[Ravensfort] Defender Pitty Party and quick up date

[byzytym]

>From the Autocrat of Defender of the Fort :

Defender Pity Party weekend and a quick up date.  

Well, my last second panic that my Ansteorra Announce post did not go through turned out to be unnessacery as my emails had been picked up forwarded by others.  Thank you for that.  
Getting to The Stones early had it's up side though, as it let me sit with nothing to do but watch the leaves blow in the sunlight for a while.  After the frenzy of planning and canceling an event and a hurricane, it was nice to catch my breath.  It was also nice when Pasquale and Giovanna ( who was the prefect hostess all weekend ) showed up.  Charles, Kitsune and Shannahan completed the party.  Friday night camping was excellent.  Cooking by Kitsune, shooting stars and the unseasonable evening coolness for open window sleeping without a fan.  "The owls are not what they seem."

Saturday went pretty much as Friday did.  We mostly sat in a circle literally all day and well into the night laughing, telling stories and taking advantage of the non-event to talk about anything,  All together around twenty-five Raven's Fort locals floated in and out.  The only thing that had been planned for Defender of the Fort that actually come off was The Cobbler Gobbler.  Whoa !  Everyone ate all the could and took some home with 'em because the storm had shut down the freezer they had been stored in.  It was kinda the climax of the weekend.  Devin, you are the Cobbler God !  The downed section of the Dreaming Tree was diced on for a while and we moved the shower frames over to Saint David's for reconstruction.  There was a quick officers meeting to make decisions about rescheduling Defender and then around dusk the guitars came out.  Alaric and Rua, our new friend from Elfsea, entertained us all and Mary ( the restless native ) joined in with song.  A nice ending to a harmonious day.  When all was said and done the one with the biggest smile on their face at the end of the night was the skinny, little, lost pit bull that found an new pack to run with.  Even that Marius person liked her.

I can not give a report as to what happened Sunday morning as Don Charles and I buzzed over to Emerald Keep to pick up a pair of white peacocks and high tailed it back to the Fort in time for fighter practice.  More cobbler was handed out and I made a pass back out to the site to restack the water barrels for the winter and do a litter patrol.  Except for the downed trees, everything looks good.

Saint David had a good idea about redoing the site showers.  Instead of reinstalling expensive marine plywood and trim boards that will rot and need replacing after a few years, why not use metal that will last till after we are all dead and gone ?  Michelle suggested some kind of plastic, but I do not think that would hold up in the sun as well.  Just something for the financial committee to think about before we start work on the rebuild.

Getting back to Defender stuff...  At our business meeting this weekend it was decided that, with the permission of the Crown, we will hold the Defender of the Fort competitions at the spring event.  That is to say the spring event will become "A Day at The Defender of the Fort".  Or something like that.  Since the event has only been postponed, I will continue as Autocrat and hopefully all the individuals that volunteered to help with the event will still be available.  I know Alaric is keeping his Troll sign up sheet.  We are hoping that the Kingdom's business with Raven's Fort can be fulfilled at the Boardermarch event where we will have a strong Baronial showing due to our security obligations or at some other nearby event.  Our local Baronial business will be fulfilled at our Raven's Fort Yule Revel, but I will let Giovanna fill you in on that.  

In closing, I would like to thank everyone that has given so much love and sacrifice for this event.  Even though the event didn't come off, I am told that your efforts have not gone unnoticed by the much higher ups.  I owe a personal debt of gratitude to each and every one of you.  I won't forget it when you need the favor returned.  I especially want to mention our Seneschal, Giovanna, for her unflinching and unconditional support of the Barony and me.  I would be amiss if I did not again mention Don Charles who again and again pulls me out of the fire.  The attention and concern that this Barony has shown has reestablished my faith in the SCA as a whole.  Thanks for returning to me the magic of "the dream".

In peaceful service to the Barony and the Kingdom,
Vlod NotVlad

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