Lilies War
By the fortunate juggling of schedules and in-law grandchild requests Dash (Stephen) and I were able to attend the last 3 days of Lilies War in Calontir. (Thurs afternoon - Sunday morning)
We camped with my knight, duncan_prime, and the majority of my SCA household, and that was really quite wonderful. Being the amazing people they are they also welcomed in my apprenti, zephyrofgod and _ogmios! We made a happy crew and there was morning coffee and plenty of shade and lots of laughter!
Upon arriving we were told court in one hour so with Diarmaid's help delivering the emptied car to the parking lot we scrambled to get dressed. I tried to be demure in court, really I did, but so many friends so many hugs! So Jack didn't hear getting called in to get his Torse...so Elinor got hip-checked off the kneeling cushion...these things happen, they just do.
Thursday was a blur of hellos and quick catch-ups with friends and introducing Dash to everyone I could so they know who to blame later ;) He particularly liked Samera, and who can blame him, eh?
Also turns out Dash has never swam in 'the wild' before. I hadn't realized this since a good chunk of his summer is in Kansas each year, and so at first I was puzzled at all the questions about lakes, like are there fish in the lake? Yes. Well don't they poop in the lake? Yes. We swim in poop water? He loved swimming in the lake.
Friday he began his semi-supervised day, well until Ariel told me to 'let go' and let him run feral. And run he did. He found guys to play with, told me he became an Avatar and was lost in the imaginary world of bending air & water. I stayed in camp and helped with a Baronial luncheon, which was actually a lot of fun. Dash was fought for in the children's tourney by my squire brother HL Dirik who only lost to HG Garick at the very end. It was great fun to watch as I sat in the peanut gallery with Logan & Gwaine. Friday night we had Chicken Satay Canadian but not my Dash, he collapsed with a bout of Heat Exhaustion. First he passed out then after we cooled him down he woke, sipped water and went back to sleep for the night. He even slept through the fireworks! It felt scary for a wee bit but once I knew the body was cool enough that he just slept, I left him tucked in and headed for the fireworks. They were awesome! I saw Pavel and Naz there and talked to them almost forgetting the spectacle ! They were awesome, oh yeah, I said that .
Later Three Rivers had their party at fireworks point and Pav conducted the bardic circle, just like the old days. D made me proud rising to every challenge by Pav and was never a pell. And I met evil_fionn face to face - happiness. :)
Sat dawned as did my symptoms of heat exhaustion, headache & nausea. After trying on my own to combat it I finally gave up and went to Master Owain, who eventually threw me in the air conditioned Troll office on a cot for 3 hours and only then was a functioning human being again. Thank you Owain, and Logan, and Ylva, and K & D who kept tabs on me and Dash. I was up and dressed in time for an apprenticing that was long anticipated. Thank you to everyone who came to witness the deed :) (Many thanks to Sir Eric and his well shared words to me afterwards). After visiting a very wee bit with gxdm, I wandered over to the Helga ball field, and ended up playing a Norse hockey instead. Dash played goal for the purple team. I think I want to make up this game for War Camp...(must remember to ping Richard for details).
Dash and I then went past the "boffer tourney" and Dash wanted to fight. HG Dongal asked his son 9 year old Zack if he would share his weapon with Dash and he agreed but upon checking with the list table the age group was full and the list closed. Dash was tired and hot and whiny and fell to tears. Later we ran into Zack and he remembered Dash and stopped him and told him that he had been thinking about him all day about missing the fighting, and he was sad for him. He told Dash he had won the tourney for his age group and that his prize was a boffer weapon and he wanted Dash to have it. Wow! but not really, you see his Dad, was my first Army General, and I have always been in awe of that man. So acorn and tree as far as I am concerned.
After court, where I got to enter for the first time as Pelican for Charles' elevation, we had a supper of tacos and then off to a swim with Dash. I can indeed swim in my corset, BTW, A new skill even for me (but my core temperature thanked me).
Last evening was a bacon and singing party at Fernando & Olga's and that started with duncan_prime lighting 25+ Chinese lanterns on the battlefield. I will have video up on facebook eventually. Songs, bacon, Calon family. What could you add to make it better? ksmaninns definitely, but seeing my Dash stand up next to Sir Damien, and others to sing the songs, bloody priceless.