Beloved Eleanor

Ooops *shameful face* I completely forgot to update on my study/exams.

I am pleased to say that I passed all my exams, and was offered and accepted a place on the MA History of Art, starting this September!  Scary times!  Looking forward to it though!

Due to requests, here is a small pic of my crystal necklace, which was inside the French chocolate box.  It’s not a great pic, but I hope to do some restoration to the necklace – so I will take a better one when it is finished.

You ‘get the picture’, right?

You’ll also be pleased to know that I have finished my courses, and the exams, and am just waiting for confirmation that I have passed everything.  Watch this space…

Also, I’ve finally managed to catch up on films, and have now seen Robin Hood, Sherlock Holmes and Alice In Wonderland.  Oh, and some new DVDs I ordered   I finally have some time!

I have also done some genealogy for the first time in ages, and I have lots to catch up on, and charts to make/amend.

I also have another ‘new’ aquisition.  I shall share soon…thanks to all of you that are still visiting.

Wow, it’s that time of the year again – and the castle re-opened on the 1 April for the 2010 season.  I can’t believe that it has come around again already!  The Winter has been very long, and the castle unfortunately suffered its fair share of snow and associated leaks.

We had a pleasantly busy Easter with lots of egg hunters inside and outside the castle.  Here are the updates/changes for this year:

• We have a new Great Hall carpet, the money for which was kindly donated.  It looks fabulous and has a lovely bouncy underlay!
• We received new blinds to replace broken ones, and for rooms that had never previously had them.  Existing ones that could be fixed, were also.
• The old film on the windows has now been replaced after many years with fresh UV film to stop nasty light coming in to spoil the collection.
• Furniture has been put back to original positions in some of the rooms to improve visitor experience.
• More items are again on display after repair etc.
• We have also been updating information for visitors.
• The Dining Room ceiling has finally been fixed, yay!
• We have more heating, also donated – extra yay here from experience
• We have some new stuff in the shop along with old favourites
• The castle restaurant is doing really well, phone to book.

That’s all I can remember for now!

In my research world, I was fortunate after three years of searching to finally find a living Fraser of the line.  We had previously thought that the line had died out, but it turns out the younger brother’s line is alive and well!  I have been happily updating records for this.

My next project is for the estate, and I am currently documenting all that I can find about the castle estate workers and house servants.  This will be really useful for enquiries, and give us a much better bigger picture of how the house the castle and estate were run.

Don’t forget to visit us!  I will post any event news as soon as I have it.

Sadly not for me, but for Claire’s postcard collection.

Yes, Claire decided to set them free around the world to different blog friends.  I was lucky enough to receive one, this lovely illustration by Beatrix Potter.

It’s well known that I love my rodents, but I think Claire’s trying to tell me something with this lizard…answers on a postcard what that is (arf).

P.S Claire – it was actually franked ‘Free’ advertising for something.  Thought that was very appropriate, and loved the doodle.  Say hi to the Willy family from me! 

Just a quick one.  I’ve been going through some old sites and services that I joined when I first started blogging.

I might delete a few more of them yet, but whilst weeding one I noticed just how many blogs that I added between mostly 2007/2008 had disappeared.  I’m not just talking about changing sites, names, announcing a break etc etc, just disappeared without a word.

I have to say, if I ever decide to close up shop here, I will tell you.  It seemed kind of sad to me that many people I followed and spoke with had gone from the blogosphere altogether.  Especially those that I ‘met’ via Wordless Wednesday.  What a pity that meme got spoilt by being overdone daily.

Anyhow, moving on from the maudlin – is there anybody out there that follows this blog that hasn’t said hello yet?  Just a quick one will do!  It would be nice to see who is following.  Same goes for my faithful readers, be nice to see you too.  On that note, and new blog recommendations?  What do you think I should be reading in 2010?

Well it certainly will be…

What’s been happening around here?  Too much frankly.  I have now completed my exams, and am waiting to hear if I have passed them – fingers crossed for that one.

For Philosophy the exam involved writing two essays from the areas of Knowledge, Ethics and Religion, there being two choices from each, and the areas were roughly what we studied in sections throughout.  For History, we studied six different areas throughout the course, to name a couple, Scots in the British Empire and the American War of Independence.  The exam involved writing three essays from a choice of roughly the six areas.

I am now looking ahead to the next part of my course, which will involve me studying English Literature and Modern Art.

In English, I will be looking at the texts of King Lear, Pride and Prejudice, The Garden Party and Other Stories and The Glass Menagerie.  There will also be poetry (gasp) in the form of William Wordsworth and Seamus Heaney.  For Art, all I know at the moment is that is will be the period from 1820 to the present day, so sadly misses out a lot of the art that I like, however I will know more when the course books are sent out to me.

Work at the day job is speeding up, and ploughing on.  Even now a lot of thought and work is going on behind the scenes to ready the castle for the new season starting in April.  To that end, I will be going on another Collections Care course this year to learn more cool things.

Now I have a little time again before study part two begins, I am taking time out to have an early Spring clean – also handy as I will probably be too busy for it when Spring gets here!  I also have a few historic and photographic projects on the go.

Hello everyone – good grief it’s 2010!  I hope you are all ok, especially in the UK with the current exceptional Winter weather.  We have had at least 4ft of snow here, and there isn’t much in the way of gritting happening on paths and roads, so it is quite hazardous at times, and quite arduous getting anywhere.

I am back at work at the day job, have passed (thankfully) all my coursework at Uni, but am now coming up to my exams, so times are a bit busy and frantic here, apologies for the lack of posting.  I have some castle news to share shortly, but this will come after my exams and busyness at work.

I was very sad to see David Tennant go at the tenth Doctor in Doctor Who, only Christmas viewing I really watched, really enjoyed his performance.  I’ve also been experimenting with some new reading and music (relaxation time has officially left the building now).

Here is the music I’m really liking, Bat For Lashes, and Daniel.  Any suggestions for other people/bands appreciated.  Speak soon!

Doctor Who The End of Time

Bat For Lashes: Daniel

Some of you already know that back in the Summer I decided to go back into studying.  In fact, I’ve been wanting to for quite some time.

Since September I have started at University on a part-time certificate course, which will take me up to May 2010 to complete.

At the moment I am studying Philosophy and History, and once I finish exams for these in January, I will then take two more subjects.  I am hoping to do well (I’m told I am at the moment!) and go on to study something else in September 2010, but one day at a time.

I know that you guys will be out there cheering me on, and as you have seen already I’m still here blogging when I can.  I’m also still doing lots of things as well as studying.  Still found at the castle, doing photography etc etc.

Sometimes there will be gaps when I post as I will probably be writing essays, but I’m still here and so is Eleanor.  In fact Eleanor and I are plotting a few updates on the site too, so watch this space…

I can’t believe how fast the year has gone – and it’s that time again, when the end of castle season looms.

Hmm, update, well…

• The Castle Fraser Restaurant has been up and running since August, and I’m told is doing well and has gorgeous food.
• Ilyria came to perform the Mowgli Stories from the Jungle book.
• Gnasher from the Beano has been lurking in our corridors (in fact, still is).
• We’ve had lots of cool Ranger walks around the grounds this year, and the Mum was actually comissioned to make woolly bats for the children’s bat walk!
• Great garden open day, plus great sales for plants, bulbs and veg too.
• The second hand books and teddy bear orphans have been flying out the door to new homes (thanks everyone!) and the final bears for this year can now also be clothed in hats and scarves until we close for the Winter.
• We’re now in the midst of doing bat crafts for children in the castle too for half term, as well as the annual bat quiz.
• We’ve also been able to display more items to visitors this year – check out some of them in the Library.

This is all I can remember for now, I’m sure someone will remind me if I’ve forgotten anything! We’ve had an amazingly busy year (thank you) and though we will close for the Winter on the 1st November, we will be back in December with some Christmas events.  More on that soon…

Here’s the part where I finally get to update on lots of things that I’ve been either doing or attempting to do this year.

With reference to castle visits.  I managed to visit Delgatie Castle again, and it was sunny too.  I think it could end up being a favourite of mine.  Apart from the usual suspects, I haven’t managed any other ones this year sadly.

Plus, the  history books I got my hands on?

The lovely people at Country Life Magazine sent me a copy of Adams Houses, I bought myself Jane Austen: the World of Her Novels by Deidre Le Faye and I’ve managed to borrow Sir Thomas Lawrence (which I love) and Treasures From the Trust.

I should also update the historic film and TV list.  I’m ashamed to say I originally missed off accidentally: Excalibur, Daniel Deronda, Dangerous Liasons, Howard’s End.  There are lots more I love that I will add eventually.

Talking of TV, after the glut of interesting stuff, there hasn’t been much on that I’ve liked lately.  Series 3 of The Tudors was pretty boring stuff, and I even missed the end.  Caught up with the predecessor of Victorian Farm – Tales From the Green Valley – which I didn’t like nearly as much, haven’t seen the new Wuthering Heights (not bothered either, I HATE the story and characters) and am currently watching the new version of Emma, which I’m not liking much either, sigh.

I hope to get out to the cinema over the Winter to see at least a couple of new films, and to get some fresh books to read as I’m getting a bit low on material.  Maybe someone will take pity on me for my birthday…

Haven’t managed any exhibitions either, though I do lust over paintings at every available opportunity.  I can dream about making an exhibition some time soon.

Last, but not least, I’ve done a little tinkering with this site, and gathered a lot of Eleanor material together.  I’m much more happy with the site now than I ever was, so I will put a proper front page up.  Not in any rush though (why rush now!) it will come when time and creativity permits.