Baby it's cold outside

While in the shower this morning K calls in and asks if I am going to work.  I respond, in a gravely voice that yes, I am.  When asked why, I answer that because I am able to talk.  By the time I am at work however the voice is mostly gone again.  The power of a hot shower is most likely why my voice was better this morning.

After work I wanted to go for a walk in the woods.  Then I thought about the lack of voice and went home instead.  I'm not sure, but I don't think the temperatures got much into the teens today.  So I took care of the SCA email and rested the afternoon away.  I'm told that I will have a humidifier in my room tonight, maybe that will help.  Wanting to take a walk is a good sign.  I haven't really felt sick, occasional coughs and that is about it.  I am no more tired than I usually am after a long, event filled weekend, and it isn't like I sleep well to begin with. 

My happy for today is getting a ride from K to the parking garage.  It was below zero this morning and walking the ten minutes to the garage with wet hair would not have helped my voice.  Another happy is the M&M's that Z brought home from the grocery store today.  They are white chocolate, which I can have.  No regular chocolate or caffeine for me.

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Still No Voice

Today I stayed home from work in hopes that my voice would improve.  It hasn't.  There is a delayed opening tomorrow and I plan to go to work.  I also plan to use a small white board or a pad of paper to converse with the students and teachers.  They may send me home.

My day home was sort of productive.  K and I went through the calendar to decide what events we might like to go to for the next few months.  Well, she sent me a list that I put onto the calendar.  I texted her across the room and she responded, usually with voice.  Gideon whispers to me or mouths things so I have no idea what he says at first.  I spent more time on Facebook than I should have and missed out on a birthday dinner with a friend.

My happy for today is that I caught up with my exchequer duties up to this point.  There is a little more reorganizing of files I could do but I know who has sent what and who hasn't sent anything.  I also started getting email as Baroness today.  Somehow, K started getting hers but I didn't mine and had to message the web minister.  It is all set now.

Snow Voice

My voice is still mostly gone.  I went to work anyway.  It dawned on me that I haven't been taking my allergy medicine and I thought maybe this was the reason.  The hotel is always dry and there are perfumes and other things that could have set off my allergies.  During lunch I looked at Facebook though and saw that a few others that were at the event were losing their voice as well.  So I canceled all the after work plans for the day and went home and made tea.

It is snowing.  The plows are out and our cars need to go to the garage.  My happy today is that K and Z have offered to take my car so I can stay home and not have to walk back in the cold.  It is quite often me who does the final walk home, I enjoy it.  It is most likely better that I stay in tonight though.

Some photos from the Investiture and court by S. Cattera.

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Thankful

My voice is still gone.  Most of the day was spent resting and drinking tea.  This morning however, was time to take the visiting family to the airport so they could return to Texas.  Things didn't go precisely as planned.  It started with a mix-up of who would be in which car.  This was followed by the window in one of the cars getting stuck, frozen, in the down position, when the temp outside was 18 degrees (making the windchill along the highway around -8 degrees) , and K had only a sweater to keep her 'warm'.  E and I snuggled in the back to try to stay warm (picture below).  We stopped for breakfast at IHOP and one last visit with everyone.  It was decided that instead of the entire group of us driving the hour+ to the airport that I would drive the four passengers and the rest of the family would go home.  Five people squished into the Prius would be better than four people warm and four freezing in the Fit.  Once we were all in the cars, the window in the Fit went up!  We continued with the plan to go our separate ways and I got the passengers to the airport warm and in time.

Somehow in my anxious state while being invested I missed hearing C say behind me "That's my mom."  I can hear it in my head like a memory that had to be pulled through the mire of stress to surface.  This is only one of the memories from the weekend that, now that it is pulled out, I hope to hold onto.

Other memories include:
-K going down on one knee and asking me to be the baroness to her baron and presenting me with a green and white fidget ring.
-Seeing the event through the eyes of my friend from Texas who was at her first event.  She was so very helpful and retained for me, helped pack and unpack my car and so many other small but oh so significant things. 
-The phone conversation with K where she proceeded to tell me that I was the pretty one and I protested.  What does she then tell me?  "That's why I put a ring on it."  😂
-So many kind faces, helpful people, hugs, gifts, new people, old friends, love and gratitude.
-People swore fealty to us, this is important as we pledge back to them as well. 
-The coronet falling over my eyes.
-Meeting and spending time with E's parents.
-Talking with C about the possibility of their marriage to E.  😍
-The outfits we wore.  OMG.
-So much gratitude that I am feeling.

So many happy memories. 

Breakfast! 

 Group photos. 

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Birka Ends

For our first full day as Baroness and Baron we got to go to the Kingdom meeting.   I've lost my voice so I am glad I didn't need to speak.   K decided to though.   There were some problems yesterday and she spoke to the counsel about it.  She did very well.   After, we got to wander around the event site and visit with people.   This is something I don't usually get to do.  The event was open an extra day.   Either way though,  I normally would be working at the event in a different way, by working at or running gate.  Now I need to figure out what we should be doing.  Since I already tended to spend a good deal of my time doing service, now the service will have a different focus.  There are things I want to see happen, and ways I hope to get there, one day and event at a time.

Part of my new position will be to create the dream for others.  It is a heavy responsibility.  Having my family from Texas come to visit and support us this weekend was a blessing.  Having my friend from Texas as well, attend her first event, and she jumped in with both feet to help out was fantastic.  Not just because she helped out but because I was able to see some of the magic through her experiences as a newcomer.  I haven't been a newcomer in 30+ years and seeing that spark in someone I know is its own magic.  These are my happy SCA things for today.

At home, we unpacked and got to spend some time together.  C and I got some alone time which we both miss.  We both are more introverted than not and talk better in small groups.  Solving the problems of the world one tangent at a time.  I am so happy and grateful that they were able to visit and share this experience with us.

Lunch post event.

The Coronet. 

💗 C & I 💜

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Birka Day 2-Investiture

Wouldn't it be wonderful if all things went smoothly.  Today my daughter and I were Invested as the Baroness and Baron of Stonemarche.  We fumbled a bit and the coronet doesn't fit my head.  The coronet kept falling down over my eyes.  Eventually, I remembered I had a hood and put the coronet on over that and it stopped falling into my eyes.  After that, it actually seemed comfortable.  Somehow we made it through.  I am exhausted and hope to reflect more on the day and this weekend later.

My happy for today is the continued love and support from family and friends.  It was an amazing day, and I am so happy that it is now in the past.

My hair in the morning.

K. 

Some random pictures from early in the day. 

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Birka Day 1

After not enough sleep we got up and ready for Birka.  Packing and eating and then running errands before finally getting to the hotel midafternoon.  The hotel changed hands since last year and things are a little different but overall I think it will be okay.  So many friendly faces and smiles.  We met E's parents at dinner time.  They seem like nice people.  There were many SCA stories told as both our family and theirs have been involved in the SCA for many years.

My happy for today is being at the event and seeing so many friends.  Sleep time now.

Sunset from the hotel room.

Volunteers 

Pretty clothes! 

My hair got done.

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Surprise!

Since I was in Texas this last August I have been suspecting that my friend from Texas was going to come up and visit for the investiture.  I was not mistaken.  She wrapped herself up and jumped in my car at the airport.  Smiling eyes and giggles.  C, E and my ex-husband are here as well.  We are all exhausted as it is about 2:30 in the morning and we just got settled after coming back from the airport.  Family and friends here to visit is my happy for today.  I have been looking forward to seeing everyone.

She saw the snow bank and had to throw a snowball!

On the way back to the house. 

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Small Rant

Dear whoever the Nextcellencies of Stonemarche will be when K and I step down in 3-6 years:  We will do our best to ensure that when it is your turn to be invested as Baroness and/or Baron that it will not happen at Birka.  It may seem convenient since the Royals are most likely already in attendance, but Birka is its own beast and contains too much politicking for something that should be fun and a new beginning, the closing of one chapter and opening of another.  Our Investiture this weekend is already difficult enough with the loss of the Baron last year.  Please, if whoever you are has the opportunity to read this, remind me when your time comes.  NOT AT BIRKA.

Dear Reader, please forgive my above rant.  I try not to, but sometimes things happen.  Putting the above in writing will help me to remember how strongly I feel about this.  I wasn't happy about it last time either, and that wasn't my investiture.  

Some wonderful things that happened are my happy things for today:

• My aunt met me for a quick visit today at Dunkin Donuts and brought along my cousin.  I haven't seen her in quite some time and we had a lovely visit.  It was so good to see her.
• My daughter's clothing arrived for our Investiture and there are details on it that were entirely unexpected.  She still has a few things to add to it, and we are only a few days away.
• The excitement of the coming weekend and the good things that will happen like seeing the family from Texas, meeting E's parents, learning more about our upcoming appointments as Baroness and Baron, so many things!

Thank you and hugs to you, the reader.

Look at them legs!  😎

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Happy Things

This cold virus is bringing me down.  Here are some happy things for today:

• My car started this morning after sitting in the city garage all weekend with zero degree weather. This has never been a problem with this car, but with over 250,000 miles I keep expecting it. The best part about the garage is that I didn't have anything to clear off my car.  Very thankful to Z for driving me to the garage so I didn't have to walk my sickish self there in the cold.
• I remembered that I forgot the Dayquil before I got too far from home so that I was still able to get to work on time and be medicated.  
• Z also made dinner tonight.  Steak, potatoes and green beans, and it tastes so good.  Perhaps I need protein because I don't usually like steak that much.
• A sneak preview was just given to me of my gown for the Investiture.  Changes were made and they are the wonderful.  I wouldn't have thought to do what she did, and it is perfect for me.  There is no way I will ever be able to thank her enough.

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Cold Outside

Since it is really cold out there will be a 2 hour delay at school tomorrow.  With that and the amount of things that I did today (finished cleaning room, worked on favors, hood and thrones) I am going to attempt to play Minecraft tonight for about a half hour or so before bed.  Z put together the fixings for an awesome salad for dinner so I am even eating well today. 

This morning I cleaned up my room while listening to Autism themed TEDx programs.  I think this one on Neurodiversity is the one I will share.  When I realized they were distracting me too much I went to music.  Getting my room much more organized is a happy for today.

Watching Babylon 5 and loving how much K is loving this episode, .  King Arthur comes to the station and so there is geeking out happening.  This is also a happy for today.

It was really cold today. 

So we got shakes.

They were warm compared to outside. 

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Eclipse

There is a total lunar eclipse tonight.  I hope to sleep through it.  Well, I wish I felt better and it wasn't frigid outside, then I would want to watch it.  Instead I have a cold and just want to sleep, or at least stay warm.  Today was spent cleaning and embroidering for the most part.  I haven't finished any of the projects I started this weekend.   My deal with myself was no Minecraft unless I finished a favor.  The favors are frustrating me so I decided that finishing anything would be good enough for about a half hour of Minecraft. The hood I was working on is close to finished, but not done yet.

Instead of rambling more I will share my happy for today:

This morning Gideon came to my room and offered me pretend food from his toy kitchen that I paid for with pretend money.  Then he came back and offered me to join the rewards plan, I did, with my pretend money.  He will be 7 next month and is my happy for today.

Full moon-before eclipse.

Snow 

Moon out my window at partial eclipse. (23:12)

(23:27)

Closer photo.  (23:42)

Maybe I will leave a live feed up on my computer as I fall asleep.  😉

🌝☮🌕

Snow

Falling asleep with a needle in my hand while trying to sew buttons tonight.   Last night I slept more so it is much later than 7:30.  It was a busy day.  We stained and painted the thrones early in the day.  After that K did painting at the art school and I walked home from there.  I took a long way and the snow started falling and it got dark before I got home and found my FitBit battery was dead.  Tomorrow I expect to be snowed in.  We are supposed to get between 10 and 18 inches of snow and then the precipitation will turn to sleet and freezing rain.  Tomorrow night it is supposed to become bitter cold.  The temperatures are all over the place this week.

Happy things for today include getting and wearing face masks to use while painting and staining today.  That made a huge difference in how long we were able to work and we got a bunch done on the thrones.  I'm fighting a cold and breathing is important.

We have to park our cars in a nearby city garage for snow clean-up.  Another happy thing is that I went down in the garage for the first time (instead of up) and I don't expect to have much, if any, snow on my car when I pick it up on Monday. 

Being out on my walk as the snow started to fall also is a happy for today.  People on the street commented about it starting.  It was like a sudden mood change.  The smell in the air changes with snow.  To me it is a familiar and exciting scent. 

Working on the thrones.

An historic marker that I hadn't noticed before. 

 Snow starting to fall. 

❄☮❆

Cold

It is 7:30 PM and all I want is food and sleep.  I've had some food, but more would be good.  I had intended to embroider a favor tonight but I keep drifting off to sleep with needle in hand.  Tomorrow is another day.  I started coughing, sneezing and feeling all 'a-cold's-coming-on' this afternoon.   So early to bed for me.  I have to nip this in the bud this weekend.

At lunch today I was asked to talk about the upcoming investiture and all the things we were doing to get ready.  I told them about the dress that is being made for me and how I am trying to make shoes and the favors and coronets and ... I forgot to mention the thrones.  Her eyes lit up and she is just so excited for me and seeing it through her eyes helped to lift my spirits.  So much is going on at school that I sometimes forget the other things in my life that are going well.  Things could be better, of course.  Seeing her sparkling eyes is a happy for today.

Another happy for today happened at the grocery store.  There is a storm coming and it is Friday so the place was pretty packed.  I was walking through the parking lot to enter and a woman asked if I wanted to use her cart.  I said I didn't need it I was only getting a few things.  Her expression started to change, she had been trying to do something nice and I shut her down.  Realizing this I offered to bring her cart back to the store for her.  She lit right up again and we wished each other a happy weekend.  If I could find this stranger, I would let her know that I probably could have used the cart after all.

I paced the house a few times and woke up enough to keep writing.  There is another happy for today.  I received a text message from my friend in Texas today:
                  💦 sending reminder and 😃 millionaire to all your cells!!!
Translated she was reminding me to drink water and to send happy millionaire thoughts to all my cells. 

Lastly, this was in my locker at work today.  😊

It is no longer 7:30, I think in bed before 9:30 is still a win for a bedtime for me.  😉

                                                   ☮

Light

Very busy day- work, errands, staining thrones, fighter practice and craft night.  Phew.  And I just had a lovely and insightful conversation with my friend in Texas.  Somehow I have managed to connect with some truly remarkable people over my lifetime and I am very thankful that they all have touched my life.  With all the wonderful things today it has become late, but I have two happy things for today to share.

The first was at fighter practice where some of the fighters are new and being trained.  The exercise that was being practiced was how to die safely.  There is a particular way that fighters can hold themselves in the middle of a battle that offers the best protection.  It has been many, many years since I have watched so much SCA fighting and I am enjoying what I have been learning.  Observing how they practice safety in a rather dangerous sport is the first happy. 

The second was at craft night.  The lady of the house was doing some gorgeous embroidery, but my happy is actually her happiness.  I have noticed this before with her that she lights up when she talks about the research she is doing and how she plans to create the things she makes.

Moon.

 Tree lights.

 Moon again, by the tree lights.

Learning to 'die' safely.

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