[Sca-cooks] Half an outcast!

[Suey]

Elise Fleming thank you so much for this address: www.sca.org I had no 
idea how big your organization is or what it is all about. I ran across 
Stefan somewhere on internet with my queries like Charles Perry and 
others. Stefan put me on to your empire and although Stefan and his 
lovely wife we met at one point during a sojourn of mine near Austin 
until now I have been quite in the dark about it except that Stefan told 
me he goes somewhere in PA to meet with you guys but remained a little 
vague about all your work.
	Although I know and appreciate what it means to take on a hobby like 
SCA, my message was in jest. Actually my only claim to 'lordhship' is my 
father's surname 'Lord'  which is derived from the Anglo-Saxon 'Ored,' 
meaning governor, with the prefix L' or Le, donating
the person or place. The Gaelic ar, ord means high, lofty, the prime
chief superior. This has become a family joke as none of us presume to 
anything but serfs of life. From the family coat of arms it is deducted 
that the head of the Lord family traveling with Thomas Hooker to found 
Hartford in 1636 and later New Haven was the second son of an English 
baron, i.e. the 17th Century version of a hippy as his older brother 
inherited the family estates in Oxford and he had nothing better to do.
	Disregarding British laws on women's claims to heraldry my family kids 
me about being a citizen of the European Community thinking that perhaps 
the barony is vacant and I have some right to claim it. No way! for 
Rattkitten is right the majority of European titles today mean less than 
those you have for as she points out you "have to earn your nobility" in 
SCA.
    In reply to Elaine Koogler's enlightening message explaining the
various SCA kingdoms we all know those in the Far East are not
between the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. South America, where I 
happen to have a home, is but looking at the countries represented in 
SCA it does seem that English speaking residents are chapter heads. I 
therefore say in jest living where I do in American I am 'half an 
outcast' for there as no SCA baron governing the land where I live half 
the year.
    Phil Troy asks "Don't the Magi come there?" Yes, in Iberia where you 
have seem to have a baron. It is ironic. The three kings stand on street 
corners and parade through congested streets until the 5th of January 
before climbing balconies to fill our shoes with almond based candies 
etc if good, coal if bad. It is odd for they freeze to death in winter 
weather wearing silk robes while in Chile 'Old Man Christmas' melts in 
the summer heat dressed in the traditional Santa Claus suit. By 
Christmas week his beard is gray with sweet and grim. On the 24th of 
December he climbs through windows, no snow required, to place his 
goodies in our stockings.
    In Phil Troy's message "So, here's an odd question..." he asks "what
do people leave out for St. Nick?" suggesting milk or cocoa and cookies
are something of the past. My Three Kings receive fine red wine and a
plate of turron. Although they shall receive theirs once again this
holiday season they have already given me a gift far grander than
anything Wall Mart offers which is human love.
    Seriously my Christmas has not been ruined at all as I was joking. 
Thanks to the care of my three Kings since July when I became crippled 
they have spent all these months taking me to doctors and holding my 
hand throughout analysis, surgery and therapy. They helped me to learn 
to walk again and to climb and descend stairs step by step, day by day. 
Slowly I have been able resume my obligations which they took over when 
bedridden for more than three months. They have miraculously helped me 
come out of my depression, helped me to laugh with them again and given 
me energy and inspiration to resume my work, read your messages with 
enthusiasm and sometimes reply. What more can one ask for Christmas?
May your Christmas be as blessed,
Susan