In His Steps

Spousal Unit and I went to Great Western War this year, camping with The Company of St. Martin again, our good friends. You can see our restored tent on the right of the picture below. Somehow the first sunset of every war is always beautiful and perfect over the lake. We discovered that the geese that had plagued us every year--Christmas and Thanksgiving--had passed on due to coyotes and had ourselves a good cheer. These geese would enter our camps and tents, steal food, and generally be ill-tempered beasts. They aren't missed by me. The second evening we were there is when most people were at the encampment and almost completely set up. We spent the first days attending classes, wandering Merchant's Row, and volunteering to help the staff. Spousal Unit and I worked the troll at the front gate for a few hours one afternoon. A special evening at Merchant's Row was spent at my favorite booth: Open Arms Bardic Hall, run by this lovely Lady Belleset a...

I know I just posted, but I had so much fun at this event I had to post about it! I went to Great Western War this year in my home kingdom of Caid . Just getting there was an adventure. We left the frozen north (it's been thawed for awhile, but after our drive I know it was just lulling us into a false sense of security) in the kingdom of Artemisia  at the butt crack of dawn. Our intention was 3am, but it was more like 4am. We immediately stopped and gassed up and then we had to change the windshield wipers. Without knowing how to do so. In the cold, wet, darkness. We numbed our fingers more than once each time. It took us an hour. In the rain. Finally, after much praying, we got the wipers on and were on the road at around 5am, two hours late, but that's ok. We drove until 9, stopped for breakfast and gas, and Rosslyn, the driver, needed a nap. So we all took one, got some food, and hit the road again. I drove a bit in Nevada, then finally we hit California and went north t...

Another long day of work done and I am left to my own devices. Rosslyn and several other friends went to Great Western War this morning, but I couldn't afford to lose the hours to go this year. Two wars I've missed lately! My family will be up there as well. I cannot even day trip it. Ah well. No bardic classes and good practice time for me. Though, there is the anniversary tourney coming up, and with it the Barony Bardic competition. I could prepare to participate in that. I'm supposed to have a two pieces, one of which has to be about the barony or the baron and baroness. Rosslyn was writing a funny spoof song about one of the wars, asking the leaders to get a certain war back from the Ren-Faeries and people who think war is "just like Burning Man" and they can wear provocative clothing and drink and party all night right next to children. No thank you. If we'd feel ashamed to have our families see it, something's gone wrong. The SCA is supposed to be f...