
I also hope that my mother gets some medical care soon. I saw her legs and they looked awful. She is obviously in a great deal of discomfort too. They tried to get through to the doctor's surgery but that was flooded and is closed. I can't believe they discharged her from the hospital with no aftercare, especially considering she is on antibiotics (and about a dozen other drugs) with her kidney problems. There is no-one monitoring her bloods at all. We are all keeping an eye on her though. Hopefully they can get some medical support soon. Thanks to all who visit and continue to leave well wishes :)
WMA or Historical Fencing is the practice of weapons-based martial arts. The techniques are of European origin and involve the use of swords, shields, daggers and stick fighting. Often these techniques were passed down orally and so very little was recorded. There are very few surviving texts so much information may have been lost as these techniques fell out of favour with the widespread adoption of the firearm but thankfully the techniques of some of the masters are not lost. One of the people that attended put together this video of the weekend which is a great account of it. I hope you enjoy it (those of you who don't like heavy rock music should turn the volume down, those who do might want to turn it up!).
****************************************************************
The flood water in Gloucestershire is receding nicely though the rivers are still very full and the land is very soggy in places. Now the clear up is underway in earnest. There is still no fresh water there (it's been 6 days so far) and the supermarkets are out of fresh food. Bottled water is being handed out but some people are being greedy and taking more then they need and then trying to sell it on despite it being rationed. The water bowsers are always empty. My father went around 11 the other night and they were all empty. This is not great for a man in his 70's. Apparently, people have been taking more then they need and also vandals have been breaking off the taps and letting the water out. Unbelievable! Some vigilante groups are now guarding their bowsers!
Anyway, my parents came down yesterday to get some washing done and have a hot shower. It is very important that my mother's legs are kept clean and they have clean bedding and clothes and it is not easy under the circumstances. The journey down was obviously tricky for my mother but she was glad of the chance to wash properly. We also picked up some fresh food and water for them before they went home. My brother and sister are coming down this weekend with their washing too so I'm thinking of opening as a launderette! Hopefully they will get the water back on soon so their lives can get back to normal.
I also hope that my mother gets some medical care soon. I saw her legs and they looked awful. She is obviously in a great deal of discomfort too. They tried to get through to the doctor's surgery but that was flooded and is closed. I can't believe they discharged her from the hospital with no aftercare, especially considering she is on antibiotics (and about a dozen other drugs) with her kidney problems. There is no-one monitoring her bloods at all. We are all keeping an eye on her though. Hopefully they can get some medical support soon. Thanks to all who visit and continue to leave well wishes :)
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Update
(photo not mine)A big thank you to all of you who dropped by to send positive thoughts, prayers and best wishes to my mother and my family. They were greatly apreciated.
My parents and other relatives all live in Gloucester which has been badly hit by the flooding. You can view many pictures here. Yesterday the water was receding but today another inch of rain is due and then more rain is expected later in the week. With the rivers full and the ground already saturated this is a big threat and will hamper the clean up operation. My family escaped actually being flooded but were without power for a day (now restored) and have been without fresh water since the weekend. It could be two weeks before this is restored! Emergency supplies are being shipped into the area as shown here.
As you know my mother was taken into hospital at the end of last week as her legs had become very bad and the treatment would exacerbate some of her other medical problems. Well, they strated her on anti-biotics and said they would need to keep her in but yesterday all but the critical cases were dischaged and my mother was sent home! She was simply told to keep taking the anti-biotics and that was it! I can understand them not having water and needed to reduce the strain on the resources BUT I cannot understand how they can wash their hands of these people so easily. There has been no plans to re-admit them, no follow-up appointments made, nothing. My poor father has just been left to care for her. I am quite concerned as he is not a nurse and I worry about the strain on him.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Flood
Rain, rain go away come again another day! Have a look here to see what it is like!
Today it is not raining but there is much more on the way. The flooding is quite bad in many parts of the country, one of them being Gloucestershire where many of my family live. My sister is having trouble getting home as many of the roads are closed and they are now ironically without fresh water due to the water treatment plant being flooded. My father (in his 70's) has had to dig a trench around my sisters house to stop water entering as her garden was flooding and the playing field behind his own home looks like a lake! Right now (Sunday afternoon), the water levels are rising due to run-off from higher ground and it is due to get worse. there is also more rain on the way next week. Perhaps an ark is not such a bad idea!
I went up yesterday and was lucky to get through. Many roads were flooded and there were abandoned cars on roads where people had just had to leave them. I was determined to go and see my mother however. The news is not great. My mother has 14 different know medical problems, among them diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, spondylitis, renal failure, asthma and infected cellulitis. She needs antibiotics to treat the latter but is allergic to many of them and also it is a big strain on her kidneys. If they treat one thing it has an adverse affect on something else. On top of that some of the vertebrae in her back are out of alignment and are crumbling. We are waiting to see what the specialists say next week. Mum had a bit of a break down when she was faced with the enormity of what was happening to her. It really shook my dad up and he seems very worried. I hope they have something positive to say next week. Fingers crossed.
Still holding out for some sunshine here. meanwhile wish me well for this week. I have a lot on my plate so please be patient if I don't get to visit you as often as normal. Thanks :)
Today it is not raining but there is much more on the way. The flooding is quite bad in many parts of the country, one of them being Gloucestershire where many of my family live. My sister is having trouble getting home as many of the roads are closed and they are now ironically without fresh water due to the water treatment plant being flooded. My father (in his 70's) has had to dig a trench around my sisters house to stop water entering as her garden was flooding and the playing field behind his own home looks like a lake! Right now (Sunday afternoon), the water levels are rising due to run-off from higher ground and it is due to get worse. there is also more rain on the way next week. Perhaps an ark is not such a bad idea!
I went up yesterday and was lucky to get through. Many roads were flooded and there were abandoned cars on roads where people had just had to leave them. I was determined to go and see my mother however. The news is not great. My mother has 14 different know medical problems, among them diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, spondylitis, renal failure, asthma and infected cellulitis. She needs antibiotics to treat the latter but is allergic to many of them and also it is a big strain on her kidneys. If they treat one thing it has an adverse affect on something else. On top of that some of the vertebrae in her back are out of alignment and are crumbling. We are waiting to see what the specialists say next week. Mum had a bit of a break down when she was faced with the enormity of what was happening to her. It really shook my dad up and he seems very worried. I hope they have something positive to say next week. Fingers crossed.
Still holding out for some sunshine here. meanwhile wish me well for this week. I have a lot on my plate so please be patient if I don't get to visit you as often as normal. Thanks :)
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