(no subject)
Ups and Downs ...
Last week was pretty nuts. Started really poorly, but Saturday was a generally outstanding day for several reasons. Not the least of which was being actually happy to go to work for a change. Better still was getting there and finding out one of our old ER nurses and a good friend was down and filling in a shift that night. It was awesome to see her again. And some lovely quirk of fate kept all the usual dingleberries out of the ER and the night slow so we could do some catching up.
I've been rather a bum the past couple of days (i.e. sleeping muchly), but I managed to catch a great program on the evolution of armour Sunday night. I think this program was specifically designed with the intent of making me go "oooh, awesome" for a straight hour. >_>
It started with chainmail, simply known as mail back in its heyday. They did some great demos of it being pierced by lances. Then we got to see the next step which was a funky jacket of plates sewn together to be worn under the mail. I have to admit this was the first time I'd seen such a thing. It actually looked rather like a strange bulletproof jacket. The reason for the small plates was that the armour-making technology had not yet progressed to the point where they could get enough metal to make anything but small pieces.
But then ... boom, somewhere in the mid-14th century better techniques of temperature control are achieved and we can start making the fantastic pieces of plate we associate with the 'classic' medieval knight. It was absolutely lovely to see these pieces, to see them in use. One of the most gorgeous pieces was from a custom-made Italian suit. The way the cuisse, knee cop and greave blended so seamlessly together ... *drool*
And I so want to see the Wallace Collection's armoury in London (*hint*). They had a great bollocks dagger there which was pretty cool to see. From pictures I had always gotten the impression it was like a regular old dagger, but it's actually not. It looks like a railroad spike with a handle. They also had a fantastic demonstration of the poleaxe in use and the concussive force it could wield.
And where the dickens are my Osprey books on late medieval soldiers?!? >_
Last week was pretty nuts. Started really poorly, but Saturday was a generally outstanding day for several reasons. Not the least of which was being actually happy to go to work for a change. Better still was getting there and finding out one of our old ER nurses and a good friend was down and filling in a shift that night. It was awesome to see her again. And some lovely quirk of fate kept all the usual dingleberries out of the ER and the night slow so we could do some catching up.
I've been rather a bum the past couple of days (i.e. sleeping muchly), but I managed to catch a great program on the evolution of armour Sunday night. I think this program was specifically designed with the intent of making me go "oooh, awesome" for a straight hour. >_>
It started with chainmail, simply known as mail back in its heyday. They did some great demos of it being pierced by lances. Then we got to see the next step which was a funky jacket of plates sewn together to be worn under the mail. I have to admit this was the first time I'd seen such a thing. It actually looked rather like a strange bulletproof jacket. The reason for the small plates was that the armour-making technology had not yet progressed to the point where they could get enough metal to make anything but small pieces.
But then ... boom, somewhere in the mid-14th century better techniques of temperature control are achieved and we can start making the fantastic pieces of plate we associate with the 'classic' medieval knight. It was absolutely lovely to see these pieces, to see them in use. One of the most gorgeous pieces was from a custom-made Italian suit. The way the cuisse, knee cop and greave blended so seamlessly together ... *drool*
And I so want to see the Wallace Collection's armoury in London (*hint*). They had a great bollocks dagger there which was pretty cool to see. From pictures I had always gotten the impression it was like a regular old dagger, but it's actually not. It looks like a railroad spike with a handle. They also had a fantastic demonstration of the poleaxe in use and the concussive force it could wield.
And where the dickens are my Osprey books on late medieval soldiers?!? >_