Book of the Black Dog

I can tell that I am paying more attention to my form, and when it goes to pot. I'm also more willing just to call it a night when I can tell when I'm getting impatient and sloppy. Unfortunately when I was sparring with my Don was when I was getting tired and sloppy. My rear foot was lifting during my lunge (over extending) and I was telegraphing. On the up side I was working on not centering my blade and leaving my arm open. Also working on rolling my shoulder instead of pulling it back when lining up. I also need to go back and look at a couple plates. I don't think I've groked them to the point of application.

Working, working.

Putting start to lyrics here for later reference. Not finished or scanning right, but it's a start.

Yesterday,
I don’t think my nipple looked that way.
Now it’s an ugly bluish green,
And several more spots can be seen.

Hell, here’s three more on my leg.
I look like I‘ve got the plague.
Or like some spotted jersey cow
I’m sure there will be more three days from now.

The heavy fighters catcalls come in a flood,
Just because I’m not pissing blood.
I could wear bruises like a pelt,
Like some under-armored “generi-celt”

They’re right of course it could be worse,
I really like my spleen unburst.
My Don is asking me what’s up.
I tell him that I’m glad I wear a cup.

My doctor asks me if I feel safe at home.
But I'm abused on the field by Guillaume.
Or by Simon, Micheal, or Doc Jock.
I really shouldn’t use my face to try and block.

My Capo Ferro could improve
I practice footwork til I’ve worn a groove.

Ok, to get a couple inside jokes out of the way: ahem
THIRTEEN!!!
Up by the Ilium of dawn.

Really, don't ask.

Ok WW breakdown. This was my first SCA camping event, but I did day trip WW a couple years ago in search of my rapier authorization. I could say that the experience was biblical. First there was the great storm, then the plague of flies, and by the end we almost had to kill Mary's first born son. Just sayin.

I attended solo as my honey's idea of camping is a hotel with hot and cold running waiters. With that in mind, I am so glad I did not convince her to come with. She would have been miserable with the heat, the flies, the strangers, the storm etc etc and then looked at me and asked "Remind me again, why did you think this was a good idea?".

I camped with great folks, good food, good laughs good times. The tent weathered the storm with absolutely no troubles. I got some nice compliments on the pavilion and my mead. Cooking with dutch oven and coals turned out to be a learning experience, but none the less yummy.

Fighting: Friday, I was off my game. Period. I could make excuses, but really that's what they would be. Saturday on the other hand was a GREAT day. Started off with the Baroness' Whim, and got to schtick it up and play the fop, and make both baronesses laugh. I got to step in and help assist two relatively new fighters against two Dons in a reductive Mele and turned the tide so the final fight was between the two new folks. Got to rip off some memorable lines in the NOT the duel at dawn - Nuh-uh! and picked up some fights with out of town folks that I would never have a chance to spar with. Now I want to pen a song called "Nickle sized bruises" (Even if you win you lose, if all you take home is a nickle sized bruise.)

Saturday evening was ended with way too much drinking at Shadow company, and staggering mostly downhill to my tent. But next year, (yes dear readers, I'm hoping there is a next year) I want to have more clothes made, and final touches put on my tent.

That's all for now. More as I remember it.

So the painting on the tent is all done but some touch up (cleaning up some edges on the roof, and painting over some boo-boos). I also need to sew on some buttons on the inside of the tent for holding the doors open, but I can do that on site during down time.

Last night was good. I got to test out my new turnshoes. They fit great and they have enough grip that I'm not going to need to put on some dance sole for traction. The downside is that they really do look like house slippers. Meh. I still need to sew on some straps for tightening the whole shoe up a bit, and maybe dye them a darker color (they are buff colored now).

I had a good time fighting last night. My honey has pointed out that I get pissy when I don't go and fight on a regular basis, and I've missed fighting for two weeks in a row. So it was good to get back in there. There was visitors from out of town, and for the life of me I cannot remember her name, but sparring with new folks is always a treat. I got to spar with my teacher, and block with my face a bit, and I almost wound up missing out on the opportunity because I wanted to leave in time to go home and paint on my tent while I still had sunlight. But all was accomplished, and now the feverish packing begins for WW.

So coronation was this weekend in WI, and I had really wanted to go. There was a presentation for the Royalty stepping down that I had folded a metric butt-load of frogs for (no, not real ones, origami...real ones would be far too messy) and wanted to be there for the presentation. The Queen was very touched and the King was...well it was hard to say really. Then as soon as we left after the presentation, I was called back into court for my Award of Arms. I was very touched. Apparently several people knew, and kept the secret well.

After court, fighting broke out. Got to fence with several people outside of Nordskogen, which is a very good thing. Got to fight with Don Jock and faired well, and got to fight with Don Lazarus Guage and blocked with my face quite a bit. Gave as well as I got during the Queen's Mum Tourney, and then went and picked up a few bouts afterwards. Itty Bitty captured hearts when she came out to the field in a black cloak and got to play with Don Jock's rubber rondell daggers and looked all the world like a gnome thief...especially when she'd run around and stab me in the ass...or hamstring me...or take stuff out of Don Jock's bag and run away. She showed off by standing on one foot on my hand to which point Don Mateo said "Hey kid, lets make sure you get into A&S, so I don't have to face you in rapier"

So today...My legs hurt, my ass hurts, my back hurts, my forearms hurt, my shoulders hurts, and damn my face hurts from all the grinning I did on Saturday.

Tonight was a good fighting night. Some good folks from Shattered Oak in Eau Clair showed up tonight and so I was exposed to new folks and new fighting styles...Always a good thing. But I did well, overcame and adapted. :) Took a good hard shot to the ribs, but that comes with the territory

I've been trying to sew like mad on my tent so that I have a snowballs chance in hell of having it ready by WW.

Ok, need to go rock the bitty.

Considering the way I've felt for the past couple days.

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