Lupercalia

Being sick takes all enthusiasm for blogging right out. So highlights version of the weekend.

Wind in SD is often worse than the snow.

Going to the bathroom at Granite City is like playing frogger. You are the frog, waitstaff are the cars. Who puts the bathroom by the kitchen door? Nothing but trouble.

Its never too cold for Culver's Custard.

Minnesota is the land of ice and snow. I am glad I live in SD.

Breaks and ice are not a good combo. Thanks car in front of me. I almost slide in the ditch.

The event was fun. We got little bunnies and rings for tokens. If anyone knows how they made the rings let me know. I would like to makes some as personal tokens. I am a ring junkie.

Anywho, retained for Her Majesty. She had some lovely fabric she was making into a apron dress. We watched the Buschkazi which was less frenzied than last year.

Taught Rachel, Jess and Kaia how to play perudo. We played two games of that. The second game was a bit cutthroat that came down to two die. I somehow pulled the win. It was awesome.

Before court, took the girls with Sir Tom to meat market around the corner. Meat sticks for everyone.

Court and feast was fun. Spent most of feast telling old SCA stories.

The drive home was much better. There were a few slippery spots but not many. I was quiet glad I had planned to stay in SF Saturday night instead of driving home. I don't think I could have stayed awake.

Sunday we got up late and then went out to lunch. We called Svien to see if he wanted to go if he had any "For the Good of the Land" CDs for the girls to buy. We had a tasty lunch at Dynasty then shopping. We hit the bead store, yarn store, Shopko for blank CDs and World Market for treats. Jess got her CD and I headed home.

Hertzkrieg

Hertzkrieg went off quite well. We had about 75 people in attendance and around 20 fighters. Everyone seemed to have a good time. Lots of fighting, heavy and light and much fiber activity. Svien resumed his duties as champion of doom. He didn't win but somehow I ended up sitting at head table anyway. Feast was good even tho we didn't have rabbit this year. The homemade sausage and sirloin roast certainly made up for it. The Toms also made cookies which were awesome!

Photos are up on my flickr page. http://www.flickr.com/photos/blancmange/sets/72157613521037229/

Favorite picture is this one.

Its Only a Flesh Wound II

Weekend was good. Friday I got up early and got all my chores done. I even had time to stop at parental units to pick up my clothes package. My mom had called the day before to ask when I was going to be able to get my pants. It was mostly an issue since I am probably not going to be home for a couple of weeks. It dawned me I had time to swing by and pick them up before heading to Sioux Falls. Did that and then on the way up decided to call Jessica to see if she wanted to do lunch. She had been having one of those boring weeks that needed a pick me up. Didn't know if she would call me back but she did and we met at the Golden Bowl for Chinese. Yummy. Nice to chat with her in person.

Headed up to Al's apato and we got loaded and headed out. Trip out was uneventful. Got to Madison about 8. Found Eithni's house and they had supper waiting. Tamales and Mexican soup. Muy delicioso. I had planned to stay with Kristen and James so after supper headed out to Lake Mills. It was a bit strange since I have never driven Svien's car before but made it with no trouble.

Got up on Saturday and headed to site. Got there around 9. I managed to score rockstar parking. woot. Got all my stuff in and settled. Ended up hanging out with Marwen, Green Jenny, Samia and Thora for the majority of the day. Basically sat around visited, knitted and unraveled the mess that my skeins of yarn had become. Thanks to everyone who helped with that. I am sure it looked quite comical. Jenny made me a pattern fur Norse hats. I will have to dig out fabric and see if I can get one made this week. Will have to find some fur but I think I can get it mostly done.

After the event was over ended up going to Thora's for supper. Kristen was going home to crash and said she wouldn't be good company. A bunch of people were going to the Brazilian buffet place but after being sick the previous weekend I didn't think it would be a good idea to ingest that much meat.

Picked Svien up late sunday morning. We had lunch with Eithni at a Lareado's for more yummy Mexican and then headed out. Trip home was okay. Hagan called around 6 to say they were having a freak snow storm. Great. Got to SF around 8. Called Hagan to see what the weather scoop was. It was clear as a bell in SF. He said it had passed so I hit the road. Everything was fine until I hit the bizzaro weather curtain in Bersford. Snow was on the road and it was icy in spots. There were several sand trucks out and someone had gone in the ditch somewhere around Union County Park. I didn't have any trouble since I know how to drive in icy conditions. Made it home around 9 .

All and all a fun event and well worth the trip. This week I need to get things cleaned up at home since I will be having company for Hertzkrieg.

Photos from Its a Flesh Wound

http://www.flickr.com/photos/blancmange/sets/72157613310903846/

Daria has been bugging me to get pictures of my project up on Ravelry. So while I waited for my cake to bake last night I played around with my camera. www.flickr.com/photos/blancmange/sets/72157613311116568/

Yes, I have posted them to Ravelry too.

Calontir 12th Night

Saturday morning Hagan showed up early to help me unstick the sliding door. Somehow it gets temperamental and doesn't like to open in the winter. Svien, Eithni and Morton came down from Sioux Falls and they said the roads were okay. So we loaded the stuff in my van and hit the road. It was raining a bit. Just enough to ice on the car but the roads were mostly fine. It was interesting to see the antenna ice up and then melt as we traveled south.

We got to Omaha around 11:30. Got everything unloaded and then I lost everyone for a bit. Got dressed, stashed my gear downstairs and then went looking for everyone. Figured the guys were getting ready for the fighting. Ran into Countess Jane. We chatted and admired each other's coronet.

Swung by the Northshield Royalty room but no one was about so went upstairs to watch fighting and knit. It wasn't too long before TRMs, Duncan, Seonaid, and Eithni came to watch too. Watched fighting for awhile and then went downstairs with Eithni to check out the silent auction. They had some nice things available. Many books. I didn't bid on anything since I have restricted myself from getting new stuff until the majority of stuff I already have is organized and not all over the apato. I have been looking for a new hat box since my current one isn't the greatest option. They had several cool boxes available but nothing that would work. Eithni showed me her's which is a cookie tin. Turns out I have had the perfect tin at home. Now I just need to find somewhere to stash my sewing notions.

Sat in the A&S room until they shooed us out so they could set up tables for feast. Ended up visiting with TRMs in the Royalty Room since all the activities were winding down. Hagan said he had seen Tara and she was looking for me so visited with her and ended up sitting with her during court. I got in some quality baby snuggling with baby Jacob. After court I had found out that I had missed out on bad peer in the balcony. Hagan had met up with last year's Calontir Royals.

Took awhile before everyone was ready to roll out for dinner with Tera, Jesse and kids. During the day it was fairly icy in town. The roads were slick in town but it wasn't too bad underfoot. I made Hagan drive to Indigo Joe's since hills and ice make me nervous. Dinner was good but it was hard to hear in the sports bar. After supper we debated if we wanted to stay in Omaha or head home. Everyone was in the mood to go home so we decided to brave it. The roads home weren't too bad. They had done a good job salting the roads. Ramps and bridges were a bit scary but we made it. Saw 3-4 cars in the ditch south of Sioux City so sometime during the day it had been crappy. We made it home safe and sound and I was glad to crawl into my own bed.

Movies 2008

2008
January

Once ****
Vitus ***
Transformers **1/2
The Namesake ***1/2
Ratatouille **1/2

February

Juno ***
Amazing Grace ***
Double Jeopardy **1/2
No Reservations **1/2
Becoming Jane ***
Blind Dating **
La Vie en Rose ***

March

Planet Terror **1/2
Death Proof **1/2
Mostly Martha **1/2
Dan in Real Life ***

April

Death at a Funeral **1/2
The Forbidden Kingdom ****
Reign over Me ****
Silk **
Jane Austen Book Club **1/2

May

Flying Scotsman ***
Iron Man *****
Meet the Robinsons ***1/2
Hidden Blade *****
Prince Caspian ***1/2
Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull ***
Golden Compass **1/2

June

The Water Horse ***1/2
Kung Fu Panda *****
Linda Linda Linda ***
Spiderman 3 *
Deja Vu ***
You Don't mess with the Zohan ***
Get Smart*****
Taste of Tea **
WALL-E ***1/2

July

Hancock **1/2
Resident Evil: 3 ***
Hellboy2 ****
Meet Dave *
The Dark Knight ****
Wanted **1/2

August
The Other Boleyn Girl **
The Game Plan ***
In Bruges **
Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control ***
Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay ***
The Mummy 3 *
Thunderpants **
You Kill Me ***
Keeping Mum ***
Atonement *
Tropic Thunder ***
Star Wars Clone Wars **
Greenfingers ***
CJ7*
History Boys***
Charlie Bartlett ***
Transamerica ***
Naruto the Movie: Land of Snow **1/2
Lives of Others ****
Persepolis ***
Balls of Fury ***
Miss Pettigrew lives for a day ***1/2

September

Shinobi Heart of the Blade ***
Burn After Reading **
Across the Universe ***
Om Shanti Om ***
The Fall ***
Run Fatboy Run ****

October

Penelope ****

Sex and the City ***

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly **1/2

The Dewey Cox Story **

3:10 to Yuma ****

Made of Honor **1/2

November

Forgetting Sarah Marshall ****

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge **

Mongol ***
Love and Honor ***

December
Role Models *****
When the Earth Stood Still ***
Journey to the Center of the Earth **1/2
The Dutchess ***1/2

Boars Head

Boars Head was a lot of fun. Drove up to Sioux Falls on Friday morning. I had wanted to see if i could get my snow boot zipper fixed at Park Ridge Shoe Repair. They could and it would only cost 10 dollars. Score. Got to Svien's around noonish and we loaded up. We ended up taking two cars since no way we could fit Svien, Funk and Morton's fighter gear, and the rest of the stuff into one car. I guess if I would have had my van we could have all rode together. Sadly its was busy getting a new transmission. Merry Christmas to me. The trip out was uneventful and made it to Jondalara's around 10.

Saturday we were suppose to be up and out of the house by 7:30 since Jondalara was merchanting and needed to be there early. We didn't really leave the house until after eight. Got to site and helped her unload. After that I got dressed spent a lot of the day visiting with lots of people. I hung out with Siri watched the rose tourney. Hrodwyn won two for me. Roamed the merchants a bit with Kathy. Forgot to look for a Christmas present for my mom. Doh! Late afternoon I watched Gaia become Astrid's protege.

After Court we loaded up and went to Applebee's to eat. I was very hungry since I didn't eat much during the day. It was raining then and we were a bit worried it was going to freeze. It didn't. Yay. Went back to site since I rode with Jondalara and the boys were going a in Milwaukee hosted by a friend of Funk's. Jondalara and I went to the Comfort Inn and hung out His Highness, Gunther and Co.

Sunday people were slow to get going. We had a yummy breakfast and then headed out to pick Funk up. Wasn't until then that the boys realized we might have to drive through ick. I told them that we should be able to get to MN at least and no use staying in Milwaukee. So we left and it wasn't until we got to Blue Earth that it got crappy. Visibility was the big problem. Around Jackson I told Svien that I was willing to pay for a hotel room. He was determined to go on since the roads were mostly clear. Only snow pack was near bridges. I said okay at that point and continued to keep my eye on the white line. I was glad I wasn't driving. It was pretty crap but we made it back to SF around 10. I ended up staying at Svien's since i didn't want to drive home alone in the dangerous cold. Drove home on Monday. It was horrible cold but made it home no problem. We got some snow at home but it all ended up in the ditches and in my parking spot. Wasn't too happy with the job they did cleaning out our apato lot. Its snowing againg today so they get today to do better. Otherwise I am calling.

Yuletide and Snow

Yuletide was fun as per usual. Its a nice little event. I didn't get to hang out with Rue as much as I wanted but other than that it was a good time. Stopped off and did some shopping before I got to site. Still need to pick up a few things for Mom and Dad. Gah they are the hardest to buy for. Dad's a little easier since he is not as picky as mom. I just don't know. Every year is harder and harder.

The post revel was at Rick's house in Brandon. A little bit of a drive but fun when we got there. Ended up staying over since I had no great desire to drive home at 3am. Everyone was still sleeping when I left at 9. The rest of Sunday was spent doing the usual laundry and napping.

In the evening Hagan called to see if i wanted to go see Role Models. It was hilarious. At lot of the movie takes place with a LARP group and there are many moments that I think would amuse SCA people.

Yesterday we got snow. Started out as rain, ice then snow. (I think that was the scenario for most places) It was ice pellets when I left work. Thankfully it wasn't a complete ice sheet under foot. The crappy part was that I have traded vans with my Dad while mine is being looked at. Its leaking transmission fluid. Not good. While my Dad's van has an remote starter, awesome I think I want one, the bad part is that I forgot to grab my uber ice scrapper. Instead of my heavy duty one I had to make do with a flimsy bank giveaway scrapper. Managed to scrap off enough to see to get home. I was glad I didn't have to go anywhere after that.