I have GOT to stop doing this...
I think this will be a new personal best for a long-ass catch-up post. Stuff going back further than last weekend will be under cuts, in reverse-chronological order. Coming forward from last weekend:
Last Weekend: We went down to Jamestown, to catch a couple of bits of serious nerd-coolness. This past week marked the departure from the gallery of the John White watercolors, most drawn in 1585 during a trip to what is now North Carolina. His stuff varies between schematic-like layouts of forts and villages, to cartoons of Picts, to near-photographically realistic animal portrayals, to plants and insects that look almost pressed into the book. I got the catalog, taking shameless advantage of my volunteer discount. The other item of note was a lecture by Dr. Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs, and Steel. I got my copy autographed. I also found out there was now a definite answer to a question raised in the book.
Back to the World: Spent Columbus Day doing laundry and such-like. Tuesday, I had jury duty. I may also have it, this coming Tuesday.
I actually got selected this time, AND survived voir dire, AND got empaneled. The case was a carjacking. During voir dire, the Commonwealth's Attorney said that this one hadn't involved weapons, and while there was some violence, there wasn't a LOT of violence. After being seated, we were sent off to the jury room for our morning 15-minute break. An hour and a half later, the judge came in and told us that we were done for the day. Turns out the guy copped a plea, to robbery. On the way out to the garage, after picking up my handcuff keys and p-38 (can opener, not pistol) from the retarded TSA rejects working security, I got to talking with one of my fellow-jurors.
She brought up the fact that we could, and should, consider things like body language, demeanor, etcetera in deliberations. Now, I'm about as sensitive as a brick, but even to me the defendant looked a tad on the stone-cold side. She characterized his eyes as being those of a "lost soul". I responded that if he'd tried to carjack me, there WOULD have been weapons and violence involved, on my part.
At work, they have issued me a Cr BlackBerry. It has its good points. For instance, I don't have to subscribe to the paid GPS service. I downloaded the mobile version of Google Maps, and I'm good to go. In the office, there have been an incredible number of PEBKAC type calls. Forex:
"Ah, your shipping computer has lost network capability. Let's see... cable's plugged into computer. Plugged into hub on the other end, but hub's dark. Power strip turned on? Yep. Ah, here we go: Mr. Shipping Manager, please request that your people NOT KICK THE FUCKING PLUG OUT OF THE END OF THE EXTENSION CORD. Thankyouverymuch." On the other hand, if everybody was a super-user, I'd be out of a job. I must remember this.
Cooking: Today, I have done a mega-shopping of groceries. Dinner tonight was barbecue chicken, mixed veggies, and potatoes mashed with sour cream, butter, and garlic. Tomorrow's will be a roast of pork with fresh rosemary and garlic, asparagus, and some form of cooked apple. Both of these will be on the grill. Tomorrow, I am also firing up the crock pot for a batch of mince pie filling. At the moment, I'm so stuffed I can barely move.
Fall Follies: The Bonsai maple out front has turned red, and begun to shed. It typically goes more quickly than whichever of the big maples out front is its parent. Peppers have been ripening apace. These are red habaneros, descended from one pepper that cropped up on a bush of orange ones about 6 years ago. A. and I are both of the opinion that this is not actually a spontaneous Red Savina mutation. Rather, we suspect that the habanero bush had an affair with an adjacent Scotch Bonnet bush. In any case, the optimally-ripe ones are the same red as a Savina, have the smell and flavor of a habanero, and are nuclear-hot.
I harvested and dried the first ripe ones on Tuesday. I split them in half, extracted the seeds, and put the latter to dry. The pepper halves went on a drying rack above a cookie sheet in a warm oven. Putting them in before bedtime, I had nice dry red pepper halves in the morning. This batch is still breeding true. As a matter of course, I did all the pepper handling with exam gloves on, taking full hazmat precautions. The next day, there were two baked-on drops of pepper juice, on the cookie sheet. I took it to the sink, and began to wash. The instant the hot water hit those baked-on droplets, I got gassed. A. said later that she figured I was washing the cookie sheet, when she heard my coughing fit.
Shooty Goodness has been somewhat constrained, due to hectic weekend scheduling. I did, of course, manage to compete in the musket and pistol matches at St Mary's two weeks ago. Last week, I also got in a couple rounds of Wobble Trap. Not great, mind you - a 22 and a 19. However, it's still close to average.
Now, let us hop into the Way Back Machine:
MacLean's Company, McDermot's Regiment of Irish Foote, did of course attend the Militia Muster. Since we've won the bloody trophy several years in a row, this year we volunteered to help with the judging. The Peterkin Trophy was awarded to a new unit, a motly group of ragamuffins calling themselves the Sea Rats. Their overall look and demeanor did an excellent job of portraying maritime (and possibly piratical - oops! did I say that?) life on the Chesapeake. We had a new member in MacLean's, one of the staffers from Jamestown. He had a grand old time, taking second place in musket and pistol matches. He also danced his socks off, before taking off late at night to be back at work in Jamestown on Sunday.
On the down side, our Adjutant has had health issues over the past year. I'd picked up the company gear from him on Friday, and then on Saturday we got word that he was back in the hospital. He's going to be ok, but this complicated returning the company gear. In addition, the rest of the Jamestown contingent had to dash on Sunday morning, because one of THEIR family was having health issues. While the hospitalized parties are all pretty much at home now, there was pucker factor. It was also fortunate that I was coming down (and could bring stuff back to) Jamestown the following weekend.
Being Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation members, A. and I get invites when there's a JYF shindig in our neck of the woods. We went down to the Torpedo Factory, behind which the Godspeed was docked at the marina. Looked around the ship, and then caught an interesting street performance. Jamey Turner, a local artist, was playing the Glass Harp. I got a couple of clips of him playing. Youtube upload is here.
Publick Days at Henricus was, as usual, a hoot. I actually got some pics this year. The Ordinary is finally completed, albeit not open AS an ordinary. I have serious kitchen envy, would love to cook / cater something in there. However, they did a truly horrible job of concealing the modern bones and infrastructure. The most convenient entrance goes through the ultra-modern kitchen. The taproom has fake-candle electric lighting. Somebody BADLY needs to take a large can of black paint to the @#$%ing crash-bars on the exit doors. Meanwhile, in the hospital, I was having my usual grand old time. Had a new career milestone, in my quest for Quincy Points as a reenactor surgeon. Saturday afternoon, as I was walking through the procedure for an amputation, there was a loud THUD from the floor at the back of the audience. Looked over, and this girl had fainted when I picked up the bone saw. She turned out to be more-or-less all right, and I told her mom what to look for in the way of concussion symptoms. I did NOT include any trephine jokes while discussing the bump on her head.
When you're Chirurgeon-in-charge for a combined event (Chalice of the Sun God merged with Coronation, thank you Huriccane Hanna), it really helps to have both Kingdom deputies on hand, helping out. scadiandreas was going to be CiC for Coronation the prior weekend. When that got moved to a week later and several hundred miles northward, he schlepped all the way up here to help. Lady Anne, tne Northern Regional deputy, stepped up and took charge of waterbearing. Somewhere around 30 gallons of water later, the sun set on a fighting field where there had been NO, ZIP, ZERO reported heat injuries. There were a few complaints of back teeth floating, but that's what port-a-pots are for.
Finally, getting back to my last actual post, or the week thereafter: I spent Saturday, when it rained cats and dogs, installing my burfday prezint. I'd installed one for pinkcountess and her hubby at Pennsic, and fell in lust. Sitting in the Den of Iniquity playing with a new toy, helped me while away the rainy day. Sunday, we packed ourselves off to MDRF. Got to see the Pyrates Royale, Wolgemut, and lots of friends. I scored some hot sauce, and a new walking stick. Also won a free soda at the crossbow shoot.
Last Weekend: We went down to Jamestown, to catch a couple of bits of serious nerd-coolness. This past week marked the departure from the gallery of the John White watercolors, most drawn in 1585 during a trip to what is now North Carolina. His stuff varies between schematic-like layouts of forts and villages, to cartoons of Picts, to near-photographically realistic animal portrayals, to plants and insects that look almost pressed into the book. I got the catalog, taking shameless advantage of my volunteer discount. The other item of note was a lecture by Dr. Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs, and Steel. I got my copy autographed. I also found out there was now a definite answer to a question raised in the book.
Back to the World: Spent Columbus Day doing laundry and such-like. Tuesday, I had jury duty. I may also have it, this coming Tuesday.
I actually got selected this time, AND survived voir dire, AND got empaneled. The case was a carjacking. During voir dire, the Commonwealth's Attorney said that this one hadn't involved weapons, and while there was some violence, there wasn't a LOT of violence. After being seated, we were sent off to the jury room for our morning 15-minute break. An hour and a half later, the judge came in and told us that we were done for the day. Turns out the guy copped a plea, to robbery. On the way out to the garage, after picking up my handcuff keys and p-38 (can opener, not pistol) from the retarded TSA rejects working security, I got to talking with one of my fellow-jurors.
She brought up the fact that we could, and should, consider things like body language, demeanor, etcetera in deliberations. Now, I'm about as sensitive as a brick, but even to me the defendant looked a tad on the stone-cold side. She characterized his eyes as being those of a "lost soul". I responded that if he'd tried to carjack me, there WOULD have been weapons and violence involved, on my part.
At work, they have issued me a Cr BlackBerry. It has its good points. For instance, I don't have to subscribe to the paid GPS service. I downloaded the mobile version of Google Maps, and I'm good to go. In the office, there have been an incredible number of PEBKAC type calls. Forex:
"Ah, your shipping computer has lost network capability. Let's see... cable's plugged into computer. Plugged into hub on the other end, but hub's dark. Power strip turned on? Yep. Ah, here we go: Mr. Shipping Manager, please request that your people NOT KICK THE FUCKING PLUG OUT OF THE END OF THE EXTENSION CORD. Thankyouverymuch." On the other hand, if everybody was a super-user, I'd be out of a job. I must remember this.
Cooking: Today, I have done a mega-shopping of groceries. Dinner tonight was barbecue chicken, mixed veggies, and potatoes mashed with sour cream, butter, and garlic. Tomorrow's will be a roast of pork with fresh rosemary and garlic, asparagus, and some form of cooked apple. Both of these will be on the grill. Tomorrow, I am also firing up the crock pot for a batch of mince pie filling. At the moment, I'm so stuffed I can barely move.
Fall Follies: The Bonsai maple out front has turned red, and begun to shed. It typically goes more quickly than whichever of the big maples out front is its parent. Peppers have been ripening apace. These are red habaneros, descended from one pepper that cropped up on a bush of orange ones about 6 years ago. A. and I are both of the opinion that this is not actually a spontaneous Red Savina mutation. Rather, we suspect that the habanero bush had an affair with an adjacent Scotch Bonnet bush. In any case, the optimally-ripe ones are the same red as a Savina, have the smell and flavor of a habanero, and are nuclear-hot.
I harvested and dried the first ripe ones on Tuesday. I split them in half, extracted the seeds, and put the latter to dry. The pepper halves went on a drying rack above a cookie sheet in a warm oven. Putting them in before bedtime, I had nice dry red pepper halves in the morning. This batch is still breeding true. As a matter of course, I did all the pepper handling with exam gloves on, taking full hazmat precautions. The next day, there were two baked-on drops of pepper juice, on the cookie sheet. I took it to the sink, and began to wash. The instant the hot water hit those baked-on droplets, I got gassed. A. said later that she figured I was washing the cookie sheet, when she heard my coughing fit.
Shooty Goodness has been somewhat constrained, due to hectic weekend scheduling. I did, of course, manage to compete in the musket and pistol matches at St Mary's two weeks ago. Last week, I also got in a couple rounds of Wobble Trap. Not great, mind you - a 22 and a 19. However, it's still close to average.
Now, let us hop into the Way Back Machine:
MacLean's Company, McDermot's Regiment of Irish Foote, did of course attend the Militia Muster. Since we've won the bloody trophy several years in a row, this year we volunteered to help with the judging. The Peterkin Trophy was awarded to a new unit, a motly group of ragamuffins calling themselves the Sea Rats. Their overall look and demeanor did an excellent job of portraying maritime (and possibly piratical - oops! did I say that?) life on the Chesapeake. We had a new member in MacLean's, one of the staffers from Jamestown. He had a grand old time, taking second place in musket and pistol matches. He also danced his socks off, before taking off late at night to be back at work in Jamestown on Sunday.
On the down side, our Adjutant has had health issues over the past year. I'd picked up the company gear from him on Friday, and then on Saturday we got word that he was back in the hospital. He's going to be ok, but this complicated returning the company gear. In addition, the rest of the Jamestown contingent had to dash on Sunday morning, because one of THEIR family was having health issues. While the hospitalized parties are all pretty much at home now, there was pucker factor. It was also fortunate that I was coming down (and could bring stuff back to) Jamestown the following weekend.
Being Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation members, A. and I get invites when there's a JYF shindig in our neck of the woods. We went down to the Torpedo Factory, behind which the Godspeed was docked at the marina. Looked around the ship, and then caught an interesting street performance. Jamey Turner, a local artist, was playing the Glass Harp. I got a couple of clips of him playing. Youtube upload is here.
Publick Days at Henricus was, as usual, a hoot. I actually got some pics this year. The Ordinary is finally completed, albeit not open AS an ordinary. I have serious kitchen envy, would love to cook / cater something in there. However, they did a truly horrible job of concealing the modern bones and infrastructure. The most convenient entrance goes through the ultra-modern kitchen. The taproom has fake-candle electric lighting. Somebody BADLY needs to take a large can of black paint to the @#$%ing crash-bars on the exit doors. Meanwhile, in the hospital, I was having my usual grand old time. Had a new career milestone, in my quest for Quincy Points as a reenactor surgeon. Saturday afternoon, as I was walking through the procedure for an amputation, there was a loud THUD from the floor at the back of the audience. Looked over, and this girl had fainted when I picked up the bone saw. She turned out to be more-or-less all right, and I told her mom what to look for in the way of concussion symptoms. I did NOT include any trephine jokes while discussing the bump on her head.
When you're Chirurgeon-in-charge for a combined event (Chalice of the Sun God merged with Coronation, thank you Huriccane Hanna), it really helps to have both Kingdom deputies on hand, helping out. scadiandreas was going to be CiC for Coronation the prior weekend. When that got moved to a week later and several hundred miles northward, he schlepped all the way up here to help. Lady Anne, tne Northern Regional deputy, stepped up and took charge of waterbearing. Somewhere around 30 gallons of water later, the sun set on a fighting field where there had been NO, ZIP, ZERO reported heat injuries. There were a few complaints of back teeth floating, but that's what port-a-pots are for.
Finally, getting back to my last actual post, or the week thereafter: I spent Saturday, when it rained cats and dogs, installing my burfday prezint. I'd installed one for pinkcountess and her hubby at Pennsic, and fell in lust. Sitting in the Den of Iniquity playing with a new toy, helped me while away the rainy day. Sunday, we packed ourselves off to MDRF. Got to see the Pyrates Royale, Wolgemut, and lots of friends. I scored some hot sauce, and a new walking stick. Also won a free soda at the crossbow shoot.