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How I Spent My Birthday Weekend (or, The Adventures of Princess Limoncello and the New Dress)
So, this past weekend was my birthday weekend: I am now a brand spanking new 37 year old!
*does a little cheer and dances around in her undies*
Wait, what?
37 years isn’t a milestone that we normally celebrate?
Why not? I mean really, why not? It seems to me that every year reveals to us new truths about ourselves, awareness that we get to use as we move forward in our lives, knowledge that help us better see who we are. Personally, I wouldn’t go back to any prior year to claim that age instead of this one. I have 37 years if hard-won knowledge under my belt and I am happy to claim it.
First off, let me explain that this was a four day weekend in South Lake Tahoe at the Valhalla Renaissance Festival. I have not been at this event since I was in my early twenties and I cannot, for the life of me, understand what tool us so long to go back! As genuine, card carrying members of the woolen clothing reenactment club, This Event Is Ideal Climactically For Our Clothing. I mean, I was actually sad I didn’t have a red woolen petticoat with me to go with my woolen dress and woolen jacket. I wasn’t cold mind you, but a little less breeze beneath the skirt would have been nice on a few occasions. *chuckle*We got there on Friday to find our friend J’s birthday party already well on its way. We joined in on the fun and I forgot a few critical things:
1) Limoncello is a *sipping* liquor, as such I should never drink more than two glasses of this stuff no matter how good it tastes;
2) Those glasses would really be better if they were oversized thimbles;
3) I have lost about 45 pounds since the last time I did any significant drinking;
4) Drinking at altitude is not the same as drinking at or near sea level.
So, two bottles of limoncello later (sadly, I am not joking here) I somehow ended up back at our tent and asleep.1
From what I hear, it was a great night and I was hilarious.
*eye roll*
The next morning I woke up at 6:15 AM and naturally hopped out of bed to go running. And yes, I packed running gear for an event, mostly because I knew this event had showers with hot water. I think I was also a little tipsy still, which accounts for my decision to actually follow through with this plan despite general sleepiness, cold weather and possible bears.2 But really, I am glad I did. South Lake Tahoe is breathtaking this time of year. Snowcapped mountains full of HUGE trees and rocks. Canadian geese, blue jays, squirrels, and ever-present chipmunks to annoy and be scolded by.
The lake. OMG the lake. *swoons in wonder*
The run was very nice to say the least!
I got back to camp and organized coffee and breakfast, then slipped into my new duds before heading over to German camp for a day of sewing and nattering with friends. It was a really lovely day and I got to spend it with a whole troop of my favorite people between Guild yard and Booth space.
At lunch we had bacon soup.
Honestly, how does life get better than bacon soup, a new dress and no hangover?
I also had a chance to decorate my new hat. With naughty pins. 
I love naughty pins, they are historically accurate, and yet no one seems to wear them at faire. Instead people wear a million modern style faire favors with modern style comedy inscribed on the.
I don’t get it. *shrug*
PS: Thank you for the hat tutorial from ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
vanagnessayem!
That evening saw us all gathered around the camp fire, telling stories and eating dinner together before heading over to the ‘talent show’ organized by the faires producer. The talent was low on the ground (not many acts even showed up, I blame poor word of mouth), but then we had a late entry from the German Feldwebel.
It involved a corset, sparkly eye jewels, stripy socks and silk boxers. And that is all I am allowed to say.3
I will say that I ended up warning the boys about my gay porn kink multiple times. *amused grin*
Back at the camp, we had a run in with Yogi (who did NOT make off with our pic-i-nik basket) followed by more campfire fun (more boys in corsets… What?!? I was my birthday after all!) before wandering off to bed sometime after midnight.
The next day I made a pass at 16th C false braids. I have been messing about with the Zopfe idea for awhile now and I managed a dry-run this weekend. I have determined that the bases I made for the braids are way too big for my own locks and will be handsewing smaller, wool stuffed versions for possible use at CoCo this year. Because it seems that big hair is always in fashion at CoCo.
;)
Zopfe in progress.
Zopfe on Caitlin (goofy version here).
.
K's version (with much better hair braiding than I can ever manage).
This version stayed in place with NO PINS for the remainder of the day and even survived a fight circle that afternoon.
Sunday also marked to Codpiece competition, with two German entries (of course!):
Those are leather costrels he has hanging down as...um...his jewel pouches....
The WINNER! There was a song and dance that went with this codpiece. E.P.I.C.
To the crew with St. Maximilian's Landsknecht Guild - Many Many Many thanks for a wonderful weekend, C and I both had a wonderful time and enjoyed seeing old friends and getting to know new friends better. To J & T of New Sterling Arms - It is always wonderful to see you both and thank you for the gatelist. We look forward to the Great Chicken Slaughter! *grin*
1 Honest to goodness, I don’t drink like this. Which is why I sometimes totally misread my level of intoxication and manage to slip from tipsy into ‘Oh Holy Hell, Hide The China’ without even knowing I’ve done so until it is too late. There is a comical side story here the next morning involving me wondering who had gone through the tent like the Tasmanian Devil and how I’d ended up in my pajamas…but if you are reading between the lines you’ll probably figure out how all that happened. *head desk*
2 Yes, bears. Like the one that showed up in German camp on Saturday night.
3 I am repeatedly amused by the assertion by non-Landsie folk that “Germans have no sense of humor.” Really? *shrug*
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We certainly enjoyed ourselves and I had a GREAT birthday!
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*dies*
Separated at birth, we were!!
(Someday I MIGHT tell the story of me, the OTS initiation party, and the yucca. Yucca = vodka, ice, sugar, fresh squeezed lemon and lime juice and a LEETLE (very little) 7-up. As well that Anne knew where I lived, as I couldn't have given her directions)
Lurves the hat, too!
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Yucca isn't a Peruvian drink, is it? It sounds like a drink that my boss' husband gave me at her graduation party a few weeks back...
Thank you for the hat love sista!
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The hair in her braid is her hair? along with the zopfe? not fake hair? My hair is just not long enough to even begin such a thing. Blech. I am going to be working out how to do some braids with clip in human hair extensions that I got.
Also the drinking thing? I learn that anew every 7 years or so with red wine. My limits aren't what I think they are. And the drunker I get the more I forget how much I had... Apfelwein got me this weekend. I hate waking up slightly drunk.
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And yes, that is Caitlin's real hair. Not only is it that long, it is BABY SOFT all the way from roots to tips. *shakes head in disbelief* Total hair envy. *chuckle* Personally I am going to be working out hair extensions to go with my Zopfe because a) my curly hair has never grown longer than just past my shoulders and b) I am thinking of whacking my hair off to ear height. Basically I can't do this without some falsie hair.
I seem to be on a two-to-three year cycle with the drinking thing. I seriously think that the weight loss contributed heavily to this bout because I had no 'baseline' to work from. Oh, and my elbow was broken and kept tipping the contents of the limoncello bottle into my porringer. And then I just *had* to drink it. Really.
/looks innocent
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Where do I get my card?
Awesome hat is awesome. I have one on my To Do sewing list. And I already have my own collection of naughty pins! (You west coast fraus are trend setters, doncha know?).
Germans have no sense of humor? HEE! The first thing I learned when I started doing Landsknecht is that everything is funnier in a German accent. It doesn't really matter what you say, it's just funnier. My group cracks ourselve up all the time!
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*ponders* I should totally make these up for folks who love their wool clothing....
(You west coast fraus are trend setters, doncha know?)
*blushes* I totally give all credit on the hat to vanagnessayem (and to some degree, to love3angle who's red Schlape to go with her Saxon Princess dress first caught my heart years ago). Honestly, get that hat off your To Do list and onto your machine; from drafting to finishing I think it took me about three hours (and I am slow and insisted on making a couple of drafts at the brim). vanagnessayem's entry on the hat shows the bits conveniently laid out on a 1" squared measuring surface....
Like I said, I've never understood how other groups doing get the German sense of humor. OK, it can be a little...off...sometimes. But honestly, HILARIOUS.
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My Hauptmann loves to tell bad Landsknecht jokes. "What do you get when you go to war with the French King?"
"I donno, what do you get?"
"Prisoners." (or "Ransom.", depends on his mood)
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West Coast, East Coast, Mid-West Frau unite!
"What are those things on your hat?"
/evil eyebrow shrug
Your Hauptmann sounds like one (or more) of our Feldwebels. *chuckle*
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you're just warming up for CoCo
that and "We sacked Rome" to unprotected Italians
So sorry I missed celebrating with you darling - but my sewing projects and concert tickets had me booked up...
but CoCo looms and there will be much celebrating of both our birthdays I think...
Re: you're just warming up for CoCo
Ah, taunting Italians (mostly Courtesans, and really only those ‘Courtesans’ who are really just trumped up strumpets with no skills other than acting as sheet holders for someone’s bed); I managed to keep a civil tongue in my head this weekend when I was around the overly-tapestried Roman couch cushions. And to be REALLY honest, I actually liked the one who kept coming into camp for snacks (she is something FIERCE…maybe she’s part German?).
At any rate, you were terribly missed Schnokieputz! Getting up to evil just isn’t the same without my partner in crime. However, I completely understand your reasons for being absent and merely demand photographs of you and your man out at the Pyrate Fest next weekend in recompense.
;)
OMG. CoCo. I need to get shoes and a purse! *scurries off to the interwebz*
Re: you're just warming up for CoCo
photos will be forthcoming, I promise!
Re: you're just warming up for CoCo
*grin*
Re: you're just warming up for CoCo
Re: you're just warming up for CoCo
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Happy Birthday!
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*grin*
By that I mean, make a plan to be there next year. I'll be the girl in the year-old green and blue Frau dress in German camp.
;)
Alternatively, you should come up and visit us at Casa this year. As well as myself, I know David and the rest of our German SCAdian’s would be thrilled to have you!
*tempting offer is tempting*
PS: Thank you for the Birthday Wishes!
Yay, faire!
On another note, it was so cool to see that an old dress I made still survives - there's a red-brown Saxon with dark green guards and yellow accents in the background of one of your pictures. I think I made that dress for Christie in 1995...
Re: Yay, faire!
*evil grin*
OMG. You. claughter713. Jess and Tonda?
I almost feel sorry for the men in German camp. Except for the part where they are going to be envied by every other man on faire site. They can put up with our insanity for that, can’t they?
*smirk*
And by the way: &$#* ME! YOU made that dress?!? I tell you, I have had that dress in my ‘loaner for sale’ stash for FIVE YEARS now and Carol was the first girl who could actually fit into the damn thing. (*giggle*)
Did you know, I was originally 'recruited' to the Dark Side (Landsknecht) by Tonda and Christie back at Fair Oaks Faire in like, 1993? I was a gypsy at the time and couldn’t be bothered with woolen clothing but they predicted that I would end up German at some point. Clearly they were totally right.
;)