Had a ton of fun at the event. Left Friday at four with my friend Sean, who had some business up here to take care of, and getting me to Ceilidh was actually on his way home, so that really helped. Ate horribly bad (for me, anyway) at Taco Bell, wasted time before heading to site. Got to site, set up my tent(!), and hung out at the dining hall for a little bit at Troll, helping to field some questions about the site and the area. This, of course, was the location of my first event by myself: Vertigo. The camp hasn't changed much in the year and a half (was it really only then? Holy crap!), but it's always a good thing to know the site well. (newcastleepl, I think I told you wrong, then. I guess I've only been playing actively for about two years, inactively for about four or so. Wow, I'm terrible with my own personal history.) I also tried to stay outside in the 70 degree weather just because I knew it wouldn't last long.

Anyway. Back to the event.

Well, while I'm waiting around, a question has been raised. Where would the closest decent liquor store be? Of course, I know St. Joe (the closest place of a decent liquor store to site) pretty well, and I give my recommendations. Unfortunately, I'm terrible at giving directions to places, since I'm a pictures person, not a names person. So, I volunteer to show who I now know to be HE Lief of Crescent Moon the way to the Hy-vee Liquors, and apparently, as is the case with the SCA, I made a new friend. How do I do that? I'm still not sure. Anyway. Get back to site, stay up for a little bit, got my teaching packet and thank you (I now have a tote bag with my SCA name on it in gold with two lines of little Crosses of Calatrava on the exterior pocket) from RUSH. It's the coolest thing ever. Hee. (Why yes, I'm easily amused.) I prepped for my class, and then went to bed, the sounds of huscarl105 putting up his tent and the sounds of spring amphibians my lullaby. Unfortunately, I didn't sleep too well. (Heavy winds, a stubborn air mattress, the cold, and my back kept waking me up.)

Woke up the next morning to rain. Not quite torrential downpour, but it wasn't a nice gentle rain, either. It rained on and off that morning, so the site was a little mucky. That was understatement. It was very mucky and marshy in parts. Very English weather, perfect for an Elizabethan-themed event. Many thought both fighting and archery would get cancelled, but only the Scottish games did on account of the field being very, very, very mucky, even after the sun came out later that day.

I took a lot of fun classes, including one on diamond point engraving, where you engrave on glass with a diamond-tipped stylus. I have the starting of a great lookin' glass, and I think I may have an idea for a Queen's Prize entry. I just need to talk to Jehanne. I also taught my first class (officially). While I'm pleased with some things with regard to my class, as always I found room for improvement, and with this, I'll try and take this and learn from it. I also watched the archers, and since they were using clothed Styrofoam dummies as targets, there were plenty of reasons to make terrible black humoured jokes. I'd like to try to get my arm back in shape so that I could do archery. I want to learn a combat style, but with my spleen giving me problems, I'm pretty much in an indefinite holding pattern with regard to heavy fighting.

Court was very short, and Seamus and Siobhan of Dun Ard got their AoAs, Leyland made Kingdom history as the first woman to receive an award (Leather Mallet, I think) for blacksmithing.

After Court, was feast, which I served at. And, because it was wombatgirl's feast, it was delicious. Smoked rabbit in bacon, cheese tarts, artichoke hearts...yeah. As was promised, we did not go hungry, and I know I ate my fair share of food. Afterward, I entered my first bardic competition. Bonus points went to those who did something involving Ireland, piracy, or a period Elizabethan piece. I went ahead and did "The Lowest Trees Have Tops," which was supposed to be my Queen's Prize project this year. Lowest Trees is a period, John Dowland tune, and one of these days, I'll get around to recording it for Mathurin and the CalonSound Project. I was pleased with it, for sure. After that, it was sit around the campfire, so all the lights were turned off in the dining hall, and a fire was lit, and we sat around singing Calontir songs, one of my favourite parts of the night.

His Majesty, after people had left to go to their cabins, had taken the archery dummies and placed them in awkward places around camp. Two dummies were um. Copulating. By the side of the road. At least two were found in the two separate men's restrooms attempting to use the urinals. And this is why I still claim that Calontir, at least among the Knowne World, should also be referred to as the Frat Boy Kingdom. At least, sometimes. Like this time around.

After that, newcastleepl and I watched the cold front come in, and because there was lightning associated with it, decided not to stay in our respective tents, and stayed in the dining hall. I slept better there, though I'm not sure why. May have been the floor. Dunno.

Woke up this morning, procrastinated on taking down my relatively dry tent (thank God for waterproofer!), helped newcastleepl, and packed my stuff into huscarl105's vehicle, and headed back home. And I'm here! At the computer! Writing this! And hurting Cathus' head! Hi Cathus!

Waking up early on the day of the event (after getting there at ten or so the previous night), I helped Cathus and Rowan with getting things packed up, then got in garb, helped summersdream and spikedearheart into garb and accessorised and all and then we headed to site. Site... *sigh* That site was gorgeous. Won't lie. Beautiful church in downtown St. Louis. There, we found that the church had been transformed into a small medieval village (of sorts), complete with merchants of all kinds, music, and activity of all kinds. I scouted out the location (I do this most places I go if I can. It means I don't get lost as badly), and found out where everything was, from fighting, to A&S, and even the classroom I was to teach in for the first dace class of the day...immediately after morning Court.

Speaking of morning Court, HG Alethea made a presentation on the new vigil box and items...and then asked a boon of Their Majesties, Luther and Maerwynn, to make HE Honoree (who was Onora) a Pelican, putting her on vigil immediately after court. I was excited, and honestly, she deserves it. The amount of work and service she's given to this kingdom is incredible.

Afterward, I taught my dance class with Lady Hanne. I was only able to teach one dance: Rufty Tufty, which I suppose I was all right with, but I do wish I was slightly better prepared for teaching (caffeine!). I know it wasn't my best job, and I need to bear in mind how to better communicate the steps and do it in a faster time frame. I did take some of Azenari's ball prep class, thn went to go exploring.

I was a girl with big jugs as I bore water on the fields, and helped with Troll a bit, though much of it was being teased or teasing ruaidhriprime and ld_hrothgar.

After that, I went to go check up on summersdream and spikedearheart, and med up with some gentles from Crescent Moon: Simon, Phoenix, and Jacquette. All of us socialised a bit, and then I remembered I had business to attend to. I found purplellamaboi, gave him stuff I had found him, and dealt with business that day (eh. I'm a Byzantine merchant persona. Everything is business!), so got that done and spent a large portion of the time before Court hanging out with Phoenix and huscarl105 and summersdream and spikedearheart.

About this time, we were told by some other young adult Calontiri that were were "rabble-rousers" and that we needed to go sit in the balcony with everyone else. Yes, we made lots of comments during Court. It was bad.

Evening Court was loooooooong. But it happens. turnberryknkn was made a Calon Golden Swan, cantigajoy was made a Baroness (and you should see that coronet. It's amazing!), and HE Honoree was made a Pelican.

After this, we didn't go to feast, but rather Schafly's Tap Room. And waited. And waited. And waited. And freaked people out. It was GREAT! (I dig the whole garb thing.) Some people even took photos with other patrons. Had the wait not been so long, and Court not been as long as it was, we would have danced. But the Ball was cancelled (it happens), and so we headed to post-revel. I mostly sat with Phoenix, and watched others do silly drunk things, though I confess that there were things that I did that added to that general sense of Calontiri mayhem.

I love my kingdom and I love to see my SCA family when I am able to be with them.

And wow, this ended up being much longer than I thought!

-C

Had waaaaaay too much fun over the weekend with kampfrau and rhodri2112 and Countess Branwen.

Left KC with everyone Friday evening after seeing Valkyrie withkampfrau and rhodri2112. Yes, Tom Cruise is a terrible actor. No, the movie isn't horrible, but it does leave some things to be desired. Dropped things off in the 'Ville, found that my blue card had arrived (thanks to Martinus, I am an official SCA member now. :D I think it was a great Christmas present.) and I didn't require my print-out. Yay. We stayed at Alex and Roise's in Omaha, and I snorted a lot. Their Graces Eringlin and Alethea also stayed with Alex and Roise, as well as Luke (?). Lots of fun, tried not to die with a ceiling fan sharing the space with the top bunk I slept in.

Day of the event, woke up, got dressed in some pretty awesome Byzantine if I do say so myself. My new Pashmina included. Did some waterbearing, did some hanging out, lots of chatting, carded wool, helped make butter (and showed a few people how to make it), ran around placing bids in the silent auction for an awesome gown (three words: ice blue linen), and I'm pretty sure a lot of other things, but I can't think what else I did quite yet. Traded a pair of earrings for a hyooge bottle of Sabi's first batch of mead, which I think is really good. Went to court, and apparently I'm a bad kid, according to ruaidhriprime and liadan_m, so it was up to sit with the other bad kids in the balcony, but with that meant that we could see things like HRM Maerwynn signing for two gentles who are hearing impaired, but earned their AoAs. I thought it was very nifty. Sat feast thanks to kampfrau, and had fun. Poor Rhodri, though, sitting inbetween trimguy and me. (And Rhodri, I'm Roman. May have spoken Greek, but dammit, I'm Roman. If we really wanted to get nitpicky, Armenian or so, but dammit, I'm Roman.) Feast, while good, was something I had to choose what I ate. Not a big pea fan, so I avoided the soup course. Dessert, though, was awesome. I really liked the Apple Snow. :D I'm realising that I was downgraded from retinue table last year (which was fun with odiernelion and Ermenrich and Kasha), but still quite fun. :)

Anyway. Postrevel. Had fun singing and snuggling. As well as snorting. A lot. And by a lot, I mean a twenty-five snort laughing jag. Adelaide and Mairi Rose were also there (yes, in the same room, snorting at different times. And yes, the drinking game was in effect), so needless to say, while it was a smaller postrevel, it still had a lot of drinking going on. I suppose I'm to be at some sort of blame here.

I did sing my planned QP piece, but because I won't be there due to work obligations, I'm writing it off as practice for a later competition. I think it sounded good, at least, I'm pretty sure it sounded good.

Somehow, my bottle of mead not only survived the day, but survived postrevel as well. summersdream, want some drinky-beverages when you come back? Also, are you thinking about coming to Bellewode again this year? I'm trying to see who might be interested. There's also an event a couple weeks after that I'm supposed to try to teach a dance class at that I think you might like to go to. It's in Leavenworth, so not that far away.

While that's on my mind, huscarl105, do I need to contact anyone about teaching at Ceilidh? And what would you like me to teach? Or, to phrase better, what do you think would be best for me to teach?

Anyway, back to the weekend. Went back to Alex and Roise's, and had a huge pancake breakfast, shared stories from the day (including the wearing of my oh-so-awesome WiFi detector shirt on the way out!), and got everything ready to go...but I've now realised I'm missing my Byzantine garb. rhodri2112, was it found in your vehicle, or do I get to email Dolan?

Got back to town, went back to work today (but I'm off until Saturday), and opened presents from the boy's family, including more Bath and Body Works stuff and a few Longaberger things from his mom. He got me this little clear bouncy ball with blue glitter in it that is my new plaything near the computer for the time being. Might make it into some new photos.

Anyway, I'm going to bring this to a close, as I'm feeling that I'm starting to ramble a bit.

First off, I do apologise about not doing a follow-up on the Presiding Bishop and Diocesan Convention. I am going stir-crazy with activity. (I'm seriously living out of a suitcase for the next two weekends. Yay, events!) In fact, I'm trying to pack for Crown Tournament tomorrow. Martinus is supposed to pick me up at two tomorrow afternoon, and I still have to do laundry, shower, clean my feastgear of dust, and pack. BRWAR! Going insane! You're welcome to join me! I promise I don't bite...hard.

Anyway.

Friday dawned beautifully sunny, but yeeks, it was cold. Ended up going for abour thirty minutes without a nametag, but yet, everyone knows who the hell I am. Seriously, I realise this is Diocesan Convention, but how is it everyone knows who I am? Oh. Right. Young Adult Ministry and getting called up to speak in front of EVERYBODY at the last Convention. Yep. That'd do it. It was mostly education sessions and worship (I went to two: Little Prayerbook on the Prairie, about the history of the Diocese of West Missouri and one on reconciliation from Paul's point of view. Also interesting, but I definitely got a lot out of the history one. Understandably, being the history geek I am.) By the time the evening rolled around, people started milling about, buzzing about one of two things: the presidential election and when the PB would arrive, which she did, later that evening. I met her at the social hour prior to dinner, which was pretty nifty. Where was a camera when I needed it?

For some reason, I always get suckered into going to the banquet, which usually ends up pretty darn good. This year was no different...except I then realised it was catered by dun dun DUUUUUUUN! Aramark. Yep. I can't escape. Ever. Food was still pretty good, but I felt so bad about wasting so much of it because there was a TON of it left over from my plate alone. Conversation was great. I sat with St. Augustine's this year (which is ALWAYS a treat. Love them so much).

The Bishop's Shield awards were given out, and then the PB was called to speak. Short message about how helping the poor is our mission. I won't contest that point, but I'd like to amend that helping everyone is our call to mission. And it goes past that point to actively ministering to them. Meh. I know, I've already spoke of my theological differences with Bishop Katherine. I'll stop. Anyway. Bishop Barry gave Bishop Katherine a desk plaque with "The Buck Stops Here" engraved on it. If you know anything, absolutely anything about Missouri history, you'll know that our thirty-third President is from the surrounding area. Oh, Barry. I had to mention to our table that we had a silly Bishop. I still maintain that we do.

Saturday was filled with voting, as usual, and for once, I didn't have to count ballots, I didn't have to vote, and the deliberation process this year was oddly subdued. Not that I mind. I don't. The measures that were voted on weren't even that controversial. For once! The PB came back in from visiting with the youth, right as the courtesy resolutions were being spoken, and she sat right next to me. Blew my mind. After that, we finished with a hymn, and I went home to my parents. (There is much talk of me going to General Convention again this year, in Anaheim. We'll see.)

Sunday was the day of the end of the Emmaus Era in the diocese, marking several growths and changes for (hopefully) the better. Celebrating that with the Eucharist, the PB being the Celebrant, it was interesting. I was told I should try and process in, but as there wasn't a place for Young Adult Ministers to do so, I was made a Junior Junior Warden on the spot and told to go process with the Junior and Senior Wardens. Yay, vestry! Bishop Katherine avoided all of the weird stuff she's said in the past, and continued with what she noted in her previous address about helping the poor, even in times of uncertain financial problems looming on the horizon. (My only question is, what about the poor within our own churches? What do we do with them?) Asperges were done (rather forcefully. It felt like a good steady rain for a while), as well as a rather traditional Celebration Eucharist. Not quite Rite I, but definitely not Rite III. Like Rite II, but more sombre.

And then I went home to Maryville.

It's all I can write right now. My duffel is looking at me, empty. And I need to pack, now. (I just wish my napkins would dry faster!)

Up next? Crown Tourney! YAY! I'll be back Sunday sometime. And don't forget to change your clocks back.

ALSO.

If you ordered a geek girls calendar on the first printing, they are being shipped now. If you would like me to autograph my page for you, now is the time to let me know.

I have returned from Mag Mor! And I'm a little windburnt, and a little sunburnt, and a little tired...but those endorphins from the event have made things all sorts of fun!

huscarl105 picked me up on Friday evening, and the prairie wind was whippin' around like crazy! Dear Lord! But, we got all packed up, and headed up to Mag Mor. Passed by the windfarm up by Rockport, and the windmills were going like crazy. And we drove. And drove. And drove. And then, the rain hit the minute we got into Nebraska. (Of course.) While it made finding the site more fun (we eventually got there on two passes), it also meant that anyone putting up a tent would have a lot of fun putting up said tent in the rain. I don't know how you have the patience to do so, huscarl105, because my cat-like need to get out of any kind of water immediately kicks in. Anyway, after I got settled in, I headed over to where the action was...the main hall. I gave TRM some pottery I had been given (namastepixie: they loved the two mini-mugs, and I was asked to congratulate you on a job well done.) after I had said I had a ton of it. HRM Isabeau asked to see it and I headed back to fetch it. And the handle of my basket broke. Sad.

Anyway, I headed to bed about two, woke up at seven the next morning, and headed up to breakfast. The morning was cold, but at least it was sunny. Really, really, really sunny. After breakfast, I headed down to the tournament field, and found purplellamaboi and gave him a big ol' hug. I don't get to see my Household Brother that often, and it's hard to miss him when he's wearing his Safety Orange Persian pants. It's -really- hard to miss him. Anyway, I watched a lot of fighters, sat in the sunshade with huscarl105, and a few others, and FROZE. Good LORD. It was cold. Had at least six layers on and I was still cold! Anyway, the tournament to find the new Heirs resulted in Graf Luther Ambossfaust winning for Mistress Maerwynn of Holme. Congratulations! :D

Afterwards, I participated in a few dance classes to A) relearn from the Symposium, and B) what had been lost in the concussion! And I was doing fine...until I hit a divot in the ground and fell. Thank goodness for learning how to fall, else it would have hurt more than what happened! After that, was Evening Court, and purplellamaboi got blindsided with a Golden Calon Swan! YAY! Congrats, bro! I'll have to wait for the formal court reports to get the rest of the awards, but there were a lot handed out. And by a lot, I mean over five. And then, Dorcas had asked me to be a warm body and help with the Bardic guild stuff for Lilies...and that was where things got fun. :D

After that, it was time for feasting, and feasting we did! It was delicious, and there was even a contest to see if things were period or...not so period. On my not-so-period list was a Caprese salad, while delicious, wasn't all that period, thanks to the tomatoes. It was yummy, and then it was off to do more dancing! Yay! And after a few dances, like Confesse (FUN!), I headed back to post-revel, and got at least two back massages and more hand-kissing than you could shake a stick at. I'm not complaining. (And if anyone finds that I am, fifty lashes with a wet noodle!)

The next morning, I packed up, helped clean up, and then, His Majesty came up to me with his coat, waving it around, saying that he had lost his watch in between the coat and the lining. I had to get it out with my raccoon hands. :D Gave a hug to Ruadrhi, and got a side tickle from Her Majesty, and with that, huscarl105 and I headed home.

And got somehow turned around.

And while we ended up in Maryville, it was a thirty minute or so detour. But that's all right. I got home okay, I had a blast, and I can't wait for my next event.

We finally killed Dragotha in the Age of Worms adventure path. Yay! That being said, we didn't have too many quotes from this game (there was a lot of degeneration down the path of Beavis and Butthead, but what game doesn't have this?), but I've got the funniest ones, in my very humble opinion. One of the cohorts was reincarnated into a girl fairy from a boy halfling or something like that. I don't remember. But it was funny. So are these quotes. Go read.

Cast this week:
The DM
The Gnome (who shall so forth be known as Blessed Virgin Gnome)
The Bender
The Kobold
The Dragonborn
The Elemental Savant Halfling
The Formerly-Halfling Rogue, now Bugbear Rogue

----------------------

“Yay! Splatter-happy fun time!” Bender

“Heh-heh-heh. You fisted it.” Kobold

“We can reincarcerate it later.” Kobold

“I'm going off to the Sherlock Holmes Holodeck now.” Bugbear

“It's pee-pee time.” Bender

Well, it's been a whirlwind weekend, and next week will certainly be lots of fun, too.

Saturday, I went to the KC Renaissance Festival (the last weekend and all) after a deanery meeting, and of course, I went in garb. Granted, I went in 14th century French garb, and not English Renaissance, but on the whole, the clothing of the Renaissance has a tendency to annoy me. Farthingales are uncomfortable, and I won't get started on slash and puff. Blech. It rained quite a bit, and so the bottom five inches from the hem up were totally covered in mud, and I had mud up to my knees. Still had loads of fun, and I'm hoping to get a few jewellery commissions, as I had a few cast members ask me where I picked up the necklace I wore (I'll post pictures later, once my camera figures out that behaving is a good thing). I made several connections (which was really cool), and just had a blast.

Sunday morning, I skipped church to work a hobby fair as a vendor, and I made $200 selling my jewellery. I can't tell you how psyched I am! I'm excited, but now, I realise that I'm nearly out of stuff to sell (I sold nearly three-quarters of my current stock, and Christmas shoppign season -is- coming up).

This weekend, I'm off to Vertigo. It's my first big SCA event! Finally! I've apparently been drafted to be the loudmouth herald, so I'm trying to stay as healthy as can be, all things considered. Colds suck.

Question for the SCAdians: What should I pack for the event? We're staying in cabins, but there's very little room, and I'll probably get the floor, and the weather's supposed to be seventies, so it'll at least be nice and sunny, but it is the Midwest. Weather changes at the drop of a hat. Help a newbie SCAdian, will ya?

Well, I really should head off to bed soon.

Night, y'all.