Event Organization

As we did last year, we are once again hosting a big work and fun party at our place over Labor Day weekend. This year our plan is to tear off the front porch roof, then the front porch. Daring types are welcome to help us remove the false chimney that sat atop the fireplace Vlad and company took out last year.

Thjora is convinced there won't be enough work, so this is definitely the year to attend, because there will be as much food and beer and wine as last year, so the work to fun ratio may be much much higher.

Drop us a line if you'd like to come, even if you don't plan to work. But the faster the work goes, the more likely a fight practice (of all flavors) will break out on Sunday!

Last year was pretty epic, with a house full of people over night, and Val attacking our broken concrete like it had done him wrong. First come, first serve for private rooms, but everyone gets blueberry pancakes!

Thjora pointed out last night that a wedding we're invited to and really want to attend takes place on... October 11th.

No War of the Wings for us this year.

Instead, let me draw your attention to Journey to the Crusades, local to us on Sept. 20th, and Lochmere Baronial Birthday on September 27th. Alas, this latter event supplants Masters of Defense, where I would otherwise be attempting to add a Fourpeat to my Threepeat of winning that tournament.

In related news, I bought a Darkwood cruciform cut and thrust sword at Pennsic and have been having fun working the pell a bit with it, mostly related to coaching Kit as she develops her cut work with her new backsword.

To calm Isabel and hopefully not annoy Thjora, I thought I'd mention that my Pennsic prep has gone pretty smoothly. Last night I painted the gold onto the Best Shield in the World, and also finished covering the cute little heavy T6 shield blank Alan gave me. (Don't be too shocked: First, it is the heaviest piece of T6 I've ever seen, and second, it is probably just going to be a loaner.) Philip was over this weekend and used his amazing helicopter repair skills to properly re-fiberglas the Best Shield. Here's a pic of it after repair and before recovering.

This shield is two years old. I'd thought it was three. But in any case, it has proven to be remarkably durable. Yes, I wish its shape was slightly different, and I wish it was slightly smaller. Those are my errors, not Reynard's! He does amazing work, and I hope I'll always be fighting with one of his shields. Rigid shields have spoiled me. When I had to use my old aluminum one this past spring, I hated it. So wobbly when it gets hit.

Tonight, hopefully Lewis is coming over to help with reapplication of the crows, and I'll get the green chief painted.

Perhaps we'll debate what to paint on the new little T6er too. Otherwise, things remaining undone that must be done before we leave:

1. Tie new loops for the tent. No biggie.
2. Paint war standard poles. An hour or so.
3. Old Camail attached to Phrygian Helm. Could wait 'til the war.
4. Reattach camail to demi-helm. Ditto.
5. Print out SCA biz cards for Thjora and me. Done shortly. Yay for a slack job.
6. Shopping, because Thjora has enough to do.
7. Put some plants in the ground.
8. Air in the cart tires.
9. Pack

It Will Be Done.

Todd Last/Uneg from somewhere up north was kind enough to capture all the Pennsic official battlefield schedule info onto Google Calendar.

This also makes it available to iCal. So you can add it to your iPhone or whatever.

He graciously gave me permission to post the links:

iCal import (opens in iCal if you have it, may work with other vCal compliant apps.)

HTML (For just looking, or adding to your Google Calendar)

XML (For the uber-geeks, or as an RSS feed.)

If you're subscribed to the household's SCA calendar then all this info is already added.

Please don't blame me that there is no rapier info listed.

As Pennsic approaches, it's time for my annual attempt to organize a supper club in our camp.

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.
• 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 30th 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!

As much as I love Passages at Arms, my back does not love the idea of my fighting this weekend.

I tried some fighting tonight at practice, and while I could do it, it was clear I should not do it. Not to mention that both Philip and Aethelwolf were kicking my butt, so clearly a functioning back is necessary for good fighting. Duh.

So, instead, I'll take it easy, do some gardening, maybe go to some crazy 50's band thing Saturday night, and generally save gas and have fun. Also, ice on my sacro-iliac.

Thjora decided today she is definitely not going to the Pas this weekend in NC. Too many weekends in a row coming up with travel or a house full of people.

My back is slowly getting better, but not fast enough for me to know for sure if I am going either. Three hours in the car, setting up a tent and sleeping on an air mattress before fighting does not sound like a smart way to get my back in shape.

I won't make a final decision until I try fighting tomorrow night, but at this point I think it is only 40% likely I'll go.

I'm looking at the Acorn calendar and starting to put a tentative travel schedule together for the summer.

Sapphire is next, Assessment is on there. Aside from that, I'm open to suggestions. I'm considering the Pas du Foret Mysterious-spelling in NC, which would in theory let me get down to see Girard without him having to drive like crazy.

Stierbach is also a possibility, or Highland River, though that's always a killer drive.

Please discuss, lobby, whatever. Consult the Household SCA Calendar as you need to.

You don't have to be household to comment here. Pitch your event. Tell us why it will be cooler than the swimming hole in August!

I'll even allow commenting on LJ for the lazy.

Word was announced at Gulf Wars, before the combined Chivalry of the Known World, that come April 19th, TRMs Northshield intend to elevate our friend Lady Roisin to the Chivalry. To take place at this event in Minneapolis if you can make it.
That's Roisin on the left in the picture above. Questers for Venus may recall her as Minerva at the coronation of Val and Arielle.
Congrats to my good friend and soon to be sister!

Technorati Tags: Heavy Fighting, Pennsic, SCA

I'm sure you all check the calendar regularly, but here are a few more details of what's coming up in the near near future. This weekend we're day tripping to Caer Mear's 30th Celebration. Girard and Guienevra are coming too, so we may actually get a chance to fight with each other a bit.

Kit and I are also day tripping to Defending the Gate on the 22nd, and once again the proto-squire and his lady will be there, probably staying over at our place that night or the night before or both.

My next planned event after that is Tournament of Chivalry, where, among other things, Girard the proto-squire will become Girard the squire.

Hmmm, I should probably start on the belt sometime soon.

Technorati Tags: Heavy Fighting, Heavy Weapons, SCA