Notes from Estrella: Interesting Times
Feb. 20th, 2011 09:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gurdymonkey"May you live in interesting times" is generally reported as a curse. It sums up my war, both good and bad.
(Looking west on Hastings Road. My tent is immediately beyond the reed fence that delineates Black Talon's camp. Note the gaping wilderness across the road.)
Event attendance was way down, not surprisingly. The economy is probably the biggest culprit. The West's camp took up maybe half a block and there were big bald patches of ground between the back of Charles and Petra's tents and where I pitched mine, thinking there would be more folks coming to fill in. The people I normally camp with at Western events weren't there, and the people I've camped with at the last three Estrellas were either not attending or over in Al Barran (Outlands) on the other side of the war. It didn't help that I was ensconced all by myself in that back corner. It was kind of lonely. I did try to wander through the rest of camp and be social, but it was a little weird, and certainly no one's fault.
Because of the will-we-won't-we Rising Sun arrangements, my classes didn't make it into the gate book, though they got posted on the war website and at A&S. Despite there being a limit of four for my taiko class, I got seven, plus spectators on Thursday afternoon. (I had none on Friday and I will describe Saturday later). I had people rotating in and out. All things considered, they did very well. I met a lady named Judith Anne who has started lurking on the SCA JML and had some Japanese costuming questions. I invited her to the sake tasting and my Saturday class.
Despite diligent spamming of porta-johns with flyers, said tasting was attended by JAF and his lady, Yagyu-dono, Mitsuhide-dono, Li Guang Ming Get Off My Lawn and the aforementioned Judith Anne (who doesn't drink alcohol and as I had nothing herbal or decaf, declined tea as well). I was good with that as I didn't have to be "on" all night as hostess and these are all folks I like and am comfortable with. The firepot afforded atmosphere, more than anything, but one can safely warm cold hands over it at least. The little iron teapot warmer that holds a tea light works brilliantly. The Murai Family nigorizake I got for Christmas didn't thrill me, having a bit of a sharper finish than I care for, but "Bride of the Fox" was pretty nice, and of course, everyone liked the Jinyu, the Choya plum liqueur and Mitsuhide-dono particularly liked the Momokawa Asian Pear. Once again, JAF related how he'd been close to chucking Japanese in favor of something with easier and warmer garb until I made stuff for him. Now he's talking about upgrading his armor. I'm glad I got to spend a bit more time with S, his lady. She's as delightful as he is.
The rather spectacular moonrise we were treated to.
Shopping was pretty restrained. I bought some amber earrings, an Indian bedspread from Aziz (it'll look nice over the futon in the living room) and some very red, very Chinese looking silk/rayon brocade from the Pastiche ladies because they'd knocked it down to $10 a yard.
Friday was more hurdy-gurdying. Yagyu-dono had introduced me to a teenager from his area who's getting started doing Japanese. I ran into him and he tagged along back to camp with me while I had a PB&J and changed garb, then very kindly pulled my wagonful of drums to A&S Point. He was signed up for the Middle Eastern drum class, but said he'd like to take mine on Saturday. Nobody else showed for mine, so I took my drums back home after waiting 20 minutes or so.
Braun and the other gentleman from Far West (whose name I cannot remember for the life of me!) saw me coming back to camp. Braun stopped me and presented me with a jar of peach jam from his home town. (I THINK he told me it was Arikawa.) So I galloped back to my tent and returned with my bags of Ghirardelli chocolates, just as Jorunn and Vail returned to camp. So Jorunn hands me a little bag of pink candies she'd brought. Then Vail starts dragging boxes out of the dome tent they're all crammed into. "For your camp." I'm protesting it's too much. "No, no, for you. For your camp." So of course I thank them all. An Imari looking set of tea cups and saucers, four stoneware plates with a bamboo motif. A small lacquer box with miniature armor in it. The large styrofoam crate I was afraid to unpack thinking I might not get everything back inside it, but it looks like some sort of festival decorations. Braun and The Other Guy insisted on carrying it back to my tent and I had them stack it all on the "veranda", there being no place else to put it all. Braun spotted the small koi banners I have on my tent ropes. "Ah! Koi-nobori!" "Yes, yes, Children's Day," I answered. "In March." "Hai, hai, and Hina for girls," I said. They looked mildly impressed that I knew. "Koi-nobori!" I pointed to the cheesy Daiso Japan ones I had taped to a bamboo banner pole. We all laughed and I managed to communicate that I had sake and would bring it to the kingdom party Saturday night.
Ended up spending the evening with Li and Yagyu. Met their tent-mate Brennan, then we ended up at someone's knighting vigil for a bit as Li had been invited to visit the candidate. The boys insisted on walking me back across the battlefield. I insisted on serving them tea. I miss camping with them and we talked about better planning for next year.
Saturday I looked at the mess inside and around my tent and decided I'd better try to organize some of it, to make tear-down on Sunday a bit easier. It's a good thing I did. I WAS going to wander over to see Sasha and Cristobal before my garb class at 11, but a dust storm rolled in from the West. I managed to drop the veranda and stake that wall down and tie up all my doors with everything inside, then went to try to help batten down the rest of camp. Long story made short, a lot of tents blew down, including mine. Portajohns were blown over. People were advised to shelter at the big pole building they use for court if needed. Kosode pulled over my head as a wind-break, I hiked out to get my truck and managed to get everything loaded (including the swag from Japan) before it began to rain. The only thing that appears to have been damaged was the sleeve that holds my ridge pole together.
Judith Anne, who had somehow made it to A&S looking for me, walked up just as I was taking the water bottles off my trash bag. She walked back to the dumpster with me and we fruitlessly picked up bits of flying trash en route. Nice lady. I hope we remember each other's email addresses.
On my way out of camp, I somehow managed to run over a chunk of the rebar they were using to mark camp sites. I slowly dragged it as far as the front gate, asked for help and they called the guy who was running their golf-cart motor pool. He had a better jack than I do, got Blanche raised and managed to dislodge the bent rebar from between the frame and my parking brake cable. The cable covering was torn, but the cable itself appeared undamaged and nothing else seemed to be wrong.
I drove out to the other side of Phoenix, remembering that there was a Cracker Barrel near the old site in Goodyear. It was not raining there and the winds appeared to be calmer, though the sky was spectacularly ominous. I was starving, thirsty and covered with dust where I wasn't damp. The young man who waited on me was deserving of the good tip I left him. He kept the iced tea flowing and gave me time to gather my wits and pick a steak, salad and baked potato off the menu. I stopped at the Target that was practically next door and picked up some water, granola bars and pretzels for the trip home, then drove just over the Arizona border and got a room at the Motel 6 there.
If you are ever in Blythe and looking for breakfast, eschew the Denny's and fast food options as I did. Instead I opted a slow drive through town looking for a cafe or diner. Steaks'n' Cakes had a good number of cars in the parking lot. The young waitresses were friendly and fast - I had coffee and a menu within seconds of seating myself. Best hash browns of my life. I don't think these had ever seen the inside of a freezer, they tasted freshly grated. East Hobsonway just west of the Intake Blvd. exit off I-10.
The rest of the drive was relatively uneventful. Stopped and got some pictures of snow on the mountains around Palm Springs as it was so pretty. Got home at about 5PM, unloaded the front seat and the stuff in the back that absolutely had to come in the house tonight. I'll do the rest tomorrow.
(Looking west on Hastings Road. My tent is immediately beyond the reed fence that delineates Black Talon's camp. Note the gaping wilderness across the road.)
Event attendance was way down, not surprisingly. The economy is probably the biggest culprit. The West's camp took up maybe half a block and there were big bald patches of ground between the back of Charles and Petra's tents and where I pitched mine, thinking there would be more folks coming to fill in. The people I normally camp with at Western events weren't there, and the people I've camped with at the last three Estrellas were either not attending or over in Al Barran (Outlands) on the other side of the war. It didn't help that I was ensconced all by myself in that back corner. It was kind of lonely. I did try to wander through the rest of camp and be social, but it was a little weird, and certainly no one's fault.
Because of the will-we-won't-we Rising Sun arrangements, my classes didn't make it into the gate book, though they got posted on the war website and at A&S. Despite there being a limit of four for my taiko class, I got seven, plus spectators on Thursday afternoon. (I had none on Friday and I will describe Saturday later). I had people rotating in and out. All things considered, they did very well. I met a lady named Judith Anne who has started lurking on the SCA JML and had some Japanese costuming questions. I invited her to the sake tasting and my Saturday class.
Despite diligent spamming of porta-johns with flyers, said tasting was attended by JAF and his lady, Yagyu-dono, Mitsuhide-dono, Li Guang Ming Get Off My Lawn and the aforementioned Judith Anne (who doesn't drink alcohol and as I had nothing herbal or decaf, declined tea as well). I was good with that as I didn't have to be "on" all night as hostess and these are all folks I like and am comfortable with. The firepot afforded atmosphere, more than anything, but one can safely warm cold hands over it at least. The little iron teapot warmer that holds a tea light works brilliantly. The Murai Family nigorizake I got for Christmas didn't thrill me, having a bit of a sharper finish than I care for, but "Bride of the Fox" was pretty nice, and of course, everyone liked the Jinyu, the Choya plum liqueur and Mitsuhide-dono particularly liked the Momokawa Asian Pear. Once again, JAF related how he'd been close to chucking Japanese in favor of something with easier and warmer garb until I made stuff for him. Now he's talking about upgrading his armor. I'm glad I got to spend a bit more time with S, his lady. She's as delightful as he is.
The rather spectacular moonrise we were treated to.
Shopping was pretty restrained. I bought some amber earrings, an Indian bedspread from Aziz (it'll look nice over the futon in the living room) and some very red, very Chinese looking silk/rayon brocade from the Pastiche ladies because they'd knocked it down to $10 a yard.
Friday was more hurdy-gurdying. Yagyu-dono had introduced me to a teenager from his area who's getting started doing Japanese. I ran into him and he tagged along back to camp with me while I had a PB&J and changed garb, then very kindly pulled my wagonful of drums to A&S Point. He was signed up for the Middle Eastern drum class, but said he'd like to take mine on Saturday. Nobody else showed for mine, so I took my drums back home after waiting 20 minutes or so.
Braun and the other gentleman from Far West (whose name I cannot remember for the life of me!) saw me coming back to camp. Braun stopped me and presented me with a jar of peach jam from his home town. (I THINK he told me it was Arikawa.) So I galloped back to my tent and returned with my bags of Ghirardelli chocolates, just as Jorunn and Vail returned to camp. So Jorunn hands me a little bag of pink candies she'd brought. Then Vail starts dragging boxes out of the dome tent they're all crammed into. "For your camp." I'm protesting it's too much. "No, no, for you. For your camp." So of course I thank them all. An Imari looking set of tea cups and saucers, four stoneware plates with a bamboo motif. A small lacquer box with miniature armor in it. The large styrofoam crate I was afraid to unpack thinking I might not get everything back inside it, but it looks like some sort of festival decorations. Braun and The Other Guy insisted on carrying it back to my tent and I had them stack it all on the "veranda", there being no place else to put it all. Braun spotted the small koi banners I have on my tent ropes. "Ah! Koi-nobori!" "Yes, yes, Children's Day," I answered. "In March." "Hai, hai, and Hina for girls," I said. They looked mildly impressed that I knew. "Koi-nobori!" I pointed to the cheesy Daiso Japan ones I had taped to a bamboo banner pole. We all laughed and I managed to communicate that I had sake and would bring it to the kingdom party Saturday night.
Ended up spending the evening with Li and Yagyu. Met their tent-mate Brennan, then we ended up at someone's knighting vigil for a bit as Li had been invited to visit the candidate. The boys insisted on walking me back across the battlefield. I insisted on serving them tea. I miss camping with them and we talked about better planning for next year.
Saturday I looked at the mess inside and around my tent and decided I'd better try to organize some of it, to make tear-down on Sunday a bit easier. It's a good thing I did. I WAS going to wander over to see Sasha and Cristobal before my garb class at 11, but a dust storm rolled in from the West. I managed to drop the veranda and stake that wall down and tie up all my doors with everything inside, then went to try to help batten down the rest of camp. Long story made short, a lot of tents blew down, including mine. Portajohns were blown over. People were advised to shelter at the big pole building they use for court if needed. Kosode pulled over my head as a wind-break, I hiked out to get my truck and managed to get everything loaded (including the swag from Japan) before it began to rain. The only thing that appears to have been damaged was the sleeve that holds my ridge pole together.
Judith Anne, who had somehow made it to A&S looking for me, walked up just as I was taking the water bottles off my trash bag. She walked back to the dumpster with me and we fruitlessly picked up bits of flying trash en route. Nice lady. I hope we remember each other's email addresses.
On my way out of camp, I somehow managed to run over a chunk of the rebar they were using to mark camp sites. I slowly dragged it as far as the front gate, asked for help and they called the guy who was running their golf-cart motor pool. He had a better jack than I do, got Blanche raised and managed to dislodge the bent rebar from between the frame and my parking brake cable. The cable covering was torn, but the cable itself appeared undamaged and nothing else seemed to be wrong.
I drove out to the other side of Phoenix, remembering that there was a Cracker Barrel near the old site in Goodyear. It was not raining there and the winds appeared to be calmer, though the sky was spectacularly ominous. I was starving, thirsty and covered with dust where I wasn't damp. The young man who waited on me was deserving of the good tip I left him. He kept the iced tea flowing and gave me time to gather my wits and pick a steak, salad and baked potato off the menu. I stopped at the Target that was practically next door and picked up some water, granola bars and pretzels for the trip home, then drove just over the Arizona border and got a room at the Motel 6 there.
If you are ever in Blythe and looking for breakfast, eschew the Denny's and fast food options as I did. Instead I opted a slow drive through town looking for a cafe or diner. Steaks'n' Cakes had a good number of cars in the parking lot. The young waitresses were friendly and fast - I had coffee and a menu within seconds of seating myself. Best hash browns of my life. I don't think these had ever seen the inside of a freezer, they tasted freshly grated. East Hobsonway just west of the Intake Blvd. exit off I-10.
The rest of the drive was relatively uneventful. Stopped and got some pictures of snow on the mountains around Palm Springs as it was so pretty. Got home at about 5PM, unloaded the front seat and the stuff in the back that absolutely had to come in the house tonight. I'll do the rest tomorrow.
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no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 01:23 pm (UTC)Sounds like a weirdly eventful war.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 03:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 05:53 pm (UTC)