If you had invoked me before you began this journey,

Well, let's start with 50 Books, shall we? In no particular order:

1) Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper - I then lent it to my dad whose first comment was "I want to buy a cleaver now." I, already being in possession of a cleaver, bought two of her cookbooks, both for
specific regions. Land of Plenty, which is Sichuanese, and Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook, which is Hunan. There's a bunch of really good stuff in them, and I'm really looking forward to cooking out of it.

2) The Fortune Cookie Chronicles - short, easy, read on take-out Chinese in the US. I'm fairly convinced it's related to an article in the Times a few years ago about the origins of fortune cookies, but damned if I totally know.

3) The Umbrella Academy, Volume 1 - Surprisingly good. I nabbed in on the cheap for the iPhone (Dark Horse is putting out a bunch of trades in such a format) and got sucked in. The James Jean cover art may or may not have been partially responsible.

4) Percy Jackson and the Olympians - The Lightning Thief - I... don't know. I'll probably read the rest, but I don't think it was absolutely wonderful. The characters and the characteristics of their immortal parents were well-done, and the idea was good, but I felt it was... a bit lacking somehow.

The next books sitting on the to-read list are mostly partially-read. Likely, they'll get tossed aside in favor of a history of the Custer Battlefield since 1876 (work reading, title is Striken Field) and You Are Not A Gadget, which I think, based on some skimming, I will both love and hate. Expected reaction shouldn't be as violent as the one to Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, which is one of the few books where I've wanted to kill the writer.




Other than that, I went out to fighter practice tonight. I'm not a newbie, I am uber!noob! But, on the bright side, I practiced some simple things with Bryan and am feeling a bit better with stuff overall. With luck, enough friends will be willing to put up with me poking at them for a bit of time once a week, and all shall be good. Did discover I need to retape my tip though - red on black... not so good for my sight. Definitely need to get in better shape, but this is a good reason.

Also working on cleaning the house, which is a slow process. Translation - getting the library and spare bedroom to actually *be* such things. It's working out though, which is a nice thing. It's also rather overdue. (If you can consider it a few months to be overdue.) In the end, jut happy to be getting the house together and everything settled. After Crown - and btw, we'll be there Saturday and a bit of Sunday - we're going to get the yard in order.

Tomorrow, between work and CSA pickup, my plans involve, quite simply, homework. I feel like I'm running a little behind, but really I know I'm ok. Need to finish something for last week, but I should be alright, I think, as it's kind of not too much.

About the only downside to all of this is that one of my eyes seems to be a bit sore/painful. I actually think it may be a stye, but that doesn't make things any less annoying. Combined with the fact that I spent all morning being very sniffly, it's not been a good day in Willa!health.

It's always a nice surprise to find out one did better on a paper than expected. A B, albeit a low one, on that damned Photo paper was good. Nearly makes up for the fact that today and Tuesday in the class will be spent listening to Grad Students who don't know how to keep track of time.

Doing test-runs of A&S food this weekend. This should be good. I'm more concerned over the laser sauce than the tracta, but mainly because I"ve never used asafoetida. Ever. As an aside, Cato has directions on how to force-feed poultry. Interesting... Dom should be doing a sausage run, minus casings (which are ordered - for various and sundry reasons and research, went with ordering them online). Of course, now that I think about it, finding time for tests may be less than optimal. Hrmmm...

At any rate, next week have (two) lesson plans due for my ARE class, then that's done. Not many details are available for my Photo or Islamic Art/Architecture finals, and I've got the full list of questions for my Judaic studies class - he'll end up selecting three or four, and we pick two. Final grades seem to be shaping up as a mix of As and Bs. I figure I may as well at least give the illusion of continuing to care. *grin* This is, nonetheless, a nice weight off my shoulders.


And, for amusement - Do I Have Pig Flu?

First off - alas, no Crown for us. I maintain a tiny fragment of hope, but it's very unlikely. *sigh*

It does mean though that, if I'm smart, I'll end up using the weekend to do something useful. Who knows what, though. I've a number of projects that are in various stages that I need. to. finish. It's not that I'm lazy, though there's truth in that statement, or that I'm in a rut, which I'm not. It's simply there are more interesting projects I find myself wanting to start.

What can I say? I'm a dabbler...

War, as I said before, went swimmingly.

I bought books - including Anglo-Saxon Food and Drink, Out of the East: Spices and the Medieval Imagination and The Cambridge History of Western Textiles. I forsee at least a minor bit of serious chaos. also grabbed a copy of Cooking Apicius for comparative purposes.

I discovered I actually quite like mead. My only experience prior was with Bunratty, which was far too sweet. The stuff I had over the week(end) however, was really good. If anyone knows how I can get a bottle of two from White Wolf Meadery, I will happily pay for it.

Really though, my goal this war was simply to sit back and relax, maybe get a class or two in (took raventhourne's 10 Books class), and get some volunteering in (about seven hours total). The sit back and relax part was easy - hang out with friends and talk. The two best nights were those I spent at the Baronial fire. They were quiet (comparatively), fun, and exceedingly pleasant. Amusing stories, talking with richarddbrewer about bread (and yeast), and tasty, tasty mead.

Also, the Blue Bottle Brandy from Sable Ax is a thing of great joy. Hell, I'm just immensely fond of the household and the people in it.

It was also a war where I kind of got my head in a better direction, SCA-wise. If that makes any sense. This was my fourth Estrella, and it was one where I was looking at alot of things and thinking "I like that, is it possible for me to make it myself?"

So now, I'm full of ideas, and life is pretty good.

Well, apart from this annoying cold...

So, most of you who have spoken to me (or read my lj...) recently have heard that I'm debating the wisdom of attempting to make this gown.

Now, issues at hand include the fact I know very little about early/mid 16th century German clothing and the fact that I'm currently in the midst of some indecision. I know I want the high neckline, and likely either the same color or one very similar. i'm not seeming to see anything in the paintings in blues and silvers, which would likely be my chosen colors. however, there's something so warm about the reds and golds...

Now, I'd very likely use a pattern for this gown - Reconstructing History's Saxon (Cranach) Gown. I am nowhere near enough a confident seamstress to try something like this without at least some help.

Images of the style aren't particularly hard to find it seems - here and here for example.


Of course, there's that nagging thought of "I probably couldn't pull this off."

Input from all would be most welcome...

I need to dredge up some of my Alice In Wonderland/Charles Dodgeson-related nonfiction...

That said - today was good. Not that Saturday's Sable Knight wasn't, but today was enjoyable overall.

Even if we did leave home with one shield and come home with two. I learned - if you can't find domnall on the field, look for him in the shield wall. They're currently both propped up in what passes for a hallway in this apartment.

And they're both going to war with us - I forsee some interesting games of tetris. I think it's also going to mean it may be practical to look into a period pavilion over the course of the next year...


At any rate - even if I wasn't as social as I was on Saturday, I still had a good time. And since he so rarely updates his lj, domnall had a good time as well. Apart from a bit of worry involving his back - was coming down off a hay-bale and was knocked backwards onto his back - all is good. But he was quite pleased, and we should be starting to come out to Tuesday more regularly. his new(er) helm shall also be done by estrella, damn it

I, on the other hand, shall be assimilated into the rapier blob.


In other news, not a massive amount of Estrella sewing - coat, tunics, and pants for domnall (all rather simple, and from the current stash) and a few under-dresses for me. I'm going to need to order more linen for new fighting stuff for him - gambeson, pants, and possibly coat of some type. But that's post-Estrella.


And now, I'm going to collapse. Sleep!

So, the big thing I managed this week was to sew new clothing for domnall. (And an underdress for myself.) And, if I do say so myself, it looked pretty good. Mind you, it needs some work, namely actual, working, closures. I'm thinking I may take it in a little on the sides, just to fit it better, but I'm unsure.

When he says "I could live in this," I'll take it as a good sign. *grin*

Besides, god damn it, I actually finished it. Ha! Yes, the picky part of me points out that all the hems were machine-done. And there was interfacing used. However it was linen, and I made the buttons (it's the little things!), it looked very good. Particularly as I've not made anything like this before. I think I did pretty well, all things considered.

Let's see, domnall is now Exchequer. I forsee much chaos, and fully intend on doing as much as I can to help him. (Read as: make sure he gets food/water at events. Make sure everything gets out before events. If he's the only one at troll and needs to run an errand - hold the fort down until he returns by telling people to hold their horses.)

Along with this comes the fact that he's planning on getting back out onto the hardsuit field. Hrmm... exchequer plus hardsuit will equal some work. He's planning on fighting at Sable Knight, and we'll be at War Practice. Both things are good. On the downside however, I highly doubt that he'll be able to fight in Baronial tourneys/events for at least a small while - but who knows, we'll see. Simply my personal views on the matter, though.

The weekend, overall though, was really good. On Saturday, a new baron and baroness elected! Woot! And there were people to see and talk to! And I was a suitably space-cadet prior to coffee. (I swear, my brain hates me sometimes. I really think I lack short-term memory occasionally.) I was once again reminded that we should be more social - there were at least a few comments of "we need to see more of you guys." I think we certainly will be more social. I constantly forget how much I enjoy hanging out with some people...

Estrella To Do:
* Make hats and coats.
* Make another kaftan, pair of bag trousers, and two underdresses. Sure, we'll be wearing stuff multiple times, but I don't care.
* Repair all existing stuff that's coming.
* Sew fleece for bedding.

I just happen to be fond of Alia...


At the least, stuff is going well. School starts tomorrow, though I don't have any classes until Thursday. I'm taking four classes, and I anticipate that they should be at least marginally interesting. I do need to make sure that I get my graduation stuff in order soon, the less I worry about it, the better.


Have cut out new stuff for domnall, it should be done by polling. With luck, I may be able to finish an underdress as well for myself. I anticipate good events the next two weekends, at any rate. Even if I'll likely be wearing the same stuff... *grin*

Bed sounds like a lovely concept right now. I think I'll be off.

Let's see what's going on in Willa's world...

A) Semester is rapidly coming to an end. Grades are a mixed bag, as usual. *sigh and shrug*

B) Have started the application process for grad school. Have asked both teachers who I want to write me letters - and both have agreed. Need now to ask my boss. Even though I only need two letters, I think having that third will help. I'm putting archiving as one of my interests and it shouldn't hurt.

C) Extra time in Santa Fe! Also, if I get into grad school - they're going to look into keeping me.

D) Thanksgiving plans are puttering along. I have, in my finite wisdom, decided to cook everything myself. well, domnall is certainly helping. Granted, this is probably actually less work than it sounds like. It's also serving as a jump-start for general cooking. I cleaned the fridge - a depressing thing, as I should have done it a week ago - and now need to re-fill it.

E) I have wool and linen. Since domnall and I both need new SCA stuff, I decided to bite the bullet and order a better-quality of fabric. Viking-era, here we come! (Also - where in particular do you lot go for leg-wraps...?)

Also - budgetscadian

F) Also, there shall be sewing of pj-pants. Need to get some fleece though...

G) Damn it - I may not be a total period-perfectionist, but I'll admit, the troll over on you-know-where really annoyed me. Yes, yes, I know, troll... Shouldn't grouse... It did remind me, again, that I really need to make sure I have appropriate head-coverings for Estrella.

Thus far, Estrella purchase plans are more along the lines of supplies for various things. (and trying not to drool over any of this stuff, namely the first set of brooches...)


And finally - damn this illness going around. My dad had it at one point (he told me over the phone), domnall had it, and now I do. Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of being able to take sick days - namely because I'm running a bit short on cash right now - and so have been drugging myself up and going to work.

GRE is finally over, thank the gods.

The nice thing about taking it as a computer-based test was that I got my grades immediately. And the result was satisfying - not abysmal, but respectable. I am quite pleased.

Mind you, the cost of this was that we did not go to Coronation. While I am rather sad about this fact, at the same time, the call of getting stuff together for grad school was a wee bit more important.


As an aside - looking like it may be just domnall and I again this year at Southern. The other parties have all had things come up recently, in some cases very, very not good, and so there's a good chance they'll be unable to make it... *shrug* So be it.