For the actual event all I can say is that a weekend is way too short. I left at oh-my-god in the morning on saturday, arrived on site by 9:30 and left by 2:30 on Sunday. It was a bit brutal. I also "packed light" which means that I didn't really have the things I needed to be comfortable - although buying a chair there helped. I also have an astonishing bruise on my lower back which I attribute to sleeping on the exceptionally hard and lumpy ground of the Serengeti. I do, however, have great respect for the folks from Drachenwald who have made due with what will fit in their luggage trans-atlantic plus what they can borrow, or afford to buy and leave behind. They have fewer ammenities, but such a wonderful and adventuresome attitude toward the whole thing.

Amazingly I got a small dose of nearly all of the Pennsic ammenties. A bit of time shopping. A walk around the lake and up the runestone field. A rocking party hauled into camp by some seriously crazy Outlanders including a drink cooler of Margaritas, chips & salsa and 2 cheesy sombreros. Some random camp visiting and people watching. Vlad's slave auction. Evil politics. Amusing drunks. Watching some dancing at the barn. Just about everything except combat, now that I think of it. And no court. All the royalty I saw were just letting it all hang out.

So now I have had a Keilyn fix which I desperately needed (ack! and we forgot to do the ATM thing, sorry). My dearest Keilyn looks well and has some exceptionally entertaining friends from "across the pond". While I miss her dearly here, I understand the attraction to staying there. Everyone I met was delightful. But I will never again shop with Ormswyn (however you spell it!), even though he makes a fine and amusing drunk - albeit a very large one.

Everyone should be required to spend a little time in Drachenwald camp, if only to listen to the amazing conversations that groups of Swedish fighters have (this is just a random phonetic attempt at re-creation) "ern d splern d flat snap to the helm d splern d fern d". They are an amusing group. Particularly Cormak and Sigusmund.

I also had the most wonderful and thought provoking conversation with the lovely Helena from the Shire in South Africa. It was about being very far from home and everyone speaking a language that is not one's native tongue. I am also embarassed by how well all these folk spoke english - If I know even 5 people who are that bi-lingual, I'd be suprised. Every one of the folks I met in camp were fluently bilingual or multilingual. For many I would never have guessed that something other than English was there first language. And that goes for Swedes, Fins and my lovely new Afrikaner friend.

I saw many, though not all of my friends. I missed some by timing and some by lack of time. I also was amazed at how many people did not recognise me - until Keilyn pointed out that I was swathed in veil, hat and shades and was therefore not particularly recognizable. So if I missed you or if you're just now thinking - so that's who was with Keilyn, sorry I should have spoken up.

I am struck by how much older we're getting. To see Young Tony - little just doesn't work any more - was jarring, but the real kicker was a much grayer Vis. Nothing like seeing your peers age to drive home the number of candles on your own cake.

I had a wonderful time, but I'm glad to be home - I really missed the munchkin, and I do love my comfortable house. Pennsic is good for that. It also reminded me of the great joys of real beds and flushies. I was there less than 30 hours and definitely worse for the whole port-a-john experience.

Now my head is spinning and floating with plans for what I should make and build to play SCA better. I'll probably start small with a new dress for Coronation, but by next Pennsic who knows!

To�� &�� fro