Monday, July 30, 2018

Please use caution when running at night





Jogging can be very dangerous... even at low speeds. 
Please use caution when you decide to be an idiot.


Here is my true story... In a successful attempt to avoid our children, my sister and I decided to go eat delicious Mexican food. After sharing a scrumptious plate of carnitas tacos, we did some light shopping before arriving home around 8pm. The sun was starting to set, but I felt like a 3-mile run would be the perfect way to end a wonderful day.

I threw on my running clothes, put my music on, and I started running down the asphalt road. While I was jogging (and I use that term loosely), I started outlining a book that I am collaborating with many other fantastic authors. After achieving a speedy 10 minute mile average, I had just started the final leg of my jog when a pothole came out from nowhere. Sadly, my ankle was not having it and gave out on me. 

As I sat on the side of the road, a nice older man offered to give me a ride home. Yes, I had to accept a ride from a stranger; Yes, I went to the emergency room because I thought I had broken my ankle again. (Yes, again)  

 Luckily, it is only a sprain, but I learned a few life lessons:

1.  Do not start a run when it is already dark outside 

     
     2.  While running on neglected city streets, do not start acting out scenes in your head

    

  3. Wearing flimsy running shorts to an emergency room might not be the best choice in wardrobe selection



4. It might be best for me to bring along a partner when jog because I appear to be accident prone. Perhaps I should request an ambulance to trail behind me

5. The nurse at the ER told me that I am not a "young buck" anymore and I should develop a new workout strategy. (Maybe liposuction????)










  

Monday, July 16, 2018

A Cheat Sheet for Regency Era Carriage Types

Are you trying to keep track of all the wide varieties of conveyances used in the Regency Era. If so, this cheat sheet should help you immensely. My list is complied of the most commonly used carriage types. Enjoy!


Regency Era Carriage Types Cheat Sheet


Buggy light, un-hooded, one-horsed vehicles with two wheels– carried a single passenger.

Carriages- A carriage usually refers to any private, four-wheeled passenger vehicle drawn by two or more horses.

Cart- Typically a two-wheeled wagon with no suspension, a cart was maneuverable and drawn by a single horse. It was a general-purpose trade or farm vehicle.


Chaise

A chaise was a pleasure or traveling carriage that was usually open and low with four wheels and drawn by one or two ponies. Often referred to as “a yellow bounder”, a hired Post Chaise were always painted bright yellow and a postillion riding one of the rented horses controlled the vehicle.




Regency Era Carriage: coach
 



Coach



Coaches were stately carriages with four wheels and windows on all sides. The curved underbody and seating for four passengers were also characteristic. A Town Coach was massive and often drawn by up to six horses and usually sported a coat of arms painted on the doors.


Regency Era Carriage: curricle

Curricle

Curricles were light, two-wheeled vehicles pulled by a pair of horses that were used for short trips. This was the only two-wheeled vehicle to be drawn by a pair of horses and a steel bar, attached with pads to the horses’ backs, supported the weight of the pole.

 





Regency Era Carriage: coach


Gig

Gigs were light, two-wheeled, one-horsed vehicles for two passengers. This was the most common vehicle on the road.

 



Now for Specific Vehicles Names:


Regency Era Carriage: barouche


Barouche

The barouche had a collapsible hood over the back and was considered a summer vehicle used for driving in the great parks. It was drawn by a pair of high quality horses to complement the expensive and fashionable vehicle.

 

Hackney

These were coaches or carriages for hire. The name comes from the French term haquenée meaning horse for hire. Often these coaches had been discarded by the nobility and were looked down upon because of their shabby, dirty interiors.


Landau

A landau was a four-wheeled carriage with a folding two-part hood. The front and rear halves could be raised and lowered independently.


Mail CoachRegency Era Carriage: mailcoach

The official mail coaches, which followed fixed routes, carried mail and passengers to specific coaching inns and followed a strict schedule. Usually pulled by six horses changed out at regular post stops, these coaches could therefore run all the way.


PhaetonRegency Era Carriage: phaeton

A phaeton refers to a light and usually low-slung, four-wheeled open carriage drawn by a pair of horses. 


 


 







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