A Light Through the Darkness

Wow. What a weekend. You know, I'm looking forward to having NOTHING to do for SCA-type stuff until June (Midsummers). I never realized just how much work a major event was behind the scenes. Whew - I needed Monday to just recover! I still need to get gate numbers for merchants to Del and post the court report, but that's tonight. Then I just need to get the list of merchant info up to the site, and my stint as Merchant Steward is done. I've learned a lot - I'm going to put together a kit for the Merchant Steward next year, so hopefully there won't be some of the bumps I ran into. I'm sure they'll find new ones. :D

Healthwise - I'm back to journaling all my food. I'm still having a Mt. Dew Throwback a day, but I'm down to only one, and I'm hopeful that I can find something else I like to drink cold that I can replace it with. I'm contemplating iced tea again - I brew my own, so no sugar. I'll have to try that this afternoon, I think. Other than that, Argus and I are looking at the Y for a membership - our health plan will reimburse us for the Y, but not for the gym I'm going to now, and the Y has a POOL. That's the big thing - I love to swim, and I don't get to very often. Have to look at the scheduling, but if it works, we're switching. Other than that, I have a cold, one that won't quit, and it's irritating me.

Writing - I can write again! Yay! I've got two projects I'm working on - finishing up Rum and Runestones to send to the publisher (by next week) and, of course, writing Last Rites. That's due at the end of the month, but I'm going to push and see what I can do on it.

It's so nice to only have a few deadlines. Seriously.

Wonderful hubby let me sleep myself out until nearly noon, which I needed. I was going to go out to the winter Farmer's Market with beard5 and my folks, but instead I have decided to take a day to myself. I've eaten and had my first cup of tea, written my morning pages, and am feeling sort of human. Here's the to-do list, pretty much in order:

1. Get dressed and go get dry food for cats, seltzer, and possibly something yummy for lunch (yay, well-stocked corner market!!) no seltzer, so I indulged with Mt. Dew Throwback. I know, I know.

2. Birka Merchants update:
a. Send acknowledgements of checks received
b. reply to emails
c. do tentative map for meeting tomorrow
d. write up scroll list

3. Do dishes and make lunch

4. Write on Last Rites. (the goal is to finish the outline this weekend, but I'd prefer to do it today)

While I'm doing this, I shall also be downloading iTunes on the Lair computer, and loading in some of the music I don't currently have on the laptop. I might also take a moment or two to drool over the iTouch that I think I might want to upgrade to this summer.

This is a doable plan today. argus7hills has gone to play Amtgard, and depending on what's happening with our group tonight, I might go out to Nashua to hang out, but a lot depends on how I'm feeling. I missed nearly 1.5 days this week with illness, and I don't want to start the year off running myself ragged.

Oh, and don't forget the contest is still running! I've moved the entry to the top of my blog for the next week, so you can see it. Tell your friends! Tell strangers! Let's get Jill so many titles that she'll have to get a 30-book series! :D (Yes, I'm enjoying it that much)

Really. :p Despite the fact that I have Thursday off, it's a long week.

First, though, the good news!

Weight today was 282.5 lbs, which is 3 lbs lighter than last week! Yay! I'm more Twittering my progress than writing it here, but I will keep updating. (The hashtag for this is #operationhealthy, if you're interested.) My nutritionist was very happy with my progress, and I've recommitted to my workouts and my food journal.

Also, I did my full workout today and did some more running, and am happy to report that knees are not complaining! Woot! I'm seriously thinking about starting the Couch to 5k workout in January, but I'm going to check with my Personal Sadist Trainer first. Don't want to be too overenthusiastic and hurt myself.

Writing - I got about 2k written on Saturday, but I won't be picking it up again until after I've gotten all the Birka stuff done, and gotten the edits for Rum and Runestones cleaned up. I have four left that are done on paper - I just need to get a chance to enter them in and then email them out.

I need, seriously, about 10 more hours a day. :P

Also, I'm hosting Thanksgiving on Thursday, which means cleaning and cleaning and more cleaning. I'm tempted to take off a little early either today or tomorrow and make the time up on Friday, so I can get this stuff done. I plan on running low on sleep until I get caught up.

The bulk of my time will be spent finishing up Birka Merchants stuff - I need to send out the remainder of the acceptances and get the folks on the waiting list an update, and I want to have that all done by Wednesday. I'll be doing some more tonight - the more I think about it, the more cutting out of here at 7 pm and getting home by 8 sounds good. That's only 1.5 hrs to make up, and I can do that by staying 30 minutes later or coming in 30 minutes earlier the rest of the week (I work a 4-10 schedule normally, 10 am to 8:30 pm Monday through Wednesday and Friday, with Thursday off, so I work normal hours this week, but I get paid for the holiday, so I'm not complaining too much!).

So Last Rites is on the back-burner and may get picked at on Thursday, in between food or after folks leave. We'll see. If I can get all of Birka done tonight (hm, almost managed to type that without sniggering!), things free up a little bit, but not much.

Ah well. Life goes on. I'll finish the damn book at some point.

Sorry for no posts all weekend - it was Birka, which translates as super-busy! But I had a blast as always, even if I had more to do than usual.

Friday, I got out of work at noon to go and help set up. This year, I was assistant merchantocrat (because next year I get to be in charge of merchants - yay!) and so I spent the weekend working closely with Baron Bil, learning the ropes. It was so weird not to be setting up my own merchant stand - I think this is the first year in nearly 6 that Longstrider Trading didn't merchant. *sigh* Ah well. I need to start working on product again - Dereca and I are talking about doing an Etsy store.

But I did get to meet a bunch of folks - including the very talented Resa Nelson, who was selling her first novel The Dragonslayer's Sword (which just happens to be a 2009 Eppie finalist!). I managed to snag a copy, which I will be reading and reviewing here in the next few weeks, so stay tuned! (It looks awesome, btw) She and I also discussed possibly touring together once Seasons comes out (what do you think, ivy_librarian, can you give us a spot?), since she's a NE author too!

SOOOO, if any of you New England folks have a venue you'd like us to consider, why don't you list it in the comments, and I'll see what I can do!

There was a ship's meeting, too - I'll list stuff for that later, as well as the Court report from Baronial court (I spent Royal Court in the hot tub - hey, my feet hurt!).

Sunday, I woke up with a migraine (hotel was way dry and I'd forgotten my humidifier), so I slept the day away. Today has been super busy as well at work - this is my first chance to post!

Posting will be slightly sporadic for the next few weeks - this week because I'm trying to finish up the galleys for Seasons and next week because I'll be in MEXICO! So have fun and behave - I'll post when I can.

So, today marks the beginning of Val's panic about Birka. Gotta make the table look good! Today we work on a new bodice pouch pattern - the prototype looks pretty good, just need to thread the ribbon through and put a neckribbon on it.

I wanted to make some more bottles but yeah...I really need to manage my sewing time better.

More later.

Birka was fun. I'm glad we got a room this year - meant we could do a lot more!

Friday was busy - Longstrider Trading didn't open Friday night, so I got to actually look around a bit. Went to dinner with dorio and his lady, and the Baron and Baronessa, at the Merrimack Restaurant. Actually kept to my points - had lovely broiled sea scallops, green beans, a plain baked potato and salad, with a Rose wine. Very nice.

Saturday was BUSY!!! Dereca and I opened the booth - lots of pretties, but not a lot of sales. Eh, that's why I have a day job. :) She and I are getting together one weekend to do lots of book covers, pouches, needle books and sewing kits, as well as some display cases for things like the books and bottles. We need to make some sales this summer.

I also did heralding duties - I'm looking at stepping up as Granite Pursuivante when Anders steps down, so I've been doing a lot of heralding lately. For the non-scadians on my list, the Granite Pursuivante position is one that involves a lot of yelling. :) Actually, it's a fun position - I get to run court, and play with the pretty scrolls, and meet a lot of cool people. And I get to yell again - which I used to do a lot as a cheerleader. I can be heard across a battlefield if necessary. :D

Didn't make it to the Birka Ball, because I was EXHAUSTED, but hubby did. I heard it was good, macfrode! Hopefully next year I'll make it there.

Ended up in fatal_renegade's room with macfrode, argus7hills and several others, telling "No shit, there we were" stories and enjoying Balzac's porta-bar. I'm feeling the effects today. Not as young as I once was.

This morning, headed out, returned Mom's keys and got my loot from the Virgin Islands (they just came back yesterday from a week on St. Thomas) - a black pearl hoop earring (all the stylish pirates wear them) and pirate playing cards for me, and a cool tee-shirt for argus7hills. Then came home and napped off most of my hangover (still have the headache, but that's probably dehydration). Now I'm working on writing/editing/catching up.

Next event: TAX COURT!! Yay!