Genevieve

Waking Sleeping Sign Repose Wish
The gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam...

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and like all good days, it was good
2002-10-14 - 4:43 p.m.

Wow, this weekend was, er, not what I had planned it to be. My plans for this weekend involved working as an MoL, possibly taking a class or two, shopping some, hanging out with friends and watching Brigit get her Pelican in the evening court. Suffice it to say, this is not what happened.

I love you guys...

Friday night we have a lovely dinner of delivery sushi with Wendy, Kirsten and Mike. We were told that Rob was so tired from his working in Jersy that he was a lump on the couch, or possibly finishing up fixing armour for this weekend. Mike and Kirsten decided to stop and pause for dinner with friends in our area before braving more traffic to make it to their hotel. It was lovely, and afterwards we were so tired we were in bed before 10, and asleep early. Neither of us was looking forward to the 5am wake-up buzzer. Neither of us appreciated it. Alan to his credit got up immediately, tried to rouse me, went to make coffee and immediately started packing the truck. I reluctantly got up, helped pack the truck, and paused for caffiene goodness. After last minute showers, packing, making the guest bed, we were on the road by 7:15am, monumental considering we had a 7am take off time, and I am rarely on time.

By some stroke of magic, we get to site by 8:35am. No, I don't know how we managed this, Alan was driving. We signed in at troll, got our little site medallions, and made our way to the rapier field to set up the two tents Alan volunteered for the MoL's use. Alan and Mel set up the 16x16 on the rapier field and I went to set up the 10x10 on the heavy field. This apparently gave the vigil crew a panic as I was in plain site, but I was oblivious. Thanks to help from Quenrythe and Charles, the dayshade went up in no time, and I made my way down to the rapier field to finish unpacking the truck, set up the changing area of our tent, and set to work. Many rapier fighters had started milling around waiting to sign in. Quentin comes over to see if he can do anything to help so I can get dressed. I slowly unpack the truck, chatting away, and eventually change into a tunic. I start to set up the sign in forms and say something about wanting to put on a veil. Mel advises me that if I don't do it now, I won't do it all day. She is so wise. We sign in a few fighters, chat a bit, Mel sets up two authorizations, etc.

Christian comes over, I get a hug and show him my weaving. Bobby comes over and I get a hug and a quick chat. These things should have been signs, but thankfully for all my friends, I am the blondest of the blonde at times. Then Their Majesties come over with retainers in tow. They ask us how's the sign in going? I explain, totally blonde. They ask if there is enough help. I let them know who all is staffing this table. They ask me to come around so they can speak to me. I hesitate, curious, get up walk around to the front of the table and see the crowd. I'm still very blonde. I look puzzled at the crowd, I don't understand.

Thank goodness for Herveus.

It was seeing Herveus's face in the crowd that brought it all together. He's tall, he sticks out, he's a Pelican... The realization hit like hammer on an anvil.

I froze.

I'm not ready for this, I haven't done enough were thoughts that raced through my mine. To call it a total shock would be a true understatement. I did not think I was anywhere near inclusion in this auspicious order. I've only been in the SCA for 7 and a half years. I still have so much left to do. Kind Cuan and Padraiga set me right, couseled me and set me on vigil to contemplate elevation into the Order of the Pelican.

Thjora took me into the tent to dress me in my vigil tunic. We removed my veil, washed my hands, and I went back into the tent to contemplate and be visited, and to be given advice, charges, etc.

At least I had good hair. In fact the entire drive to the site I braided my hair, and then decided to twine it into a groovy knot at the back of my head instead of just doing the simple loops at the ears. I had the fluffy ponytail on Sunday.

Much of my vigil is mine alone to cherish. I will share a few things though: it is difficult not to laugh when Nia and Ceridwen are with you, Francesca sang for me alone and I loved it, the random armoured fighters who came to see me at the risk of missing fighting, Master Dru's stories and the An Tir Peer Question. Everyone who came into my tent was also subjected to the A&S display that it turned into. I showed them the woven silk belt Bera made for me and the strap to hang the medallion, the enamel on silver medallion Thjora made, the lovely applique banner Lisette made, the breathtaking silver, white bronze and aventurine baronial coronet that Roland made, the green linen and silk houpelande that Thjora made, the green silk embroidered cloak and hood that Theodora made, the unrelated chairs Thjora made for Pennsic. And when folks left I made sure they had tried the food the Isobel made, which was thoroughly delightful. Folks who never made it into the tent remarked afterwards that the food was excellent.

It was a truly humbling experience to see all the work that my friends had gone through on my behalf. It was awe inspiring, it choked me up and made me almost speechless. I am truly blessed to have such friends in my life. Even now, remembering, it brings me to tears. I love them all so much. And everlasting words of some of my friends will remain with me forever in my vigil book. There were even some words from absent friends.

That evening in court Corby made everyone laugh with tales of bravery, Isobel awed everyone with kind tales of a light, Bera made everyone smile at friendship, and Theodora made me cry at sacrifice. chi.

I have no words, my heart is full.

.

.

Also in court Evya received her AoA thanks to her hard work, as did Phillip from Isenfir. Corby and Roland received Shark's Teeth for their valor on the field. It was a good day.

Afterwards were many hugs and then I got to go in with the order to see a truly noble lady, Countess Brigit, also inducted into the order. We are like sisters, twins of a sort, although not identical by far. She can be the sun, and I the envious moon... or something.

At the end of court, our merry party plans of adjourning to our house were thwarted by the lateness of the hour. Since we did have houseguests we could not stay, but found food at a Lone Star, and then went home and were up til 1:30am chatting away. I looked over my vigil book quietly. At times showing funny antecdotes to others. As I crawled into bed I told Alan that if we stayed up for another 3 hours it would have been 24. He grumbled rolled over and went to sleep. :)

Sunday morning was slow moving, but we eventually made our way with a group of 10 to Dim Sum in Wheaton. It was an excellent time, more treasured moments with treasured friends.

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