Featherstone Ho!

Pinkie called me from the Eagle at around 5 on Sunday. I went to get him and ensconced him in the lodger's room (his idea of preparing for  a visitor and mine are at odds but, "hey"). We had a pleasant catch up and chat.

Monday Morning it was off to get some last minute stuff- and cat food before going to collect Blue and Raven and then heading off to the castle. I had been feeling weirdly apprehensive about the journey but only made one error- drifting across lanes at the junction from the A1 to the A69- which, to be fair, is not the best!

We got to the castle at 11:45 and didn't have anything to do really until Shokti arrived with people and supplies. Pinkie got the 'eternal flame' going in the Gun Room/Smoking Dungeon over which he benevolently lords during the event. The main action was to get the Gun Room ready for the chill out later. By the time Cookie had sorted food about twenty of us were here. Wolverine was supposed to have been here, but he messed up, big time and didn't arrive until Tuesday afternoon. They stayed with someone in Newcastle as they didn't get to the Toon until 11pm or something. I don't know who it was. I got online in the morning and sent Wolverine a message about if he wanted to be picked up- because I found I'd left the power cable for my computer at home (I've got an hour of battery time left at the mo lol) I'll go back at some point.

One odd thing happened in that there was an Asian guy knocking around whom we all assumed was one of us but turned out to be a guest of the owner who was more than interested in us. There was a slightly ikkie moment when the owner came asking if he was going to bed. He was clearly reluctant but eventually left. There was a... well; I found it unpleasant bit of behind-the-back sniggering about what might be going on between the pair that made me wonder what was said about me when I wasn't around!

Room allocation was a perk of being a day earlier than the rest of the group though, me being me; I wasn't totally comfortable with it. I ended up in a nice warm room dubbed for this event "Asylum Abode" which is above the ;office' and therefore picks up the wifi brilliantly- one of the few places outside the kitchen where that's possible. I ended up sharing with a guy called Mike and his dog, Jarvis- joined later by Kingfisher who didn't actually sleep in the room that  night.

I am connecting with an interesting guy with whom I have had a series of stimulating conversations about a lot of stuff. He calls himself Mephistopheles which is interesting for someone who once trained as an evangelical priest and now does wild camping and calls himself a user of magik. It has been nice to connect with several familiar faces and to be reminded why I distrust others. There is one guy who SPEAKS a lot about connection and community but ACTS in the most selfish and distasteful ways. I said I was going to Haltwhistle for things- we ended up in his car. When we got there he produced a bit of broccoli he'd bought in A tesco presumably where he lives but found that it was "off" so demanded that the Haltwhistle tesco changed it for him- without a receipt. I cringed and sat outside watching the sunlight on trees until he emerged chuffed that his complaining had secured him a £5 voucher from the manager. He felt very full of himself. Of course every time I catch sight of him he is doing something to add to my image of him that started at the very first event I came to here where he tantamount accused me of stealing a lighter from him. -It was ultimately found but no apology offered etc. There are going to be 80 people here by the week end, more than enough opportunities to not connect with him again lol.

The gathering has a nice feeling to it already. There is a woman here who is... brusque to the point of aggression in an attempt to be assertive... its unconvincing but a red flag for me so I shan't attempt to engage with her, but there are some really sweet people here... I do find it amusing that so many of them say so much about harmony and oneness and protecting the planet etc but seem to put their own needs and desires prominently above any other consideration. I think (he said sagely) it is a function of youth!

I am looking forward to the next ten days- even though there are likely to be several administrative horrors awaiting me when I return. This should give me the strength to deal with them.

It is very nice to be here