[Loch-Ruadh] Seneschal's Missive

[Loch Ruadh Seneschal]

As I was too late in submitting my missive to the Chronicler to have my missive included in the current issue of The Scarlet Letter, I am sending out via the mailing list.
 
Greetings unto the Populace!
 
It is an exciting, vibrant and busy time to be a part of the Shire of Loch Ruadh!
 
More people are showing up to our gatherings, we are reaching out to potential newcomers, and we are moving forward with future plans with enthusiasm.  Every person in the Shire is contributing to this growth spurt in their own way, and I thank you all for the efforts you are putting forth.  
 
By the time you read this missive, we will know the results of the Gate Fund raffle, and hopefully will have raised enough money to cover the cost of equipment and construction materials.  Many thanks to all those who so generously donated items to be raffled, and to everyone who bought tickets.  Vivat! to the crew who gave up their three day Labor Day weekend to travel to Kings Arrow Ranch to work on the land and the gate.
 
While we had originally planned to do Yule Revel as a joint event with Dragonsfire Tor, events and circumstances overwhelmed us, and it was decided that Loch Ruadh should host Yule Revel as our event this year, as we were unable to do our usual Lughnasad in August.  The event will be called Loch Ruadh’s Yule Revel at Dragonsfire Tor, and will feature our Titled Bard Competition and OOPS (Out Of Period – Sorta) A&S Competition, as well as the Tor’s Titled Artisan Competition and annual fund raising raffle.  Event bids for the event will close at Populace Meeting, and the winning bidders will need to hit the ground running to get Black Star ads and a myriad of other things done in time.   I am confident, however, that we can all rise to meet this challenge.  Also remember that this will be an opportunity to recommend people for awards that you believe they deserve to receive.  As always, award recommendations go to Their Majesties Ansteorra,
 with a copy to your humble Seneschal.  You can use the online form at the Ansteorra website, or submit recommendations in letter form.  Just make sure either method gets to TRMs at least three weeks before the event to ensure they have time to make a decision and get everything taken care of.  Ember recommendations should be submitted to current Embers (see the list on the Loch Ruadh website), and the Embers will make their recommendations to me.  Seneschal appreciation award recommendations should come directly to me.
 
Less time-pressing but no less important are bids for our proposed event for October of 2010, also due at September Populace.  We have a date reserved on the Kingdom Calendar, 22 – 24 October, and a site, the Middlefaire Renaissance and Medieval Festival in Hillsboro.  The weather should be significantly cooler in October than in August, and this new site should provide us with more ambience than the modern setting of the Canton First Monday grounds, so I look forward to some exciting possibilities.
 
As the weather begins to cool off as we move toward autumn, we have other work awaiting us.  We need to empty out the storage shed at Aingeal and Caerell’s, do a thorough inventory, set up and re-color code as necessary our several pavilions, and while the shed is empty, paint the floor to make it water resistant so it will last longer and not need constant repair/replacement.  We will discuss possible dates to do this at September’s Officers Meeting.
 
It’s not too soon to start thinking about Gulf Wars.  The Gulf War committee will make a decision about the pre-reservation cutoff date to ensure that you have reserved space on the Loch Ruadh permanent land, and this will be published as soon as it is known.  Remember that one of the requirements to maintain our claim on our reserved land is that there must be a minimum of 20 pre-registered attendees camping on the land for at least part of the War.  While not all 20 have to be members of Loch Ruadh, the more folks we have, the better.  And a large encampment is much more fun than a small one, anyway.
 
As always, don’t hesitate to speak with me in person, call me or email me with any ideas, questions or concerns that you have about the Shire.  
 
In Service to Loch Ruadh and Ansteorra,
 
Padraig 
Seneschal
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Nunc Est Bibendum
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Politicians prefer unarmed peasants.
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Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils.
- John Stark