So for those of you that have been following our quest to get Grace a SSN, and straighten out our taxes for the last two plus years, we had yet another development last night.

We received a large refund check from the Feds! The State still owes us money but we are going to take this as a blessing and run with it. The money will go into savings in case of more bad news at work, but if these furloughs last as long as they are suppose to last (not holding my breath on that one) the balance of this check will cover that loss for a couple of months.

At a certain point you have to think of money like you are playing monopoly. In the end, it’s all just paper. Still, it is gratifying to get some of this back now. I just look at it like I gave the Gooberment a really bad, no interest loan for a couple of years.

The best marriage advice I ever got was from my Knight. He said “Don’t fight about money; you can always make more money. Fight about values, your future, the things important to you, but not about money. You can always make more.”

While that can sound trite when you are struggling the important lesson is that money isn’t the important thing, having a strong foundation and a good partner is. I am blessed in that regard.

In the end, the important part is that my daughter has a SSN, though we yet don’t have enough money to start saving for college, at least when we do have money we have the ability to fix that. We can enroll her in school, go on trips, whatever.

I’m just glad to be able to close another chapter on this drama, though I expect that somehow this will impact our 09 taxes negitively. We will see.

HRM EALDOMERE sent me this Meme. It’s the one that is going around where if you want me to ask you five questions you leave some canned response in the comments section. Since I’ve already forgotten what that phrase was and I’m too lazy to look it up while I’m typing, instead, if you want to play along leave me the message “Pooptastic!” and I’ll send you five questions.

Her Majesties Questions:

1. What is the best/worst thing about being a landed Baron?

I’d have to say that the best thing about being baronage is seeing the sense of pride that folks are showing in the group. It’s always been there, but it is awesome to _see_ it from this perspective. I’m also proud that our group has really started traveling. Or maybe I am just around more to see it, or maybe it is just all the awesome baronial favors folks are wearing…not sure. Either way it is great to go to events and not only be the only person here from Caer Mear, but to look around and see 20, 30, 50 (!!!!) folks there enjoying the day. Corby always said that traveling was vital for a healthy group and I believe that as well.

The worst thing (and I know this is contrary to what most folks that serve as Crowns say) is giving Awards. For every person that you make so very happy with an award there seems to be two that get bent out of shape. Maybe that is the symptom of the smallness of a barony, or maybe we are too approachable or something (folks gripe to us about it where I guess they wouldn’t to the crowns). We have lost friends or had them use someone getting a freaking baronial award as an excuse to stop playing. Through all that we have maintained a goal of ours and what was to do what we thought was right in regards to awards whether that was popular or not. I also dislike the pressure we receive to give some sort of recognition for even the smallest of actions. Don’t get me wrong, there are many tools in the toolbox as it where for baronage, but it seems like we get recommendations for things that a simple “Hey, Thanks, Good Job!” directly from the person effected would suffice. Maybe that is how I am wired, but honest thanks and heartfelt appreciation has always meant more to me than being calling into court. I’ll honestly be glad to be done with doing court, and this really surprises me because I thought it would be the joy of our tenure based on my love of ceremony, court, and good theater.

2. If you could live in any other Kingdom which one would it be and why?

The stock answer for me is always Calontir, but that really isn’t true. I would love to move the bardics from Calontir out of Calontir and into my backyard. They have some cultural issues that I can’t get behind, and they have their own baggage. I’d love to do my ‘retirement’ there, except, as I told Drix this weekend, its Kansas and Missouri. No way man. No way. Too cold in the winter, too hot in the summer. Far too few trees. Lots of wheat. Ick.

The reality is that I have a very east coast centered attitude and perspective on the SCA to be quite frank. I’ve never been to an event farther west than the Missippissi. I really have no clue what say, An Tir is like because my only real interaction with anyone from out there is Aveloc. While I know the Western folks that come to Pennsic (especially Paul and Sue) I can’t say I’m keyed in on the culture of say, Caid, etc. I get the feeling from many of my on line interactions (and some admittedly VERY dated personal interactions) that the SCA is played rather differently out in the Western Kingdoms. I know that the folks I know from say, the Outlands are good folks, but my interaction with their kingdom has always left me a little perplexed.

I have to admit that one it does drive the slight interest I have in being on the BOD one day, so that I can travel off the East Coast a bit more.

3. What is your favorite SCA moment in your time in?

Hm, well next year makes 20 for me….The early ones are sorta obscured by a fine mist of time and reverie. I suppose I should say my peerage ceremonies or something but honestly I find joy in such little things. Singing around a fire with a few good friends, watching the sun set over the hill from my encampment at Pennsic. Walking around at dusk incognito listening to the laughter and sounds of dinner prep coming from the camps. (I sneak around at Pennsic a lot and really enjoy that….no one knows who I am or really cares. It’s great!)

As for magical moments that are specifically SCAish: The end of the Roses Quest when I fought Melisent as the final challenger and the joy and relief of that being at an end, of being successfully completed. The call to crusade for the Crusader Battle we did a few years ago when people took up the cross (despite the resultant drama), and this one resurrection battle from a couple of Pennsic ago. There was a hold near the end of the battle, and I started singing Battle of Malden, with a few words changed to fit the moment. Near the end of the song, I threw down my polearm and embraced our brothers on the other side, and many on our side followed suit. I finished the song, picked up my weapon and the battle continued. A number of folks came up to me including Hasbrudral, whom I have never made and said how much that meant to them. It’s sounds cheesy in the retelling but it was very emotional and special at the time.

I guess I like the SCA best now when I bend it to what my vision of it is, just for a moment. All the other stuff goes away, and it becomes a “Best Parts” version.

4. If money was no object, what one thing would you do first?

I think the first thing I would do is pack Gracie and Kim up for a real vacation, somewhere with sand, palmtrees and fruity drinks. Everyone says they would travel but I’m not sure how much I would do that. I think I would spend a lot of my time with Gracie that is for sure. I also think I would find a way to volunteer for the community in some meaningful way. The reality is that all those things I can do without tons of money so that just begs the question, why wait? Find a way to do what you want to do and do it. I get so much joy from my family that focusing on them would be the most immediate concern. When I was younger I would have said fly around learning fighting from the best fighters in the world, or travel and see all the cool places I have been studying around Europe and the MidEast for the last 20 years, but those days are behind me I think. Traveling isn’t surely, but I have other responsibilities and frankly, while I love being somewhere new, I HATE TRAVELING. I picked an odd hobby for a homebody. SCAdians always talk about building a castle. Whew, that would be a lot of headaches. I don’t want to be tied down to property like that. I’d rather have land somewhere away from most folks where I can walk around the back yard in my boxer briefs if I so choose.

5. What one thing have you always wanted to do that would surprise your friends?

I’m not really sure. I chatter so much that all my hopes, dreams and wild ideas are always out there for them you know? I think I would like to spend some time really truly alone someday but with the family now I don’t see that happening. Maybe hike the Appalachian Trail? That might not surprise some folks but it is something that I have always wanted to do, is close by, and I have never given it a shot. (nor am I likely to at this point in my life) I’d also like to learn to sail, despite my fear of sharks. I really tried to buy a very small craft a few years ago but Kim told me, and rightly, that I was insane.

Thanks A!!!

This weekend at Holiday Faire I had one strap rip out on my right elbow cop (thank goodness I fixed the other one for Lily!) and Rags had one rip out as well. (which, since I had the one stainless cop that is down to a single because the strap broke on the other one meant he could borrow the one I brought with me)....reminds me that I need to fix BOTH of them.

I'm pretty sure I just need a particular type of pop rivet that Eldred uses to fix the stainless one. I think I need to make a new strap and sew it on for the WMA red Spring one.

I like my new sword. Justus likes it slightly less than I do, I would wager....

I really need to strap up the other heater/kite hybrid now that we are entering the winter season. I'm done with Tournies for the year so I should have to adjust to the new shape.

My heater needs to be recovered and edged as well.

I am NOT going to the effort to paint the baronial arms on both of them though, that would be NUTS.

I might put the lamb of god, just a Pax, or maybe the beausant on the new shield. Have to think about it. Maybe my Badge.

Post Lily, I think I really would like a useable Polearm so I can practice with something reasonable. Mine is weighted all wrong. Likewise "Fat Man" (my greatsword)is still a complete BEAR to handle.

That's all the brain power I have right now.

The year is almost over. Time to do some navel gazing about goals I want to set for myself for 2010.

So it's a good thing that I made a new vambrace for TOL because my old plastic one gave up the ghost at practice. Only thing holding it together is the leather. Hm. I wonder if I could heat glue the cracks back together?

The new one is nice, very protective and light, but is just a hair too tight around the wrist on the right side. This might loosen up with time, and of course I need to get longer lacings to hold it together.

I wish I had been able to get more of that leather though, that stuff was THICK. I could make a new one for the other arm in a few days if I had the leather.

I DO have the plastic and light leather to cover a new one should I wish to go that route. I am rather liking the look of the new all leather one though.

Care really isn't a concern because with the plastic, the leather covering has to be olded just like you would an all leather one.

I guess price is a big concern right now. If I have the parts and pieces to make a plastic covered vambrace then I guess I should just go with that since it cost me almost nothing.

I have also been thinking about trying to make a new vambrace style that is more protective for the inside of my arm, since neither of these are fully cased.

Something to think about.....

Well, that all happened rather fast! ;-)

For those that don't already know, we are stepping down as Baronage at Sapphire Joust, 2010.

It's been fun, but it will be time to move on by then.

Tourney of the Lily has come and went. This was an awesome, rejuvenating event. I'll post more about it when I am feeling better.

What's that? Well, I have been running to the bathroom since 7am this morning, non stop. I now feel like I am going to puke. I am hoping this is just the taco bell I ate yesterday and not a stomach bug.

I can't just go home because my main phone relief is going with the boss to set up for a conference this afternoon. If I puke, I am going home though. Ugh.

Back to Lily...so I was uncomfortable doing a 15c Pas (yes I care about these things) in 12c armour, so Theo and I brainstormed a way to make it work. Often for tournaments in the Middle Ages a knight would come "in persona" as some historical or allegorical figure. (I still want to do a recreation that was done in England where the defenders dressed as the Pope and the College of Cardinals!) What we settled on was Godfrey of Bouillon http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godfrey_of_Bouillon, one of the Nine Worthies of Chivalry. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Worthies

Theo made me a really smashing surcoat and silk pennant with the arms of the Kingdom of Jerusalem on them, and my 'Super Secret Project' that I have been talking about all last week was a relic of The True Cross, seen here:



I made a six foot tall by four foot wide cross, painted it gold, attached the 'piece of the true cross' with copper wire, painted decorations on it, and affixed somewhere in the neighborhood of 40-50 gemstones on it, as well as a few pewter decorations (St. Catherine medallion, fleurs, etc.)

Overall I think it turned out pretty nice. Haven't heard about any compliant letters to the BOD this time so I think folks got what I was going for. :-)

In addition to adding a few 15c specific items like the St. Catherine medal and the fleurs for Jake (the Lily of Florence, don't cha know...) I added some items that had personal SCA significance for me as well including the 'bloodstone' cabochons from Countess Muirgen's coronation dress (Muirgen was my Pelican and I wanted to tie in Kevin's Peerage somehow), mounts from the first knighting belt I made for myself after I was dubbed (since I too was a Peer before I was made a Knight), and mounts from the apprentice belt of my student and dear friend Francesca Zancani, who passed away a few years ago (my way of making it 'holy').

I presented the cross as a gift to my dear friends in celebration of the Deed. I'm very pleased with how it all came out.



Don't I look pleased???






***

Oh crap, Windows has done something funky and all of My Documents are gone…what the hell? This is BAD. Ugh.

So far I have taken Kim to work, played dress up and read and wrote with Grace, and taken a shower. Julie's appointment was cancelled because of the storm so I am reviewing my list to figure out what I have to do. My parents are coming over later in the day to play with Grace.

New Sword. - this has to be done today. I am not enthused.

Re-tape short sword. - Done.

Pack fighting clothes, tent, chairs, clothes.

Polish armour. - Done!

Strap left elbow. - Done!

Sew patch on gambeson. - Skipping this since both holes _should_ be covered by armour now.

Make Vambrace. - all done except the waxing. I have to get a new cheap pot to melt the wax in and a cheap brush. The dollar store wasn't open yet earlier this morning.

Spear: drill hole, nail on head. I also need to drill a hole in the shaft and the head and put a cut nail through it and clinch it off.

Super Secret Project: - DONE! HAHA!

The rain has slowed some stuff up but I'm still making headway with lots of help from Jayson, Melanie, Kim, Theo, etc. Wish I remembered how to do strike throughs...

New Sword. - has to wait until it stops raining or Friday morning, whichever comes first. I really don't want to run the sander in the shop. That makes a major mess.

Re-tape short sword. - That's a friday night project.

Wash fighting clothes. - Done! My poor gambeson is falling apart though. Very sad (and this is the new one...)

Polish armour. - Done! Thank you Keebler Elves!

Strap left elbow. - Done!

Sew patch on gambeson. - Skipping this since both holes _should_ be covered by armour now.

Make Vambrace. (Tandy run?) Cut, dye, assemble.

Vambrace is done except for the dying and waxing. I expect to get two coats on it tonight and hopefully Kim can wax it on friday night.

Spear: drill hole, nail on head. (get K’s permission) - Permission is granted, now I just need it to stop raining so I can sand a bit. I also need to drill a hole in the shaft and the head and put a cut nail through it and clinch it off.

Super Secret Project: - Is on line for today. Cabacons are a major issue. K could only find white ones as her green ones have disappeared. The acrylic ones she got last night aren't up to my standards. (Byram: "I want gaudy NOT tacky!!!" ;-) )Bri hasn't contacted me about the green ones that she has so today I am going out in the rain to Bangles and Beads and see what they have discounted. Otherwise, this is going to have a lot more painting involved than I had planned. But I has Keeber Elves! All is well!

In other news, it's raining. A lot. Feh. Here's to unflooded basements!

I'm really trying to keep this journal alive over here...

So fought in my turnshoes and the leather greaves last night. Fit was better than I expected and they weren't too annoying in that regard. It has been a VERY long time since I fought in those shoes though.

More disturbing I realized this morning that my orthotics are tearing apart near the middle of the pad. This is BAD. Insurance didn't cover them when I got them and they were about $350. I don't have the money to replace them. They might get a duct tape fix up here soon because I don't want them to tear more.

Otherwise I found out that the greaves are def. for Pas or fancy fighting only, at least as is. I.E. no knee fighting. There isn't enough play room between the back of the knee and the ankle so they 'lock up' and don't allow me to drop my butt onto my ankles, which is crucial in knee fighting. It's possible that if I found a way to raise them up an inch they wouldn't be too bad.

I do love them though and they got lots of compliments on them (thanks Ullieag!).

I didn't get the bucklers before I armed up so I didn't get to fight in the left elbow. (Didn’t want to scratch it up behind a shield) so I will have to wing it on that front. The extra padding just wouldn’t stay in so I think I will have to wing it there. The gambeson will help. (Need to find those linen scraps!) Still need a low profile elbow sleeve for that, since one of mine is missing.

A lot of stuff is missing in fact. Celric says he returned the fakey mail to me so now I have to figure out where the hell that is. My new rocking coif that Gianetta made me is missing from Crown. I hope it was just balled up in my surcoat. That is what I remember doing with it. If not I have the old one.

The forecast is calling for rain the rest of the week and that is going to screw up my sword making plans. I will adjust of course.

I'm going to Tandy (I’m going to go with eyelets rather than the hated straps) to buy a few things I need for the vambrace and to look for some more strap leather for one of the new guys. I have to stamp that vambrace tonight before Grace goes to bed, or it isn't going to get stamped. I hope I can get it to dry better than the demi or staining it is going to be a bitch. Maybe I can dry it in the over after I tool it? I know it will shrink, but maybe a lot heat to help get the water out?

Maybe I shouldn't soak it in water before I stamp it? Leather workers out there, what do you think? It sure stamps a lot easier when wet....

Balin and Mel are suppose to be coming over for a bit tonight to help with projects. I need to print out a stencil today. Hopefully my paint pens are working right. I know I have super glue for the cabochons. Didn't get the extra ones from Brianna last night and Kim can only find the white ones of hers so no green, which sucks. I'd really like some more color in this project. Maybe Bri will swing by with them.

Washing of the fighting garments and polishing begins tonight. I need to start making lists.

Just a quickly before I head out the door.

Tourney of the Lily stuff is progressing....slowly.

Last night after dinner with the folks I got my left elbow strapped up. It just doesn't feel right. Going to try it out tonight assuming the bucklers come and give it a shot.

Started on the vambrace. Whew boy, did that suck. Perhaps it was from trying to cut it out in a lazyboy, while drinking beer and watching House and Lie to Me. Very rough looking cuts, even after beveling and slicking. This is what I get for taking someone else's plastic pattern (mine has mysterious gone missing...crap!) and trying to transfer it to leather. I have some thoughts on how to fix it but the easiest solutions aren't going to be all that easy. I also need a tandy run, ASAP.

I figure I will finish it, use it for the weekend and either give it away or remake it. Or something. I think I have about $5 in leather invested right now.

The elbow grease on the other hand...my damn tendonitis is killing me with this front moving in. That and my sinuses DO NOT inspire me to fight. But fight I shall, because, if for no other reason, it is Tuesday, and that is what I do on Tuesday. I will persevere because of my routine.

The super secret project is on hold until Wednesday night. Hopefully I will get some more pieces and parts tonight at practice....

Also, I hope against hope that my fakey mail is in the bottom of that coffee can that I gave to Pam a couple of weeks ago. I will find out tonight for sure.

Testing out the greaves tonight as well, and wearing my tourney shoes. Should make for an interesting night, especially if the buckler comes out.