Girdles … what hangs from them … bats ?

 

No – in today's age don't answer that … I'm going back a few hundred years to Medieval times … 

Saint Catherine of Alexandra
holding a girdle book

How about a book, a pocket calendar, or a smart phone … crazy times we live in – well these were all invented in the 1,000 years between the 5^th to 15^th century in European history I'd better add, even earlier in previous eras ...

... a girdle was to be found upon the loins of Greek and Roman men … enabling their tunic to be confined, which could hold a purse, as pockets were unknown … the women wore their girdles under the bosom.

A 15th century Medieval Almanac being
unfolded to reveal astrological charts
and a 'Zodiac Man', linking the body to
signs of the horoscope.
c/o Ian Visits post 

Then the ingeniousness of creative imagination gave us the concertina-fold almanacs, known as girdle-books … which have become known as 'medieval smartphones' … also calendars ...

We are so fortunate that so much of our history has been preserved and can still be seen – perhaps only in specific exhibitions – but at least we can consider how earlier generations lived.

The upper cover and edge of a closed concertina-fold
almanac, showing its distinctive folds

As it's August … and as usual I'm off the path … this 'be short' … thank goodness it's summertime, also not much change here … but so be it!

Latin 7478 is a medieval
manuscript: 25 September, 1456

As of today … we have come far, yet seem to be going backwards …

Exhibition – Unfolding Time: The Medieval Pocket Calendar (c 1383 - 1400) was at the Lambeth Palace Library … sorry - it closed in May 2025. But there is a short YouTube video to view … 4 minutes worth of fascinating medieval life … together with various posts.

Wikipedia Girdle Books ... 

Wikipedia Latin 7478 Medieval Manuscript Here you can find a description about "bat-books" ... essentially they hang upside down!

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Wine and Cheese brought about by my Cathedral talk research ...

 

Honestly … let's have a change … my health is still with challenges, the leak still not resolved … and my mental thoughts aren't very polite!!

Winchester Cathedral - longest medieval
church in the world

So now let's go towards Cathedrals … I did my talk on Cathedrals in the Medieval era (I based it around the 1100s AD) … not on the actual style of building etc … but from the workers point of view – how were they built etc etc …

Different – but I don't do what's expected of me – exactly … however it seems to have rung bells for many. I'd come across the Ken Follett book 'Pillars of the Earth' – the story of building a cathedral, and of those closely connected with its construction …

It is what it is - !

Ken Follett in his introduction explains how he wanted to write about Cathedrals, but 'knew nothing' about how to build, or the way of life back in the 1100s – he looked to Nikolaus Pevsner's An Outline of European Architecture, and then two by a French man Jean Gimpel – The Cathedral Builders, and The Medieval Machine.

Pevsner's Guide showing
interior of Chichester
Cathedral

Follett is an author of thrillers, of which actually I'm not sure I've read any?! … but I bought Pillars of the Earth (over 1000 pages!) … and drafted my talk mainly from it – I had to fill in odds and ends from elsewhere.

Jean Gimpel's book
on The Cathedral Builders

Medieval England in the 12^th century was a turbulent place – civil war, famine, religious strife and battles over royal succession … all of which tore lives and families apart …

Jean Gimpel's book
on The Medieval Machine

Building a cathedral back then would have taken over 30 years, and in some instances over 500 years (Winchester Cathedral) … the stones revealing the construction history – the stops and starts, the damage and reconstruction, extensions in times of prosperity, repairs when disaster struck … and ultimately the incremental improvements – as an example when stained glass started to be added … to tell the stories of the time …

Henry II and Thomas a Becket
(early 14th C representation of them)

But when I'm 'researching' and putting ideas to paper … I often come across titbits that amuse me and I think – ah ha for you all reading this blog … so here's a couple for you …

Henry's claims over lands in France
(at their peak in red) 1150s

I was looking at the year 1141 AD – when The Anarchy, a civil war in England and Normandy between 1138 and 1153 was ongoing … at that stage 'we' owned a fair amount of western France – well that's another story …

Ricasoli vineyard today - in the
mountainous region of Chianti - 
Tuscany

... but I spotted that the Italian winemaking company Ricasoli was founded … I had to look didn't I? They've even got a Chianti – Viticultori in Chianti Classico: Ricasoli 1141, named after that year.

Cheddar - so delicious

Oh – we need cheese don't we …? Another date I 'interrogated' was 1170 AD – when it is recorded in a pipe roll (financial records) Henry II apparently purchased 10,240 lbs (over 4.5 kgs) of Somerset cheddar … only available at court!

What's not to like after giving a talk on Cathedrals … but some wine and cheese – which in fact I didn't have … had some lunch though.

Live and learn – and that I certainly do … more tennis this week, when we have the counties down here competing in their Championships – excellent tennis to spend some time watching with a cousin who comes down to help with the admin of the tournament.

See you all soon – and thanks for visiting …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Update 3rd - and again slow life a la E/b …

 

Tennis – an elderly friend who would like to watch the tennis … says she can't see the ball on the tv … first it's far too fast, second … why can't they have black balls?, then she could (perhaps) see and enjoy it more … sometimes we have to laugh, and swallow our ripostes …

Handful of tennis balls -
sorry obvious caption!

...then I'd never realised you need to be able to read to play first class tennis … I'd always wondered what the players were doing looking at or weighing the various balls in their hand – now I know – they look at the writing to see how 'wrecked' the ball is … and select the ones with the clearest lettering …

I have to say – I've enjoyed the tennis, and from this end of the world think electronic line calls work well … fewer disputes …

What I call 'village' salad ...
using local ingredients

I was over with friends not far from here, but inland a little, where we all concurred the weather has brought Autumn forward … dry, dry, dry … we had very little rain recently …

As you know it's been rather warm here, so I've been making lots of cold soups and salads … a melon salad over the years I've always made … one can vary it appropriately …

Melon salad ... mine would be
rougher looking than this ... 

... and then (red) Gazpacho … love that cold tomato and veggie whizz up … both of these I'd serve with herby bread … and/or whatever else was appropriate for the family/friends on the day …

Gazpacho soup

I'm no further forward with anything … plumbing-wise here, or health-wise – I had a hospital appointment last week, where I was discharged from that setting, but can go back within a year, when I'm ready … 

Architectural Elements
in a Cathedral - courtesy Cultural Travel Guide
and Abir Pothi - an Indian site 

... but I'm managing on with life … as that meeting gave me some guidance … next is a letter to my doctor (General Practitioner) to see if I can get the ball rolling sooner …

My main priority now is to get a talk for Monday mostly finished, particularly the slides … it's on the building of Medieval Cathedrals … which I'm finding fascinating – a whole newish area of knowledge … and takes me away from fretting …

A brief update – in the next few days I'll be round to everyone's blogs … life says take your time – which I'm doing … and it is cooler - a relief … see you all soon ….

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Update 2nd … and more life a la E/b …

 

The leaking world continues on … all will be fixed in due course … but it has gone downstairs into the flat underneath … so will be a challenge for the landlady, who lives in Kenya, and the owners of the other flat who live in the States … and the agents …

Africa, Oh! Africa ...

... also it's still ooze-leaking, which I thought it might be … the plumbers will return shortly to replace some pipe … from the 'laundry area' through the wall into the kitchen … it'll be messy-ish. 

I now have no hot water … fortunately there's an electric shower – so a degree of hot water is available … boiling the rest, as necessary.

Flooding from the sea -
in Seaside, 
Eastbourne, 1904

... I've accepted life will take its own course … communication isn't brilliant, repetitive updates – but so be it … health-wise … I'm up and down too – fortunately, I'm fairly convinced, it's not that serious – but, frustrating, as I'm slow and on occasions don't feel up to much.

Recently – before my leaks – we had a mains water burst just up the road from here … that was fixed in about 6 hours, once they were able to get here to repair it …

... the reason for my mentioning this now – is that friends who live in that block asked me if I'd noticed all the sand on the road, and then told me that the repair-waterhole-diggers dug down into sand, rock and shingle (which spewed out) … we do live very near the sea. Eastbourne is built on shingle and chalk – not the world's best land – but it'll see me out …

Marine Gardens,
Eastbourne - 
before it was built up
mid 1700s onwards

The town started to expand over 300 years ago, as in the late 1700s George III sent some of his children down here for a holiday by the sea – the area now known as 'Seaside' … shingly Seaside … so our infrastructure is ageing, as it's been around a while!

It has cooled down and now is very tolerable … another plumber comes tomorrow to sort the cold-water stopcock out … plenty of people coming in and out to look – workmen, health-carers – to sort out challenges … as time goes by life will quieten down and improve, I sincerely hope!

Mackerel Sky - by Tirzah Garwood
(Eric Ravilious' wife/widow - he's known as our
Sussex artist - he died in the War off Iceland)

Enjoy your seasonal times – warm or cold … and here's to more settling times …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Updates … and life a la E/b …

 

What a half week this has been – yes half a week … I was due out on Saturday, but in the end decided I wasn't going to cope – it was still very warm … but I was not feeling brilliant …

Whistling Duck

... so I set about doing some washing, as one does when time becomes free … then the second lot of fun and games started … the floor was wet!!

There'd been a whistling sound, that I couldn't place - but couldn't see anything, so as one does ignored it …

Whistling Boy - 
Frank Duveneck (1872)

Mid-summer's day … the agents didn't reply, nor their emergency plumber … in the end I contacted the landlady, who lives in Kenya, thankfully she picked up the email.

In the end she suggested I contact an emergency plumbing service – he was brilliant, old school, and happily came out at 7 pm … he found the pinhole leak – hence the whistling sound.

I think this was the first edition

Then – thankfully … it was the hot-water service pipe (not the cold water inlet) … after checking he was able to cut out the pipe bit with the pin-hole … it was partly buried in an internal wall. Fix up a new bit of copper pipe – old school ability … and with all the bits and bobs with him in his van. Then we were (or I was) up and running again …

'Ole in wall - to the right ... 

Still no news from the agents … in the meantime I'd been updating the landlady … often! Fairly exhausting … trying to explain what had happened. Behind a v tightly fitted washing machine, which probably hadn't been moved since it was put in – before my time, 7 years.

Sunday no news … at some stage I'd had to call out the NHS … so was dealing with them too – necessity called … not 'the mother of invention' just plain help!

Salmon with Greek salad

Yesterday … I had a food delivery as I thought that would help take the pressure off, the agents came round to see the mess and the 'ole in the wall' … and the NHS came … today I put off the District Nurses til tomorrow – as I have something else on, which I feel I can cope with now.

I used to live in the next road up -
you can see the Town Hall at the top of the pic

Then – the bomb squad came a-calling … thankfully not here – but in the next road to where I used to live!! Today I need to walk past that area to get to the appointment at the library … it is fun and games here.

Summer berries to calm us down

Thursday – the electric meter needs to be changed – as the 'system' won't work due to old age – all meters are being changed.

So you can see – a week is not v long in this little soul's life … and as it's been so hot – I'm way behind anyway … so need to catch up.

Eastbourne tennis - town hall (reddish
building with tower - left top)

I thought I'd better post something … I was going to put up a Stitch in Time post about quilting and the stars … but I obviously managed to delete my early draft – clever clogs am I.

I do wish I wouldn't get mentally curiously diverted … it's exhausting! So much to let you know about … so little time – but I'll get there – let's hope life eases up.

Screen shot from tv ... looking south -
Devonshire buildings - theatres etc
The photo above - may have been taken
from the top of the stand.

Thankfully the tennis is on … green green grass of home in Eastbourne … and I can listen to the cricket … of course I suppose, if I admit it, I get diverted off track.

Thanks everyone – I do hope this wasn't too boring or exhausting to read … I do feel easier today, thankfully …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Tomato … toe-mae-toe/I say to-mat-toe …

 

My mind came to this when I saw a quote, which seems quite appropriate today …

Heritage tomatoes from the
Isle of Wight - as supplied to M&S

"Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.

Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.”

The bench - now in situ

Attributed to Miles Kington (1941 - 2008), journalist, humorist, and musician, on a memorial bench near where he lived in Conkwell, overlooking the Kennet and Avon Canal … who hated the spot as there was nowhere to sit and enjoy the view – now there's a bench!

Conkwell hamlet

Conkwell – I had to find out about the name of this village … it was mentioned in an Anglo-Saxon charter in 957 as “Cunuca leage”.

"Leage” refers to a woodland clearing, while “Canuca” is a Celtic word denoting “hill” … suggesting a survival of pre-Saxon British people in the area – c/o the Bradford and Avon Museum.

The Canal

Another quote pertinent to today … at least I thought so … came via Sean (we're both 13^th day of the month babies … he October, me January – what that means I've no idea!) - this post I see is the 13th too - but in the month of June ... just enjoy his library - all 10% of it!! ...

Christoph Martin Wieland
(1733 - 1813)

He sent me off to Christoph Martin Wieland from the German Enlightenment era … his thought in English … 

“Only a true cosmopolitan can be a good citizen”.

I and my thoughts have been all over the place … I'm sort of gathering them all up – eclectic mix … from all parts of the awareness … it's quite tiring! … with lots to catch up on.

Eastbourne seafront and
promenade

So finally summer's here – little wind around, perhaps living on the south coast in times like this brings some relief … so glad the summer breeze flitters a bit.

Oh yes – and we have those yellow-green balls down here next week – so there's no parking – not to say I worry, but we could do with more rain – though this week … there was a water leak – and we had no water for 9 hours … I'd heard the tell-tale ping of a text … and seeing the mess – made plans. Before my bath – I'd run it, as I was going out early to History, I saved some 'fresh water' … and left the bath in for the dirty water.

Tennis in Eastbourne - 
ground preparations

After history I came back for some lunch, then realising that the leak wasn't fixed … I went off to town – coming back at teatime as I heard the chap say 'he's just turning the tap back on' … so all is now well again. 

Well not quite – there's still an 'ole in the road … but we have water: thank goodness … and I can't think of other places too much – I just remember how lucky I am.

Strawberry Moon - over Belle Tout
lighthouse and Beachy Head

Oh yes – there was a magnificent strawberry moon – that I didn't actually get to see … but so worthwhile via this pic …

Life toddles on … I'm pushing through … and I'll be around to see you all soon now, I hope …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Savage Land update/extra for Jacqui …

 

When I spotted the Horned Melon … with names like African Horned Cucumber, Jelly Melon, or even Kiwano … so named by those down under in NZ – it looks to some extent like a kiwi … a prickly one, I'd guess …

African Horned Cucumber

... I thought of Jacqui and her prehistoric fiction … so here's another useful plant – should you ever find yourself stranded in the Kalahari or Namib deserts and need a drink …?!

Paleo Makgadikgadi Lake in
pre-historic times

However – the idea of the taste of these fruits really does tempt the palate to try … what's not to like about passionfruit, with the additional flavour of banana, or cucumber and lime?

It apparently has plenty of useful benefits … so I've included a link below to those suggestions – I do like the way they've summarised each one … but honestly do we need to be told to cut off the spikes before snacking on the peel?!

Illustration found inside the book - which
highlights where subjects may be found 

I've just had a look … and can get them via the dreaded A bookstore and all things beyond … as we can note here! I haven't ordered … they'd make me distinctly poorer … so for now they can rest on their laurels …

This is the book I refer to

One of my notes in last month's post for Jacqui inferred we could manage if we're left to our own devices – but honestly I've come across a youngster who obviously can't cook, orders a delivery-service breakfast at some ungodly hour in the middle of the morning – just about lunchtime! 

Female flower on the vine

I do wonder … she would never survive for very long … nor similar youngsters having not had to fend for themselves … sorry – I sound like a critical geriatric?!

Awaiting the sun to ripen the fruit

Anyway perhaps natural selection will take to weeding the human race?!

Namib - Sand and Sea

I do feel better – the brain murkiness has eased, which certainly helps – the actual clarification needs to be sorted out via the GP … but at least we know what's what … thanks for your thoughts one and all …

Healthline on the Kiwano melon - benefits

Savage Land - my post for Jacqui 

The presumed maximum extent of the Paleo Makgadikgadi Lake in early Pleistocene and the course of the rivers in the early to middle Cenozoic - website here ...

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories