elanya

Had a wonderful weekend, and have some beautifully coloured bruises to show for it :D

I was gone by about 5:30 on Friday, and got to Tutbury around 7. I helped set up the white canvas medieval style tent for general sleeping of Nevilles (That is the household name of the War of the Roses group I'm with. We are the household of Warick Neville, also known as the Kingmaker. Go us :D)

Hung around and whatnot with various peoples, including Phil, who is the ref/gm-type person (kinda. more like... manager, really ;) for Chains, and Eddy, his girlfriend (Sarah Edwards), Hugh, Matt, Rik, Hannah, Guthrie and a bunch of other people most anyone reading this won't have heard of or know. Went to bed around 1 or 1:30, I think.

Woke up around 7 on Saturday, got dressed in a borrowed dress and associated bit (never go out without a hat, it's indecent! ;) and started helping with getting stuff ready for the sheeproast. I guess they did pig for last year's wedding and wanted to try something different ;) I helped out with cooking type stuff (over an open fire pit) such as waship dishes and peeling and chopping mounds and mounds of veggies. At 12:30, I ran away with Cis to Sudbury, about a 20 min, drive away, transformed myserlf from a middle class 15th century bint to dancing girl. Wore white pants with mirrors and irridescent orange sarong ladyiolanthe bought me as a belated birthday present as a scarf, white midriff tanktop, red-orange batik shiny sarong with mirrors tied around my neck for a top, and a dace stick newly covered with immeasurably sparkly gold tape.

I only dance two dances, though, because I can't make it ot the Wednesday classes where the really advanced stuff is taught. They have recently started an intermediate class right after the beginner stuff, though... Anyway, I think it went well, and the other dances went nicely, as did the second set of dances we did later that I knoew none of. Between sets, I ate a scone and watched some other dance groups, including some young grils (maybe 13-15) doing Banghri dancing. Then, there was a little 'audience participation. It was very fun. The event, for the record, was a 'Day of Dance' and there were all kinds of dancers... Greek, Flamenco, Morris, Egyptian, etc. After th second set, we zipped back to Tutbury.

The only downside of going to the dance thing was that I missed the wedding. Only, well, it was only a 'show' wedding, for the public, since the real one had happened on Friday afternoon. The whole event was pretty much the 'reception'... Good fun for all of Gnome and Fox's friends. It was certainly fun for me ;)

Anyway, I got back just in time to watch the fight for that day, and I took some pictures too :D. After that, it was time to eat, so we did. Hurrah for roast sheep! And various other bits, as well, including bread, honey, and butter... Yum, anyway. And then, there was free wine for people who had helped. I ended up with a bottle of elderflower wine, which was drinkable, but... meh. I'm really not a wine person. I passed it around for other people. The bride and groom also contributed to the merrymaking by passing around several bottles out of the *case* (yes case) of Moniac mead they had received as a wedding present. Alcohol that concentrated should not be so easy to drink. mmmm....

Anyway, no, I didn't get plastered, but I hopeped groups a bit and chatted and met several people and generally had a nice time in front of a huge fire (they burned the sheep carcass, I have pictures ;) until about 12:30, and then I went to bed.

I was up around 8:30 this am, and got dressed and whatnot. There wasn't as much to do, as all our meals today were leftovers from yesterday, so I made myself some tea, had some bread and honey, and hung out. At 12:00, there was a sword competition, so I became a medieval cross dresser, and participated in that. It was supposed to be a 'show' competition, rather than a technical one, and I am horribly out of practice... There were 8 combattants, I was in the second foght, and I lost in the first round. To be fair, the guy I was up against (Newton) is a lot more experienced than me, and had a lot more armour. I fought okay considering, and I had an excellent death :D Also were I got my most anoying bruise... right on the bicep. Not really painful, but since it is right on one of my most-used muscles, I notice it more than the ones on my legs... I'm not entirely sure where they all came from. There are only a few, anyway. After the competition, Jo and I (another newbie) played a bit for practice in an area. he is more of a bastard than me, technically, but I'l really fast. I keep getting told that by people. I recover from cuts and can ripost really really fast. Go me :D

After that, I wandered around as a girl for a bit, played some shuttlecock (medieval badmington), and had a little lesson on thre shaun (shawn? Medieval oboe-like instrument). Yay for slaughtering geese ;) It was cool. I want one now. Hint hint hint ;)

There was a battle later, and I got to be the drummer, yaaaay! I guess no one ever want to do it, so the drum never gets used. Everyone likes fighting more. I compromised. I got authroized/field saftey tested for sword use, and took on a sword and dagger :D. I drummed like a mad woman for the whole thing, until out group got completely boxed in (the people on the other side were being a bit disorganized, unfortunatley, and they weren't taking their hits, which was a bit frustrating). I had to swing my drum out of the way, draw my sword, and go toe to toe with a billman! I got him too, but he was armoured, so he had two cuts, so he didn't go down. Or, I'll keep telling myself that that is why he didn't fall. Anyway, he got me good too, so down I went. The nearby public mourned my loss ;) I die well, because it is fun.

I also broke the drum head. I hadn't even thought about it at the time, but the thing hadn't been used... or oiled, or anything, andthe skin split. It is still useable (the head on the other side is fine!), though next time I will know to wet or oil it first, hmmm...

After that, it was more hanging around and shuttlecock, and then
it was time to start packing up, so I did, and then go home, and here I am...

I have many pictures. I have Ireland stuff, plus last weekend and this weekend to devellop now. And I can get them all done now, too, since I actually finished a roll off. I hate getting half a 'set' of pictures develloped.

Hmmm... an hour to go before PS. Time to investigate the possibility of food, I think :D

Oh, right. The only downside of the weekend was the untimely arrival of Aunt Flo, when I went to the dance thing. But I was somewhat prepared for that, and though I had forgotten to bring any 'sanitary napkins' with me, I was able to 'wad it' (hee!) until with got back to the campsite. End TMI ;)

miao...