The weather was so hot that it is melting the fat ball, so Mirinda has brought it inside.
I went off to Butser again. This time for a bit of blacksmithing. The field that I mistakenly walked through last time had been harvested, so it wasn’t a problem. It was a lovely walk instead.
I arrived and joined the group. We started with a talk by Professor Peter Reynolds on the history of iron work. He’d been working on the latest Time Team show in Cornwall and only arrived back at midnight. An amazing guy. He then handed us over to Ben for the actual smithing.
We got the bellows, charcoal and tools and went down to the ‘smelting’ area, just beyond the big roundhouse, and set up.
I had a great time!
Foot pumping the bellows to keep the fire very hot and getting the iron hot enough to work. It was marvellous.
We (there were six of us) each made pokers. My first one broke, so I had to start again. My second attempt was a bit small and the point wasn’t very good, but I’m quite proud of it. (It was ceremoniously hung in the conservatory.)
The couple who were at the herbs workshop were there again – painful – but at least there were others as well this time. It helped diffuse the annoyance. Apparently, they’d been to all of the workshops.
There was a Canadian woman who I felt quite sorry for. The woman of the annoying couple (Chrissie), was talking drivel at one point, saying “Fucked“, “Shit” and “Jesus Christ” at any and every opportunity and I think the Canadian was a bit surprised. I thought it was a tad thoughtless as everyone were strangers.
Chrissie did stop swearing, at least when no-one else did the same.
Anyway, I had a brilliant day.
Mirinda picked me up, and we drove home via Alton’s Sainsbury’s.
Had dinner, watched telly, bed.
