Getting back on the horse

Guten Tag!

Yesterday I actually managed to wave a sword around and not feel like the Grim Reaper's icy

claws were drawing near. Huzzah!

Okay so I was using a boffer sword and wasn't carrying a shield but that still counts, right? Many thanks to M'lord Edmund for joining me in boffery shenanigans and forgiving me for a couple of nasty face shots and even a groin shot. Oh, and for not begrudging me for the occasional dramatic samurai-style disembowelment shot when I managed to pierce his defenses :)

Now I just need to get back into full-swing with the training, I'm even considering a diet (shock, horror disbelief!). Though how that will reconcile with my attempts at period cooking remains to be seen. So many recipes, so many kilograms of sugar...

Finally, some inspiration has returned! I knew I was on the right track when I started throwing mimed sword blows around the office. Oh work colleagues, what do you think of me?

Until next time,

Bechtold (the pleased)

The long hard road back from being broken...

Guten Tag!

Well it has been a whirlwind few weeks in Aneala with the royal visit, devestiture of Lachlahn and Jane and investiture of their excellencies, Kilic and Branwen as Baron and Baroness of Aneala. And I'm exhausted:)

Saturday was extremely interesting being the first time I've cooked for more than about 8 people. We had around 140 people to cater for and some massive courts to go through during the day. It was a great experience and the kitchen team was awesome so I'll definitely have to do the kitchen thing again. Of course it was a little disappointing to miss pretty much all of the court happenings but there's always a next time! It's incredible to see how many people in the SCA will step up when there's a problem and I want to personally thank Lord Heath and Lord Laveoulus for their assistance when I entered "panic mode" a few times during the night. It was also fitting that Master Blacktower was elevated to the Order of the Pelican that night, as his leadership in the kitchen was truly the glue that held that feast together. Some people are just incredible!

Sunday was a bit melancholy for me though, as his Majesty King Gabriel took the field in a tourney. I am now convinced that one of the worst tortures on earth is to be a heavy who has to watch from the sidelines while such a great combatant takes the field. It was truly inspiring to see the level of martial skill possessed by the king and I was very proud of the brave Anealan's who acquitted themselves well against this paragon of martial talent.

So now I'm full of inspiration to push my broken body back into heavy but it's going to be a long road ahead. Even slow work is killing me at the moment but where there is a will there's a way. At least that's what I'm telling myself! I'm therefore using this blog to declare my intentions to rejoin the ranks of the fighting fit and will spend the next few weeks cataloging my trials and tribulations as I go once again into the fray.

Here goes nothing...

Bechtold (the aching)