So I last left off at the amazing Getty Villa Museum, August 25th. *sigh* I'm such a ding-a-ling, when I get this far behind on my general correspondence with you all. Let's see if I can do the highlights justice:

Fri, Sep 1 through Mon, Sep 4, or My Trip to Hawaii That Included Nothing for the Tourist I'm such an SCA geek. I flew all the way to Hawaii just to get dressed up in my middle-ages historical clothing and hang out with my closest friends I'd only just met. The silly travel story: It was only $380+ to fly from LAX to Phoenix, wait 2.5+ hrs, then fly to Honolulu. It would have been $660+ to fly from LAX to Honolulu. Isn't that ridiculous? Well, noon-California time Adrienne dropped me off. 1 hour flying, 2.5 hours sitting, and 6 hours flying later it was almost 9pm Hawaii time (midnight CA), and I was there. I'd =completely= forgotten what humidity was, in my 21 years in CA after only 16 years in OH. Yoikes.

My newest friend, Daven, had an orchid Lei for me when he picked me up, so I have the flowers drying as a keepsake from my trip. We picked up another friend headed to the event, bought some snacks and drinks, then got on site finally after 10 pm. Our hosts had a tent already set up for me, with full/twin air mattress. I collapsed and went straight to sleep.

Saturday morning 4am Hawaii was 7am CA, so since I couldn't sleep anymore, I went and showered, came back, dozed a little until it was light out, got dressed, and climbed out to find that we were camping nearly =on= the beach on a bay on Oahu. Oh. My. Goodness.

I took several photos just of the bay and the sunrise (which was oddly on my left...completely disorienting), then I finally turned around. The jaw continued to drop when I saw the amazing lush green cliffs right behind us, looming and stunning. Then the other strange sight -- fighter shields recognizable from the events I attend back on the mainland, medieval pavilions, ALL WITH HAWAII IN THE BACKGROUND. Dude! It was so cool!

Saturday was their fighting tournament to determine the next Baron/Baroness for all the islands in Hawaii. Because they're so isolated from the mainland, they have a fighting tournament that alternates with an Arts & Sciences competion every six months.

We lounged around for hours over coffee, breakfast, and socializing. We held a brief morning court, where Their Majesties gave out several awards, and then we waited a bit longer until we were ready to actually start lists. I was having fun washing dishes through some of the fighting, but I still got lots of photos of the fights themselves, ane enjoyed the whole afternoon. Sir Anton won, and he and Lady Duibhesa are now "Their Nextellencies" of the Barony.

We had a wild and wonderful evening together camping, with dinner, drinks, court, and revelry. Then Sunday more lounging around in the campground, "war practice" where the sword fighters work on group tactics and strategies, and eventually in the evening just improvising a dinner for whomever was staying over Sunday night.

Sunday night I also finally enjoyed a dip in the ocean. The weather was sunny and beautiful all weekend, when it wasn't alternating with sudden downpours. By nightfall, I was sitting in very salty, very warm, very calm water, looking up at the moon and stars, watching the clouds roll in. I thought, "Gee, wouldn't it be cool if..." and then the deluge hit. Very cold fresh water rain above, very warm salty ocean water below. It was refreshing and exciting and so thoroughly Hawaiian. Quick clean up at the showers, back into clean (dry) clothing, and crashing early to sleep.

Monday morning there were only 4 of us left, enjoying coffee and breakfast, and then helping break down all the baronial equipment and pack it up in trucks. A few new friends weren't even at the event, but came to help with clean up.

At the end of it all, Keith gave me a lift to the airport. We stopped off at Daven's mom's house, since Daven needed a life to the airport, too. I got to see some of the Oahu landmarks from the "wrong side" and bits more of the island just driving around.

Funny, the airport was the longest most drawn-out part of the entire trip. The customs agricultural check-through didn't open until 6 pm, and I was at the airport at 4 pm. So I sat outside reading and lightly dozing until my console in the airport opened. Four hours later my plane was finally taking off, 6 hour flight without empty seats in every row, another 3 hour layover snoozing in the airport, and a final hour flight home. Adrienne picked me up, and I tried to go home and start work after a shower and fresh clothing. But it definitely took another several hours nap before I felt human again.

Next update, KWAR. Later, Crown tourney. And this weekend Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year, which I'm sharing with friends on Friday and Saturday).

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Today's Blessing That I'm Thankful For: Daven, Meadhbh & Aberhardt & Ryan, Sister Carol & Emilio, Kolfinna & Sven, Uta & Meya & Theo, Emrys, Richard, Valeran, Naj'mun, Rosamund, Shakira, Anton, Duibhesa, Maru & Christal, Claudius, Ty, Lucius, Njall, Phelan, Roger, Elias, Cambell, Valerie & Conan & Hannah & Jacob, Joe & Jacob & Luke, Harold, Maria, Plum & Rose & the new twins. The whole experience in Western Seas was amazing, and really a treat. Each of you, and anyone I forgot, thank you for making my trip so wonderful.