Lunch Break Papers

Society of Creative Anachronism. The Middle Ages like they were supposed to be (so, minus the wars and plagues and death at an early age etc), from 600 to 1600. Not re-enactment, which is a lot more period specific and a lot more strict, and not, on the other end of the spectrum, LARP, which is, let's face it, fantasy. Both re-enactment and LARP are great, and in another reality I might have ended up in either of those two, but the people who had a booth at the London Worldcon in 2014 were SCA. I put my name and email down on their sign-up sheet, was invited to the next Revel, and the rest, no pun intended, is history.

What being a part of the SCA does for you, apart from meeting cool people (and the occasional oddball), feasting and carousing, is that it not only opens doors, it runs up to them and kicks them so hard that the doors fly off the hinges.

I've cooked and baked medieval food (and on one memorable occasion baked a baker's dozen of bread loaves). I've learned medieval dances and songs. I've started to do embroidery, and am starting to learn illumination and calligraphy. I've spent a week in a tent at a Welsh castle ruin with dozens of others, wearing period clothes and generally being medievally awesome. I've rekindled and relit my interest in history, and (to the delight of my mother) am focussing on Czech medieval history, specifically the early 15th century. I will sew my own dress (Me! Can you imagine.) The SCA isn't just one hobby, it is a space where you can use and transform your hobbies and skills, and learn new things.

Anyway, enough gushing.

I've checked my SCA blog, and the only thing that is worth moving over are the recipes, which I will do in the coming days.

Three-day weekend, huzzah!