Productive Meeting

We were joined by a second George Turnbull, also an officer of TCA Scotland and our discussion grew beyond TCA administration to the restoration or at least preservation of Fatlips Castle.  The Fatlips story is quite old and very interesting but somewhat complicated and will require its own future article.  George gave us detailed but different instructions from the Knights advice about how to hike up to Fatlips Castle the next morning.

Our meeting resulted in some concrete suggestions which will be first discussed with the officers and members at the AGM in September then published in these pages.  Following our meeting we were joined by George’s wife Linda, their daughter Amy and son Mark for an evening of warm Turnbull fellowship.  Amy who had just that day finished her university studies for the year graciously prepared dinner for us rather than going out to celebrate with her friends.  Turnbulls are good people but some are extra-special.

Unlock the Door

The clock hands ran around to ten more quickly than usual that evening.  As we left Martinshouse, George was telephoning our hotel to request that they unlock the front door for us.  We arrived to the gracious greeting “Good evening, I’m glad that you were enjoying yourselves.”  We had, indeed, but it had been a long day and we were getting tired just thinking about the climb up to Fatlips Castle the next day.

AGM Announcement

Birthdays:

Mary Katheryn Dollar, Melinda Turnbull, J. Robert Turnbull, Michele Turnbull, Eleanor Turnbull, Paula Turnbull, Louis Marot, Jimmie Jean Bowman, Jan Swinton, William Ledgerwood, Adriana Bonewitz, Janet Schwierking, Mary Turnbull, John Turnbull III, Katheryn Hunt.

Get well wishes

Edith Turnbull of Billerica, Maine, was recently injured and sustained a broken foot also a sprained ankle. Despite some temporary setbacks Edith is now making steady progress with the able nursing care and assistances of her sister Lois. We wish them both good health and Edith a speedy progressive recovery.

Aidan’s Corner

Dunstable Priory, MSS Combat weekend.

Registration clocked about 180 re-enactors, with 40 tents and 3 days of good weather good enough for us to get sunburned.

It turns out that in the Turnbull army there were only my cousins Martin, Geoff and myself who were the only actual TURNBULL (fighters) on the battlefield. However, there were about 40 on each side but it was still pretty entertaining fighting with 2 skirmishes/battles a day.

There was a beer tent, traders and a Kentucky Fried Chicken shop just 2 minutes walk from the Priory. Re-enactment heaven!

The Bayards (a household within the Medieval Siege Society) seems to have recruited some new blokes with Gung Ho attitudes, who had to be beaten into a new frame of mind. Goeff further enraged the RED CROW household by shouting- “Dead Crow! Dead Crow!, so after they had finished poking him with swords and spears the bruises looked like a profusion of black paintball marks on his upper arms.

My friend BJ  fighting with the Crows, has a new kind of steel poleaxe which put several distressing dents into my breastplate armour. Still makes me pretend I’m a bit hard, hey what can I say.

I must tell you that my most serious injury was just scratch on the arm. Do I love these mock battles, would I go back to this event? DEFINITELY!