been a long while since the last one, but very busy time

well it looked like i would get the chance to be certified as an instructor in RBUB by the Chieftains head man in 2 weeks time, but who knows now. i emailed to check that he was still accredited as i'd been told of a falling out, and when he heard this wanted to ban me from attending, i explained why i'd done it; it is important to me that i continue it with approval of direct transmission, and while he said i could train again, i wanted this point acknowledged- it was not a slander at the person with whom i was to train, by all accounts he is a good bloke. we'll see how it pans out.

in the mean time i am setting up my workshop to make weapons to sell as a sideline to my studies and interest in the arts. i'm looking to make some oriental wooden weapons, training bata (i've made 20 for the ISF RBUB seminars here and have developed a good and effective method), and some natural shillelagh. over the winter i cut, straightened and prepared about 60 Hawthorn, various fruit tree (apricot, apple), willow and gum sticks as well as a few cudgels and some experimental weapons- crops, hand hammers (casur labh) etc.