And it's the weekend.
Not only is it going to be nice weather, but there is nothing on the agenda that demands leaving the house until late Sunday afternoon. M is away at his mom's helping with cleaning up his step dad's things and office.
I will be making Dutch Apple Crisp for Easter dinner at friends' house. I will also be working on the leather breeches, taming the 18th century back into it's room, and catching up on more BBC/PBS crime dramas and thrillers. Maybe I will do a Jason Isaacs or Martin Shaw movie feast.
Fort Fred was good. It was good to see everyone that was there and getting prepared for the season. I spent the weekend wrangling 4 bowmen and a waggoner. In our unit, we have boys, who are not old enough to field as soldiers, who help out around camp and occasionally get to follow the men into battle. Our waggoner is a member of our unit, who is not physically able to be a soldier any longer. Our unit has had other waggoners who have no interest in ever being a soldier but enjoy the history and camaraderie, who help out around the camp. Most of them have done the cooking which I have taken over. I enjoy the research, the planning, and the experience of cooking for our unit. The wrangling of "helpers", not so much. I have given that job back to the command staff.
During the weekend, there was the light infantry challenge. There were 3 components of the challenge this year; a live fire competition, a drill off, and a speed firing competition. M won the live fire challenge with all 5 shots hitting the chest area of the target in a fist-sized cluster. This was done from 35 yards with a reproduction 1766 Charleville Musket. Sadly, he didn't participate in the other 2 parts since he had an allergic reaction to the horses and a contact popped out. The drill off was great and our 2012 Rough Rider won. This is where the officers have them drill according to Von Steuben's manual and as mistakes are made, the men are taken out of the challenge. LAst man standing wins! And in the speed firing part, our 2011 Rough Rider completed 10 shots in 2 minutes. However in the end, the newest NCO won the overall challenge and was presented with a lovely brass mug. For those still following along, the Rough Rider is an award given to the private who has been exemplary in the past year. They receive a red plume, instead of a red and white plume, for their light infantry cap and are exempt from guard duty and kitchen duty for the year. It's a special thing we do in our unit.
The dragoons did a demonstration for the public by slicing and dicing cabbage and canteloupe off of stakes while riding. IT was pretty cool and the public appreciated it. The light infantry and the dragoons also did combined drill for the public.
We packed up the camp around 1 on Sunday and headed towards home. We stopped in Baltimore for dinner and got home and unpacked the car. The laundry has been in progress all week and all our gear is still all over the living room and kitchen, so that must be handled.
I will be making Dutch Apple Crisp for Easter dinner at friends' house. I will also be working on the leather breeches, taming the 18th century back into it's room, and catching up on more BBC/PBS crime dramas and thrillers. Maybe I will do a Jason Isaacs or Martin Shaw movie feast.
Fort Fred was good. It was good to see everyone that was there and getting prepared for the season. I spent the weekend wrangling 4 bowmen and a waggoner. In our unit, we have boys, who are not old enough to field as soldiers, who help out around camp and occasionally get to follow the men into battle. Our waggoner is a member of our unit, who is not physically able to be a soldier any longer. Our unit has had other waggoners who have no interest in ever being a soldier but enjoy the history and camaraderie, who help out around the camp. Most of them have done the cooking which I have taken over. I enjoy the research, the planning, and the experience of cooking for our unit. The wrangling of "helpers", not so much. I have given that job back to the command staff.
During the weekend, there was the light infantry challenge. There were 3 components of the challenge this year; a live fire competition, a drill off, and a speed firing competition. M won the live fire challenge with all 5 shots hitting the chest area of the target in a fist-sized cluster. This was done from 35 yards with a reproduction 1766 Charleville Musket. Sadly, he didn't participate in the other 2 parts since he had an allergic reaction to the horses and a contact popped out. The drill off was great and our 2012 Rough Rider won. This is where the officers have them drill according to Von Steuben's manual and as mistakes are made, the men are taken out of the challenge. LAst man standing wins! And in the speed firing part, our 2011 Rough Rider completed 10 shots in 2 minutes. However in the end, the newest NCO won the overall challenge and was presented with a lovely brass mug. For those still following along, the Rough Rider is an award given to the private who has been exemplary in the past year. They receive a red plume, instead of a red and white plume, for their light infantry cap and are exempt from guard duty and kitchen duty for the year. It's a special thing we do in our unit.
The dragoons did a demonstration for the public by slicing and dicing cabbage and canteloupe off of stakes while riding. IT was pretty cool and the public appreciated it. The light infantry and the dragoons also did combined drill for the public.
We packed up the camp around 1 on Sunday and headed towards home. We stopped in Baltimore for dinner and got home and unpacked the car. The laundry has been in progress all week and all our gear is still all over the living room and kitchen, so that must be handled.