Weekend update
Saturday started off with snow, to my surprise and the dog's delight; soon turned to slush, and even that was gone by the middle of the day. Main business of the day was SCA event, the competition to choose the Baron's next Performing Artist. It was a nice little event (ca. 60 people?) in the Bedford church, there were some people I haven't seen at events for quite a while, buffet supperboard that seemed just the right size--all things that made for a good time. Oh, also: starting at 4:30 was very nice, inasmuch as one didn't have to wake up and hit the ground packing, like so many times. That, and the aforementioned factors, and the fact that there wasn't a whole lot else scheduled besides the competition and a brief court, all combined for a relaxing event that felt like fun and not like a chore. We should do that more often.
As for the competition itself, I had arrived with a story prepared to tell, ready to perform if the schedule wasn't too crowded but not intending to formally enter the competition per se. There were several other people who came with the same intention, and when it turned out that in fact there was only one person actually competing, I let myself be entered just so they could feel they won the honor by competition and not by default. (Which led me to change my mind about just which story to tell at the last minute: went with Galahad and the Castle of Maidens instead of Perceval on the desert island, but told that later in the evening to a smaller crowd, so not wasted.) And then it turned out that I won, so I am now the Baron's Skald for the next year. As such, the Baron gave me one project for the year, and I've given myself a second: the Baron's project, that I tell him stories of his ancestors the early Franks, which direction I'm happy to pursue; mine own, that I try to encourage a bigger field next time. I put this down here, in hopes I'll look back from time to time and remember.
Sunday was driving my mom down to Sudbury in anticipation of more knee surgery this week. Regular readers may remember that she had knee replacement surgery a couple of years ago; now she's getting the other knee done. The drive out was mostly overcast and spitting, with some remarkably thick fog (low clouds) going over the Trail: visibility in the single digits of yards, I couldn't see the elk from the road. When the Trail started down again towards the hairpin turn, I discovered I was in the middle of a long line of slowly creeping cars that I'd never even noticed. That they'd accumulated behind me, I wasn't surprised; that there were so many I didn't know were right in front of me, I was a little startled. I've seen it that thick before, late nights and early mornings, but never like that in the middle of the day.
Some lunch (Thai take-out), a little lie-down, some getting things ready for her return including fetching up a couple cases of wine from the cellar, setting out the garbage and recycling, declining (most of) more old maps and guides verts she's deaccessioning, and we were off again. (Also snarfed a book on the history of the Franks, see above.) The drive back down was clearer--overcast and some rain, but no more of that fog. Heard lots about her sibs and older family history (like the time Uncle Ted saw the ghost of the Heart's Desire sailing into the cove at Vinalhaven), also a bit of current states of things. Got her safely delivered to Sudbury, stayed and chatted a little bit, then home in time for dinner.
All's well that ends well, so a good weekend.
As for the competition itself, I had arrived with a story prepared to tell, ready to perform if the schedule wasn't too crowded but not intending to formally enter the competition per se. There were several other people who came with the same intention, and when it turned out that in fact there was only one person actually competing, I let myself be entered just so they could feel they won the honor by competition and not by default. (Which led me to change my mind about just which story to tell at the last minute: went with Galahad and the Castle of Maidens instead of Perceval on the desert island, but told that later in the evening to a smaller crowd, so not wasted.) And then it turned out that I won, so I am now the Baron's Skald for the next year. As such, the Baron gave me one project for the year, and I've given myself a second: the Baron's project, that I tell him stories of his ancestors the early Franks, which direction I'm happy to pursue; mine own, that I try to encourage a bigger field next time. I put this down here, in hopes I'll look back from time to time and remember.
Sunday was driving my mom down to Sudbury in anticipation of more knee surgery this week. Regular readers may remember that she had knee replacement surgery a couple of years ago; now she's getting the other knee done. The drive out was mostly overcast and spitting, with some remarkably thick fog (low clouds) going over the Trail: visibility in the single digits of yards, I couldn't see the elk from the road. When the Trail started down again towards the hairpin turn, I discovered I was in the middle of a long line of slowly creeping cars that I'd never even noticed. That they'd accumulated behind me, I wasn't surprised; that there were so many I didn't know were right in front of me, I was a little startled. I've seen it that thick before, late nights and early mornings, but never like that in the middle of the day.
Some lunch (Thai take-out), a little lie-down, some getting things ready for her return including fetching up a couple cases of wine from the cellar, setting out the garbage and recycling, declining (most of) more old maps and guides verts she's deaccessioning, and we were off again. (Also snarfed a book on the history of the Franks, see above.) The drive back down was clearer--overcast and some rain, but no more of that fog. Heard lots about her sibs and older family history (like the time Uncle Ted saw the ghost of the Heart's Desire sailing into the cove at Vinalhaven), also a bit of current states of things. Got her safely delivered to Sudbury, stayed and chatted a little bit, then home in time for dinner.
All's well that ends well, so a good weekend.