stellar_muddle | Sleeping above my rank... :)

Back safely after lots of hours in planes and airports. They really do know how to murder an egg.
Now have clean hair, the arguments over who has the computer and internet access have started and we need to stay up till 9pm to try and get sleeping patterns not completely screwed.

So, CF and general trip backness... Will do a round 1 post and may add to this later. There may be a few ummms as I try and remember what went on. Feel free to comment and correct me on things.

Tues 30 Jan
Flights flights flights. Brisbane was hot. Nothing particularly exciting appart from being able to see Comet McNaught from the plane. Not certain what the stewards thought of me hiding under a jersey and looking out the window. Don't care - COMET!

Weds 31 Jan
A day of catching up with people. Started the day at

manus's place. Picked up rental car. Over to Lyttleton to see Z's brother and his wife. Talking and lunch in the sun with a glorious view. Borrowed a bunch of medieval stuff. Superbarn for cups and cheap furniture (Would you pass up $2 per piece of furniture for good wood for bellows?). Para Rubber for mattress. Back to

manus's for a little furniture dismantling on the front lawn - as you do. Then out to Z's parent's place with long visits to Z's Uncle Robin and other family friends along the way. More comet gazing from the car, though this was probably the last decent comet views I got.

Thurs 1 Feb
Searching, sorting and transport time. Tent hunting in shipping containers. No luck so break to go up the hill, see Z's new nephew and the parents whose lives he is controlling through sleep deprivation. Much tool borrowing. Tent was located while we were up there. Back down, car packing and back to Chch for D packing and wedging in and last minute shopping. Mild muttering. Out to site. Found ourselves in a very nice corner which B and

lacedwaist, and S&S were establishing, set up tent, sent Z back for

manus, and generally got things sorted. Evening unpacking and wombing around if I remember correctly. Late night Monging.

Fri 2 Feb
Just missed porrige. Nice spiced apple buns instead. Morning I think sitting around sewing and talking to people. I think. Went to

mmy_me's class on Norse clothing. Afternoon slight drizzle. Finished Z oilskin hood to wearable and put cloak pin eyelets in the rain cloaks. Bounced around dry while it rained. Also during this time

knightclubbing and

queneva established their corner of the camp,

vizi lurked behind, S's awning and the tool tent (borrowed off the Mong) were put up and "The Workshop" took shape. After dinner (very nice fish dinner), there was clustering and conversation under the awning while the rain poured down around. Various people drifted in and out and all was good. Earlierish night

Sat 3 Feb
Morning - not certain. I think I tried to sleep in as long as possibe. This probably holds for most of the event. Nice

basal_surge for getting hot choc, buns and porrige. Market, A&S display - showed off red diamond handsewn tunics. Nice to meet (ish)

pinkdiamond and see some of her sewing (and documentation) close up. Cloak discussions. Vaguely started watching tourney then wombled off to help in kitchen for feast - they were short a few hands, and help set up hall. Feast food was good and I really want to try making the custard. Possibly ditto on the mince pie. Singing in the Mong later. Period migrating to other after midnight. Got a chance to talk to

wenchilada - sorry you didn't get more singing.

Sun 4 Feb
? Morning. Some watching of Z assembling forge and bellows while I sewed. Some rock shifting - wouldn't be a camping event without some rock shifting. Wheelbarrows are good. Forge finally up and running around dinner time. Belt hook made. Communal dinner and talking. Mulling wine on the forge with both pot and hot pokers. People around talking for a while then a bit more Monging(?)

Mon 5 Feb
Z played with the forge, a conversation with

lacedwaist over dancing and fencing wire, lunch prep and Z (and others) played with the forge. I wandered off to watch the Gods and Monsters tourney (took some piccies of that and the forging), then had a nap til ~7pm*. Dinner, getting Z to clean up a little, and then a little dancing at the Ball. The fun of watching the Tassle kicking contest, then court. A number of awards to good people (ie Tear for

cataragon). Then

basal_surge got called up. A Court Baron. I think

cataragon put it best and I hope she doesn't mind me quoting:

The fact that the herald only got as far as the word "baron" in the ceremony, and the hall completely erupted with cheering and applause and foot stamping which didn't die down for several minutes was a particular highlight, as was the fact that his temporary coronet was constructed of looted fence wire :-)

Slight stunned mullet expression amidst much congratulations. I don't think I have heard cheering that loud at a court for a very long time. The growling/grimacing every time he was refered to as "your excellency" eventually died down a little. More dancing, wine mulling and Monging. Late night.

Tues 6 Feb
Time for everyone to go:(. Tents collapse before your eyes and the joys on condensing and containing everything that has exploded out. Last hugs for a while. We left site around 4:30pm after an earlier trip by Z to drop off

manus and D. Z napped while (Hell) pizza was retrieved. Later catching up with people and late conversation at kk and BB's place.

Weds 7 Feb
Definite sleep in and more conversation. Will try and collate/remember what I remember about tents. Sushi and books at Bush Inn, then out to Z's parents, returning stuff and tools etc. More talking, basic computer instruction and photography of Z's grandmother's Edwardian riding jacket - will put up photos in a later post.

Thurs 8 Feb
Early morning as I had a meeting with KP (NZ astronomer) at Uni at 10am. Good talking. Then a tour of Geology with Z - difficult to tell if J&MB remember me via Z or via knowing Mum and Dad from way back or both. Town - museum, art centre, lunch (souvlaki) with B, bank, more looking round the museum - several displays we hadn't seen before. Dropped medieval stuff off at V&M place, back to

manus's place, indian takeaway - best garlic naan, dropped by

goldboy,

lucilu and

sethop's (missed him) place and talked, then wombled back for an earlier night.

Fri 9 Feb
Out to Z's parent's farm again, this time to meet with an anthropologist/geologist working with Uni and the Museum specializing in stone tools - trying to catalogue stone tool sources and useage patterns. Also a dab hand with making them. Happy wandering of rivers and banging the rocks together. Started raining though. Drove back to Chch, dropped off the rental car in the pouring rain. Wombled along Hagley Park in the rain, then bussed to

manus's place via a fish and chip shop (not the best one, but for those sorts of prices you don't mind). Dinner, then after another brief walk in the rain (this time with oilskin) dropped by the drinkies at

thesane& P's place, with the other inhabitants

sandhi and

anagathic and many others** with chocolate and other good things. Pumpkined early (~10:30pm) and finished the last of the packing, with brief confusion over taxi and flight times.

Sat 10 Feb
Up at stupid o'clock (4:30am), taxi 5am, long queues for check in, usual security etc, wait for plane, reading and naps, plane, reading and naps, Brisbane customs wanted to see our (standard medieval) knives but were happy with single blade edges. More waiting, reading and naps, plane, reading and naps. Taxi from airport - had to give instructions cause his navigation system wasn't cooperating. Shower, internet, food, TV, which brings us up to (now) 9pm.

*Yes it appears I can sleep though forging and heavy hammering ~10m away.

** At various times over the event and afterwards the following (not yet mentioned) were encountered and talked to/hugged or whatever - apologies to anyone or anything I have forgotten:

alpha_angel,

argentbear,

auntyyolly,

estoile,

gsv,

margaretta,

misterschmoo,

pepperbeast,

persephane,

realityadmin,

slothphil,

talkingfrog,