I just discovered several pending delaflamme.org accounts of real people that I had not approved. Done now, apologies for what in some cases were very lengthy delays.

Pennsic comes as early as it can this year! Time to trot out and revise the supper club details. 

For those who haven't camped with Vair & Ermine before, while we do not have a meal plan, several campers have, in the past, agreed to share dinner and clean up duties so that no one has to do their own cooking every night. Also, it is only slightly more work to cook for 10 people than it is to cook for two. (Really!) 

 The plan is simple:

• You provide dinner one evening for all the members of the supper club, never more than 12 or so adults. You clean up your cooking. 
• The other members then provide dinner and clean up for you for the other evenings of the supper club. 
• We do not run supper club on the same evening as Atlantian court. 
• The exact start night is negotiable, based on when people arrive and we have a "quorum" of clubbers. 
• We try to coordinate what's being cooked which night so that we don't end up with spaghetti and meat balls 3 nights in a row. 
• I use the term "cook" here, but if you want to order pizza for the other clubbers, that's fine too. Encouraged even, no matter what some clubbers have thought. We don't expect fancy medieval food, nor that you cook it over a pit fire.

That's it! 

Our camp kitchen is pretty well equipped, so don't worry about having to bring lots of gear, unless you want to make something tricky. 

Here are a few things we've discovered over time:
Unless we have lots of people arriving early at the war, it rarely makes sense to start the shared dinners prior to the middle of the war, around the August 1st this year. 

Approximate 7PM dinner time is a good choice, but negotiable. Knowing when you'll have dinner ready assures that everyone is there. 

If you're arriving at war after the middle weekend and want to join in, then you may benefit from cooking at home, freezing it all and bringing it to war ready to thaw and reheat. I've done this many times. 

Once I get a better idea of how many people are interested, we can sort out who else is cooking what when.

If you're interested, email me with your arrival day, your preferred "cooking" night and what you'd like to provide. Also, any food allergies or dietary restrictions.
I hope you'll join us at the table!

So far, Supper Club is:

1. Corby and
2. Thjora
3. Edwin
4. Theo and
5. Roland
6. Philip and
7. Leo also
8. Susan
9. Terafan
10. Nicolosa (perhaps pair with Terafan?)

If we pair up those last two, we now have five nights covered, unless someone on that list is a dish monkey. Have I forgotten anyone else who has said they are in for this year?

As our camp has gotten bigger and Supper Club more popular, we have gotten to capacity on number of cooking teams for the number of nights we run the club. Just extending earlier into the first week of war is not usually an option, as the club works best when the majority of people in it are all at the war and eating. But we typically have one slot open for a kitchen monkey: someone who does not cook but instead takes care of all the dishes. This is always negotiable, and requires the assent of all the cooks.

Please respond at http://delaflamme.org/site/pennsic-supper-club-2009 because that's cooler than trying to manage it via LiveJournal and Facebook too. You should be able to login with openID (which uses your LJ or FB account) shortly, though it is broken at the moment. Or just create an account on my site if you don't have one.

If technology scares you, please email me and I'll add you.

We had a great time at Golden Rose Tourney this weekend. Even with the heat, the dehydration, a blown fan belt and water pump, what a great time.

Thanks again to Baron Girard and Baroness Guienevra for hosting us and chauffeuring us all around Raleigh in search of a car repair place open on Sunday. (For your future reference, the answer is always "Sears.")

I'm very very pleased to report that HRH Kalisa's team, the one I helped organize, went all the way to the finals and came oh so close to winning. I'm very happy with everyone's performance--the whole team backed each other up: Matteo winning a tough fight during a round where I lost, Philip and Amos (the "purple teardrop men") going (I think) undefeated until the finals, just a great showing all around.

We also looked damn good! I was surprised to have the only crest on the field, though Susan made a lovely wreath of flowers for Philip's helmet. Where are your pictures from the tourney?

Site upgrades are more or less complete. Some of the Amazon functionality is missing because my host doesn't support what that module needs, but I was the only one who used that anyway.

Last night Philip, Aethelwolf, Kelby, Leo and I piled into Philip's van and headed to the monthly Bay Company practice in Richmond. We raced the rain most of the way there, but luckily we never saw any of the hail or serious weather that happened a bit north and west of my place. (One house in Fluvanna had its roof torn off.)

Turnout was a little lighter than last time, probably because of the threat of bad weather. Aside from a good Caer Mear turnout and us, the only out of towners were Moe and Matthew from Tir-Y-Don.

I took some gear out to the playground where fighting was going on, and it was just pickup fights. So I armored up for sword and shield inside the church, trundled out---into melees. Sigh. I hate fighting sword and shield in melee. In fact, last night was probably only the 13th or 14th time I've ever done it. And it showed.

Still, a little melee practice is good for everyone, and after a short break I swapped to polearm just in time for the bridge rez scenario, which was quite enjoyable. Especially as the only long weapon out.

The rain put an end to melees and we adjourned inside for one on one practice. Wow it was sticky! I tried out my new 5'6" split rattan pole and it proved very fast. Quite the face stabber. I think I'll name it Needler.

I'm still feeling good, though tiring more easily than I care to. No weights this week, aside from shovelfuls of mulch.

The trip home was filled with ancient SCA stories ("Don't worry... I'm a nurse!")  and a decision to cancel Thursday armored practice in Charlottesville because Philip will be up in NoVA working and I have way too much to do for Golden Rose and would not be fighting anyway, two days prior to a big tournament.

I'm working on some site updates today, so delaflamme.org may be down for a bit, or not looking right, or not doing everything you expect it to. But it will be new and improved shortly.

Back on 2/25 I started my new workout. Let's see how I've progressed in a little over two months:

Then: 5 x 5 squats with a bar.
I had never done free squats before, so even though I felt silly, I just did them with the bar. Even the last set was easy, but still, I feel it in my quads today.
Now: 1 x 5 squats @ 90 lbs, 4 x 5 @ 110. Just a little sore.

Then: 3 x 5 deadlifts with a bar.
These were very straightforward and also easy. So ridiculously easy that after one set with the bar, I threw 20 lbs. on it. Still stupidly easy.
Now: 5 x @ 90 lbs and 5x 2 @ 110lbs and 5x 2 @120 lbs on the deadlift platform, which lets you lower the bar to your toes.

Then: 3 x 15 push ups.
These nearly kicked my ass. The first set of 15 was easy. The third was nearly not finished.
Now: I mix push ups in other times. Did 15 yesterday.

Then: 5 x 5 horizontal pull-ups or five sets of as many regular chin-ups or pull-ups you can crank out.
These did kick my ass. So I did 6/5/5 pull/chin ups, and then the inverted bench press came open long enough for me to finish with 2 sets of 15 horizontal pull ups.
Now: 5 full vertical pullups 4 times, 6 on the last set. Then, after the back hyperextensions, I came back and did 5 more! This is the most massive change since Feb.

Then: Skipped the back hyperextensions because I didn't know how to do them.
Now: 2 x 15 @ 35 lbs back hyperextensions, 1 x 15 @25 lbs. I'm being careful here, as I really feel it in my back muscles afterwards.

Then: 3 x 5/15 of ab exercise of choice. "Planks" were recommended.
I tried these. My oblique abdominal complained after 2 and made me stop at three. I need to figure out another way to exercise my abs.
Now: I've dropped these from my workout. I think I'm getting some ab work with the pullups, but that damn oblique ab muscle still complains when I try other stuff.

Then: After Effects: I'm moderately sore today, in a way that I didn't expect. Normally I get sore two days out from a workout. Maybe that means I'll be too stiff to move tomorrow.
Now: I get a little sore. Not bad. Just enough to know I've worked out.

Then: Weight: 196 lbs.
Now: Weight 200 lbs and all the same pants fit. Interestingly, all that weight came on in about the first 5 weeks.

It is time to revise the workout for more progress, most notably the addition of bench presses. If I keep this up, I think I may be in the best shape of my life by Pennsic!

As mentioned earlier in The (hopefully) Great Lamellar Project I'm organizing a lamellar purchase.

Thorbrandr, Philip, Turgeis, Ragnar Ribcracker, Jurgen and I are all in, and I think one or more of the UVa students is too. Still room for others, if we can all come to an agreement about what we want. Conservatively, we're now in the 1350 plate order range, assuming no one wants shoulder plates. And if I haven't radically underestimated the number of plates needed per person.

Like the old saying in IT ("Good. Fast. Cheap. Pick two.") we have a three dimensional decision process:

Cost, Performance, Appearance.

Cost is more or less directly related to the following two. The more suitable and better looking it is, the higher the cost. My ballpark

Performance reflects how protective and durable it is without being too heavy. Plastic wins here, then aluminum, then titanium, then thin gauge heat treated stainless, then thin gauge stainless. Anything else is an also-ran.

Appearance means two things: the material finish and the shape of the plate. Plastic looks like plastic. Aluminum without a finish on it looks like aluminum, and the only ones I've seen that really look good are the anodized acid washed ones from a vendor Bryce sent me, and those run over $1 a piece. (Bryce--I can't find that site. Please send it again.)
So far, I am the only person who has mentioned a preference for a specific style of plate. My intuition is that ordering all of one type and size of plate will be cheaper than mixing and matching, but I have yet to confirm this with a vendor. The more rectangular the plate, the less waste, but as long as we don't go for any huge amount of curve, that should be negligible in the price issue.
So, for appearance, a "non-bright" stainless would be best. After that, titanium, then the acid-anodized aluminum. Everything else is an also ran.

Of course, titanium costs a fortune. Heat treated stainless is probably also expensive. As mentioned, so are the acid-anodized aluminum ones. My guess for the sweet spot between Cost, Performance and Appearance is 20 gauge stainless. White Moutain Armory has them for .60 a piece in stock, and they have a reputation for quality. What I don't know is the weight and durability of his steel stock. (Durability as in "doesn't get all bent up" not "wears out.")
Polar Bear Forge has attractive pricing and has gotten good reviews as well, but again I wonder about the alloy. Though the guy at Polar Bear has been very open to questions.

Since I know the people at Darkwood Armory, they naturally came to mind. In particular, I'm sold on their knowledge of alloys. As an example, look at my or Kit's helmets, which are stainless steel but don't look like stainless steel. So I know they can find us a great durable and light stainless alloy for the plates. Doesn't mean I'm sold on them, but I want them in the evaluation process. If they can be cost competitive, we'll probably get a better product.

That's where I am right now. This post needs to trigger any last minute thoughts people have about the whole thing. I'll email it to those who don't read this stuff.

Tomorrow's crappy weather forecast makes St. Paddy's Bloodbath in Fairfax very unlikely for me. I believe I shall take it easy and perhaps do some armoring or other leather work. The dogs will certainly prefer having me around.

But other events are coming! Isenfir needs to defend its win last year at Defending the Gate on 3/28. I also hope to see Danny and Sev (at least) authorize there. They are certainly ready aside from needing to study the rules.

I might do the Coronation of Logan and Esa, since it is at that awesome site in Reidsville where the Quest for Venus happened.

Fourth Sunday Archery/Craftery/Rapiery/Armored Combatery Joint Isenfir-Caer Gleniog get together is at our place, next week, Sunday the 22nd. I have heard rumors of at least a van full of Caer Mear folks showing up, especially if the weather allows for armoring up.

And while I totally failed to get anyone local to the big Bay Company practice in Caer Mear this week, I shall redouble my efforts to do so next time on [whatever day that is, which I'm sure Bryce will chime in with, but I think Tuesday, April 14, which is of course Isenfir's Shire meeting so K can't go.]

Considering that every year at Pennsic, at least one of the big battles is so crowded and confused that the cart goes AWOL, I thought to steal dear Sir Roisin's idea and make a banner that accompanies the cart. And for other random flashy uses too.

Smaller and more portable than the standard, I want it to look Norman of course. This will be made using the same techniques and materials as the standards though.

Here's my first idea, but I'm not satisfied. Frankly, I wish it was a little flashier. At the same time, I'm keenly aware of the limitations of style in early period small banners. They did not typically have mottos or such on them. Even using a badge is an anachronism, since they were pretty rare prior to the 14th century.

Suggestions?