Is it just me or is the SCA just not as fun as it once was? Today we were perusing the event calendar trying to decide where to go and if one or both of us would be travelling.

Frankly, I am most interested in working on art projects at home or hooking up with SCA friends but not necessarily at an event!

There are a lot of factors affecting my disenchantment. One is having spent much of my time event planning and staffing, I now find myself a bit at loose ends at events. I have scaled back on purpose to allow me time to explore arts I have left alone too long. While I can bring a loom to site, painting and sewing are much more cumbersome and are best done at home.

Another is that if I travel, it is often without Les because our daughters are at an age where they need Saturdays at home for friends, school projects and lessons. Factor in the fact that my back and wrists no longer allow me to raise the pavilion and without him I feel both rudderless and "homeless."

Watching the tournament at Ymir I was reminded of one of the strong driving forces behind my becoming a service person....I don't understand most of what happens and precious few are available and willing on the sidelines to do anything about it! Took me years to find out how a round sword's blow could be called flat. Reminds me of this guy I dated in High School who thought I was being disingenuous when I asked something about which goal was ours cause there is some rule about changing them at halftime. At least he spent one whole game with me doing commentary on the action. With the SCA, your husband is usually not with you. Mine was fighting, then MOLing or cooking. He has given me some info but it is hard to relate that to what you are seeing on the field.

Brion did a class once that helped some. I know how to tell a wrap from a flat snap by which edge is landing. Oddly enough, he asked all the nonfighters to come up and throw a blow. Didn't want to but bowed to the pressure. The sick thunk sound and feeling of sword against leather made me queazy. I guess I am too much the nurse to ever feel like a warrior.

Seems to me, the most fun is seeing friends for dinner or at the hotel. Even then you have to make choices as half your friends are going out, the other are at feast. Some are on site, some at the hotel and some going home.

Guess I have the winter SCA blahs.

Suggestions?