SCAdian Weekend
So how does a yeshiva boy make good use of 4 day weekend in celebration of the Festival of Lights? Clearly by dressing up as a charachter from the Middle Ages, stabbing his host with a sword, and serving piping hot lemonade to a feast hall. How else?
So I had to be on a bus to zachkessin and kmelion's by noon on Friday. Friday morning was thus spent runnng around my room and the rest of the yeshiva frantically doing stuff, packing, getting myself together for a weekend with nutsy people. I met a bunch of sem girls (Bracha, AJ & Tilla) who were headed the same way. Actually, Bracha I'd met before at fencing but the rest were new. We schmoozed the whole way there. Got to Zach's and managed to get in a shower before Shabbat. We actually had a bunch of extra time, but still made it late to shul. They served a lovely meal, and I managed to do something I hate seeing in others. Kiddush should be done by pouring from the kiddush cup into a personal cup, and then drinking. I forgot to do that, so everyone got my germs. Sorry! Last I made Kiddush it was either for Rebecca, or at home. Rebecca has my germs already and nobody at home drinks Kiddush but me. Special diet that doesn't allow fruit juice.
We spent a long while after dinner sitting on couches schmoozing, with slow attrition towards bed. It was wonderful, but freezing cold, as the new heater didn't work correctly. At least the bedroom ones did.
Early morning on Shabbat I was awakened for shul. We still got there late. (this will be a pattern) Lunch was also quite nice, and dairy this time in order that cheesecake be served as dessert. No problem there. Again, eating was followed by retiring to couches for generally sitting around and talking. I love SCA people. They can be so much fun. I still occasionally want to stab some of them with swords, but what fencer doesn't? There was some light noshing for seuda slishit, which was not bad. However, I realize I'm failing to mention that Zach & Devo have pets. Also that I am allergic to cats. So that made for an interesting stay. It was cold & windy out, so there was a limit on the degree to which we could torture the cat by keeping it outside. However, Devo's dog was really cool. He was very cute, especially curling up in random places to sleep. (OK, so the cat did this too. It's the one redeeming value the beast has.) After Shabbat, there was an exodus by the female guests which meant all but me and our noble hosts. Zach gave me a nice long lesson in heraldry (I am now the "full-time hearald" for the Shire of Ma'ale Giborim), so I now feel vaguely prepared. I think I have a clue where to go for help at least, which is a very important thing at this point.
Sunday morning Zach & I bussed up to the home of aethereal_girl's parents. They are amazing hosts, and really got into it. I'm not sure if they are SCAdians themselves, but they seemed to be very service-oriented. They did a lot of the cooking & shopping that was nedded for the AWESOME feast we had. I enjoyed feasting, as well as the fencing that preceded it. dhole gave us a tour of town, which had some decent archeological stuff. It's amazing all the stuff you can just find on the ground in Israel. Being on tours is sort of anesthetizing me to the wonder of it all. People elsewhere are amazed at this stuff, and I'm sort of all, "OK, cool, now what?" We had a little fencing, mostly a lesson, because there were a bunch of new ppl. It got dark too early to do much, but I had a good time. They're talking of making J'lem practice every week, which would ROCK. I'd so do it. TA would be on alternate weeks on another day when I couldn't go anyway. So we feasted, and I helped serve. There was no in-meal entertainment, but the room was small, so it was OK. I think the service could have been more period (what do I know?), but I was fine with, "run this from kitchen to dining room, put on table, sit & eat". If that was the deal, we didn't need as many volunteers or the kitchen staff (aethereal_girl & fam) could have sat down & enjoyed rather than working through the meal. Then we had a bardic, which is basicaly sing-a-long/storytelling circle. It was a good time, I must say. I told stories from ___SCA Post o'tales______. This morning, I got up early and ran to find some way to the bus station. I found a sherut looking thing and asked for J'lem. So he drops other ppl while I demand to know how much. He quotes something over 200, so I say I'd rather get the bus. I grab the first bus to J'lem, just barely. I slept most of the way, and was i glad not to worry about, "will it go past my stop?" Baruch Hashm I made it to the yeshiva by 9:05 (only 5 mins late for class), and haven't seen the inside of my room since Friday morning. So off I go.
So I had to be on a bus to zachkessin and kmelion's by noon on Friday. Friday morning was thus spent runnng around my room and the rest of the yeshiva frantically doing stuff, packing, getting myself together for a weekend with nutsy people. I met a bunch of sem girls (Bracha, AJ & Tilla) who were headed the same way. Actually, Bracha I'd met before at fencing but the rest were new. We schmoozed the whole way there. Got to Zach's and managed to get in a shower before Shabbat. We actually had a bunch of extra time, but still made it late to shul. They served a lovely meal, and I managed to do something I hate seeing in others. Kiddush should be done by pouring from the kiddush cup into a personal cup, and then drinking. I forgot to do that, so everyone got my germs. Sorry! Last I made Kiddush it was either for Rebecca, or at home. Rebecca has my germs already and nobody at home drinks Kiddush but me. Special diet that doesn't allow fruit juice.
We spent a long while after dinner sitting on couches schmoozing, with slow attrition towards bed. It was wonderful, but freezing cold, as the new heater didn't work correctly. At least the bedroom ones did.
Early morning on Shabbat I was awakened for shul. We still got there late. (this will be a pattern) Lunch was also quite nice, and dairy this time in order that cheesecake be served as dessert. No problem there. Again, eating was followed by retiring to couches for generally sitting around and talking. I love SCA people. They can be so much fun. I still occasionally want to stab some of them with swords, but what fencer doesn't? There was some light noshing for seuda slishit, which was not bad. However, I realize I'm failing to mention that Zach & Devo have pets. Also that I am allergic to cats. So that made for an interesting stay. It was cold & windy out, so there was a limit on the degree to which we could torture the cat by keeping it outside. However, Devo's dog was really cool. He was very cute, especially curling up in random places to sleep. (OK, so the cat did this too. It's the one redeeming value the beast has.) After Shabbat, there was an exodus by the female guests which meant all but me and our noble hosts. Zach gave me a nice long lesson in heraldry (I am now the "full-time hearald" for the Shire of Ma'ale Giborim), so I now feel vaguely prepared. I think I have a clue where to go for help at least, which is a very important thing at this point.
Sunday morning Zach & I bussed up to the home of aethereal_girl's parents. They are amazing hosts, and really got into it. I'm not sure if they are SCAdians themselves, but they seemed to be very service-oriented. They did a lot of the cooking & shopping that was nedded for the AWESOME feast we had. I enjoyed feasting, as well as the fencing that preceded it. dhole gave us a tour of town, which had some decent archeological stuff. It's amazing all the stuff you can just find on the ground in Israel. Being on tours is sort of anesthetizing me to the wonder of it all. People elsewhere are amazed at this stuff, and I'm sort of all, "OK, cool, now what?" We had a little fencing, mostly a lesson, because there were a bunch of new ppl. It got dark too early to do much, but I had a good time. They're talking of making J'lem practice every week, which would ROCK. I'd so do it. TA would be on alternate weeks on another day when I couldn't go anyway. So we feasted, and I helped serve. There was no in-meal entertainment, but the room was small, so it was OK. I think the service could have been more period (what do I know?), but I was fine with, "run this from kitchen to dining room, put on table, sit & eat". If that was the deal, we didn't need as many volunteers or the kitchen staff (aethereal_girl & fam) could have sat down & enjoyed rather than working through the meal. Then we had a bardic, which is basicaly sing-a-long/storytelling circle. It was a good time, I must say. I told stories from ___SCA Post o'tales______. This morning, I got up early and ran to find some way to the bus station. I found a sherut looking thing and asked for J'lem. So he drops other ppl while I demand to know how much. He quotes something over 200, so I say I'd rather get the bus. I grab the first bus to J'lem, just barely. I slept most of the way, and was i glad not to worry about, "will it go past my stop?" Baruch Hashm I made it to the yeshiva by 9:05 (only 5 mins late for class), and haven't seen the inside of my room since Friday morning. So off I go.