Hectic day yesterday! Early morning duties had me patrolling around the bounds of Staddle keeping a weary eye out for any travellers that might be in danger, then it was off to the lodgings to pick up a change of clothing. Selia, that’s Mrs Bearman, was home and in a surprisingly good mood. I’ve never seen her before with such a smile on her face and when she pounced towards me when I walked through the door it was only to have a brief grumble about my muddy boots rather than her normal torrent of vitriolic comments. Away then to Mistress Smithfields to collect a bundle of laundry for mending, not that it’s her own clothing, she collects it in to wash and would repair it herself only her hands play up from time to time. She pays a meagre coin for my work but seeing as how she has no family and it’s her only source of income, I would feel horrible for refusing a few shirts every couple of months.
The day was then wearing on and I had been volunteered by Lord Arundar (our fearless leader in the Militia) to take a turn with Luminari behind the bar at the comb and wattle. The music was lively, and the company good, but I must have used up my patience for the day as I found myself losing my temper with folks for the slightest of reasons. Still I got the wood I needed for mending the door! Jennyfer who was helping to prop up the counter last night was kind enough to give me a piece from her family store, and even though it’s a little charred it will be perfect for my purpose! I returned as usual to the farm to re-stable Grace and in the dark my feet found their way to catch against a sack of grain, the loud curse that was drawn from my lips as my chin smacked into the courtyard roused your brothers’ family from their bed. Valnor invited me in for a drink and one has turned to two which has turned to several, whilst he’s gone out to welcome in the day and sort out the livestock, I’m sitting in the kitchen with the ghostly feeling that you will walk through the door at any moment. It clutches at my heart that it’s not you I can hear moving around upstairs but your brothers young wife Eabar. Deorling min, I wish you had a chance to meet her as you’d have loved her dearly as she has the most generous of hearts and always brings out the best in Valnor, though not the fairest of women her pregnancy has given her the most attractive shine, lighting her up like the copper pans she decks our her kitchen out with. Now I’m going for a quick lie down before the day carries me away again.
