Long Live the Queen of Caffeene...

Dear Friends;

This past weekend I went up to Sacramento for the weekend to go to an event in the west. Actually, I was talked into it. I am glad that I went, but it was so un-planned. Not like me at all. Crystel Leake drove up to see her sister and then picked me up at the airport so we could go bring havoc upon the Westies.

The event was Cynaqua Coronet. Just outside Oroville, about an hour and a half away from Sacramento. It was cold and dark and rainy and muddy and very small. The people we were supposed to camp with did not show until the next day- and then only two of them came at all.

Sounds like a terrible event for my prissy, pampered self to attend, right? And that was only the first day... So Crystel Leake and I did what any princess and her best partner-in-crime would do in a situation like that, we tried to set up in the rain. (I was a drowning rat shivering in my Sothern California "Oh look it's winter" sweater.) We made new friends. (Elsie taught me that they hug and kiss differently in the West because everyone is wet. She also gave us a dry place to hang out, bless that lady! I will love her for life!) And after begging... and having to admit that I am indeed a pretty pretty princess... and that it was all my idea to go find alternative arrangements for sleeping... my dear friend admitted that she wanted the same thing, but was going to wash away with the mud before she let the acknowledged prin-cess outlast her for trying...

We then left the tents, partially set up, in the cold, wet, muddy camp. And we stayed in a motel twenty miles away.

We were warm, we were dry, we had hot water and real beds. We were delirious. We went to a local Vintage Shoppe where I found a shawl, a sweater, and a couple of coats. (Hey, I was really cold and it was on my mind to keep warm.) It was like going to the grocery store when you are hungry... Crystel Leake collected a phone number from a tall hottie who had the most wonderful manners. (Hey it was really cold and it was on her mind to keep warm.)

(Side note; For those of you who have already read her Blog accounting her version of this trip... Keep in mind the difference between our perspectives... Second-hand Store equates Thrift Store for her, Second-hand Store equates Vintage Shoppe for me. And yes, though I do love her, I prefer my reality...)

After shopping we went back to the motel. I promptly went to bed. (Hey, I was cold and it was on my mind to keep warm.) Crystel Leake went to the front desk to get some towels, at least that is what I think she said, I was in a hypothermic coma at the time... I believe that she wanted a long hot shower. (Hey she was cold and it was on her maind to keep warm.) There she met another hottie who asked her for her info and then took her out for coffee, which led into dinner. Do I really need to say again how cold it was?

In the morning, I had the longest, hottest shower I can remember taking alone... (Please... Pot you are black...) A full five minutes at least. Usually I am the first one in and pop right back out so that I can take my leasure in getting ready. Also I don't make others wait on me... They just enjoy the hot water while I play "Let's go shopping in my closet". And yes, even when I travel, I have a closet.

She and I primped and preened and made ourselves up all pretty. (Especially considering that we were returning to the mud.) I love to get ready to go someplace. I love to take care of myself and wearing pretties and frillies and smelling all girly makes me feel so wonderful and spoiled... and I can do it myself.... It is even better when I can get ready with other girls...

(Side note; This is why I have two, yes two full length mirrors with me when I attend Wars. A story for another time...)

So... I got all dressed up in my girly-clothes Caid style. Read Middle-eastern layers, not the Vikings of the West, which by the way I understand the popularity of now. (It was cold in Greenland...) At the last minute I grabbed the ugly/bright grim-briegs that I had made for a grimmest of the grim contest years ago... I thought it would be a good laugh and it would cheer me up because color always does. I also thought since I was unkown in the area it would give people a conversation starter... Little did I know that for this specific event (Due to the much mentioned mud) the locals have a tradition to wear their most outragious clothing and all I did was confound them because they were sure that I was from elsewhere, but then again, I looked just like them... Just ask the fudge-lady who handed us the spoons from her freshly made fudge as we walked by... It's only me... Well actually it seems to be not only me, it seems that there are about seventy other pod-people out there who have joined forces to take over the world one friendly smile and hug at a time... Creepy and yet oddly comforting in a Twilight Zone sort of way... I loved it!! I felt at home...

So I tangent... often... but you were warned in my previous Blogs... No apologies for you...

So we entered the event Saturday morning... all fresh and warm and rested and in grand spirits. I had gotten lucky and we had coffee. Did you know that there is no Starbucks in Oroville? Yeah, neither did Crystel Leake... poor dear... She was crest-fallen when I exited the gas station carrying five coffees. (I had originally stopped just for me, while she was refueling the car, but a local informed me that there were no hideous coffee chains in town and this was the best right here... I agree... And as I had no further gas station coffee mishaps I was in a very grand mood.)

(Side note; See prior Blog for full understanding.)

So we entered the event Saturday morning... carrying five coffees for new friends that we had just made. I was well rested, happily deep into my cups... of coffee that is... and ready to take on the rain. I normally love the rain so I think it is funny that just the lack of sleep can undo me so easily.

I am so very, very thankful to the Spartans and to the people of the West for their un-yeilding and wonderful hospitality. I always feel so welcome when I am able to visit with them and I never cease to be amazed at how strangers can feel so like family after a few short minutes. Don't get me wrong, I love the place that I come from, and have great pride in all of the incredible people at home... but I appreciate the differences between the locals in each place and enjoy all that makes each group unique.

(Side note; I may never get through this Blog if I keep this up, so now I am sorry...)

So we entered the event Saturday morning, Crystal Leake laden down like a pack mule carrying the "Thank you for the hospitality" gifts of (Yes, you got it...) coffees and chocolates and cokes... Caffiene makes the world go round... I was doing the balancing act with five gigantic hot coffees, and as we are passing to our destination, I hear the cry of "Long live the Queen of Caffeine, May she reign supreme..." So it appears I have two niches- clothes and stimulation- (Let's keep this G rated, shall we?)

We did have a lot of fun. The tournament was so beautiful it took my breath away. As the mists rolled in among the biggest pine trees I have ever seen, I thought my heart would stop beating. I think that it actually did... Or maybe it was due to too much coffee, but I would have died happy either way... I love the flowery speeches that the fighters give when they deliver a rose to the victor's Lady of choice. And I can so understand, and hence appreciate, the long hike down wet, muddy and trecherous (for a lady in yards of fabric) terrain to the site. No mundane items in viewing. It was magical. Especially when the sun peeked out from the trees and dappled the fighters upon the field and glinted off their armor. There were suprise visits from friends that had moved up there as well as friends who decided at the last minute to go, so my day was more complete for the time spent with them. (Though we never do get a real chance to hang out, I do adore my far away friends.)

That evening things were rather quiet. I did however manage to follow the sounds of the drums and play the game of "Who breaks first? The drummer or the dancer?" Sneaky Westies, they traded off drummers... there were six of them, and one of me... So I actually had to cry "Uncle" an unusual thing for me...

Crystel Leake and I re-connected with the Lady of the Mists and the lovely MaryAnne. I think it safe to say that we were the party. If you consider four beauties sitting around a picnic table laughing until everyone else is well in bed, and performing hand checks to the eruption of even more laughter and shrieking when Crystel Leake lost hers for the second time in her cleavage. (Now where is your mind- HOT hands- to keep warm when there are no, shall we say, available masculine alternatives?) We were up giggling until 3am when we realized that it was about 20 degrees and the hot hands had lost their warmth.

And this is where my adventure ends... For now anyway... The rest is just capers about airports and the "unique" individuals that a person can meet there. and as I have gone on and on and on already, I will save that for another Blog at another time...

(One last Side note; There was a wonderful Westie who tore down our tents and packed them all away for us. He was beyond wonderful and anyone who may have knowledge of how to tell him how grateful the Caidan Ladies were, are, always will be... Please do so.)

Top 20 Reasons to be HAPPY...

Top 20 Reasons to be HAPPY in November

1. My birthday
2. 3 AM team bonding after a very long practice session
3. Friends that help you get into trouble
4. Friends that join you when you get into trouble so that you can have significant amounts of laughter and commiseration regarding said trouble
5. Wonderful Westie men who tear down your tents in the rain and pack them up all pretty so you don't have to
6. Collecting old fashioned snow globes the size of baseballs when you travel
7. Flying anywhere
8. Raiding the refrigerator
9. Having a bed warmer vs. an electric blanket
10. Pumpkin pies, cakes, pancakes, muffins, quick breads, ice cream, doughnuts, cheesecakes, lattes... truly pumpkin anything
11. Campfire parties in the forest
12. The tangy scent of wax and varnish
13. Hot tea in front of a roaring fireplace
14. Looking irresistible
15. Microfiche and mammoth sized dictionaries
16. All night vigils of pleasure
17. Adding two things to your list for every one that you can cross off
18. Having someone who will help you cross things off the fore mentioned list
19. Handmade afghans
20. Hot hands hand checks and discovering that not everyone can find theirs