2001-08-02 - 12:18 p.m.

Pennsic planning and pondering continues apace with several new additions to the stress level. Several folks (last-minute contacts) need rides (emailed me yesterday about a ride tomorrow or Saturday - what do I look like, a miracle worker?!?!) and a couple more need tents. At this point I told them they might have to go into town and buy a tent.... There's only so much I can rig at the last minute!!!

My personal packing and pondering has taken a slight detour thanks to the presence of not one, not two, but *four* houseguests for the remaining time between now and Pennsic. For those of you not in the know, we live in what is billed as a four-bedroom flat, but one of the bedrooms is a single room (formerly a bathroom!) and one of the remaining double rooms is currently our living room. So we've got one room that my flatmates sleep in, and they use the single (originally to be shared with me) as an office and storage room, my room, and the living room. Now the living room has Kristen's parents, their study has one of Michael's cousins and we're either taking down the computer table to put the other cousin up there or she's sleeping in the dining room. For a week. (After I leave, one of them can use my room!) What a nightmare. No place to dump my stuff so I make sure I have it all, to cut out sewing (except dining room), etc. Argh! The original plan was that they would be going away for a few days, but they've slacked on booking so they've decided to do day trips. Normally it wouldn't bug me as much, but the week before Pennsic? And all at once? Next time I have guests, I'm not feeling so bad about them being in the way....

In other news, I've stocked up on some good Scotch for Pennsic, and yesterday Dan & I went to the Great British Beer Festival! It was pretty entertaining, and we had a good time and didn't spend *too* much money. Basically you bought (or rented) a glass and then got beer from the stands for a pound or under per half. Decent way to sample many beers although some of them were pants.

And this weekend we're doing a fighting demo in Basingstoke - should be entertaining.... (Again, why the week before Pennsic??!?)

I had to chuckle reading over Elsworthy's entry from yesterday about Pennsics gone by (you're geezing a bit, dear! And the Shana of the mountains dress wasn't *that* bad....) although she's right about a lot of things. It *is* easier the longer you've been doing it, and the better you do everything (not that I'd know - it's still a trial for me!) And maybe the older and stuffier we get, the harder it is. This year I'm bringing along a whole crew of folks who have never been to Pennsic or anything even near it (a couple have been in the SCA a year!) and I'm hoping by doing so to recapture some of that magic.

But it's also a great time to see the twenty years (!??!?!) of old friends I've made (including my faithful readers!) And Siobhan, it would be great to see you too (maybe for the middle weekend?! You could stay in my tent....) And see what new things folks are doing so I can try some of them myself (gotta keep up with the Joneses!) Take good care all, travel safe and I can't wait to see you all!

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