[Ansteorra] Event Tales (was First Event)

[Hillary Greenslade]

Michael Silverhands said:
"Unless I'm mixing up events in my mind, that's the event where  
Hillary Greenslade's car bottomed out in the mud in the middle of the  
erstwhile parking field. A gang of "beefy young men" (and some not so  
beefy) (and some not so young) surrounded the car and manually lifted  
it out of the goo. I was the lightest and smallest present (which  
should tell you something about the beefcake assembled) and was  
unanimously voted on the spot to be the one to sit in the driver's  
seat and try to drive Hillary's car out of the mud... assuming that  
we were able to lift it out of the mud in the first place. Everyone  
lifted, the car floated for a moment, I carefully engaged the  
accelerator, and miraculously drove out of that sodden place to  
higher ground. Hillary told me later that she had a moment of alarm  
when she realized I wasn't going to just drive a few feet, and kept  
on going... and going...

What she didn't know was there was *no way* I was going to let the  
car stop forward motion (if I could help it) until it was on solid  
ground again. :-)
Michael Silverhands  " 

The event was 'Five-Star', up at Don Eule's place near Livingston.  
It rained and rained and later we loving called the event 'Mud Star'. Checked in at gate up the
hill and though I had been at site before, the road had been regravel... so the gate told me to
head down the hill and take a right - well pitch dark, couldn't see a road, took what looked like
a right, and ended up heading straight up the hill.  Somewhere I realized I'd made a wrong turn,
and headed over to the set of camp lights, forgetting completely that there was a mossy, wetland
ditch in the middle of the field, and of course, I got stuck in it up to the frame of the car -
stuck solid.   So, I opened the trunk and carried my gear over to the campsite and left the car
where it was.  

Saturday, fighting ensued around the rain clouds - it would rain, the fighters would huddle under
trees, it would clear up and everyone came out to play, then the rain would start again, they
would huddle under trees.   At one point it rained so hard a bunch of us were huddled in the A&S
tent, and realized too late that it was not rainproofed, so here I am getting wet, but my umbrella
is over the box of award scrolls on the table (good scribe).  We had flooding of a foot of water
running downhill, as the site was on a gentle slope; with ant piles floating by.  Queen Regina,
deathly alergic to ants, stayed on the throne with her legs crossed under her, and the beefcake
assembly carried her throne around from place to place, so she wouldn't come in contact with the
ant-flotillas.   

At one point we decide it was time to get Hillary's car out of the marshes, and I was afraid if I
drove it, I'd run into someone in the mud - so Michael took the helm.  Don Eule had run off to get
his tractor, as he'd been pulling folks out of the mud already, but the beefcake decided they
could handle Hillary's Gran-AM (there was a concern even Eule's tractor would get stuck in the
marsh mud).   So, Michael drove the car up the hill, with me standing there with my mouth open,
saying 'Where's he going?  My camp is over hear!!'.  When Mike got back down the hill he promptly
told me I could hike my gear out of the site, but he was taking no chances that my car was going
to be stuck again.

Meanwhile, (yes the saga continues)... Don Eule came back ready to do tractor duty, and Rowan
decide to have a bit of fun with him.  She had me tell Don Eule that when the assembly went out to
move my car, we opened the door and all the water rushed in and it SANK!!   Don Eule was frantic
as I walked back and forth saying 'I don't think my insurance will cover this' repeatedly.  We let
this one go on for a while, Rowan embellishing the tale, Eule getting more frantic... and finally
Rowan wandered off a bit, and taking pity I leaned over and whispered to Eule... 'Look up at the
gate tent.. see that bit of white metal off behind it... that's my car, they drove it up the hill,
and wanted to have a bit of fun with you'.  

Immediate relief as Eule realized there was no problem, and then the knowledge that he'd been
'had' came over his face. He thought in silence for a moment and finally looked at me, just the
two of us still standing there - and said - 'Don't tell them that I know the truth!!'.. and then
he ran off after Rowan to continue the 'drama'.  

All in all, it was a great event, one I'll always remember, and when the day was done, and most
folks had left the site - we still had feast - the best steaks I've ever had, cooked by Spider and
his crew.    Wow, an event to remember! 

Cheers, Hillary 
(apologies for the length) 
PS - I had a muddy handprint from the beefcake assembly on the passenger interior plastic area
that I never cleaned off as long as I owned that car, as a rememberance of 'Mud Star'.