A much needed trip

I just got back from Long Nights, an amazing event and a much needed weekend of rest and relaxation. I met several old friends there, I got to spend time with my "family" and even made a few new friends along the way. The weekend was a turbulent one, but always exciting and adventurous.

We arrived onto site later than I would have liked, stupid Google sent me to the wrong campground and I had to backtrack a bit to reach the right one. The new tent set up like a dream, it was very simple and very spacious even with 2 people and all my cooking gear/Art-Sci gear in tow. I went right away after getting dressed to start a fire as I had intended on cooking for my friends that night, frustratingly much of the wood was still fresh and very green. I'll admit that was the low point for me when I struggled with the fire just to get it past the kindling stage. Thankfully Baroness Ceridwen was willing to offer a hand and soon we got the fire piping hot and burning bright.

The rest of the crew arrived not too long after, and just in time as I had managed to get the coals smoking hot. I did a mushroom and onion soup with pasta added, bread provided by Ever and grilled bratwurst with apples and onions. Nice and simple camp food :). I managed to find the Baron of Marcaster and present him with my gift to him in thanks for hosting the event, and he seemed to like it! We found ourselves up in the Feast hall with Crissy, we went about helping her do feast prep. I worked on and finished up my Art/Sci project, being a perfectionist and having tiny panic attacks the whole time, and we all finally found sleep around 12:30am.

My brain tricked me the next morning, it told me that I had turned my alarm clock off and it was time to get up. I sit up, feeling awake and refreshed to find its an hour earlier than I had meant to wake up...damn my brain! On the bright side, I got to enjoy a lovely shower without worrying about a line and was dressed and in the kitchen first thing, doing my best to try and be helpful and get things going. I goofed a bit by trusting instructions on a box instead of experience with the machine, but we all gotta make mistakes sometime right? I relaxed and then headed out to the lyst field where the Art/Sci was being set up to set up my display for my revamped Mylates of Pork.

I had the honor of being judged by two Laurels, one of whom has a distinct reputation of being an amazingly skilled cook. Both gave me tons of great feedback on my project, several individuals complimented me on my project and many recognized it from Baronial Bash and gave me kudo's and compliments on the latest batch. After that I got to spend the whole rest of the day in the Kitchen working on feast. Yay! I rolled up my sleeves, tied on my new red Apron and dived right into the fray.

My first work was the hummus, I made a crap top of that and it was super yummy. I then moved onto the kabobs, spearing the beef sections and having a lovely talk with a gentleman across the way from me who offered to help. We then moved onto dressing chicken breast, trimming the fat and cutting into edible sections. I went to grab the rest of my Art/Sci display when judging was finished, and we wrapped up the veggie kabobs and began to work on plating for the appetizer course. The battles ran late, adn thus Court and Feast would be delayed, so we started the kabob's cooking early so they would not overcook in the warming container. Man, let me tell you that grill was horrid to work with and I burned the hell out of my left hand...but thankfully with the help of two other lovely women we were able to get the kabob's a workin'.

I was deep into the beef kabob's when Ever comes back into the kitchen calling for me. I had apparently been summoned in court by their Excellencies, and everyone was waiting on me. I froze, and instinctively said "no!" I was covered in cooking mess, sleeves wrapped up, hand wrapped up to cool the burn and my other hand was covered in bloody yogurt. Ever gave me a look and said my name again, which means no more arguing so I quickly cleaned my free hand and made the walk up to the thrones. I'll admit I was terrified, as I always am, and my mind completely blanked as to why they had asked for me. I was given both the Crown's Acclaim and the People's Acclaim for my Art/Sci project, something I feel deeply honored to receive.

I admit...I was a bit unnerved with the King's directness. When it was announced that I had been honored with the Crown's Acclaim he very directly said (while staring at me and grinning) "King liked your pie!". He followed it with "Populous liked your pie" when I was honored with the Peoples Acclaim as well.

Feast went amazing, Crissy was phenomenal in the kitchen and a real treat to work with. After Feast I had my helm checked, turns out this helmet I've had for nearly 8 years is actually a legal SCA helm and it just needs some cleaning to be used! Score! Bardic circle after that was wonderful, tons of good song and poems and I did ever so love hearing Garcia's tales of his Highness in the days of yesteryear. I crashed early, exhausted from the day, but not before saying goodbyes and goodnights to many of the lovely folk.

Sadly, Sunday was a day of packing and returning to the present day. I was speaking with Baron Rurik about my helm and how excited I was, and he reminded me of a conversation I had had with him and a lovely older woman so long ago. Her husband had died shortly before I first began to explore the SCA, and she wanted to donate his armor onto a person who would cherish it and put it to good use. We had talked about me possibly picking up the armor from her, but events occurred to lead me away from the SCA until recently. Rurik still had all the old armor, it just needed cleaning and I was more than welcome to inherit it if I so chose to get it from him. I am incredibly touched and honored, and hope to bring honor to the memory of the man who's armor I will soon take into battle for King and Country.

All in all...great weekend :). I've been refreshed and feel inspired, already working on a filk song and a short story to boot!