Back from War
I have made it safely home from War, and the next bit will be recovering, cleaning, etc.
It was a good War, and I'm VERY proud of our House, I have to say. Camp setup went well. Normal issues with land allocation, which we got settled. When they went to put up Big Red, Baron Otto came over to ask us for help, so everyone piled in my truck, we grabbed the banner, and we all drove down, cheering the whole way, to help. We were over half the force needed. Despite us all being exhausted, our walls were up in record time (the first day!), and everyone just did an amazing job. We dropped off gifts for some friends which made them quite happy. My bardic was good, though it does tend to be one of our quieter nights. Despite the rain, we had a fair turnout for those nights, and Saturday's party kicked ass. Our surprise for the House was tokens we made for all of them with our year and the War's year, hand made by Merrick and I. They seemed to like them. We even had a King as well as a Crown Prince and his entourage in camp. I found some Pelican trim on merchant's row that I got for Gavin, and I stopped to drop it off. They offered to let me stay for brauts, but I declined in favor of the ribs back home. (MAN, that was pride, right there...) Our camp looked wonderful, and I got to show Mom our kitchen layout, which she thought was great. Despite a car accident, one fractured tailbone, four cases of strep throat, and one issue due to existing medical conditions, everyone just banded together and helped each other out... It was great.
As a note to other Heads of Household for helpful tips: One of the reasons, among many, that my people are so willing to give us everything they have is because of a personal policy. One night, the wood run came late. The roads were too muddy to allow trucks through, so we had to slog through the mud up the road to where the truck was to bring in firewood. As I was very slowly limping my way up to help, my personal minion told me they had it and to go sit down. I reminded her then of something I have always told them, "I have always told you that I will never ask you to do anything that I would not do myself. I may not be able to walk very fast, and it may hurt, but if you are all hauling wood through the mud, so can I." She didn't argue. She only said, "Yes, m'lady." As a note to heads of house, even when you can do no more, when you can barely stand and can't walk, it took me five times as long as any of them (I counted) to haul that wood back, and I could only do one trip, but that is one thing which will help give you the loyalty some people cannot fathom. It is why your House will stand by you. NEVER ask a thing of your people you would not do yourself.
I got not one but two new dresses, a new parasol, a lovely new collar, and a few other miscellaneous trinkets, various trim, including some with heraldic roses on it (ANYTHING with heraldic roses is nigh near impossible to find). Merrick's Dad came to help with teardown, and through his All-Spark, mad Tetris skills, we fit everything into his truck, the trailer, and my truck. While we were doing that, I loaned out my truck to site for use collecting rebar. (To the surprise of some folks who didn't realize that we switch over to the site channel on Monday.)
As always, I wish War was longer. I didn't manage to get out of camp much, never COULD track down Haley, didn't put in the volunteer hours I wish I could have, never made it to court, and we overslept Baronial breakfast. I was bummed about that. Lady Morgan wasn't there, and it never quite seems like War until I've had a chance to hang out with her around a fire. Though, admittedly, it's much more likely to be my fire than hers nowadays. The usual post-War depression as I make the transition from being the Seneschal of one of the most notable houses in the Kingdom ("M'lady Seneschal, sit DOWN! We'll do it!" and having people at my beck and call), back to mundane life is a harsh one.
I had a lot of moments of pride this War. I have to say, though, my greatest didn't come from outside the House, but from within. When loading up site, we had almost everything packed. We'd worked these people to the bone all week, many of us could barely stand. Merrick's Dad said that he would unload the Uhaul trailer, and we could come over this weekend to help get it all taken care of, sorted, the bed of his truck unloaded, etc. As I relayed this to the aforementioned people having trouble walking from being so exhausted, they said that they weren't okay with that. That we were helping, because that wasn't right. We'd given them a chance to be done and have food and rest, and they wouldn't take it. They wanted to see this through and make sure no one got stuck with it, and we were GOING to help. It brought tears to my eyes. I have never been more proud of our House than at that moment.
I need to finish the numbers. I have the total spent, but I need the breakdown done as to what went where, and I need the final total of how much I personally spent. The Household's post-War wrapup meeting is on Saturday, and then we're DONE. Another successful War, and we're getting better all the time. The House is running great, and we're looking good to the folks we should. We've come a long way, thanks to a LOT of people, and we're just getting better. I'm DAMNED proud both of them and to help lead them.
It was a good War, and I'm VERY proud of our House, I have to say. Camp setup went well. Normal issues with land allocation, which we got settled. When they went to put up Big Red, Baron Otto came over to ask us for help, so everyone piled in my truck, we grabbed the banner, and we all drove down, cheering the whole way, to help. We were over half the force needed. Despite us all being exhausted, our walls were up in record time (the first day!), and everyone just did an amazing job. We dropped off gifts for some friends which made them quite happy. My bardic was good, though it does tend to be one of our quieter nights. Despite the rain, we had a fair turnout for those nights, and Saturday's party kicked ass. Our surprise for the House was tokens we made for all of them with our year and the War's year, hand made by Merrick and I. They seemed to like them. We even had a King as well as a Crown Prince and his entourage in camp. I found some Pelican trim on merchant's row that I got for Gavin, and I stopped to drop it off. They offered to let me stay for brauts, but I declined in favor of the ribs back home. (MAN, that was pride, right there...) Our camp looked wonderful, and I got to show Mom our kitchen layout, which she thought was great. Despite a car accident, one fractured tailbone, four cases of strep throat, and one issue due to existing medical conditions, everyone just banded together and helped each other out... It was great.
As a note to other Heads of Household for helpful tips: One of the reasons, among many, that my people are so willing to give us everything they have is because of a personal policy. One night, the wood run came late. The roads were too muddy to allow trucks through, so we had to slog through the mud up the road to where the truck was to bring in firewood. As I was very slowly limping my way up to help, my personal minion told me they had it and to go sit down. I reminded her then of something I have always told them, "I have always told you that I will never ask you to do anything that I would not do myself. I may not be able to walk very fast, and it may hurt, but if you are all hauling wood through the mud, so can I." She didn't argue. She only said, "Yes, m'lady." As a note to heads of house, even when you can do no more, when you can barely stand and can't walk, it took me five times as long as any of them (I counted) to haul that wood back, and I could only do one trip, but that is one thing which will help give you the loyalty some people cannot fathom. It is why your House will stand by you. NEVER ask a thing of your people you would not do yourself.
I got not one but two new dresses, a new parasol, a lovely new collar, and a few other miscellaneous trinkets, various trim, including some with heraldic roses on it (ANYTHING with heraldic roses is nigh near impossible to find). Merrick's Dad came to help with teardown, and through his All-Spark, mad Tetris skills, we fit everything into his truck, the trailer, and my truck. While we were doing that, I loaned out my truck to site for use collecting rebar. (To the surprise of some folks who didn't realize that we switch over to the site channel on Monday.)
As always, I wish War was longer. I didn't manage to get out of camp much, never COULD track down Haley, didn't put in the volunteer hours I wish I could have, never made it to court, and we overslept Baronial breakfast. I was bummed about that. Lady Morgan wasn't there, and it never quite seems like War until I've had a chance to hang out with her around a fire. Though, admittedly, it's much more likely to be my fire than hers nowadays. The usual post-War depression as I make the transition from being the Seneschal of one of the most notable houses in the Kingdom ("M'lady Seneschal, sit DOWN! We'll do it!" and having people at my beck and call), back to mundane life is a harsh one.
I had a lot of moments of pride this War. I have to say, though, my greatest didn't come from outside the House, but from within. When loading up site, we had almost everything packed. We'd worked these people to the bone all week, many of us could barely stand. Merrick's Dad said that he would unload the Uhaul trailer, and we could come over this weekend to help get it all taken care of, sorted, the bed of his truck unloaded, etc. As I relayed this to the aforementioned people having trouble walking from being so exhausted, they said that they weren't okay with that. That we were helping, because that wasn't right. We'd given them a chance to be done and have food and rest, and they wouldn't take it. They wanted to see this through and make sure no one got stuck with it, and we were GOING to help. It brought tears to my eyes. I have never been more proud of our House than at that moment.
I need to finish the numbers. I have the total spent, but I need the breakdown done as to what went where, and I need the final total of how much I personally spent. The Household's post-War wrapup meeting is on Saturday, and then we're DONE. Another successful War, and we're getting better all the time. The House is running great, and we're looking good to the folks we should. We've come a long way, thanks to a LOT of people, and we're just getting better. I'm DAMNED proud both of them and to help lead them.