<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1170" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>One last message from this event, before the books
close on it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>First, honor to our winners:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Novice Winner: Lady Sara Aston (hand sewn
child's outfit with belt, bonnet and trim)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Keeper of the Flame: Galen of Ennis
Merth</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Bard of the Flame: HL Esther of Ennis
Merth</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>
AND</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Artisan of the Flame: HL Katya</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>And all of the entrants to all of those
competitions, wonderfully skilled people with the courage to put their work
on display and then accept gracefully the critique of others.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In my mind, this event was incredibly
successful. Over 90 gentles arrived to play with us, the weather held (a
shade too hot, but much better than the predicted rain), what was to complain of
? Nothing; but i owe so many deep thanks. I'll try to gather my
thoughts and their names here:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Lothar Wildehaer, supposedly Not my Co-Steward, but
the Site Manager. Yeah, right. Site manager, ice hauler, detail
follower, sign handler, head waterbearer, chief cheer-leader, and possessor of
the ability to believe that Nothing Can Go Wrong! And two weeks at Pennsic
in the middle of it all. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Roana FitzStephen, Class Coordinator and wrangler
of our wonderful teachers. Thanks so much for a truly interesting schedule
of classes, and the flexibility to scoot them around in the middle of the day to
meet needs and surprises. Also creator of the 'items' in the Steppes Letter and
Black Star, and other <small> projects. And designer of the Teachers'
tote bags. This on top of two weeks at Pennsic, as well!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sebastian Mugerza, Chef, Feastocrat, Magician with
Food. Your meals were delicious, creative, and beautifully presented (and
probably documented down to the brand of flour!) And folks, this gentle
came to me at exactly 12:30, the stated time for service to begin, and announced
himself ready to serve! What more can one ask? </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>David ben Leon, Chief Gate Guard, general dogsbody
and clear-er up of details. And the man who kept me pasted together during
the trying months of preparation and thought of things like paperclips and
ladders to pack along.There are no words, sir. . . .</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Esther ap Ennis Merth, our new
Herald. Without Esther, those little red bags would not have had
names on them! Nor would the arranging of the class schedule been able to
continue during Pennsic, nor a million other little details been looked after.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The Eighteen Gentles, including two children, who
taught such wonderful classes that the Hall was often nearly empty - everyone
upstairs or outdoors learning and enjoying those classes! You are all the
core and being of a Collegium, and my appreciation has no bounds.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The six Gentles who judged our Artisan, Novice, and
Bardic competitions: HL Rixende de Roen, HL Philip White, Lady Alienor Lewellyn,
HL Ciard (i won't insult her by mis-spelling her name yet again), Her
Excellency Rosalynde d'Angleterre, and HL Cairenn Day.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Tenchi Sueko, our Webmistress, for keeping up with
our endless changes and niggling questions, even after school started. She was
one of the 'children' who taught at this event, she made the origami boxes
for voting marbles, and helped me with more of those endless
details.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sabine of Arkham, our Prize Coordinator,
who gave over a large share of her personal space to items donated for
prize baskets, and carefully arranged those baskets, and then fussed over them
yet again when the genders of our winners were known! Sabine was the other
'child' who taught at this event. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Micola Sorzano, who silk-screened the tote bags
given to our teachers. And helped with set-up and tear-down. And helped serve
lunch. And was often behind me during the event, picking up small
problems. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Caius Scaevrola, another youth to watch, who helped
with set-up, tear-down, serving, moving furniture during the day,
and endless errands.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Mama Roz, Aden, and Suzanne, who came all the way
from Tulsa and ended up helping with the hangings and banners, working
Gate, moving furniture, picking up small issues, and keeping the Steward
sane all day. And then left me a loaf of the most wondrous bread . . .
.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Aurelia, Micola, Cyrilla, Capricia;
the embroiderers and painters of our new set of banners.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ceinwen, the creator and spearhead painter of the
scrolls for our winners.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Capricia, who thought i didn't see her flitting
from Gate to Kitchen to serving, to whatever else needed doing. She's also
our Treasurer.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Scribes of The Steppes HL Muirann, Lady Lete, Lady
Nuala, who turned up unasked and uninvited, and proceeded to beautifully letter
our scrolls. And were endlessly patient with a rattled Steward.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Lady Catalina and Lady Osana, who, disappointed in
their desire for a Duck Cook-Off, donated lovely prizes to the other
competitions. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>HL Asa, our outgoing Artisan, who gave this event
her endless support, and yet another prize basket for the new Artisan. And
still owes us a copy of her Device for that cloak . . . . .</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>And then, at the very least:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Kitchen crew: Julie, Lady Anne, and several
others</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Gate crew: Melissa, Cyrill,
Suzanne.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Lothar's Legion: Louie, Andre, Aethelwulf,
and others who helped with set-up, tear-down, and moving of heavy objects all
day long.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>And others whose generosity in pitching in unasked
and unnamed helped make this small event run like clockwork. Bless your
generous spirits all!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Gerita del Mare</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Steward, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>signing off.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Crossbows don't kill people. <BR>Quarrels
do.<BR>All email from this address is vetted with the latest Virus
Scanners.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>