Well This Is Just Getting Embarrassing!!

Well, it was a big weekend and really only went for a day and a bit!!

Got to the site at just after opening time at 10am. Booked in, got keys, took stuff to room, grabbed good spot with my chair, dumped Esky with drinks and sewing and then went to help with set up of the hall.

Once people started to arrive and the fighting got underway, I settled down and did a bit of embroidery. Worked on the collar again. I managed to finish the tunic it is going on at 1am Saturday morning. Well, when I say finished, I mean wearable. I have to finish off the seams etc and do a few little tidy ups. But it was comfortable to wear and nice and warm.

I held my basic embroidery class outside. It was a bit cold and dark in the hall. The bagpipes were a bit of a distraction but we managed none the less. Everyone picked up the stitches very quickly and seemed to enjoy the class. I gave out some copies of the Broderers Companys' two most recent newsletters and signup up a few people to get the newsletter in the future.

Then it was time to go and get changed ready for the feast and court. I knew I would be going up in Court as I was being made the new Arts and Sciences Officer for the Barony. So I went and put on my fav red Elizabethan outfit, with my new hat. I think it looked pretty good (but I didn't manage to get any photos - again!!).

So we had the appatisers (Scotch eggs are yummy!) (at which point I got shanghai'd to serve the first remove/course). I did managed to get some food after serving. Then there was Court. The new King and Queen were there. That is one advantage of having the first big event after Mid-Wintoer Coronation, we usually get Royalty at Tocal.

We started off with change over of officers, there were a couple of offices that were getting new people. As expected, I got called up, just as planned. Then as I was leaving the Baron told me to stay, this is where I started to panic. Yes, I was getting an award. I got the Unfurled Lymphad, which is our Baronial service award. That is what shocked me, I thought for sure that if I ever got a Baronial award it would be for A and S!! The proper tokens haven't been made yet (which is sort of a good thing, cause it means they must be nice!) so I got a promisory, an cute little red button with a sailing boat (for those not heraldically inclined, a lymphad is a fancy name for an heraldic ship). So up I got and headed back to my seat.

More awards to other hardworking people (at which point a comment was made about a fleet of lymphads!) and then I got called up again, this time to give the Baron the pouch to give to the winner. This was presented, and cause I was standing there I could here the winner ask if he had to give the pouch back so it could be presented again next year. I got really stoked at this cause I interpreted this to mean he thought it was so nice that it wasn't meant for the winner to keep but just hold for the year!! But it is meant to be kept and has the date on it! I am already planning next years.

Then while I was standing there, I got called up again. This time to be made the Baroness' Lady in Waiting. I had known about this one but forgot!! So out I went again, by which point my legs were getting sore from the curtseying and kneeling!! So I then went to stand behind the Baroness to take up my position as Lady in Waiting. Then the Baronial business was finished and it was onto Kingdom stuff.

Someone was appointed to the Queens Guard and Carb (who is from Mordenvale) got appointed to the Mead Guard (Kings Guard). Then with a couple of other locals, I got called up again - see title of post! This time it was for Award of Arms. So now I am officially a Lady (has to be a first time for everything!!).

So by the end of court I'd been called up 5 times. Talk about embarrassing!! More than one person commented that I should have just pulled up a cushion and stayed there. It was great fun though. I just really didn't expect the Baronial award. I was more surprised about that than the AoA - which I didn't know about either but I've been around long enough and a few people had sort of hinted about it.

So then onto more food (we have some excellent cooks) and more conversation. I ended up going to chat with the Baroness in her room cause she was a bit under the weather and had to put the two children to bed and stay with them. But I figured this could be my first official Lady in Waiting job!

Once she went to bed, I headed back, did a bit of cleaning up of my place at the table and then headed to bed myself. I'm not a big drinker and didn't know alot of people there, and I was tired, so bed seemed like a good plan.