Saturday, December 20, 2008

"Believe only half of what you see and nothing that you hear." - -- Dinah Mulock

It will never cease to amaze me the power whispered rumor and innuendo and so called facts that are attributable only to "unnamed sources" or what one "heard" can have. I suppose some of it must be intended cruelty and meanness but most is probably well intended or innocent mistake or lack of information or simple misunderstanding. In any case it has the power to hurt, to cause damage and in some cases, even to destroy.


This past year I saw a very dear friend, and great lady, Dame Lapin Paris, 2007 Caledon RFL Captain, leave Caledon because of just such whispers, all of which were, and are completely untrue. Her leaving was a great loss to Caledon and many of us personally. May that sort of thing never happen again.


No matter what your spiritual belief or understanding, this is the season when we all tend to look back at the previous year and forward to the fresh untouched one. I intend to take Miss Mulock's advice to heart and I hope you will consider doing so as well. Let us all try to treat one another with kindness and gentle touch and as the fragile, breakable beings we are.



(Dame Lapin's name in this post is used by permission)

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Kintyre and the Open Space Changes


We consider Kintyre to be entirely public land. It has always been available for the use of any member of the Independent State of Caledon on a first come first served basis. No one has ever lived on Kintyre. We have a sandbox that we provide for all the members of the Kintyre Clan and several of us build there on a regular basis, with others building or Beta testing off and on all the time. All water ways are open to everyone at all times.


The changes Linden Labs are making have provided all the Duchies with the challenge of how to continue whatever their paradigm is, or to change it to fit the new limits. As time has passed, others have announced their plans but we have remained quite on the subject till now. Des has been working will all the Duchies to try to make everyone as happy as possible. Last week we finally came up with a plan that will allow us to continue with as much of our original concept for Kintyre as we think is possible.


What happens next


Because of daily demands and traffic to NCI it is necessary for Nova Civis to be consolidated on a full sim, so the Duchy that was Nova Civis has become the full sim Oxbridge Village. NCI is taking the quarter sim that is closest to Oxbridge. Because Kintyre is part of the larger land mass that includes Oxbridge Village, Greystoke and Cymru, it has provided us with unique possibility that we hope is the solution to our AV and script limits. We are going to keep Kintyre as it is and in addition take the quarter sim that borders Kintyre. A bluff in Oxbridge Village will bring the land up to the level of the bluff the Keep sits on now. The Keep (our primary event space) will move to the bluff in Oxbridge Village. It will be oriented to face Kintyre and we will use landscaping to tie it to the main part of Kintyre. This will effectively remove AV and script limits for large parties and events. St Catans Chapel will remain on the Isle of Gigha, but of course weddings, handfastings, services ect. for the chapel will have to adhere to the new limits.


Also necessary to make this happen are the following changes:


I will move my Glengarry shop to the foot of the bluff in Oxbridge on our quarter sim parcel there. It will face into Oxbridge Village and we will use landscaping to separate it from the event space. Sir Ras and Lady Margulis will move their primary residence to Kintyre, probably on the bluff where the Keep sits now. The beautiful Dark Victorian party build has been removed, and the amazing Labyrinth will soon be gone as well. (we hope that when the dust settles there will be sufficient prims to allow the Labyrinth to return for special events or parties).


What this means to you


Kintyre will remain essentially public land. We will continue to offer Kintyre, at no cost, to members of Caledon for parties, events, weddings ect. The sandbox will remain open for group members to build. (at some point we may need to set a prim and or script budget for those of us that build there on a regular basis, we just have to see how all this works out after everything is moved). If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me or Sir Ras.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Hawkeye and Kora Muircastle!!


With great joy I announce the return of my father, Hawkeye Muircastle to his loving wife and devoted daughter. My parents are finally and forever reunited! They plan to stay in Caledon for the foreseeable future so please welcome these two wonderful people back to the home they so long ago left.


My Father will have much to tell us of the trials and adventures he has endured in his long absence, but for now we simply celebrate the great joy of a holiday season spent with our family together!

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Kora Muircastle is home!


My beloved mother, Kora Muircastle has joined me in Caledon to await further word about my father. All these years that father has been missing Mother has never once considered remarriage. Many suitors pursued the beautiful lady, but she rejected them all saying that true love never dies. I wonder if somewhere inside, she may have suspected he had survived. Against all odds this loving couple will soon be reunited. Mother brought with her the faded photo that was the catalyst for the search that finally found my darling Father. I share it below.








Hawkeye Muircastle