damont

In which plans are made, changed, and as usual fail to survive intact when reality hits. But no worries, it all turns out okay in the end.

When I first started looking at my calendar for this month, I had pencilled in Æthelmearc Coronation for the weekend just past. Over time, however, I decided that I'd be better off going to EKSR Spring War Practice instead. As the weekend approached I was wondering whether I wanted to go at all... it seemed that the event was going to be a place where my friends present would all clump up into little clumps that didn't include me, and I'd be left out. What was more, the weather forecast was fugly and the prospect of camping in a little nylon tent was massively unappealing. (Having only been to Spring War Practice once before, and that just during the day, I honestly didn't know that there were more than ten screenhouse-cabins, plus the Lodge, with summercamp beds in them; I'd never seen them, and the event announcement was a bit vague.)

So, on Thursday I was feeling very fragile and very close to crawling into a dark hole and pulling the sod cover shut for a while. My blue funk was interrupted by a message from

blaisedec requesting a rescue run, so I picked him up and took him to meet

nostasia in order that they might get to choir practice on time. I ended up going to choir practice as well. Later that evening, the gentle encouragement of a few certain people (you know who you are, and thanks) plus the knowledge that I had Birch Beer to hand over, persuaded me to go up to the event after all... but I hadn't packed yet.

Friday, I was going through email and LJ and getting as caught up as I could get before heading out for the weekend, when

montuos informed me that she was having abdominal pains. The symptoms seemd to indicate appendicitis. She waited until quittin' time at work, and headed over to the hospital. I met up with her there. Several hours later I was still there, not having had anything to drink since breakfast, much less had lunch, much less had dinner. And I still hadn't packed. But when it became clear that she was going to be in the hospital at least overnight,

montuos kicked me out, told me to go get liquids and food into my system, get some sleep, and go up to Spring War Practice anyway dammit (or words to that effect). Well, she was in the hospital for *two* nights, and yes it was her appendix, and she's out of the hospital now, sans appendix. (See here and here for bits of aftermath.)

What with everything going on, I didn't reach the site until shortly after noon on Saturday. Had enough time to check in, change, and load up my plate with lunch before

bunnyjadwiga's class on medieval sallets (salads) and pottages. Spent some time after that looking for

nazrynn, who didn't make the event, but did manage to visit a bit with

math5 and

loosecanon in the kitchen. Also got to talk briefly with

fosveny,

kyleri,

giselle0002, and

amykb before court started.

HRM Brion started court with announcements that Æthelmearc and Atlantia had both pledged to ally with the East this year (no surprise at all, considering who's on the thrones of each). But then he went on to say "And I have also talked with His Majesty Felix of the Midrealm..." and titters broke out in many spots in the audience. Apparently I'm not the only one who took his parallel construction and ran with it along the lines of "...and The Midrealm will also be fighting for the East this year." Wouldn't *that* be something... Other highlights of court: Genevieve's "What?" in a very Miss-Piggy-suspicious tone of voice when her name got called; "the local Jadwiga" (as opposed to

bunnyjadwiga sitting right behind her) not catching that she's just been called, until a bunch of us said "That's *you*! Get up!"; and of course, Samuel getting inducted into the Silver Crescent.

In the Rec Hall before/during/after court I managed to talk with

alphaggek and

bunnyjadwiga, and

math5 lent me her phone to get an update on

montuos's condition. I also got to see

edelweiss68 for the first time since October -- and that was a nice scroll you did! (At least from the distance I was sitting at...) Dinner with

bunnyjadwiga and

amykb followed, after which we went back to the camp and caught the last hour-and-change of a party. Finally got to see

siobhan1214 if only briefly.

I had gotten sleeping space, so I crashed out until it was almost time for breakfast on Sunday morning. I appeared to be one of the first folks up so I didn't have to wait to take my shower. During breakfast I got to sit for a little bit with

giselle0002,

baronadhemar,

siobhan1214, and

merricke. Then stayed to clean up the site. On the way home I figured out that I'd stayed around as a way to wind down with people around, rather than going home by myself without winding down first.

It was a good event, though it would have been better if I could have gotten there Friday evening... but stuff happens. I just wish I'd had more time to talk to everyone, especially

kyleri,

fosveny,

giselle0002, and

siobhan1214. But I did get the birch beer delivered to Siobhan... *next* time maybe we'll have time to sit down and drink some!