Amazing Things - everyone, please read ♥♥♥ - SCA Stuffs

[tudorlady]

Anyone who has been privy to the whole recent housemate drama knows that I have been a little short on mental bandwidth in the last couple of weeks. Fortunately, that has been resolved, the earth spins on its axis once again and things go forward. I still don't have a job, but I'm working on it, and feeling much, much stronger because of the kindness and support of my friends.

Last weekend I went to Ursulmas and was accepted as an apprentice by two ladies I am honored to call friends, countess_e and dame_eleanor. When I began in SCA (think A.S. 9), there was no real tradition of apprenticing, and even then, I was on the far western border of one of the extant kingdoms in the earliest days, and then went west (for a period of inactivity) when Calontir was really getting off the ground. I've pretty much been doing my thing with period clothing off and on since then. Real life intervened, and I was definitely on the sidelines periodically for several years, although I maintained contact and interest. Basically, it is enough for me to 'do good stuff' on my own, but I miss the interaction, sharing of information, and heck, being really included in the huge, ongoing geekfest. For many years I was nominally an apprentice of my beloved persona cousin Ariel deCourtenay (otherwind), but we lived far apart, and much of her time was taken by nearer things (like her raising a young family, and a PhD program, for instance). And for years, my time was taken too, but not by anything so momentous.

Nonetheless, we have ended our formal relationship very amicably, and now? Now I'm the problem of those other two ladies.

While I wasn't expecting more than a picnic lunch and a quick sit-down to talk about what sort of projects I wanted to do, I got more. Lots more. Possibly some of the best swag that has ever been handed off to an apprentice, that's what.

First unexpected thing: An indenture.



Yow. This is getting framed. Not quite visible here, dame_eleanor's wax seal on a strip hanging from the bottom.

Then countess_e read it: (Watch if you like - the acoustics were bad in the hall and the event was going on around us, but you can hear it.)

The thing dame_eleanor puts around my neck? It's this:


...which I am totally blown away by. I'm calling it the Prentice Jewel.

Add to that some exquisite lace, wool, linen, some silk embroidery thread, coins (an apprentice's years pay in advance), embroidery patterns, a six-pack of Pepsi, and... I'm sure I'm leaving out something. I'm really glad this got taped, because I honestly don't remember exactly what happened.

I am blessed by the company of two sister apprentices, chiarafrancesca and courtierka, who got similar incredible things bestowed upon them. To see their indenture ceremonies, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o00NZ -- and here http://youtu.be/2vMldA1WutI It's definitely worth watching these young ladies, and I look forward to short-sheeting their bunks at camp working with them.

And now, to go and try to live up to all of this. :o

Thank you for reading this, and I'll be updating on the modern stuff soon.