Sifting through some old photos we came across one of our E-day activities:

Making catapults. The three teams had to construct a catapult using limited resources that would fling three objects, progressing in weight, onto a map of the desert island you’re friends are stranded on. There’s a catch though, on the map there were mountains, rivers, quicksand, forests and a campsite. You have to aim to get the objects onto the campsite and definitely not in the quicksand. You get points for landing your missile on the easy-to-get-at places.

As of 17-09-08 I, (J13), have decided to learn a new small ’skill’ every day. Be it a new word or a sentence in a different language, how to write a certain letter in cursive, cooking something new…
And aim for some bigger things that can’t just be achieved in one day like learning how do a backwards walk-over, the splits, diving, writing and publishing a book…

So when I have achieved something I have been working towards it will be written down on this page:  #1001

Last week K11 and i  J12 made this lego band : )

Salve! Savete ad domus nosti!

Translation:
Greetings! Welcome to our house! 

Well, my learning Latin proved very useful on Sunday night when we (finally) had THE ‘Ancients Dinner’.

To start at the beginning, you must realize that about five years ago our family and the E family studied Ancient Egypt. Around that time somebody said it would be cool if we could have an Ancient Egyptian dinner.  The mums said it was a good idea…
Since then we have both studied Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, the Middle Ages including the Vikings, and the Renaissance and Reformation.
The ‘Ancients Dinner’ , as it was now being called, kept getting put off until it was observed that “The whole idea is ancient!”

So Sunday’s dinner was a very special one.

Every one was dressed in  bedsheets authentic togas as we walked next-door to where Grandpa was hiding. Dressing him in a purple toga (after being told that purple is a royal colour he didn’t complain), we paraded back, ignoring the stares we received from the neighbours!!

Once the Mexman (Mexican-immigrant-now-roman-citizen) had delivered a speech about how the Ancient Romans put on banquets and the likeness between a Roman Banquet and the Last Supper, we ate.   

The menu was one fit for a Caesar.

Roasted stuffed Dormouse 
Peacock eggs
Prunes
Grapes
Roast Pheasant
Stew on Bread
Oranges
Dates
Grape juice
Roast Pork (complete with apple and crackling)
Olives
Marzipan cakes
Honey cakes
Chocolate (to bring us back to modernity)

Joke of the night: Don’t go ROMAN without your toga!!! 

A wonderful night that will undoubtedly be remembered for a long time!

Only 28 days until we go on our trip!!! Not long now!! 
While we are away we probably won’t keep this blog updated but we will definitely write here.

HOW TO BE KIND

always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.
1 Thessalonians 5:15b

To be kind is to be, first of all, loving. When you are loving you are doing what God said to do:

Written by J13

Sherwood Forest – Outlaws’ Camp

Night was closing in as the outlaws returned to their camp, this time with Edward and Marian.

“Robin, what do we do about the leak in the roof? We have to fix it, we can’t just leave it,” worried Much.
“Don’t worry. It is too dark to do anything now, and anyway I don’t think it’s going to rain tonight. If it does, I’ll eat my hat, well, my hood!”
Little John was throwing blankets out to anyone and everyone. After a place had been made for Edward and Marian to sleep, Robin lay down on the floor saying, “First in first served.”
Quickly everyone claimed a spot and soon quiet fell over the camp as one by one they dropped off to sleep.

Drip, drip, drip. Much woke up. Robin had said it wouldn’t rain, and that if it did he would eat his hood.

“But I bet he won’t!,” he thought to himself. Much stood up and made his way over to where Robin was sleeping. He shook Robin and said, “Wake up, Master, wake up.” Much pulled Robin under the leak. Now Robin was really awake.

“Don’t panic Much.”
“I am not panicking” Much answered with slight annoyance.
“I don’t think I’m much of a weather forecaster!” stated Robin.
“I know you’re not,” said Much with knowledge borne from experience.
By this time everyone was awake and watching with amusement.
“Much, catch this,” said Will, as he threw Much a bucket. “Put it under the leak.”
Much did as he was told, then went to lie back down. Looking at the bucket he asked, “And where am I to sleep now?”

*****

The King – Robin had to save the king. There were Turkish soldiers all around. Robin grabbed his bow and quiver full of arrows and ran out of his tent into the thick of it all. He strung his bow and let fly, a Turkish soldier fell to the ground, dead. Robin grimaced; it was hard to kill, even an enemy. But it had to be done. About fifty other Englishmen were right in the middle of the fray, as was he. That was how it was when you were in the King’s own guard; you had to put the King’s life before your own. It took spirit to gain such a high grade. In the feudal system the King’s own guard was up near the top.
A scream broke through the noise of swords clanging against each other, moans from the wounded and dying, the thud of falling men. Robin knew that scream had to have come from the mouth of Much.
“A wounded man should not scream,” thought Robin. He glanced over at Much. That quick glance showed Much dancing around a pot on the fire, banging his wooden cooking spoon onto the heads of the Turkish soldiers, who were trying to eat the contents. Outwardly Robin frowned, but in his heart, he grinned. Only Much would forget that when in the King’s own guard and the enemy was attacking, you must neglect everything, even if it meant King Richard’s dinner was taken.
Now most of the Turks had been driven back and security was relaxed. Robin dropped his bow on the ground and started to walk over to Much. But he was stopped by a turban-wearing, sword-brandishing Turk, who chased Robin. Robin knew he didn’t have time to pick up his bow, so he ran. Even though the Turk was dressed in what looked like a bed sheet, he could run, and fast at that.
Right in front of Robin was a river, a deep fast-flowing river infested with crocodiles; anyone who fell into it was as good as dead. Robin stopped and turned to face the Turk. The Turk stopped and removing his turban, the face of Sir Guy of Gisborne was revealed.
“I’ve got you now, Locksley,” Gisborne said, an unpleasant look covering his face, “You are like a mouse in a trap. After you are gone I will go back to England and marry Marian!”
“You can’t,” Robin said calmly “She doesn’t love you.”
Gisborne was furious; he advanced and then pushed Robin into the river. Quickly the current carried Robin to the middle of the river, despite his efforts to swim to the bank. Grabbing at a log drifting past, Robin tried to keep afloat, the task becoming increasingly difficult. To the Englishman’s horror, the log thrashed around and he realized he was clinging to a crocodile! The crocodile aggressively flicked the startled Robin with his tail into the air and he fell into the wide-open mouth. The jaws snapped shut.

*****

Robin woke up shaking, another nightmare. Since he had returned from the war in the Holy Land he had occasionally had nightmares. He sat up and realized he was soaking wet. As he sat there contemplating the reason for this, Much walked up to him with a look on his face that was suspiciously innocent.
“Much?”
“Yes, Master,” Much answered merrily.
Immediately Robin suspected that Much had some part to play in his getting wet.
“Would you happen to know why I am as wet as a drowned…rat?”
“Well, it rained last night and you had another nightmare didn’t you Robin.”
“Yes I did.”

“And you know you sweat when you have those nightmares.”
“Yes, I do sweat but not that much and remember, the leak was over you!”

“Much, where is the bucket of water that you put under the leak last night?” asked Djaq, winking at Robin.
“Why do you want it?” Much enquired nervously.
“So I can have drink now instead of going all the way down to the stream,” Djaq replied.
“Well,” Much looked flustered.
“Much?!” said Little John and Will in unison.
“Not being funny, but you didn’t pour the whole lot on top of Robin did you?”

Much turned red. As he said, he couldn’t keep secrets.
“Oh Much!” Robin jumped out of bed and gave Much a stern look.
“Master, I’m sorry, very sorry. Forgive me,” he begged repentantly.
“Of course I do!” Robin clapped Much on the back. “Today, Much, today we will mend the roof.”
“About time too.” Much sighed in contentment.
“Right then, let’s get to work.”
Edward got up from where he had been watching the outlaws with respect. “Before we fix the roof, I would like to give you something.”
The outlaws and Marian all looked at Edward with anticipation. Edward reached behind the hood that Robin had given to him and pulled out a roll of parchment. He passed it to Robin and stood smiling at him.
“Ho, ho,” Robin chuckled to himself.
“What is it, father?” Marian asked.
“The Great Pact of Nottingham!” answered Edward.
“Better still, The Great Pact of Traitors!” replied Djaq.
“Thank you Edward. I am sure you know how much this means for me, and England. When King Richard sees this, the Sheriff and Gisborne won’t stand a chance! Just think.” Robin was ecstatic; the Great Pact of Nottingham was in his hands.
“Well, now that we have written proof of all the traitors in this part of England, we should give this document to the King,” Allan suggested.
“Sorry Allan, but the roof needs waterproofing! And I am NOT going to sleep under that drip EVER again!” Much was very good at telling everyone what he thought.
“Much, we will mend the hole today. But I think that we should send a message to King Richard, letting him know that we will be coming!” decided Robin.

“We could just send the pact with a trusted messenger,” Much tried.
Marian spoke up, “King Richard…he will need us.”
Robin shook his head questioningly. “Yes, but, why?”
“Because if we are to get the pact to King Richard, who is in the Holy Land, that means that we need to give it to him ourselves. You can’t trust anyone in these times, it’s too dangerous!” Will explained.
Marian looked at Will and said, “Almost. King Richard needs us, because I don’t think he knows about ‘Operation Shah Mat’.”
“Oh, he knows about the Sheriff’s plot,” stated Robin. “We sent a messenger,”
“Then why, surely, if he knows about the Sheriff’s plot, why hasn’t he sent word back acknowledging that he received our message?” Marian thought aloud.
“She’s right, Robin. Why?” Will backed up Marian.
“Robin, there is only one way to make sure that King Richard knows about the Sheriff’s plot, and that is to send another message. King Richard is winning the war at the moment; he won’t need you…us.” Djaq looked sadly at a squirrel as she thought about her country’s Ruler; Sultan Saladin. If King Richard was winning, that meant that Saladin was losing. It was hard for Djaq, because she was fighting with the outlaws for King Richard, who was fighting against Saladin. Will looked at Djaq and guessed what was going through her mind.
“Don’t worry,” Will reassured, “Saladin hasn’t been captured. And, if you’re lucky, he won’t get captured.”
“Will, we want the Sultan to be captured…and killed, he is…” Much stopped as Robin shot him a look full of reproof. He coughed rather violently, then went away saying, “Well, I’m sure that, ah, that you will all need some, ah, some food, squirrel or…chicken might be better!” 
“No, if he is captured, there will be peace. King Richard will come home and he will see the war going on in England!” Djaq looked around at the band and continued, “I fight with you for England.”
“For England!” cried the band.

Nottingham Castle

“Gisborne, the peasants are gone, Marian and Edward have escaped and I have decided that you are going to fill the moat with a bucket!” the Sheriff fumed.  Gisborne, sensing this was not the time to protest, picked a bucket up and returned the Sheriff’s outbreak with a weak joke, “And am I to fill the bucket with a spoon?”
“I don’t care! Gisborne, I want the moat to be filled by the end of this month. Guards, go find the Lady Marian and her father, Sir Edward.”
The guard, who had answered the Sheriff’s general call, looked blankly at the Sheriff.

“Where do you suggest I look?” he asked.
“Right now all I will suggest is that you go and search until they are found,” the Sheriff answered tersely.
“Try the forest,” Gisborne suggested.
“The forest? But there are some very unsavory characters round that neck of the woods, sorry, I mean the forest.”
“Yes, I know that and I am suggesting you go and look there,” Gisborne answered, frustrated. The guard walked away quickly before Gisborne could suggest anything else.
“M’lord you weren’t serious about filling the moat with a bucket, were you?” Gisborne hoped that the Sheriff was over his joke.
“I couldn’t have been more serious, Gisborne. I don’t quite know why I’m asking you, but what’s a moat for anyway?”
“For protection, as you said earlier today.”
“Right, and exactly how is a dry moat going to offer protection?” the Sheriff questioned Gisborne.
“Ah…it won’t.” 
“So fill the moat for me.”
Gisborne resigned himself to spending the rest of his life transforming the dry and dusty moat with a bucket. So, nodding at the Sheriff, he went to the well and drew his first bucketful of water, then trudged dejectedly over to the moat. The Sheriff followed with his eyes as water poured down, hit the ground with a hiss, and all too quickly disappeared.
“You see, M’lord, it just soaks into the dirt. What should I do?”
“Finish the job!” And with that, the Sheriff stormed off. Gisborne started to think that maybe, just maybe, the Sheriff had gone crazy.

“Now I see why the peasants fled,” he thought.

Three hours later and all Gisborne had filled was a puddle. The Sheriff stood on the drawbridge watching as Gisborne lugged yet another bucket to the moat.
“Stop,” he called out, “You may stop. But next time you could do me a favour and tell me if my plan isn’t working.”
Gisborne felt an overwhelming urge to throw the next bucketful of water at Sheriff, but thought better of it.

Outskirts of Sherwood Forest

Hiding at the fringe of the forest, Robin told his band what to do as they watched the castle. “Allan you go to Nettlestone Village, Will can you take Locksley Manor? Little John you’d better go to Clun Village, and Much you can have Bonchurch. Djaq if you come with me, you’ll be able to help Edward, if he needs it, when we free him and Marian. Is that clear?”
“Yes. Clear as the water in the moat.”
“Once you have dropped the families at their villages, leave immediately and we’ll reassemble outside Knighton Hall.”

Djaq looked up at the guards, who paced up and down the battlements. “Thank goodness the Sheriff isn’t sending them to guard the moat until tomorrow. It is a good thing they haven’t looked down and noticed the peasants disappearing!”
“Right from under their noses.” Robin laughed when he thought about what the Sheriff would say to the guards.
Djaq and Robin clambered down into the moat, where the remaining peasants were waiting.
“The man that was just here, I think his name was Munch…”
“No, it was Chew remember,” another peasant interrupted.
The first continued “Munch, Chew or Eat, he said to wait for Robin Hood. Sorry, I never was good at remembering names.”
Robin laughed at Much’s new name. It suited him very well. “My name is Robin Hood and here is one of my friends, Djaq. Do you know the Sheriff’s plot?”
“Yes, we have heard.”
“That is why we are going to take you to Knighton Hall. You can live there in peace. Just follow us and you’ll be fine,” Djaq instructed.

The trip to Knighton Hall was uneventful; everything went according to plan.

Back at the castle the Sheriff was in a rage. Robin Hood had freed the Sheriff’s few prisoners, he had escaped unharmed and now he would undoubtedly be thinking of freeing Marian and Sir Edward. That would not do.

“Get me my horse and be quick,” the Sheriff yelled at a guard.
“Yes M’lord. You may not know, but I am just filling in for my brother, who is deaf; I’m not the deaf one.”

Having made his point, the guard brought the Sheriff’s horse to him, and dismounted. The Sheriff stood on the guard’s shoulders to enable him to mount his horse.
“Giddy up,” the Sheriff ordered and they clattered over the flagstones, out of the castle and over the moat. Glancing at the moat caused the Sheriff to think about the ill-fated soon-to-drown peasants, until he noticed there were no peasants. Quickly he looked around – no peasants. He yelled at the gate keeper to look for the peasants, before galloping off to Knighton Hall. Robin Hood would not get to rescue the captives, even if it meant that he, the Sheriff, had to keep watch himself every minute until Edward and Marian were released.

*****

“Marian, Edward,” Djaq called out.
Marian looked around at the sound of a familiar voice.
“Who is it?” Edward asked.
“It is Robin Hood and this is a rescue.”
“Robin, how will we get these shackles off?” Djaq asked.
Robin thought for a moment, and pulling Marian’s hair pin out of his pocket, he grinned and said, “This should do the trick.”

Edward and Marian were freed from the stocks and were stretching their aching muscles when Djaq heard a whistle.
“That’s the signal. The others are ready,” Djaq explained to Edward and Marian.
“Thanks Robin and Djaq. I’m wishing I hadn’t mentioned the stocks to the Sheriff when we were discussing forms of punishment!” Edward said, rubbing his back.

Just as Robin Hood and the band disappeared into the forest, the Sheriff galloped up to the stocks, discovered them empty and moaned in frustration. “They can’t have just disappeared! I had them locked securely.”

The Sheriff contemplated what he would do if he ever caught Marian or her father again. Without question, they would die.

Exasperated at yet another failure, he turned his thoughts back to the castle.

The moat remained empty, but that was about to change. He’d get Gisborne to fill it with a bucket from the well. Cheered up by this prospect, the Sheriff rode back to the castle.

Nottingham Castle

Running through the forest, Much panted, “There’s something nice about the forest.”
Little John looked back at Much who, as usual, was at the back of the group and asked, “What ‘something’?”
Much shrugged. “In the forest you’re free. I think that the forest is better than a castle or estate.”
“Except maybe…Bonchurch Lodge?” Djaq teased.
“Oh now that you remind me…Bonchurch is different,” Much protested.
Everyone except Much laughed.

“I don’t see what’s so funny,” exclaimed Much indignantly. “When I own Bonchurch Lodge you will have to call me Lord Much.”
Allan groaned.
Will tried to reason with Much. “Robin wasn’t called Lord Robin when he owned land.”
“No, he just had the larger title, Robin of Locksley, Earl of Huntingdon.” Much would not give up.

The conversation only ended when the outlaw arrived at their camp. Robin was sat at a small table that Will had made. The rest of the outlaws gathered round the table and waited for Robin to speak.
“We need a plan, fast. The Sheriff is going to drown all the peasants by filling the moat,” Robin told his band.
“How will he fill the moat?” asked Djaq, interested at the Sheriff’s latest act of madness.
“He is going to make the peasants from every village work to channel the river into the moat. There will be guards surrounding the moat as of tomorrow so that the peasants can’t escape. Hence the need for speed.”
“Do you have a plan?” Little John asked.
“I have a plan, well, half a plan,” Robin replied, simultaneously forming one in his head.
As they waited for Robin to think through his plan, Will mindlessly arranged piles of pennies on the table.
 “Right, I have it,” announced Robin. “These coins here are the castle and these coins around it are Nettlestone Village, Locksley Manor, Clun Village, Knighton Hall and Bonchurch Lodge. If we move four families to each village, then that would be everyone out of the moat and into safety.”
 “Master, I have one request. The peasants who go to Bonchurch should call me Lord Much when I own the lands.”
“Very sophisticated!” Robin grinned at Much’s request.
“Hadn’t we better get going?” Djaq questioned.
“Come and we’ll decide who goes to which village while we walk back to the castle.” Robin picked up his bow and arrows and left the camp
with the band.