Since most of my life tends to revolve around the SCA, what else would I write about?

It's been a while since the last time I wrote, Investiture being the last event I wrote about. I haven't been to too many since then, as the summer came to an end, and the number of local events dwindled down. Besides, after Her Excellency Eirika was no longer Princess, and I no longer her Guard, not much interesting stuff happened to me at events. I go, I hang out, I play with swords, I eat feast, I sit through Court, things are so much more interesting when one has a job. Which is basically why I volunteered to be Her Excellency Inga's Guard, when I was at Harvest Feast a few weeks ago. I don't know if Baronesses need Guards, but I asked and she accepted, so the next time we're at an event together, I will have something to do. I may also have to volunteer to help in the kitchen more often. Vinfest was this last weekend, and I was the only volunteer to help serve the feast, and one of the few to help clean up the kitchen afterwards. It is much more satisfying to actually have something to do.

As I said, Harvest Feast a few weeks ago, and then Vinfest a few days ago. Both good events.

Harvest was a day trip, Tora and I left really early saturday morning to drive to Red Deer, got there ages before everything started, with tons of time to write letters of intent and get ready for the Bitter End Rapier Championship tournament. I did fairly pathetically in that tourney, and in the end, Ansgar Stormbreaker is the new Rapier Champion of Bitter End.

Other than that, not much to say of Harvest Feast, other than the offer to Inga as a Guard.

On to Vinfest. Long, long trip to Grande Prairie, Tora and I left friday afternoon and hung out there playing cards and listening to people talk, perusing the merchants, and snacking on the lovely fruits and crackers that the Feast Stewards provided.

I felt like death warmed over the next day. I had been coming down with a cold, and it hit with a vengeance saturday morning. I didn't fight rapier, I barely felt like I could stand. So, I slept through it, and got up in time for lunch.

Like always, Vinfest has a Combat Archery tournament, and unbeknownst to most people, I was planning on competing. I had been working for some time to get my armor up and going, and brought it out for the first time for the Combat Archery tournament. I put it on a bit early, and walked around in it for about an hour before the Tourney actually started, but it was so comfortable I barely cared. It's absolutely gorgeous. Black shortsleeve gambeson with gold trim on the hem, blue baggy fighter pants covering my armored legs, and a chestpiece that is a work of art. It's woven out of two inch strips of thick leather, and dyed to a kind of dark gold color. I recieved so many compliments on it... it's amazing. Will post pictures on Facebook when I get them. I had to borrow an elbow, because I just didn't have time to make it, but it worked.

I had three fights in the Combat Archery tourney... I didn't win any of them, and didn't even hit anyone, but it was still fun. I did a fairly good job of dodging, but even so, I still took four hits, one of which didn't count. Still, lots of fun.

It started raining during my last turn up, so Deicyn called off the tourney. I have fought and shot in the rain before, but apparently Deicyn didn't want us too. *sigh*

Oh well. I still haven't actually done the grape stomp at Vinfest, which they do every year, because the idea of putting my feet in a barrel full of cold grapes doesn't sound like fun to me.

Like stated before, I was the only person to volunteer beforehand to serve feast, so I got to serve the head table. It was nothing like serving was when I worked with Elizabethan Catering... I just put plates on table and took away empties... nothing more. Although, Her Highness Gemma did give me a coin from the Reign as thanks for it. Like most of my other bling... I sewed it to my hat.

And that was it. Court was small, as the only Royals that were there were Their Hignesses Stein and Gemma. I did get to watch a Herald become invested as a Principality Herald... I never realized that they actually poured water over their heads. Nifty. Jean de Chauliac got to be 'stand in Herald' for that, that was his only part of that court. I bet it was fun, I had a front row seat, and everyone except the poor woman getting douced with water looked like they were having fun. She cringed as it ran down her back, kind of amusing.

After Court I went to help in the Kitchen, helping to clean up. Bjar came too, and the Head Feast Steward seemed very grateful for our help. We were done by midnight, and I went to bed basically right after.