The Aviary

The much honored Bock McMillan, laird of Southern Charm etc., etc., is a fortunate man to have found a royal consort like Tomais, who with dazzling good looks, devastating charm and impeccable taste can alleviate the lairds burdens.

As you probably are aware, the laird is a conscientious and diligent steward of his realm. He saves no effort in the painstaking upkeep and beautification of his lands. His consort offers him much needed assistance and guidance in these - and all other - matters.

The Balinese building on the home sim has for some time been an unfitting eyesore to the laird. It did not seem to match the rest of the sim, at all, although it had been beautifully exotic at the time when it was once erected.

When Tomais recently suggested a change the laird was slightly wary, but once he was  shown the replacement his husband suggested he was enthusiastic.

The minor princes and princesses of the clan were set to work and managed to demolish the old structure and build the new one in record breaking time.

Guyke, The Prince of Paradijs, tries the harpsichord

Southern Charm can now pride itself with a wonderful conservatory, named "The Aviary", where the royal couple can entertain themselves and friends with tea, light refreshments, musical entertainment and dancing.

Celebrating Le Petit Prince

Yesterday the McMillan clan and friends assembled at the home sim to celebrate the first life birthday of Guyke, Prince of Paradijs (the traditional title of the heir to the throne of Southern Charm), on his 26th birthday - again.

Cupcakes in enormous quantities and varying sizes were served with tea and homemade honey. The laird, who at his advanced age has to be careful with his intake of calories, only ate one cupcake but the younger men could stuff their bellies with many more of the tasty delicacies. 

After a short break in the eating to give Guyke his birthday gift the family continued eating ice-cream and popsicles (cool, fruity, creamy and crunchy) on the roof terrace while enjoying a pleasant discussion on current events into the night.

O Tempora, O Mores!

In olden and I don't hesitate to call them better times, not that long ago really, it was customary for a suitor to pay a visit to the father of the intended bride or groom to ask for the beloved child's hand in marriage. During the visit the suitor would be asked to state his case and give provide proof of his good intentions, his suitability and his means to keep the beloved child in a manor to which it had become accustomed.

Those are now bygone days I am sad to say. Yesterday while I was hastily going through the latest updates on Facebook, after my hot and steamy shower and immediately before I hit the Egyptian linens that cover my stately fourposter bed, I - by pure chance, I swear - came across the announcement below.

You can of course imagine my complete and utter state of shock at seeing this news.

Add to this the fact that I had spoken to the two no less than twenty minutes earlier without being told a word about this news that they now flaunted for all the world to see.

Luckily for me and the two newlyweds, I was in communications with my royal consort at the time of this discovery, otherwise a troop of the Southern Charm palace guards would have been sent out to search for and apprehend the two and throw them into the dungeons beneath the palace - in separate cells, mind you - to stew until it suited my pleasure to speak to them, in a year or two.

However, my wiser and more sensible spouse convinced me that we must change with the times and accept the fact.

"Both the boys are old enough to know what they want and do as they wish", he told me and also reminded me of the fact that I had myself been rather hastily married to him not long ago. Although I told Tomais that was not at all the same thing, as neither he or I had fathers that could be approached  and that we had waited two months. I also added that both the newlyweds had personally made me a firm promise not to jump the guns.

"They are young", he said, "you must forgive them, lover. We will both send good thoughts to them and hope that everything will go well!" I realized of course, that Tomais advice was - as always - sound but told him I still needed to sleep on it to come to terms with it. Tomais agreed that that might be the best thing to do, considering my weakened state.

So today I, the Much Honored Bock McMillan, laird of Southern Charm, prince of Cascade Falls, Sovereign Ruler of the Commonwealth of Southern Enchantment Region and Outer Territories and finally UN appointed Protector of the Solace Island and Mount Whitney sims in SecondLife, am here to tell you all the following.

From the bottom of my heart I congratulate Crown Prince Guyke, Prince of Paradijs, and Mr. Garrett Smith Esq., a Texan of no - as yet - known royal lineage, to their recent wedding. I also heartily welcome Garrett Smith into the family, where he shall be given a place at the main table at all formal state occasions. In due course he may, or may not, be given a suitable title.

Laird ❤ Linden Lab=True

So many improvements have been made in SecondLife over the last couple of years, that I have been thinking it was time to consider updating the landscaping at Southern Charm. As some of you may already know, the time lapse between me thinking of something to actually doing it is sometimes extremely long. However, at other instances, I just get tired with myself and do it right away.

Early yesterday I had been experimenting with my newly acquired snow HUD and Guyke, the Prince of Paradijs, had come over to assist me. I then realized that winterifying the landscaping convincingly would require so much more than just falling snow. The ground textures would also have to be changed and the all the trees and plants would need to be updated to the kind that change according to the seasons. It seemed rather overwhelming and I was a little hesitant.

The Prince of Paradijs started - ever so sweetly and subtly - informing me about the great developments that had been made by the gardeners and creators in later years to make trees "that don't look flat".

I let it slowly sink in and then I started asking him if he thought specific trees all over the place looked flat. Even if he tried his very best to be delicate about it, I came to the realisation that my son thought all my trees and plants were antiquated, flat and awful "even if they were once the best you could get...". My son is careful never to hurt my feelings and he knows how attached I am to Southern Charm, but I can always expect him to - eventually - tell me the truth.

Later Guyke and I were joined by my boyfriend Tomais and the three of us took a tour around the Arrival Area. "To hell with it", I thought to myself, and began returning or deleting trees as we went along. This is when I got called up by brother in-law Dej. "I see you're doing landscaping... if you have a moment could you remove some things here also", he said. My sweet Dej had been suffering for three years so I went over to his parcel and removed a load of ugly stuff.

After Guyke had left us to cater to Ziggy's needs and urges, and his own also no doubt, Tomais, Dej and I started looking for more eyesores to attend to. I then remembered the strange and ugly hill that was a remnant from when the sim had been subdivided into parcels, but now just looked weird. I asked Dej if he would mind if it was flattened out, he told me he would welcome it because he had always thought it looked strange.

Although I have never previously terraformed during my entire existence in SecondLife I thought, "How hard can it be, really, everyone else does it. You are the only one you know who leaves it to others. Come on, just do it!" Thought and done, I unblocked terraforming and started to level out the hill. I thought I was absolutely amazing at it and that it was really easy, even if I heard Dej talking to me in the background telling me to be careful.

A few minute later I looked at my work, It was astounding! The hill had been perfectly flattened. Unfortunately, as Dej and Tomais pointed out to me very kindly, the rest of the land all around us had been raised. The big lake on the sim was gone, the canals and waterways also and the seating at the Arrival Area was now under the ground. Hell and damnation what had I done!

"Call the Lindens for a rollback", I thought just as the other two suggested it. So I went on the SecondLife website and chatted with the kind Izzy Linden at customer support. He kindly informed me that I would need to submit a ticket about it. I did that promptly and told them that I had experienced a terraforming disaster, as I had not heeded by wise brother in-law Dejerrity Mycron's warnings to be careful.

With the holiday weekend and all I was not expecting anything to happen before Monday, but lo and behold, within five minutes of submitting the ticket I got a message from the wonderful and clever Elijah Linden that the sim was going to restart in five minutes.

As I told Tomais and Dej, the Lindens know that I love them and this shows they love me back. I would not be surprised if they actually have my portrait up in the company lunchroom right next to my darling Philip Linden's.

Izzy Linden and Elijah Linden have definitely made my Holiday cards list this year for their courteous and speedy assistance!

Mission of Mercy

My prospective lover and I decided to go out motorboating yesterday. As Butch logged into SecondLife just as Tomais was preparing the boat he was invited to join us.

After we had been out to sea, enjoying the sun, wind and pleasant conversation (although I was secretly irritated by Butch shamelessly flaunting his huge bulge at my boyfriend) Tomias informed us that he had received a "Mayday"-call. Apparently the Prince of Paradijs, my son and heir, had been out flying with Dex Moleno in one of my son's latest toys (The big spender bought no less than t-w-o airplanes yesterday) and had now crashed somewhere in the middle of the Blake Sea.

I suggested to Tomais that we should ignore it and let the princeling stew a while on the desolate island, but the man has a heart of gold and was by the steering wheel so it was - after a little bickering on my part - decided that we would be merciful and pick Guyke up anyway.

When we arrived at the island the poor princeling was huddling by a fire and looked like a drowned cat, at that moment my heart overflowed (temporarily) with warm and fuzzy feelings and I was happy that I had been persuaded.

Having picked up Guyke we continued the trip across the Blake Sea and later ended up getting merman-outfits and merman-AO's, but thats another post.

Crown Shopping

Late in the evening yesterday the Much Honored Bock McMillan, laird of Southern Charm, prince of Cascade Falls, Sovereign Ruler of the Commonwealth of Southern Enchantment Region and Outer Territories and finally UN appointed Protector of the Solace Island and Mount Whitney sims in SecondLife, and Tomais Ashdene, Duke of Erat etc, etc, decided that it was high time that Guyke, Prince of Paradijs, and Butch (who is a prince of Cascade Falls but has not yet formally been bestowed a title) had earned their crowns. Butch was reluctant - in his traditional sheepish manner - but a crown was forced on him nonetheless.

Two beautiful crowns were purchased at Medieval Designs for the upcoming audience with the haughty Queen BM, Queen of the Netherlands in SecondLife etc, etc.

Fine Dancing

The Much Honored Bock McMillan,  laird of Southern Charm etc, etc, Tomais, Duke of Erat etc, etc, and Guyke, Prince of Paradijs (the traditional title bestowed to the heir of the laird) etc, etc, and other royalty in SecondLife received a special invitation from her majesty BM, Queen of the Netherlands in SL etc, etc, and the dance master her dance master Mr. Kahvy Sands Esq. to attend an event of light entertainment and fine dancing on Sunday evening.

We were of course all delighted to accept and cherished this rare occasion to escape the gawking stares and pointing fingers of the plebs. The only two commoners present (except for the entertainers) were Ms. Helene Dragoone and Mr. Butch Diavolo (in shoes!).

Entertainment was provided by an amazing singer Reallymad ''Mick'' Morpork and later by the DJing talents of Mr. Sands.

 

As the duke proved to be extremely useful in these surroundings and very adept in choosing the correct dances, the laird could relax and enjoy himself completely in his strong and muscular arms.

The Laird and the Duke in a pasodoble

The Prince of Paradijs and Ms. Dragoone