2022 Happy To Be Here

There are things that are hard for me after Pennsic.  To name a few: Getting back to routines, being inside, and wearing pants (and not gowns).  Since three years had gone by between Pennsics this time I forced the pants on early and am good with that.  It took a few days, but being inside is better.  Having to go back to work and being too tired to be outside much helped.  I'm still working on the routines though.  Or perhaps, I'm resisting some of the routines--like the dishes!  Haha!  Or reading regularly.  Here are some happy things from today: --At Pennsic, there were people.  People in camp or in passing.  Sometimes, for this introvert, there were too many people.  Still, being with people can be good.  So tonight I went to craft night and there were some people.   I could sit in my corner and listen, like introverts do, and only enter in conversation if I wanted.   --Not only were there people, b...

It was pack up and go day at Pennsic.  Almost everyone is gone by Saturday; only a few people stay until Sunday.  It took most of the day to pack up all the things.  The one thing that I spent a bunch of time on was getting the shower pieces clean and dry.  I'm so happy that the day was dry for packing.  Other happy things from today: --Once the sun hit the chairs this morning and things started drying out a thin, lovely mist rose from them.  The picture doesn't do it justice. --Packing up is hard physically and emotionally.  In all honesty, I usually have a meltdown at some point during the process.   I think I only got really frustrated once and it was short lived.  No meltdown! That made the day much better than in some previous years. --Packing up went well because there were some great people who helped get the job done.  And while I concentrated on packing up the Baronial part of the encampment, Zed concentrated on...

As the last full day of Pennsic comes to a close I am feeling sad it is ending but happy to be going home to my own room soon and house with an indoor shower, laundry, and indoor plumbing.   Other happy things from today: --I made it back to the archery range to shoot the war points at the clout shoot.   The clout is a good sized target at about 100 yards.  We shoot from where the short white posts are.  The target to aim at is the one in the distance with the castle type wall around it.   Getting an arrow inside the castle wall is three points.  Hitting the target in the middle (Medusa) is four.  I don't remember what that closer target was worth, I didn't try that one.  The first six arrows I shot I scored zero.  The next six, all of them scored and each round after that I scored something.  I'm pleased with how I did. I even hit the Medusa in the middle a couple times.  --On the ...

In two days it is my hope that I will reach a two year 10,000 steps a day streak.  This morning, I couldn't find my FitBit charger and was concerned that I'd have to find a different way to count those steps.   Happily I found it in the car.  Other happy things from today: --I made it to the archery range and shot.  There are three different shoots (ways the ranges are setup).  There is an advancing shoot where there are four targets at different distances to shoot at.  We are allowed to shoot up to 30 arrows at them.  I shot them six arrows per round. I got two into the close target and none of my next four into the next one farther away (the farther the distance the more points to score).  When I shot the next four rounds,  I stuck with the closer target and did much better. --Another of the shoots was the Castle Window Shoot.  This is usually my favorite type of target.  The first round I scored zero....

Every Pennsic I say that I will take more pictures.  I've taken more than some previous, but I have ended a day this time wishing I had pulled the camera on my phone out earlier.  I got my phone out for pictures of a brief field court but didn't for the Heavy List Baronial Champions.  I took pictures of the Baronial Thrown Weapons Champions but not the little bit of the Baronial Fencing Champions that I saw.  A little before dark I remembered to have Keziah take a picture of me in the garb I started making months ago.  The Viking dress is complete, not the chemise.  I wore an older one for today.   Here are some happy things from today: --All the Baronial Championships I attended today were good.  Watching the different Champions from other Baronies compete against each other and give us insight of their thoughts on being a champion as well as Chivalry is enlightening.  It is one of the things that helps remind me of what we ...

Before leaving for the two and a half hour court tonight I told Keziah that she may need to poke me to stay awake.   This turned out to not be a problem when I was reminded of how uncomfortable the throwns were.  Thankfully court, though longer than three hours, was enjoyable.  Happy things from today include: --It was my last day to relax.  Tomorrow I'll be busy most of the day. --Gideon has been really enjoying youth fighting.  He was telling me about it when I took this picture.  --Court was long, but being able to see people be elevated or awarded is always good. --It got dark during court which made it hard to see the awards going out.  I did my best to get a picture of the scroll Keziah made. --It was really nice to get back from court to find a campfire.  Gideon had put Campfire Colors in the fire earlier on and greens and purples kept flaring up. ☮️ Th...

As part of my low key Pennsic I stuck around camp most of the day.  I visited with people, read, and had a nap.  These are all good things.  Other happy things from today include: --I remembered to buy ice and milk today.  Sometimes the little things can mean a lot.  --Some of the awards in the SCA revolve around the Arts and Sciences community.  Today I got to learn some of the inner workings and requirements that should be met before receiving some of these awards.  It was interesting. --The household (Runnymede) that the Baronial heads belong to met tonight.  There was business that we attended to.  It was nice to see everyone and when we all seemed to agree on the business at hand. --There was a bunch of heat lightening that was beautiful and I tried to catch some in pictures.  ☮️ Thank you for being part of my happy things.  Stay safe. 

This was to be my war to relax when I can.  Today, I took my time getting ready for the day.  I got ice and water for the encampment and then relaxed with a book.  I was gifted a few books last winter from my niece and chose one to bring.  So far,  I'm enjoying it.  Other happy things from today: --I walk through the Arts and Sciences Display.  It was a quick walk through and then I needed water.  I ran into Zed and we went back to the A&S Display and I got a different experience.   Being introverted, I don't always ask questions,  Zed did.  Some things I learned about were acid etching metal, using horse tail hair to make fishing line, and carving antlers to create tools for stamping into pottery. --Some of the cloud formations here are amazing.   --Every Pennsic I try to attend the performances by i Sebastiani.   A few years ago I performed with them.  As usual, their show ...

Never would I have imagined as a child or young teen that someday I would be sitting in a pavilion almost every August, wearing medieval clothes.  The SCA found me when I was 19.  At that age, I did not think that I would still be playing in the SCA at this age.  Now, many, many years later I raised two children within this community and my daughter is raising her son here too.  Other happy things from today: --Gideon (my grandson) and Zed (his dad) arrived to join us at Pennsic.  They were tired after the long drive. --Very early this morning Keziah and I got up and did a volunteer shift with the 'Watch'.  This is basically driving around in a golf cart making sure fires are attended and people aren't looking for some kind of help.  We had a radio to call in for more help if needed.  My body wasn't happy about being in the cart for three hours, other than that, it went well. --We saw the sky lighten as the sun rose. ...

It was the day to run errands.   Here are some happy things from today: --We have clean laundry.  I'm hoping to be set until the end of the event. --The water softener tank has been exchanged.   I don't need to worry about that running out over the weekend.  The water at the site is so hard it has iron sediment. --There was some heavy rain this afternoon and evening.   Not all the tents in our group stayed dry.  Some folks worked together to make sure everyone is taken care of.  We have good people in our encampment.  --There was a rainbow...before we got rained on. The rainbow was behind us. Storm's coming!  I couldn't act... ☮️ Thank you for being part of my happy things.  Stay safe. 

Our camp is close to a small castle.  It is one of the many things that lends to the atmosphere here at Pennsic.   Other happy things from today: --There is a new group camping with us.  Many of them have a Viking persona.  They brought a flag that I let them hang by our gate. --The flags waving in the breeze looked really nice today. --Sewing got pulled out this evening.  A friend hemmed my new chemise while I worked on finishing some seams on my green Viking dress.   ☮️ Thank you for being part of my happy things.  Stay safe. 

The big thing I did today at Pennsic involved volunteering with setting up the East Kingdom Royal Area.  I helped move things, put things together, and sort things.   Along the outside of the area they use sheet walls that have the coat of arms for the groups within the Kingdom.  They were being laid on the ground for sorting.  The first one I picked up turned out to be my Barony's!  I'm not sure what the chances are of that but it surprised me.  For being there and helping we were give a pin as a thank you.   Other happy things from today include: -- While shopping with Keziah I found a new Pelican medallion.  The Pelican is a service award.   --it was a hot day with temperatures hovering around 90 degrees.  In the afternoon I tried to take a nap.  It was real nice to be able to relax in the heat of the day. --One of the things that got set up at EK Royal was a unicorn that is a sprinkler....