Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Wiesenfeuer Baronial Championship, Part I

I have to tell you, this was the most amazing SCA weekend ever. Aside from the rain and sore feet, an absolutely perfect event. And now, in a billion words or less...

Wiesenfeuer Baronial Championship

Friday
Whilst at work I finished a couple of sewing projects and then went home where I packed and headed for camp. It was nearly midnight by the time I got there. Luckily, Ashikaga, Cadfael and Andy had already set up our tents and were sitting at a nearby picnic table talking to our long lost Namu brother, Nickolaus. After a bit more catching up, we all went to bed.

Saturday
Saturday was the busiest day I have ever known. It started at 9:30 am when Kyna woke me up on her way to the list field. I had a gate shift at 10, so I threw on some make-up, combed my hair out as best I could, got dressed and headed for gate. I have recently made a good friend in Lady Genefe Kruse who turned out to be my gate partner along with a gentleman I had never met before. For three hours we sat under our little tent and chatted about a variety of topics. I shared my harrowing sharab experience and made Genefe promise to try my ma'mool at the party that night. She happily swore she would.

After my shift ended at 1 pm I had just a little time to play before I needed to run home and pick up the cookies and syrups and return for the Champions' Ice Cream Social. I found Ashikaga on the list field, luckily between fights. He had lost the championship to Sir Owen, but wasn't too upset about it. We both (and undoubtedly everyone who has ever met him) adore Sir Owen and agree he deserved to win.

As Ashikaga went back onto the field for some pick-up fights, I made my way toward the car. However, I was unusually popular at this event and everyone stopped me to chat. So what would have been a 5 minute walk to the car turned into an hour and fifteen minute walk to the car! Not that I would have had it any other way -- every conversation was a pleasure -- but I was a bit late getting back for the ice cream social. Shanna didn't seem to mind, though.

Lady Shanna Camber was asked to do the Champion's Ice Cream Social a couple of months ago and, much like the Middle Eastern snack bar, I offered my services to her. Shanna and I have been steadily become better and better friends over the last year so I was more than happy to help. And I loooove ice cream! haha Luckily, Lady Genefe had also asked to help, so the three of us had fun for a couple of hours dishing up ice cream to all the past Baronial Champions, their consorts and anyone else who wanted some refreshments. At one point I had five smalls asking for ice cream at once and I wound up getting it all over my gomlek sleeves (Note to Self: make a shorter-sleeved gomlek in which to work).

The ice cream social ended about 4 pm, I think, so I rushed off to see if Branislava needed any help with the snack bar stuff. She had come to me earlier to say there had been a mix-up with the lamb meat and she needed Ashikaga to help her grind it in an old-fashioned meat grinder. By the time I got to the cabin she had the lamb kofta (meatballs) finished and, let me tell you, they were fantastic!!

Things started getting fuzzy about this time because I was getting so nervous. Lord Orlando di Gilead had asked me several weeks ago if I would be Head Server for his feast. I have served many times, but I've never been Head Server, so I was starting to get rather jittery about it. I walked up to the feast hall and found Ashikaga and Cadfael already working in the kitchen. I had called for a servers meeting around 5:30, so I just kind of wandered around and mentally went over my game plan until enough of my servers had shown up.

I won't go into all the gorey details, I'll just say that feast didn't go exactly according to plan. I'm not much of a leader so I floundered back and fourth between wanting to be authoritative and follow the plan Orlando and I had discussed and wanting to accomodate my servers and make sure they weren't too stressed to enjoy it. Throughout the meal I had several people come up and tell me I was doing a great job and I never really felt bombarded by complaints from either the servers or guests, so I think that's a measurement of a success. Everyone seemed happy and full by the end and my servers got fed (we had more than enough food left over for everyone so if they didn't get their fill, that was their own fault). In the end, I think I did better than I gave myself credit for at the time.

At the end of feast, Kyna came over, wrapped her arms around my neck and whispered in my ear, "I just want you to know that I am so proud of you." I probably should have figured out then that something was up...

1 comment:

Tia said...

AWWW, Come on dont leave us hanging like this!! ;)