Susan Arthur

The weather we've been having in this part of the country is most unusual. Sometimes it seems like people say that every year, but if so they're usually complaining about it getting hot so early. This year we're already at mid May and it's still in the 50's every night and has been in the low to mid 70's during the days. There was one hot week in April that nearly fried poor Max (just moved here from Canada) but other than that it's been way cool. I'm not complaining, but damn, it's weird. I'm still wearing heavy socks around the house at night.

I'm looking forward to Friday night-- I'm having a planning session with my apprentice and soon-to-be-apprentice for the ceremony where we'll formalize the relationship. It's going to be at Midsummer's Twilight Tourney in June, exactly a year after I took Livia as an apprentice. We had only decided at Sapphire Joust last year, so it was put together in quite a rush. We're planning a bit further in advance this time!

I don't have any Italian Ren that fits me now, and I'd like to have something appropriate to my persona, so I'm hoping I'll get to make a new dress before Midsummer's. Even I am getting embarrassed about wearing the comfy tunics all the time. They aren't even embroidered with cool stuff, just plain old generic tunics made from cheap Wally World cotton (yes, I know. I haven't bought anything from them for months now, and I felt guilty when I did. And yes (no?), I know that I don't get brownie points for guilt. Too bad, I'd be rich. Or at least covered in brownies.) Anyway, I'm trying to find suitable fabric in my stash of stuff-- surely there's something.

Nia said the other night she'd like to learn enough calligraphy to do cards for herself, so she bought a set of cartridge pens and asked me to help her get started. Her handwriting is already good, so I figured she had a good basis. That woman could be really good if she ever seriously turned her mind to it; the first couple of words she did were shaky but nearly as good as a few scribes who have been working for years. Sad, but true. I gave her the "15 minutes a day" pep talk and can't wait to see what evolves. She has expressed great surprise that there is an SCA art form that she might actually be good at.

Despite all my assertions about not liking calligraphy as much as painting, I think the callig has snuck up on me and got me addicted. When I was helping her get started I did a few letters and started getting to the Zen stage immediately. She had to practically pry the pen from my fingers. How did that happen? So in addition to making myself new garb, I also need to find time to do callig. Maybe it'd help soothe the soul.

Of more pressing concern, however, is clearing out stuff from the apartment. I have lots of fabric (totally NON period) kitchen gear and cookware, an old computer, and more that I need to get rid of. My current thinking is to make a list of what I want to part with, and then post it, maybe to the Windmasters' list, saying if you want it, come get it. Maybe post in the journal(s) first, then on the list. I like that idea better than Freecycle or Craig's list; I'm just more comfortable having SCAdians come to my house than I am with total strangers. Anyway, when the SCAdians are done picking over it, I'll put the rest out on the street for the curb elves or take it to Goodwill or equivalent.

I think that's all the news that's fit to print right now. Ta ta!