homecoming
Jan. 25th, 2004 09:45 pmWe've just (3 hours ago) gotten home from the best camping trip I've been to in ages.
Friday night setting up was great- the kids and I put up the pavilion in about 45min, with no other help, and no need of it. I just told them what to do and we worked together as a team. It went up easily.
Saturday I/we slobbed around, getting fed, chatting and the kids did some boffer training and then an awful lot of fighting. Even G got right into it because 3 of the boys there were about his age. I sang solo around the campfire for the first time ever. No, I sang "Me husbands got no courage in him" on Friday night, I had to read the words.
And then today, the kids boffer tourney was fantastic. G and Z fought really well, all 3 do great salutes/bows and T learnt that she should really eat breakfast if she wants to fight well. They didn't win any prizes but Rohan and Margie managed the process very well so my children are feeling ten foot tall, it worked on me too.
Then they did a war scenario using archers, then villagers throwing rocks and finally, if the fighters made it that far, they had to run the gauntlet of Konga and I armed with swords. I can still hit pretty well and killed 2 fighters in one game and 1 in the other. They were only allowed to defend themselves, so it was perfectly safe. I'm feeling inspired to make that gambeson and do that heavy fighting. Maybe I could get authorised by Festival... The kids are also talking about "when I do heavy fighting, " even G - he's planning to do both rapier and heavy - we'll see :)
Packing up, the boys were fantastic and T did most things but lost it towards the end and went off to play. I really wish I could work out a way that she could finish the whole process without losing it. I suspect she was overtired (she stayed up around the campfire friday and sat, and boffered most of the day Sat) and sunburnt, possibly dehydrated etc, but then so were the boys. They have always had more stamina than her, and more self-discipline/stick-to-it-iveness. It makes her life harder than it ought to be.
We're all sunburnt and skanky, the kids are watching videos, and I don't have to go to work tomorrow. Yay!!!
Friday night setting up was great- the kids and I put up the pavilion in about 45min, with no other help, and no need of it. I just told them what to do and we worked together as a team. It went up easily.
Saturday I/we slobbed around, getting fed, chatting and the kids did some boffer training and then an awful lot of fighting. Even G got right into it because 3 of the boys there were about his age. I sang solo around the campfire for the first time ever. No, I sang "Me husbands got no courage in him" on Friday night, I had to read the words.
And then today, the kids boffer tourney was fantastic. G and Z fought really well, all 3 do great salutes/bows and T learnt that she should really eat breakfast if she wants to fight well. They didn't win any prizes but Rohan and Margie managed the process very well so my children are feeling ten foot tall, it worked on me too.
Then they did a war scenario using archers, then villagers throwing rocks and finally, if the fighters made it that far, they had to run the gauntlet of Konga and I armed with swords. I can still hit pretty well and killed 2 fighters in one game and 1 in the other. They were only allowed to defend themselves, so it was perfectly safe. I'm feeling inspired to make that gambeson and do that heavy fighting. Maybe I could get authorised by Festival... The kids are also talking about "when I do heavy fighting, " even G - he's planning to do both rapier and heavy - we'll see :)
Packing up, the boys were fantastic and T did most things but lost it towards the end and went off to play. I really wish I could work out a way that she could finish the whole process without losing it. I suspect she was overtired (she stayed up around the campfire friday and sat, and boffered most of the day Sat) and sunburnt, possibly dehydrated etc, but then so were the boys. They have always had more stamina than her, and more self-discipline/stick-to-it-iveness. It makes her life harder than it ought to be.
We're all sunburnt and skanky, the kids are watching videos, and I don't have to go to work tomorrow. Yay!!!