I don't mind the rat race but I could do with a little more cheese.

vikingsparrow asked for progress pictures and here they are. ( Here's what the pavilion looked like at Pennsic last year (and Gulf Wars and Sapphire Joust this year). )

I was lazy when I got home from work last night and didn't pull out the pavilion roof until 8pm or so. I then spent the next four hours or so drawing the lattice pattern and circles around the valance and along the ridge while shifting Margie and Oreo around my drawing areas. They like to "hep". The pencil lines were fairly light so I didn't take a picture of that step.

I got up this morning at the crack of a quarter after ten and set to painting. My furry housemates kept me company until Oreo stepped on a freshly painted blue line. Luckily, I snatched him off the tent roof before he could make another step. ( I did too good a job cleaning the paint off his foot. )

After that excitement, I banished the cats from the craft room and then finished painting the ridge decorations without assistance. ( Ridge decoration as of today at noon: )

I'm pretty happy with how the ridge has turned out. When that section is dry, I'll start working on the valance. Wheeee!

I said I was going to paint my pavilion today and I am. So far I have painted two-inch wide stripes along six of the ten seams of one wall. Due to space constraints in the craft room (and the size of the panels in between seams), I can paint only three seams and then I have to break to let the paint dry. After my first break, which was extended for lunch, I returned to the craft room and discovered that ( something extra had been added to one and a quarter panels. )

Hubbyfink and I braved the torrential storms and attended today's Challenge of the Novice Heart Tourney because we're insane and that's how we roll. We visited with thatpotteryguy and jljonsn while waiting for a short break in the weather so we could erect the shade without getting completely soaked. We were all set up by the time tattycat joined us and pretty much decorated when the rain started back up. During the heaviest rain, there was one spot where the rain pooled up and caused a steady waterfall; tattycat moved the chair back from the "water feature" and we called it good. We all got lightly misted, but that certainly beats getting drenched.

The shade got lots of compliments, which tickled me pink, and we enjoyed the company of many, many friends. pirategirleee and I put out a yummy spread of sourdough bread, three cheeses, red grapes, garlic pie, chicken in green (sage) sauce, plump strawberries, cherry bread pudding, candied ginger, sekanjabin and lots and lots and LOTS of water. It was a bounty of food and, happily, many people partook of the nibblies. PG's sage chicken got RAVE reviews, and I wish I'd snagged some of her cherry pudding to bring home. Oh, so yummy!

When the skies cleared, I wandered down the row and found myself pawing through duchesssimone's bolts of fabric. You don't need fabric! my sensible side hollered at me. But I don't have LINEN! my spendy side yelled back. I walked out with five yards each of Atlantian blue, coral, and goose turd green linen. Her Fabricness also had the most amazing silk which would be PERFECT for a recreation of the sleeves and underdress worn by Caterina Cornaro in Gentile Bellini's "Miracle of the Cross on the Bridge of San Lorenzo". ( Nattering. ) Duchess Simone said the silk was very Italian-looking and I agreed. But I couldn't remember in which picture I'd seen fabric like that when I was in her shop and I couldn't think of what part of the outfit had that fabric which meant that I had no idea how much to buy. So I had to pass, but I know where the fabric is located.

Hubbyfink and I pulled the shade down and packed up the Prius in record time. Court was short and sweet with geoffreyapclywd's induction as a Companion of the Pearl and courtney_d_h's husband's inclusion in the Order of the Coral Branch. Hooray!

Hubbyfink and I erected the dayshade behind the neighbor's house (the land is slightly flatter) this morning so we (meaning he) could spray the shade down with Canvak. I snapped photos before the spraying began.

( I'm so pleased I could burst. )

We also worked on the clothing rack by cutting down the uprights and rod to the correct lengths and staining the rod. I need to look for the appropriately sized bit to make the holes for the rod, make those holes, give everything a good sanding and then stain the uprights. At this rate, the only Pennsic project left will be painting the pavilion. Oof.

The valance and finials are painted and grommets are inserted. Hubbyfink has cut the poles to size and inserted pins in the ends. Now we just have to set up the dayshade and hose it down with Canvak. Hooray!

The dentist visit this morning for my broken tooth was quick and relatively pain-free (the x-ray tablet things are always too big for my mouth) and I managed to keep my panic mostly under control. This office doesn't do root canals and he's referred me to a specialist who will take a look and determine whether or not I need to undergo that wonderful experience.

Joy. On the upside, this new-to-me dentist has very small hands which is an improvement over the last guy.

I didn't finish the shade fly last night but I'm sooooo close. The front of the valance took some work to get on but, now that I've ironed out the kinks, the sides should be a breeze to attach. I started feeling cocky on Saturday and told Hubbyfink that this tent-making business wasn't that hard. He slipped in, "Make me an arming pavilion," as I amended my statment by saying, "Not that I'm going to make another tent any time soon." But, I bet that I could make one when we eventually replace our oval marquee.

This week we (and by "we" I mean "Hubbyfink") need to cut the perimeter and ridge poles to length and pound in pins. I say Hubbyfink because he's been looking for something new to cut with his circular saw for the past month and I wouldn't want to steal his bliss.

We've had a shop-til-we-drop Saturday thus far. First stop, after the post office, was Toys-r-Us to snag birthday gifts for our neices. They're getting a Fischer Price "My First Dollhouse" plus "Grandma with baby carriage" and "Baby's bedroom furniture". I'm so excited for them! Next up was Tarzhay for toiletries and some household things.

Then, the main target for our shopping: Lowe's. We now have a gallon of exterior latex paint in the most gorgeous shade of royal blue -- not that there's a bad shade of blue -- called "Planetarium". Oh my goodness, this is going to be gorgeous on the tent. I also picked up some new brushes, tarps, and other paraphrenalia. We also found poles for the dayshade uprights and ridge, a metal sleeve for the ridge, and boards and a pole for a clothing rack for Pennsic. Of the wood and whatnot, we brought home only the sleeve and clothing rack pole; we'll go back in the Jeep so the long boards and poles can go on the roof rack.

Last stop was Eastern Mountain Sports to see if they carry Canvak. No dice, but Hubbyfink did get a cute pair of cargo pants on clearance. So, not a total loss.

When we're not spending money like we have some, we're cooperatively killing zombies (and being killed many, many times) in Left 4 Dead. We're having fun, but I can't say this is my favorite game. I want to stop and explore, but that gets you eaten. So, we run for it and shot anything that moves including party members occassionally.

It's been a month since my last SCA event,* and I feel rejuvenated and excited about attending events again. Looking at the calendar, and factoring in familial obligations and whatnot, it looks like my next opportunity for an event is the combo Novice Tourney/Challenge of the Heart in June.

I have grand thoughts of bringing a day shade and furniture and food to provide hospitality to friends and passers-by. We shall see if any of that comes to fruition. I do want a shelter that is easier to schlep and erect than my pavilion. I think maybe something along the lines of the shade fly ballistabob and geoffreyapclywd made which we all used at last year's Night on the Town. Hrm... more plotting and planning required.

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*Heh, that almost felt like a confession. Forgive me, Father...

My goodness, was this weekend packed. Hubbyfink and I attended the Ponte Alto newcomers' meeting at courtney_d_h's house Friday night. Unfortunately, we didn't have any newcomers, but we did get to geek about shoes and pattens and clothing and movies and events and all sorts of other things. We got home very late.

Hubbyfink and I spent a lot of time in the basement Saturday morning, trying to decide what we wanted to do in the storage area to make it more user-friendly. Our ideas include a LOT of weeding and selling/giving away stuff. I finally carried all the clean Pennsic clothes upstairs and staged them for pressing. After putting away several loads worth of clean "everyday" clothes, we washed up and headed over to carthew and tirloch's to paint silk banners and celebrate a certain someone's birthday with BBQ and chocolate chip mint ice cream. Towards the end of the evening, we were all pretty punchy and Aelfred and MissyAnne devised a new music laurel test involving rubber bands and tongue depressers. Let's just say that my apprentice sisters and I are afeared.

Sunday involved a lot of Super Mario Galaxy, ironing, more laundry-putting-away, cleaning, and the baronial business meeting. Nothing much out of the ordinary beyond my volunteering to autocrat an event in either November or December (depending upon site availability). Ack! The budget passed and I have a full event staff. I tell you what: I've never felt quite so loved as when folks started saying "I'll run [a particular aspect] for you." My friends and Barony rock.

So, keep your eyes peeled for more information about the Winter's Welcome Revel. Singing, dancing, a chess tourney, a silent auction, good food, and more cameraderie than you can comfortably shake a stick at.

Here endeth the weekend.

And they're gorgeous! I can't wait to get them in my grubby little hands.

( Edward de Clare's pennant )

( Millicent Chandler's pennant )

I wonder if we'll have them in time for Sapphire Joust...