Tim in Grishko boots, he returns to duty

Lovely men’s black leather ballet-boots

The Photo: Grishko 03223 Ballet Boots with Foldover. This style, with a 38 cm length, has a thin split leather sole with pleats, and no heel.  It could be made with a full sole. (03224). The elastic inset is on the inside of the boot at the top. Ballet boots need to fit very closely and be snug on the feet, so they should be made to individual measurements. Material and Color: Black Velour, Black, White, Gold or Silver Leather. Size 36-47

A Grishko fitter from the Covent Garden Dancia London shop came up to the castle to fit both Marvin and Tim for the Grishko 03223 boots in black, the ones with the split soles and pleated toes so the wearer can feel the floor. The pleated toes also allow a partner if properly positioned to see the wearer’s toes to curl w/o cramping during orgasm. Nikolai already has several pairs he wears for roles. Even with a rush order and breathtaking expediting charges the boots didn’t arrive while Marvin was with me and I have no intention of sending them on to him in Cambridge where he can strut around in them impressing Miss GyneFix née Implanon. Speaking of whom she is doing well after her successful vacuum aspiration though not being able to have vaginal sex with her for ten days is giving Marvin a fit though he is allowed to finger her clit to take her to orgasm and splatter her breasts and belly with his seed. But I digress…

Tim in Grishko ballet boots: The boots for both Tim and Marvin came air express and courier (you have no idea of the cost!) this past Friday so I had three days to have sex with him while he was wearing them. Having him strut around on the wooden floor on demi-pointe in them with the leather creaking, the strong new leather scent mixed with testosterone laced sweat, the whisper of the pleated toes brushing the floor during tendus and dégagés and how virile he looked in his boots, rolled tights and the lovely genital bulge of his dance belt made me wet just looking at him. I had no idea that having a partner take me while wearing masculine soft leather boots would be such a massive turn-on. The scent and creak of the leather and looking at his booted legs and feet in the mirror as I bent over holding on to the barre as he thrust into me from behind was marvelous. And the pressure on my toes while en pointe in Freeds for ballet-sex with him gave me the touch of masochism I needed to thoroughly enjoy the encounter! On Sunday, the 17^th I was CD9 and fertile so I needed to cervical protection. I wore a Caya as he likes to rub his glans against the slightly textured dome of the cervix cup. We had marvelous sex made more special because we knew we would be apart for some time and there is a chance that we may never see each other again.

Tim returns to duty: All went well in our trip to Cardiff with a bit of sightseeing before dinner at Gateway of India where I had Rogan gosh, a spicy lamb curry; Curry Samosas, Papadum, Naan and spiced tea which I love. It was delicious! I went with him to the airport and while we said good bye he finger-fucked me against an alcove wall while I tried to suck his tongue out. It was a very emotional but sweet parting and he was licking his fingers as he walked out to the plane.

Souvenir exchange: As I write this I’m wearing one of Tim’s military olive tees that on me makes a lovely and rather modest tunic coming to just above the knee. It is infused with the wonderful scent of his testosterone laced sweat from our ballet classes and ballet-sex encounters and even has semen stains where I dribbled a bit when he slipped out while I was giving him fellatio. I’m not going to wash it until he either sends me another sweaty one (without the semen stains unless he masturbates on it for me) or he comes back so I can help him sweat into one that I can peel off him and be covered in his marvelously heady male aroma.

I gave him a pair of my sweat soaked bespoke Freed pointes with ¾ leather shanks along with a pair of silicone toe pads that have my toe cheese in them both of which I wore the last time we had ballet-sex. They were a souvenir of our time together and he seemed very pleased with the gift as it has significance for us both. I put them in a Ziploc bag to keep the scent in and not have the studio grime on the soles soil the clothes in his bag.       

I’m taking care to avoid contaminating Tim’s tee with my breast milk as I don’t want to wash the tee and the stench of rancid breast milk will mask the toe curling male musk of his scent. That means I wear LilyPadz or a sports bra or both under the tee when I’m wearing it because when I’m aroused my nipples sometimes leak. Actually not wanting to get breast milk on his tee is a good reason to wear a bra during class since with lactating breasts, even though they are high, firm and relatively small (B cups) when I jump and turn it’s best to support them as they haven’t yet begun to sag and I’d like to prevent that for as long as possible. I love taking class in his shirt as my estrogenic sweat mixes with his and with the aroma coming off that shirt and then me masturbating on a pleasure bracket in the castle’s old studio I can fantasize about Tim fingering me to climax. 

Return to Blackthorn castle: The return trip from Cardiff aboard The Dragon was uneventful. I occupied myself by reading some briefing papers on the Barony’s mining interests as on Wednesday I’ll be going south just over the border into Carmarthenshire to inspect a mine that has been a source of a good bit of the Barony’s wealth for a very long time. The forecast is for sunny weather, but below freezing temperatures so at least it should be dry for the mine tour.  Eventually I did sleep fitfully on the train dreaming of Tim. A Land Rover and driver were waiting for me at Caersws and took me home.

On a lighter note: The British Parliament set out this past Monday afternoon (January 18^th) to debate a question that is often argued in the U.S. but has never before been taken up in the halls of Westminster: Is Donald Trump dangerous? Or is he merely a buffoon? For a U.S. view of that see the article in the Washington Post which can be read: HERE   

Morning Wood’s problem, and a shoe room tryst

The single rod contraceptive implant good for 3 years

The Photo: The Nexplanon 4 cm long single rod progestin only subdermal implant that slowly releases etonogestrel.

Morning Wood and morning sickness: The 19 y/o student, ‘Miss Nexplanon’, who is fucking her way into one of Marvin’s Cambridge Psychology classes and as a consequence is draining his seed from her tight, deep pussy tested positive for hCG. She hadn’t been able to keep breakfast down for the past several days so she peed on a stick and found she is pregnant. That’s not supposed to happen for women on Nexplanon which is statistically about 99% effective and she is freaking out and wants to get rid of it as does Marvin. She was on diet pills and St John’s Wort for depression which probably reduced the progestin’s effectiveness.

Chris, my male Gyn who works at the Barony’s London women’s clinic, is giving her a vacuum aspiration this evening (Saturday, after office hours) and Marvin accompanied her. They plan to spend the night at Blackthorn House in Belgravia before returning to Cambridge Sunday as though they had gone to London for the shows. I suppose she is lucky since there is a good possibility that a pregnancy while on a progestin only contraceptive could end up as ectopic and result in the possible loss of one of her tubes. She is having a frameless copper bead GyneFix IUD inserted at the same time so she and Marvin can continue their affair. That’s fine with me as it will keep him pumping seed into a known vagina for the academic year while he is teaching at Cambridge.

Snow: On Thursday 1/14 we had our first snow. It was forecast for Llanidloes which is about 550 feet above sea level with temps in the mid 20s (F).   Blackthorn castle is at 1,600 feet and our temp was in the high teens (F) and we had about 4 inches of snow. It was my first time here in the snow and the castle looks marvelous all trimmed in white.

A shoe room tryst: As I mentioned in my entry for January 1^st, Tim has an erotic fascination about pointe shoes and the women who wear them. When I showed him my shoe room with its bins of new Freed and Gaynor Minden pointes he was very interested, but he fell in love with the racks of damp smelly ones drying after being worn. They are infused with the unique bouquet of stimulating scents immediately recognized by all women ballet dancers; estrogenic sweat soaked leather and paste and anti-bacteria spray from drying Freed and Gaynor pointes, lineament, antiperspirant and perfume that I wear on a daily basis. And from the soiled costume hamper occasionally the malodorous aroma of a pantie and plug set that was worn while fertile. The shoe room has a barre and mirror so I can try on a pair and see how they feel to see if they are right for what I will be doing a technique class, rehearsal or a performance and what role I’ll be dancing. Every woman who was ever fitted for pointe shoes knows there can be a different look and feel between pairs of seemingly identical pointes. 

Tim loves the intimacy of watching me prepare my toes, taping them and pulling on toe pads then forcing my padded and taped toes intro the toe-boxes of the shoes and pulling the backs up over my heels then walking around en pointe with the ribbons untied to see how they feel and set my toes in the blocks. If everything feels right then I’ll wrap the ribbons around my ankles and tie my feet into the pair of pointes before stretching for a few minutes at the barre. I was CD 7 and follicular and needed the protection of a cervical barrier.

Ordinarily I would insert a cervical barrier before dressing in practice clothes however I wanted him actively involved in the fantasy of helping a ballet dancer protect herself before an unanticipated encounter so after that I let him apply DiveGel+ in the dome of a Caya pull down my tights, slip the thong of my leo to one side and parting my labia expertly inserted it slipping the rim under and behind my cervix before pushing the relief arch up behind my pubic bone. I checked after him to feel my cervix through the silicone membrane of the cup just to be sure. It was positioned perfectly and I was ready to rock and roll!  With my vulva still exposed and my tights at mid thigh I took his hand and guided him over to the barre, stepped up on to pointe a la seconde, grabbed the barre with both hands and bent over inviting him to enter me from behind.

He is tall and marvelously well hung so even en pointe a la seconde he lifted me several inches off my platforms which is why I increased the padding as I wore bespoke Freeds from the Crown maker with 3/8^th inch thick three-quartered leather shanks for our ballet-sex encounter rather than Gaynors since I was going to give the shoes to Tim as a souvenir of our time together when he left to return to duty.  The leather shanks flex not break when the wearer is thrust-dropped on the platforms during ballet-sex. Even so there is no internal platform padding so wearing Freeds for ballet-sex is for the masochist not the faint-of-heart.

Taking a man inside me when I’m en pointe is almost always a marvelous experience for me especially if he is well endowed and Tim is near my upper limit in that category.  All my muscles from the tips of my toes to my abdominals are clenched when I’m on my toes so I have to be very well lubricated and then the initial penetration as his glans pushes between my labia and under my pubic bone is absolutely thrilling feeling the warmth and size of him filling me as he pushes deeper thrusting into the depths of my posterior fornix pushing against the nylon spring rim of the Caya.  His strong hands holding my hips as he thrust and withdrew and thrust and withdrew! All that length and girth, his new set of bacteria and when he came he filled me with the hot, thick, creamy strands of bioadhesive semen coating the convex side of my Caya   It is so marvelous having Tim thrusting inside me! He loves the lightly textured matte surface of the Caya dome which acts as a stimulator and gets him off quicker than if I was wearing a Milex that has a glass smooth finish to its dome.

The Dragon to Cardiff: I’m taking Tim to the airport at Cardiff this coming Monday, Jan 18^th. The Dragon, my private cars, will be connected to the 7:31 AM from Caersws for the three hour trip to Cardiff arriving at 10:39 AM.  We will be having sex and a late breakfast aboard and then more sex.  He will be boarding a military aircraft bound for some location that he can’t talk about. In Cardiff he is taking me for an early dinner to Gateway of India since we both like Indian food and he says the restaurant is excellent. Then I’ll go with him to the airport to see him aboard his plane then take a taxi back to Cardiff Central to board The Dragon for Caersws and home. The return trip will take 9 ¼ hours! I’ll certainly have time to become reacquainted with my vibi after an amazing two weeks with Tim! Sigh…!

Storms Eva and Frank, house party

Caersws railway station Wales

The Photo: Caersws rail station Powys, Wales. It is the closest station to Blackthorn Castle and The Dragon, my two car private train, is stored in a purpose built shed nearby.

Eva is no lady: Storm Eva was quite a bit worse than we thought. Not that the Weather Service didn’t warn everyone about it. Here in Wales the areas most heavily impacted by flooding are in the North West and South West. Fortunately for us the streams and rivers where we are while over their banks have not (yet) been nearly as destructive. It was a good thing I had the castle access road up from the highway regraded and resurfaced, banks graded and walled and drains enlarged during what passes for summer here.  The improvements have been able to handle the runoff so far. My chief Woodward has inspected the area currently being logged and the thick ground cover we do our best not to disturb and new ground cover we plant immediately after selective logging is holding the soil in place so we don’t lose the topsoil to heavy rains. Touch wood! The source of the Severn near Llanidloes is a roaring torrent so I can’t imagine what it is like when it gets to flatter country. 

I was very anxious that the staff’s Boxing Day return trip from London might be delayed. Fortunately rail service hasn’t been disrupted between Caersws and London except for scheduled engineering work. So I was greatly relieved that the staff’s trip to the London sales went as well as it did although in pouring rain and all returned safely and more or less on time.

Storm Frank: The forecast was for sunshine this morning (Tuesday 12/29 which there was, briefly) and then more rain for the next several days and very high winds from another low coming from the south west off St. George’s Channel. The forecasters say the worst of Frank will be in the northern counties of England and in Scotland, but heavy rain and very strong winds are still expected here as the storm comes ashore. The locals say this set of intense storms is very rare. I’m pleased to say that my villagers seem to be safe as my predecessors were very careful about where they built homes for the Barony’s villagers. It’s good that we are all safe indoors and on high ground.

House party date in danger: With the arrival of this intense set of Holiday storms I may have to postpone my long planned getting acquainted house party for local aristocrats with estates and farms in the area as well as the movers and shakers (politicians as well as merchants) from the nearby villages. I’m hoping the damage is minimal and roads are passable by the end of the week so everyone that has accepted will be able to get here. I’m putting them all up in the completely refurbished wing where the rooms all have fireplaces and in suite bathrooms with tub and shower. That is the wing where ballet students and dive students will be staying when I hold ballet intensives and Carla holds diver training classes.

I’ve volunteered my woodcutters and groundskeepers and their heavy equipment to help any of the nearby estates and farms that need assistance clearing the storm damage, but we may have another several days before it is all past. The party - planned for months – will occur over the New Year weekend (January 1^st - 3^rd) and I want it to be a fun time for the locals before my wards and I leave for Virgin Gorda after Twelfth Night. The Barony has always counted Christmas as the first day of the 12 days of Christmas so Twelfth night will be on Tuesday January 5^th in 2016. However, the dates may prove more memorable for the drenching and the damage Eva and Frank are causing than any merrymaking. It is an unfortunate way to ring in the New Year.

 

 

Spongeworthy, Bank Holiday weekend, Erika

The Today contraceptive sponge

The photo: The Today sponge, shown folded for insertion.

Benefits of the Sponge: The contraceptive sponge is safe, simple, and convenient. In the U.S. you can buy it in a drugstore without a prescription. It does not need to be fitted by a health care provider and with some practice, inserting and using the sponge is easy. Women like the sponge because it can be conveniently carried in pocket or purse to be prepared should a spongeworthy occasion present itself. It generally cannot be felt by you or your partner. It has no effect on a woman's natural hormones. It does not interrupt sex play — the sponge can be inserted hours ahead of time and can be worn safely and effectively for up to 30 hours after you insert it. During that time, you can have intercourse as many times as you like during the first 24 hours without removing or reinserting the sponge. It can be used during breastfeeding. According to the 19^th revised edition (2008) of Contraceptive Technology the sponge is 91% effective for nulliparous women if used correctly and for every act of intercourse.

Disadvantages of the Sponge

• It may be difficult for some women to insert or remove the sponge. If you cannot remove a sponge, or if one breaks into pieces and you cannot remove all of the pieces, see your health care provider immediately to have the sponge removed.
• It may cause vaginal irritation.
• It may make sex too messy or too dry. Some women complain that the sponge is messy because it requires too much liquid. Others have complained the sponge makes sex too dry. Using a water-based lubricant may help dryness.

Using Spermicide

The sponge contains the chemical spermicide nonoxynol-9. Nonoxynol-9 has certain risks. If it is used many times a day, or by people at risk for HIV, it may irritate tissue and increase the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

Inserting the sponge:

• Wash your hands with soap and water.
• Before inserting the sponge, wet it with at least two tablespoons of clean water.
• Gently squeeze the sponge. The spermicide, Nonoxynol-9, (N9) will become active when the sponge is completely wet.
• Fold the sides of the sponge upward and away from the loop on the bottom to make it look long and narrow. Then slide the sponge as far back into your vagina as your fingers will reach.
• The sponge will unfold and cover the cervix when you let go of it. To make sure the cervix is covered, slide your finger around the edge of the sponge and check its position. You also should be able to feel the nylon loop on the bottom of the sponge.
• The sponge can be inserted up to 24 hours before intercourse. It must be left in place for at least six hours after the last time you have intercourse. It should not be worn for more than 30 hours in a row.

How long should the sponge be left in?

The sponge can be inserted up to 24 hours before intercourse. It must be left in place for at least six hours after the last time you have intercourse. It should not be worn for more than 30 hours in a row.

Removing a sponge:

• Wash your hands with soap and water.
• To remove the sponge, put a finger inside your vagina and through the loop. Pull the sponge out slowly and gently.
• Use a sponge only once. Always discard a used sponge in a waste container. Do not flush it down the toilet.

The Today sponge is available over the counter in the U.S but NOT available in stores in the UK. However, it is available on the Internet which makes it easily available with a little planning. A box of three costs about £15. 

Sponge sabotage: Our clinic knows of instances where the spermicide has been rinsed out of the sponge and the sponge dried and reused. One source is the trash cans where used sponges are discarded in women’s loos in clubs and communal restrooms in women’s dorms. Then the sponge is given to an unsuspecting woman to insert leaving her with a much less effective method protected only by the moist sponge’s ability to absorb her partner’s semen with no spermicidal activity. If a rinsed and dried sponge is reused it’s also more likely to come apart during use further decreasing its effectiveness.

I’m CD9 and newly fertile this cycle: its Sunday August 30^th as I’m writing this post. I always become aroused when I’m fertile and am writing about contraceptive sabotage occurring either among my friends or to patients who come to our clinic to get help afterward. I think when you are going to be with a new or mischievous man its best even when a woman is on hormonal contraceptives to wear a flat spring rim diaphragm with spermicide to prevent any unexpected decrease in the effectiveness of her hormonal birth control from putting her at risk of pregnancy. Even The LARC methods Nexplanon, Mirena and Kyra can be made less effective by the users intentional or unknowing use weight loss supplements, some prescription meds or even the EllaOne morning-after pill.

Odalisque injuries: There is good news and bad news. The bad news is that another of the small group of corps dancers who are competing amongst themselves to seduce Nikolai out of my bed has been injured. It occurred during a ballet-sex tryst with him when she bruised a big toe when landing from a thrust-drop while wearing Freeds. The good news is that it’s not too serious. Even better news is that this second injury has caused the other Odalisques to rethink purchasing Gaynor Minden shoes in which to play with him. Neither the dislocated toe nor the bruised nail has been linked to Nikolai as the women didn’t want to explain truthfully how their injuries occurred so he is safe for now. I don’t have an immediate replacement, but I think the four remaining Odalisques, including the recent replacement for the one who dislocated her big toe, should take care of his needs until bruised toe can get back into competition.

Summer Bank Holiday: This coming Monday August 31^st is the Summer Bank Holiday. The unionized workers on First Great Western railroad which covers parts of South West England and Wales from Brighton to the tip of Cornwall at Penzance on the south coast of England and along the south coast of Wales from Newport on the East to Pembroke on the west have decided to have a strike this weekend. Most routes are operating, but at reduced service. Fortunately rail service to Caersws, Wales was not affected. On a spur of the moment decision I decided to take Nikolai aboard The Dragon to Blackthorn Castle, my ancestral home in the Cumbrian Mountains. The trip gives us an opportunity to be alone together – with just the servants - where we can work on his pointe training and sexual stamina. The weather so far has been as expected Cool, in the low to mid 60s (F) at mid-afternoon with showers and forecasted thunderstorms Monday afternoon… Sigh! It seems strange not to have my Wards with me to enjoy girl gossip. I think I have a bit of empty-nest syndrome. But I can lose myself with my nose buried in Nikolai’s armpit enjoying the male testosterone musk of his sweat after he keeps me in orgasm for so long I’m breathless and can hardly move much less stand.

Tropical storm Erika and Lost Cove on Virgin Gorda: Alice, Duchess of M**** phoned to say that tropical storm Erika passed over Virgin Gorda on the 28^th with heavy rain and gusty winds and thankfully relatively little damage. Her place and mine on Lost Cove were undamaged. I hope that sort of things continue as we still have another eight weeks of Hurricane season to go.

The funeral

Frenched and denuded rack of lamb

The Photo: These two full racks of lamb have been frenched down to the eye muscle and denuded, so there is no fat or silver skin left. The bones are completely cleaned, exposing almost their full length, and only a delicate morsel of delicious lamb is left. This elegant cut makes a striking presentation when served as a full rack and sliced at the table. But it’s also perfect for quick grilling; the chops can be eaten out of hand at an outdoor party.

There were 300 guests for the reception. My cook, Mrs. Harris, prepared spring rack of lamb with six ribs per serving for the meal held in the great hall of the castle after the funeral. Doing the math 300 guests x 6 ribs each, that’s 113 lambs, if anyone is counting. The lambs were from the Barony’s flocks which are noted for the sweetness of their meat and sought after by up-market restaurants. All the mourners raved about the meal! As well they should as Mrs. Harris also baked her prize winning strawberry scones!

The Funeral:  I’m very pleased to say that the 22^nd Baroness gave a flawless final performance in a staring role and I thought my social début, in a supporting role as her successor, went quite well. I attribute my nearly flawless performance to the fact that Marvin and I fucked for nearly three hours the night before so that I was still boneless and gasping in afterglow when I fell asleep. I was CD28 on Friday and spotting so had a silicone Milex Omniflex inserted for flow control as I began my period on schedule in spite of all the stress this past cycle.

As predicted the weather was wet in the afternoon with the temperature in the low 40s F, but other than the smell of damp wool clothing in the chapel. The Bishop was generous and brief in his remarks about the life of Edith, 22^nd Baroness Blackthorn. Afterward everyone enjoyed themselves celebrating the life of the late Baroness demonstrated primarily by the speed with which they devoured a fine feast. Mid-afternoon His Grace’s party departed in a light rain as the pilot said the flight controllers told him the weather was good enough for their flight back to Inverness. 

Family matters: Seeing Jack departing with Ashley on his arm and almost certainly pregnant, depressed me a bit, but I’m really fond of Marvin and his sperm viability check has come back saying that he has very high quality sperm so we should be good to start trying for a family. No, I have no intention of getting pregnant. Years ago I had some of my eggs harvested and cryogenically stored so Marvin and I will marry at some point and go the IVF route and have a surrogate carry the baby. I hope this doesn’t sound harsh, but having spent my life up to this point keeping my body in top shape for the strain that ballet puts on it I don’t see losing my conditioning for a year or longer with one or more pregnancies and I’m sure I’ll love the baby none the less for not having carried her myself.  

Scavenger hunt: On Monday my Lady’s Maid (think Dresser, who had been with Edith for more than 20 years) and I will begin going through Edith’s things and her most personal and private closets the keys for which the Barony’s solicitors gave me in a sealed packet after the funeral.  Well, that description was probably unkind, but there is no telling what we will find.  I can hardly wait!

Anya and my wards leave for London: Anya took Bea, Willow, Odette and Odile and their escorts back to Blackthorn House in London on the 10:34 from Caersws. That gives the railroad 20 minutes to switch The Dragon in Birmingham to the Euston train arriving at 3:41. For a 3 ½ hour trip I wouldn’t have sent them down on The Dragon, but we never transferred their luggage and they aren’t traveling light so they may as well enjoy the trip while they can be pampered.

Home alone: Finally! Marvin and I are here by ourselves. Well, not exactly as there is the permanent house staff of ten, but they are nearly invisible unless you ring for one so with just the two of us here it is almost lonely. The servants in descending order of importance are:

Females: A staff of six: the Housekeeper, Mrs. Wallace; the Cook, Mrs. Harris; Emily, my Lady’s Maid/Dresser; two Housemaids and a Kitchenmaid. 

Males: A staff of four:  Charles, Chamberlain of the Household (Estate Steward); the Butler, Mr. Harris, the cook’s husband; a Footman/chauffer and an under-footman.

I’ve already spoken with His Grace about a Valet for Marvin. Marvin insists he doesn’t want one, but a secretary/Valet might be more acceptable and His Grace has a man he can recommend. Marvin is amazed at the labor needed and Edith the 22^nd hardly entertained at all in the last few years. I don’t propose to try to out Downton Downton Abbey, but if I can afford it and I’m expected to entertain why not do it properly and in style?

Blackthorn House and the trip to Blackthorn Castle

Kings Cross train station London

The Photo: Kings Cross train station where we arrived from Inverness.

Blackthorn House, Belgravia: Since it was going to take some time to reposition The Dragon to Euston station to connect it to the 23:30 to Caersws I decided to use the layover to pay my first visit to Blackthorn House while Charles, my Chamberlain of the Household (COH), was with me to make introductions. I even thought I might catch the staff unaware that I would be accompanying Anya and the girls. They had been alerted to the possibility and were formed up in the vestibule for introductions. Currently there are six staff who have come down from the castle to cook clean and chauffeur for residents.

I decided earlier to change my plan again. My wards, Anya and their escorts will continue on to Blackthorn Castle with me since we will all be in mourning until the 22^nd Baroness is buried which will be this coming Friday so they wouldn’t have much time in London and would be in mourning clothes before they would have to come East for the funeral.

In Blackthorn House there are three main floors, the attic with the servant’s quarters and storage and the basement with the kitchens and HV/AC. The first floor has the formal rooms with the ballroom, drawing room, dining room a library and a parlor.  We were served tea from the Paul Storr George III 4 piece tea set from the early 19^th C and scones that melted in the mouth made that afternoon by the cook, Mrs. Harris. The good silver and art works are kept at the castle and brought to town when the house is opened even though there is a caretaker in residence at all times.

Mourning: I wore mourning attire for the visit; a black 90 denier cashmere and Elastane catsuit that left nothing to the imagination under a calf length pleated jersey skirt that opens like a tutu when I twirl and a tailored jacket of the same material with black hard shanked Gaynor Minden pointes and a black wide brimmed velvet hat with the 1925 bespoke Van Cleef & Arpels gold and ruby dragon pin with emerald eyes, the Baroness’s badge of office, affixed to the crown that my COH had brought me from the castle vault.  I taped and padded my toes carefully before pushing my feet into the polymer blocks of my pointes because I knew that out of respect I was expected to stay en pointe for the duration of the visit while standing and with my feet pointed while sitting.

My wards all wore black wool skirt-suits, black tights, wide brimmed hats and low heeled closed toe shoes. We will remain in mourning clothes in public until the 22^nd Baroness is laid to rest in the crypt below the chapel at Blackthorn Castle this coming Friday, January 9^th.

Preliminary funeral plans: His Grace and Jack will be there as will all the villagers and their families who work at the castle. While there are a few members of the aristocracy in the area I’ve been told that Edith the 22^nd Baroness was not close to any of them so I will have my work cut out for me mending social fences with the castles neighbors. The 22^nd  Baroness was of the Anglican, Episcopal, faith while most of the surrounding villages are primarily Methodist. Her funeral will be from the Book of Common Prayer, but afterward my girls and I and His Grace and Jack will conduct a ceremony with offerings to Aphrodite in memory of the late Baroness.

The Auditors: The four auditors who will examine the financial records of the Barony met us at Euston at 20:00 and were settled in their compartments on The Dragon. And we all had dinner on The Dragon and got to know the individual auditors and they explained in general terms what they would be looking for which took us up to departure and bedtime.

Arrival: We arrived at Caersws, which is about 1,000 ft above sea level and on the Severn on time, at 8:13, breakfasted and ready for the trip to the castle. It was raining and cold. The shunting engine – belonging to the Barony - connected to The Dragon and moved us off the main line into a two track heated building belonging to the Barony and long enough to take three passenger cars and the switch engine. There were two Range Rover vans and a separate van for luggage parked inside on an elevated platform so we just stepped off The Dragon directly on to the heated and well lit platform.  Charles said the switches are heated so they don’t freeze since at this altitude there is often snow and ice from all the moisture that comes off the ocean just a few miles east of us. He said Edith had the Dragon shed built about fifteen years ago and heated switches installed when because of frozen switches she couldn’t get to London for a performance of Sleeping Beauty by one of her favorites, Darcey Bussell.

The trip from Caersws to the castle was another hour and another 1,000 feet higher and Charles says we get a lot of snow. The butler, Ellis, had the staff in the great hall to greet us as it was raining heavily when we arrived. Our things were unloaded and rooms were assigned for everyone, my wards with their escorts and I went to my private apartment in the ‘new’ wing, built in the 15^th C., to bathe and change into yet another black cashmere and Elastane catsuit and black Gaynors as I find that demonstrates my being in mourning while displaying my body to let everyone know that we all must carry on. Being at home I dispensed with the black jersey skirt until the funeral. Fortunately Edith had had hot water radiators and storm windows installed years ago and the radiators were cleverly hidden for the most part so the castle is surprisingly comfy w/o the fireplaces going.

Charles took the audit team to the Barony Estate office and introduced them to the estate manager who will assist with any questions and retrieving records needed.

Ballet class: My wards and I and their POB male escorts hadn’t taken class in two days so it was with pleasure that I conducted my first ballet class in Edith’s ballet studio. It has been kept in excellent condition with a sprung wooden floor and Marley covering and a wall of full-length mirrors and windows looking east toward the Atlantic. Charles said Edith took barre here into her mid 80s when ger arthritis became too severe to allow it any longer.  

So a routine of sorts is being established, which I expect my wards to participate in when in residence. It was marvelous be in pink practice clothes and shoes after three days of wearing unreleased black no matter how well that color displays my body! Working up a good sweat at the barre and then a bit of PDD work with each of the girls escorts to keep their upper body muscles exercised with lifts with me in a practice tutu. It was so wonderful to be partnered by men with that level of talent. The Paris Opera men really are divine to dance with and such supportive partners!

I have spent the rest of the day going through Edith’s things with her Lady’s maid and there were some surprises though knowing what sorts of businesses she was interested in – especially the ones in London - I don’t suppose it should have been.