16-18

In chapter 16, Anne ventures even further into the political web at court. She gets Wolsey's attention, and has dinner with Thomas Heneage. Her dinner goes just as planned. With her new power, she requests that Heneage ask for Cardinal Wolsey's support on the delicate matter involving Sir Thomas Cheney, who wants to trade up one woman for her younger sister. Sheesh. You would think a woman who is supposed to be courageous and independent would find something wrong with this, but she and her family only seem to have their own interests in mind. Either way, she plants the seed, and we will have to wait and see if it grows.

Ch 17. She is worried because Henry has not sent for her yet, which not his normal behavior. Also, there is a ruckus outside and her anxiety worsens. As it turns out, Henry was planning a surprise for her, by planning an awesome picnic. During the picnic, which is more like a festival/parade, she and her ladies perform a risque dance that I consider to be dangerous. Henry is consumed with desire, but I bet the rest of the court that saw it just thought all the rumors about her reputation were true. Then the King tells her he loves her!

Ch 18 Anne is brooding in her room because the king must go to a joust, with his queen by his side. She is wallowing in her own misery when Nan come to check on her and finds Anne's copy of Tyndale's The Obedience of a Christian Man. Instead of being worried about being caught with a banned text, she actually suggest Nan read it with enthusiasm. This is an important piece of history because later, it will be stolen from Nan, by Wolsey!!!!!

13-15

Chapter 13 begins with preparations for Christmas. Anne doesn't see the point in making a big deal for Christmas, when it is just her and her mother there. I think in part, she just wants to hide away in her own thoughts. Then Margery shows up and proves her mother's point that a lady should always have her household prepared for visitors. Anne's mood improves significantly when Margery visits. She needed someone she could speak her mind with. We also learned of the jealous temper tantrum the King has over the locket incident. It shows how much faith he really has in her.

Chapter 14 Starts when she is out riding Starlight, her Christmas gift from the King. Of course while she is out riding, she has visitors.  The visitors are Stephen Gardiner and Edward Foxe. They are there to relay a message from the King, and to inform her of their quest to speak with the Pope. We also learn that Dr. Foxe, and an increasing number of the members of court, have been persuaded by the new faith.

Chapter 15 After 4 months away, they make their way to Windsor Castle. She is there as a guest of the King, which boosts the Boleyn family status. She receives her own apartments, and as promised, her own ladies to wait on her.  It is just a bonus that he chose her dearest friends.She gets to dress extravagantly and attends a party in her honor. Her leaving for 4 months was hardly worthwhile, since she is boosted to the top of the court when she returns. During the party she and her father devise a plan to use Wolsey to help Thomas Cheney with at delicate matter, in order to gain Cheney's alliance in their quest to make Anne a Queen. They set up a dinner with Thomas Heneage, one of Wolsey's men, to set things in motion.

Door Matt

Door Matt

You picked me up, and threw me down.

You lifted my spirits, and tossed them around.

You tended my wounds, after the pain you caused me.

You blinded me with kindness, so that is all I could see.

Stupid and naive, I thought I caused your anger.

Over time, to myself, I became a stranger.

One day I realized I wasn’t my own.

Into a caged, wounded girl, I had grown.

Trying to restore our lost love, I had entered that cage.

It did not protect me from your unprovoked rage.

On the day I stood up, a woman of my own,

none of your force could not push me back down.

I left many things behind on that day,

but my independence, self worth, and womanhood, I still have today.

I still have nightmares of you five years later,

but I am awakened by a man nine million times greater.

Feeling Beaulieu

These next four chapters are a roller coaster of emotions. Between her spitting anger, and lusty encounters with the King, Anne has a new emotion on just about every page.

Chapter nine starts out with her learning that her father and his allies want her to use her influence on the King to bring down Wolsey. Being the smart lady she is, she recognizes that she needs Wolsey for the time being to help the King get his annulment. She coolly appeases them by pledging her alliance to them, and asking them to trust her to find the right time to take him down. Later, her maidenhead has a close call with the King. Luckily she comes to her senses.
After leaving Beaulieu, everyone heads off to Richmond, which, Anne describes, is "like something out of a fairy story..." Since she described it like this, I have been imagining Cinderella's castle. That is just how my mind works. Of course I had to look it up, and found out that the only thing that remains of Richmond Palace is the gate house. It looks like a whole to me it is HUGE. Just imagine how big the whole Palace must have been.
In chapter 11, she gets to meet the famous Wolsey. They proceed to sum each other up, and slice each other up, with words that is. Then she runs and tattles on him to the King. He has a minimal reaction, because he too, knows just how much they need Wolsey. He is however, pretty mad at Wolsey for failing to get the support of King Francis.
To get back into the King's favor, Wolsey organizes a grand masque, during which the King is forced to stand by his queen, which infuriates Anne. She sneaks away to escape having to see it, but not before she has a risque little dance with the King in front of the Queen. She rides off with her brother to let off a little steam. Once she gets back, the king informs her she no longer has to wait on the queen.
Chapter 12 She and Henry discuss their relationship and the damaging gossip it has inspired. Anne suggests they separate for the Christmas holidays in hopes the gossip will die down. The King agrees. So off she goes back to Hever Castle with her mother for a nice quiet Holiday.

Posted April 2, 2014

Walking on eggshells

 In chapter five, Anne is basically procrastinating returning to court. I do not blame her. She wants to absorb as much of Anne's home life as she can before she "enters the lion's den," as she tells Thomas. Speaking of Thomas, I wondered why Anne did not speak with him privately or through her father to retrieve her locket? I understand the need to not make a fuss in front of the others, but sheesh that was HER locket. It was valuable and should not have been kept.

When she gets the news from her brother that the Queen has been talking trash  about her, and her maidenhead, she reacts the same way I think every woman would in her situation, regardless of  the century. She set out to face the slanderous lady. It is kind of bittersweet because she receives this news along with a very romantic love letter. Either way she sets off to court. It would have been cool if she etched her name in a rock or stone before she left, just to see if is still there in the 21st century.

While reading about her long journey I felt her pain. We think long car rides are bad? I was so happy when she finally got there, although I did enjoy her observations on the past and present views of the landscape and cities. As soon as she does arrive the drama immediately begins. I understood fully when she described being overwhelmed. I hate it when I get home from work or something and everyone pounces on me when I get home. I need this, I need that! The second she arrives she is briefed by her dad, told she has to assist the dreaded Queen, informed of her expectancy to have dinner with the King, and given awesome presents. Talk about a rollercoaster!

The drama that unfolds once she meets the queen, reminds me of high school drama. I can not say that I would be any more mature that them in that situation though. Also I had wondered why the King and Queen had had so few children over the span of twenty years, so appreciated being informed of how she got her figure. I answered that question. I'll be honest I cheated a bit and read a few random pages later in the book. I always do this when I am enjoying a book, and I do not know why. It just makes my curiosity worse. I can't wait to continue reading, but I am trying to go with the pace the class is at. I'll live. :)

The Time Will Come

To begin, I felt indifferent when I was told I was to read a book for this class. I imagined we would read a boring novel that would challenge our English knowledge. I was a bit excited once Ms. Hanson told us a bit about the book. I am the kind of person that if a book doesn't reach out and grab me in the beginning, I will have a hard time finishing it. I have been grabbed. I knew there would be time travel involved, but I had not expected it to be so soon into the book, but it is part of what grabbed me. I would have liked to get a bit more information on Anne's character before the time change, but the author seems to be filling me in as I go. While reading the part where she is filing in behind other spectators at the castle, I imagined myself in Castle Gwynn at the Tennessee Renaissance Festival.
Once she has morphed back in time, she very calmly just goes with it. If it were me, I would be freaking out and going crazy. Then she is greeted by her sister all excited like. I would have been so overwhelmed by this. I suppose it is because she is a calm, collected kind of person, like Anne Boleyn.
The scene in which she meets the king in the garden is one of those scenes where, if it were a movie, I would be screaming at the screen "DON'T DO IT!!!!." Even her character thinks this, but Anne Boleyn had to step in. I think she is there to experience the life of Anne Boleyn, not change her history. Either way, it keeps me interested. I know what will ultimately happen, but I still can't wait to read about it.
During the hunt I couldn't help but feel bad for modern Anne. People back then were desensitized to the killing of animals, hygiene, and bad smells. She must have been a little queasy, not to mention hot and smelly. I thought it was kind of funny that the first thing she wanted to do was take a bath. It is the first thing I would have wanted to do. It's a good thing too, because the King gets fresh later.

Protectors of the Sea

For this paper I chose to write about the Sea Shepherds Conservation Society. I first learned about them from the show Whale Wars. I have followed them ever since. You would not believe the horrific things people do to poor defenseless animals. This group goes above and beyond to protect any and all marine life, including getting shot at! I have always admired the bravery, and daring they will show to follow through with their missions. I had a bit of writers block at first because I had so much to say, but I didn't know where to start. I had to figure out what the purpose of this paper would be. When I went blank, I would take a break, read a bit from St. Martin's, and find a direction again. I kept getting stumped on how to open a paragraph. On page 446 there is a few tips on how to do just this. I wanted to make sure each paragraph flowed into the next. I got it all done, but of course I had to sit there and pick at it for a while. I am quite pleased with it. The topic means a lot to me, therefore, so does this paper.    POSTED FEB 26, 2014

Who could kill these sweet babies?

Bloody Cove