Thank you to all who made suggestions on cars, but apparently we fear change.

This Saturday was the Free Scholar/White Scarf gathering at Kit's place. There were over 30 fighters in attendance, and while I only took some pictures, laughed at some of the bouts, and got to hang out with friends before and after, here are a few photos of the day.



I did stay up until 3am both nights for a little chatty time with 'Nar and Christian, which could have been predicted.

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I've spent much of my time spranging in order to practice and have some nice examples to share this weekend at the Sheep and Wool Fest.

This is the red wool sprang pouch I made on Tuesday:


On Thursday night I warped up some natural gray hand-spun wool Kymber gave me a while back, and attempted some different twist patterns in this piece. Unfortunately, the wool was very sticky and while clearing the shed was a bit tough, making sure to only grab what was intended was tougher. So it is neither polished nor pretty, but a learning experience.


After the trial of the gray wool, I then decided to try a small plain cream fisherman's wool bag. Alas, the chunk of wool I reeled off was riddled with worn places, and instead of just trashing it/ using it for stuffing or something else, I tied knots and tried to work with it. So I have another small lumpy piece with uneven patterning. pitiful, but completed on Saturday.


Finally, I warped up a piece of more of the cream fisherman's wool, along with some in a peach color that I had dyed with pokeberries a while ago, in order to try another bag of sprang with Coptic twined patterning. Luckily I paused on Saturday night when I was getting too tired, and finished the rest of the piece on Sunday afternoon. Someone said it looked like a dreamsicle, which I will take as a compliment.


So that was fun, but I would like a successful piece of the twist patterned sprang, like the Danish Bronze Age cap. Must try that this week. I also love the pattern idea in Collingwood's Sprang book on making mittens, so that looks like fun to try as well.

Just a quick post to show off some pictures of our Glades Pottery items.

Kynny and Tonwen took pictures with their fancy uber camera, and I took a bunch with my silly little digital clicker. I'll leave the thousand words for later, and just give you the pictures for now...

Kynny's Florida Pictures
Jen's Sailing Pictures

Bob's Super-Party Pictures


We've survived yet another one of Bob's birthdays. Happy Birthday Mr. Quatermain, and may your study of anal-ogy and anal-bum-covers go well. Heroes, Villains and those unclassified others all came together for one heroic night. Dr. Jekyll tended the bar, Mina Harker lay out an impressive buffet of tasty foods, Ursula was the best villain costume in attendance, and Rainbow Brite was determined the best "hero", although my money was on Black Canary. Sadly the karaoke machine didn't get used, but the trash and recycling bins are full so folks seemed to have a good time just the same. I think the total head count was 49; 45 heroes and villains, 2 lame folks not in costume (Matt? Freddy? Do I need to costume you next time myself?), and 2 super dogs.

Sunday morning, the secret hideout hosted yummy brunch to 16 secret identities. We had coffee, OJ, waffles, scrambled eggs, and 4 kinds of sausage; chicken and apple sausage, and 3 different types from Gunther's farm thanks to Drea's trip to the Raleigh Farmer's Market. Then we worked together to set the house back in order so little clues were left to the party the night before. Thanks for your help folks!

Alan and I spent the rest of Sunday napping, curled up by the roaring fireplace, and doing other little cleaning tasks. I love hosting this party every year, as we get a wonderful gathering of friends at our house, and we are also guaranteed to have a clean house at least once a year. :) We ended the night by catching Superman Returns on TV, which seemed very fitting given the weekend.

LOL ratz for melaniesuzanne

Apparently this weekend was the 25th MTA held at Jamestown. I guess after making a big fuss for the 400th Anniversary, celebrating a 25th seemed kinda eh. But it was cool to see the variety of camps and troops. I hadn't seen the grand parade before, so I played paparazzi a bit on Sunday towards the end of the day.


After all the stress of ramping up and surviving the 400th, it was nice to be a bit more laid back. Lara, the new fort manager, asked us what we wanted to do and let us have our ease. Since Sandy's mom was in the Barracks, it seemed a bit crowded on Saturday, so I spent time knitting on my Tudor stocking outside the Buttery to draw folks in, checked on Dexter doing medical demos in the Gov's house to spell him a bit, and pretty much bounced around. I did have a small triumph in that the apricot almond custard needed to be removed from the Dutch Oven while Sandy and Carla were out looking at the sutlers and it was just Diane and myself. So, I managed to lift the pie plate out without cracking and dropping anything, and also without burning myself. Hooray! The food that was made on Saturday was extremely yummy and even sustained us some into Sunday.

Sunday was a smaller staff, so I worked with Jennie and Lara in the Barracks cooking simple pottages. I was able to take a few breaks and visit with others, drool over Eadric's pottery, chat with the nice folks of Grey's Company, buy the last of the amazing Canadian's knives (although I still need to arrange payment), and at Alan's direction, bought a nice chafing dish and pitcher so Alan can start doing period coffee preparation at events instead of using the camp stove and metal coffeepot. Yes ladies, I was asked to buy more pottery. Force my hand...

Alan and I exited the fort around 4:30pm, changed and got on the road home. We didn't encounter much traffic since we took 301 home to avoid the stretch of hell between Fredericksburg and Springfield, but we were dogged tired when we did get home. I've got an aching neck and sore feets, and Alan has an aching shoulder from a pinched nerve in his neck that he's visiting the chiropractor for. We've survived James Fort yet again, to play another weekend.

Wendy of the Magic Hands is awesome. hooray massage!

I also finally got a link to my little sister's pictures from her trip to Africa over Christmas and New Years. Wow. That looks like it was fun, and she hasn't even uploaded her pictures from the trip to Zanzibar yet. Now I really wanna go to the DC Zoo. Do they have zebras? I like zebras in a cantankerous stripey horse kinda way.  But you gotta admire the graceful gazelle.

 Ymir was fun. I am sick again. I tried very hard not to be Plague Monkey X and keep my distance. I got to meet Molly the Papi-poo, who was too cute and I hope she finds a loving home. I didn't do any service, beyond sweeping out the cabin some and perhaps some consultation. In general I just visited with folks and had a nice, slightly drug enhanced, day.

I did take some pictures of Lisette's heavy rapier authorization, Theron's knighting, and our silly partying back at the cabin later. Enjoy!

*cough- hack* Time for bed.

Well, we had one heck of a weekend. Many hours in the car, many family hugs, some family treasures unearthed...

 

Yesterday I was feeling a bit poorly, so I stayed home and ended up napping for 3+ hours. Apparently I needed it. It was nice and relaxing, but very scattered and disorganized in my brain. Took me forever to organize my thoughts for a handout to pass off to Branwen, who is presenting the Plimoth Project information that I originally signed up for.

Lots of pictures were taken and have been uploaded from this weekend. Most aren't of any interest, but if you are bored, you can see them starting here.
Farewell Grandma.

I HAZ A SNOW PURSUN!
 

I prefer to think of her as our guard snow-alien. I also got best-wife-evar points for shoveling the driveway, sidewalk, and walkway while my Alan was stuck in the E-ville DC traffic on his way home. After all my shoveling work I decided to make a snow-being with some of that removed snow, as well as making a snow-angel. Hadn't done either of those activities in years, but since I was already adjusted to the cold and wet, and the sleet had ruined the snow for snow cream, it seemed the next logical step.

whee!

June 2007	October 2007	January 2008

Progress is very evident, but also shows how much this project is like the tortoise instead of the hare. They still have 4.5 motifs to map out, much less embroider, as well as the bugs and birds. And then there will be the gold vine, calyxes on some flowers, and the spangle attachments. There is still time to be a part of the project, in case you were wondering, although the further along they get, the more select they will be on who does what task.

I'll do a more detailed write up of the embroidery session soon, but the brain is still whirling with little details of the MFA visit. 

 

Back from Plimoth, had a ton of fun, but very tired. Sadly stitching was canceled today due to the snow storm up there, so we didn't get to finish our last little bits on some motifs. We did get to play in the snow a tad though while shoveling off the car.

I've added 45 more pictures to my Plimoth jacket project set on Flickr. I have over 400 pictures from the MFA, and our visit to see some textiles up close, but can't load them all obviously. We had an awesome time, and apparently my brain is kaput since I'm babbling so it is off to bed for me. 

I'm only updating since cathgracetold me too... :)

 

Okay, it only took me 5+ years to get around to organizing a little album for Alan's Mom, and putting some of our wedding photos online. We've got at least 200 more, but here are a few from our photographer that I choose to get a feel of the day. I particularly enjoy the ones where the subjects are making a connection instead of just posing for the camera.

 

So Wednesday was my last day in Hawaii. While I did not manage to hike Diamond Head crater, I did have a fun last day in the islands. Hawaii got one of its few driving rain and thunderstorms overnight and that morning. (Apparently thunderstorms are so rare the locals were freaked out and some didn't go to work.) Instead of getting up early and hiking, I slept in a little and decided to play around in Jinger's bay in one of their kayaks. It was still sprinkling a little, and I was too chicken to take the camera out over water, but I had a great time playing about in the kayak for 45 minutes, heading up to a local lagoon entrance and back.  My arms got quite the workout and it was fun playing around in the water some more.

Then Jing came and picked me up and we did lunch down in Waikiki at Lulu's before she headed back to work and I did some shopping. Needless to say I had a great time wandering around on the beach, shopping in some great stores, and snacking on some pineapple sorbet with macadamia nut pieces. Eventually Jinger came back to pick me up and we watched the sun set on Waikiki Beach near the pier before heading back to their place for me to shower and pack and go out to eat before boarding the plane.

I am home now, mostly unpacked, the last of the pictures have been uploaded, and I am really ready for bed now.

We did the North Shore again today, only I was tagging along with the older sister, nieces, dad and older brother-in-law. Mom stayed back at the house to hang out on the beach and play her ukulele, as Jing went to work and Josh back to school. But this time we took the reverse route from the one Jing and I took on Sunday. Roads in Honolulu are... um.. non-intuitive. There is an H201, but it is not on any map we had. And exits off the freeway do not necessarily have exits to return to the freeway. Sigh. Escaping Honolulu was more of a chore than it should have been.

But make it out we did. Eventually, after traveling up the relatively flatter middle of the island, we first hit the surfing competition on the North Shore. The waves were much bigger so the sites and feats were much more impressive. The nieces seemed to enjoy playing in the sand more than trying to watch the surfers, but oh well. We hung out there for at least half an hour if not more before we were dragged away from the lure of the surf. On the way out we saw Bethany Hamilton walk by, and thought to stop her and get a picture of her with our Bethany, but she looked on a mission so we didn't want to intrude.

After watching the surfing, we headed to Waimea Valley Audubon Park to hike the "quick and easy trail" to the Waimea Falls. Quick and easy is relative, and valid if you are planning on hiking Kilimanjaro, but it was a bit more than easy, and definitely not quick with my family looking at all the flowers everywhere. After 2 hours up to the falls and back, we eventually hopped back in the car to get shrimp. The hike was lovely and the falls quite powerful, but the little girls apparently aren't rated for 1.5 miles. We still had fun, even if the evil adults had to give the nieces piggy back rides down the hill.



Making it to lunch at Fumis shrimp truck again, we slid in during a pause in the rain. It picked back up when we were under shelter, but the food was good and the company entertaining. The girls ate their tempura shrimp, which I had as well, and I convinced Clint to try the ginger shrimp I had on Sunday which was so tasty. With some puddle jumping we were back in the van scooting down the Windward side of the island, noting the cool terrain, stopping to let some ill-tempered geese cross the road, gawk at the cool land features, stop at the Tropical Farms for more macadamia nut related merchandise and free samples, to finally make it home alive and in tact.

Mom, Dad, Clint, blondemuse, and the girls are now on a plane home after a flury of packing and pizza for dinner before returning the rental and finding the airport. It was good to see them all, but I am glad I have one more day. I plan to hitch a ride into town with Jinger so I can hike Diamond Head in the morning and do some shopping and hanging out in Waikiki afterward. Should be fun. Then I have to pack all my stuff to catch a plane home myself tomorrow night.

Only the love I have for my Alan and the wonderful friends at home will be able to lure me onto that plane home. We'll really need to plan to come back sometime soon.

Very relaxed today. Jinger was back to work and Josh was back to school, and the rest of the folks didn't get off the boat and here until around noon. So, this morning I spent sleeping in, enjoying breakfast of a fresh orange with the morning breeze, decided to go for a swim/walk/float, and got a bit of sun while reading a tad. The water is very shallow right out from Jing's place, so it is around 3 ft deep or less with lots of seaweed for quite a ways until the reef drops off. So while I didn't reach nice open swimable waters, I did get to swim and float a bit out beyond the peninsula in between walks in the water. Still, better than getting up and going to work.

When the folks arrived off the boat, Mom and I got the girls while Jodi, Clint and Dad went to find the B&B for tonight, check-in and bring back lunch. Meanwhile the girls and I walked some on the beach and I got to show them the cute little sand crabs that were running from us, as well as the fish jumping in the shallow waters. Then it was time to take a shower, freshen up, write a few postcards, and head out to Paradise Cove on the leeward side of the island for the Lu'au.
 

We were handed drinks and leis upon walking in, got assigned seats, and explored the activities and shopping. They had areas for the Kekeis (kids) where you could throw a spear, play a horseshoes like game, get a "Polynesian Tattoo" aka: like face painting on the arms etc., make bracelets from ti leaves and flowers, just flowers, or a headband from palm leaves and flowers. Everyone seemed to have a good time before the other festivities such as the blowing of the conch to signal the end of day, opening a coconut, the shower of flowers from the tallest coconut tree, the bringing in of the fishing nets, and the kalua pua (pig) extraction from the cooking pit. The food was great, the dancing entertaining, and the company fun.

Little Trinity volunteered to do anything they asked for volunteers for. She got to help crack the coconut, dance around the floor with the dancers, and go up on stage to learn the hula. Josh had the best quote of the day as Trin was grabbed for the second activity. "She has a face that wants to be on a milk carton." Had us in stitches. Reminded me of Greg and Dianne's Gareth when he was younger and his mom's worries that he was so friendly and talkative to strangers he might just wander off and never be seen again. I swear, when she gets older, she's either going to be on a milk carton or on stage, the ham.

The luau wound down and we took our tired selves home to soon crash in bed, hopefully with the fragrance of plumeria on my pillow. Tomorrow looks to be a busy day as I take the rest of the family up to the North Shore, which they haven't seen yet. Should be interesting.

And Congrats to Travis and Christine on the birth of Noah! I'm glad I checked in to read that much e-mail. Hooray! 

Very tired, quick post tonight. Jinger took me on a wonderful driving tour up the windward coast to the North Shore and back home again. We saw:

• Hanauma Bay quickly,
  
• stopped at the Haloa Blow Hole overlook to see a cool cove, the Haloa Blow Hole, and Sandy Beach,
  
• drove over to Kailua Beach where we decided to stay a while, swim and watch the kite surfers,
  
• drove around to see the Chinaman's Hat from Kualoa Beach,
  
• drove into the island a bit to find the Tropical Farms Macadamia Nut farm with free sample coffee, samples of the various flavors of maca-nuts, lovely plants to look at and lovely pearls to purchase,
  
• then up to Kahuku on the Northern point for lunch at Fumis Shrimp Truck, which was delicious,
  
• over to Sunset Beach to watch a little bit of surfing in the relatively smaller waves on the North Shore this afternoon,
  
• down to a super cool rocky cove of the forgotten name which is a haven for hanging out as well as scuba diving too, (EDIT: iz named Shark Cove, duh...)
  
• and finally past Waimea Beach before heading back to home base.

It was a jam-packed morning and early afternoon. For dinner we went to Jinger and Josh's friends' Gabe and Michelle's place for a BBQ with some yummy steak, sausage, orzo salad, poke, and apple pie for dessert. It was nice to hang out with some locals and just chill in the setting sun. A few more pictures have been added to the Hawaii set on my flickr page.

Pictures of my first scuba experience and some fireworks from the booze cruise are now uploaded.


Today was a day of remembrance and honoring those who serve. Jinger and Josh took me to visit the USS Arizona Memorial, Visitor's Center and museum this morning. We even got to shake the hand of a Pearl Harbor Survivor named Alan who volunteers to greet visitors as we wait in line to get tickets.


After a break for a very tasty lunch, we visited the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in "Punchbowl" crater. Designed back in the 40's to host the remains of the many fallen known and unknown in WWII, it now cradles the remains of soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen and unknowns from Korea and other Pacific campaigns. The Honolulu Memorial stands to honor those missing in action in the conflicts, as well as maps the Pacific encounters and hosts a chapel for remembrance. It was a lovely, touching and solemn day.


I ended the day with a walk on the beach, a mosey out into the low tide to snap a few pictures of the views from my wonderful accommodations, and yummy Greek food with my fabulous hosts.
 

The trip so far...

Landed in Maui on Tuesday, checked bag didn't make it until Wednesday, picked up lil' sis at airport later on Tues night and went to K-Mart to get clothes for Wednesday. Wednesday we went to Waihilea, the Maui Tropical Plantation, back to the airport to pick up Josh, to Iao Valley to see the needle rock formation, and out to Mama's Fish house for dinner. Awesome food. Did a lot of driving on Wed.



Thursday we began my birthday early with a trip to Haleakala Crater to watch the breath-taking sunrise, then out to Lahaina for a bit, and then to Manny's sister's place for a fine Thanksgiving meal of both traditional American and Hawaiian foods on the table. I tried kalua pork, poi, poke, lomi lomi, tako, and a spicy papaya salad. Wonderful view, excellent food, better company.



I have now landed in Honolulu with Josh and Jing, staying at their place with high-speed internet for free. Hooray! Haz started upload of some pictures to Flickr already. Am very tired after adjusting myself to local time and then changing the schedule by waking up at 3:15 AM to get to the Crater on time.yawn, need sleep.