rix_scaedu

I checked back through what I've written previously today, and Anadrasata has now been with her relatives for a full tzolk, which means that I can start referring back for recurring activities, i.e. routines have been established.  That means I can revisit the language conversation group - that could be fun.

This piece runs to 1,715 words and I hope that you enjoy them.

Index page.
 

Ghairniksday, 29 Naisen, 1893 C.E.
Asnan, 16 Sajibu, 2157 T.M.L.
9 Tlanoluaoy, 3 Coatl, 6.11.2.1.8.3.4

Dear Journal,

The thunder passed overhead last night and was followed by torrential rain.  I got out of bed at the height of it to make sure that it wasn't blowing in through my windows and getting the carpet and curtains wet.  What I did see when I was adjusting the window was lights outside like the ones in the square in Amnestri.  They hang from hook necked poles or fittings on the sides of buildings and the tops of them are covered so that the light only goes downwards.  From what I could see, given the weather, they are spaced so that there are no pools of darkness on the pavement - or at least not in this part of town.  Having seen this. and admired the effect of the lights through the rain and on the wet pavements, I drew the curtains again and went back to bed.  The last thing I remember before falling asleep was wondering if some of the thunder I was hearing was, in fact, echoes off the mountains.

Nais woke me with warm water at the usual time this morning and shared the news that there had been some flooding around the entrance where the kitchen deliveries are received, but not enough to enter the house.  Several of the footmen were engaged, as we spoke, in clearing the relevant gutters and drains.  Mutterings, I was given to understand, were being made about the state of the municipal drains.

Breakfast was the rest day, extra laden porridge.  Everyone was there this morning, including Mitzli.  Apparently his fighting club closes one rest day a tzolk to try to ensure that their members do have at least one day of rest.

It being the day of rest, and as I had no other plans, after I'd tidied myself after breakfast. I took myself down to the parlor with my embroidery and started work.  Really, I think the plain outline in backstitch was a good idea.  I am filling in the dots om their backs in a satin stitch, because frankly the size makes filling them easier than outlining and the dots are supposed to be important.  If I had decided to fill in the shapes of the guardian beasts with the embroidery, not only would it have taken longer, but I am not sure how I would have made the details of their bodies clear.  I must say that I am becoming quite fond of my little, fanged, ridge backed, froggish friends.  By lunchtime I had almost reached the halfway mark.

Lunch was soup.  Fish based and with beans this time.  I do wonder if the beans they have here will grow at home?  They would need to be dried, but if we can do it with pease and lentils, why not beans?    Also, if I have a house and a small estate, there should be somewhere I could have at least a test patch.  I asked Chiccetlalli how one might go about obtaining seeds from a suitable variety, he had mentioned that he has had a season or two working with some sort of agricultural organisation based near his home.  He cheerfully corrected me because his experience has been with a completely different, non-food plant, but added that he quite understood that I should investigate options to keep the lands coming into my care in good condition, productive, and profitable.  He added that the farmers who look after the plantations in his home area often plant beans between the rows to improve the soil.  The he added that he believed common beans were not on the forbidden export list, but he did not know if the Empire would allow their import.  He then answered a question from Axolin about one of Chiccetlalli's siblings, so I missed my chance, then, to ask about forbidden exports.

I think I must make a list elsewhere of things I want to follow u on when I get home.  Something I can refer to without leafing through this journal to find my notes.

After lunch I brought my Aunty Ssang novel down to the parlor to read.  I do enjoy doing embroidery but I feel that doing it all day, or at every possible occasion. would take away from that enjoyment.  Halfway through the afternoon, and several chapters further into the book, Lord Elnaith called to ask me if I would care to take a walk to the park again, given that the afternoon was fine.  Mitzli had been passing the door when he knocked, and so he had been admitted.  Cousin Poktlilui allowed that such an excursion was permissible, but insisted that I change out of my house dress first.  Lord Elnaith waited in the parlor while I dashed upstairs and changed into my dark green walking dress - this was not the time to try to dress myself without assistance in one of my new visiting gowns.

We took the same route to the park as before, and I asked him whether he had noticed the streetlights.  Lord Elnaith replied that he had, the consul had taken him to a dinner with some locally based Imperial businessmen two nights ago and he had been pleasantly surprised by the street lighting.  I asked about the dinner and he said that it had been useful to put faces to some names, and many people were happy to unbalance their dinner table for the chance to add an Imperial kinsman to their acquaintance.  This was a little more...cynical that I am used to him being, so I asked him if he would prefer to change the subject or even not to talk at all for a while.

He responded by taking my hand, hooking it through his elbow, and pulling his arm in so we were very close.  It almost felt like a partial embrace, and we walked the rest of the way to the park in what I felt was a companionable silence.

The paths in the park had dried out after last night, but there were still some puddles in the grassed areas so there weren't the large groups of children playing ball games on the grass that we saw last time, but there were toddlers enjoying the chance to stomp and splash their way through clean water.  Lord Elnaith made a comment about last night's storm and I mentioned our flooding issue this morning.  The consulate's problems had involved an overflowing gutter, which would have been less of a problem if it had only overflowed outside.  I remarked that I have heard that rain in the cities on the Circle Sea can be very heavy, particularly when the storm is trying to pass over the mountains.   He made an affirmative sound, and then I told him about Mitzli's questions of yesterday morning.  We agreed that although Mitzli may have been questioning me in a professional capacity, the questions themselves were ones that we would expect a lady's family to ask about her suitor.  Lord Elnaith observed that by asking me what I had been told and crosschecking that against other sources, my cousins could judge how trustworthy he was and how truthful he was being with me.  Lord Elnaith said that he rather approved.

We turned for home after the sun had disappeared behind the mountains and left the building tops.  It was nowhere near dusk but Tlemutsiko does lose the afternoon sun very early from my point of view.  Just a street or two east or west can make what seems like an enormous difference.

Lord Elnaith came inside to hand me back to my relatives, and to exchange greetings with everyone again.  After ten minutes he excused himself, saying that he was looking forward to dining with us tomorrow night.  Much of the rest of my afternoon was spent with my Great-aunt and Cousin Poktlilui dissecting my outing.  I thought it best not to ask where Tehaneume and Yeixi were.

Dinner was stew.  Today's version of the rest day evening meal had poultry in it - duck, goose, and another bird that I have eaten here but which we don't have at home.  It also contained potatoes, a few beans (as opposed to lots of beans), maize, and a tuber that I was told was called a yam in Imperial.  That led into a long discussion because it is not a vegetable that we have at home and the word 'yam' is used for three separate local vegetables with completely different names and growth habits.  Great-aunt observed that elements of the imperial administration and influx in this area were neither observant not interested in detail.  Cousin Poktlilui advised me never to eat a 'yam' with red flesh - those are not food.

I played 'dominoes' with Mitzli after the gentlemen joined us, and told him that I had told Lord Elnaith about our conversation of yesterday morning.  I added that Lord Elnaith approves of the questions being asked, and why.  Mitzli asked why I was being so open with everyone, to which I replied that I didn't want to be the repository of secrets that might wind up limiting my options to things I didn't want to do.  That I believed Lord Elnaith to be a desirable and trustworthy suitor, but there is a reason that families get involved in these things, at which he nodded in what I understood to be understanding and agreement.  I added that if there is an issue with Lord Elnaith and his courtship, then it is to my advantage to know that my closest kinsmen know what is going on between us.  Mitzli paused for a moment then allowed that, excepting my brother, the men of this household are in all senses of the of the phrase my closest kinsmen, and then we played on.

Mitzli and I played out three full games, after which I excused myself and went up to bed.  Nais was there to help me undress and approved of the dress I'd chosen to change into, agreeing that not trying to dress myself in an unfamiliar garment had been wise.  Tomorrow we will have to decide what I am going to ear to dinner.

Anadrasata Nearabhigan