Talk:Esmé de Blacwatyr

My first Event AS 40 year in May 5 - 15 of 2006

    An Tir AS 40 was my first camping event.  It was held at Camel Lot Camp in Randle, WA.  There were so many people there I was told that there were about 1000 people there that weekend.  I met many different people from all over. Some were local and some were from Canada and some were from southern California. I started the week before to get my camping gear together. I got my tent out of storage and all the sleeping gear I would need for 3 (myself and my two young sons). The Friday morning I left I went to the local GI Joes store and purchased a day shade, a lantern, a stove, a kitchen stand for cooking and preparing food and doing dishes. I purchased dishes for eating out of and pots and pans for cooking from the goodwill. Everything you would need to go "mundane" camping. Boy did I have an awaking when I showed up at midnight at the site. I knew no one so didn't know where to camp so I chose to camp way off in the boonies so to speak completely away from everyone. I stopped my car in the farthest corner of the camping site and shown the lights of the car so I could see what I was doing. I woke up my oldest son who was about 6 years old and had him help me sit up camp, well that didn't work he fell asleep against the car lol. So I pulled down the tent and threw in the sleeping bags and made a bed for the night for the 2 boys and myself and went to bed.  In the morning I woke up and noted that some ways away to the right there was a large (well I thought it was large) encampment and about the same distance away on the left there was another large encampment. So I got the kids up and continued to sit up camp.  I set up my kitchen and set up the day shade and parked my car behind my tent (i didn't know at the time I could not have my car with me). Finished unloading the car and got into my "attempt" of garb (belly dance clothes).  The boys had a pirate shirt I found a local store I picked up.  After all was done I set off to explore.  I went to merchant’s row, for me there were so many there that I didn't know where to start, but I did manage to see all the merchants while I was there just not on the same day lol.  At about noon I returned to my encampment to find my brand new popup upside down and on the other side of my tent and my car.  Well I learned you stake everything and not just one or two I mean really stake it down.  That was mistake number one.  lol   Well after I got back to my encampment I had the boys 6 years and 4 years try to help me turn over the popup/day shade to the upright position.  Well that didn't work and about the time I was trying some pirates came up from the left side about 4 to 6 of them came over to help.  Well I was relieved for the help so they helped me get everything turned upright and loaned me stakes so I could stake it down (the stakes that came with it didn't work from the wind we were getting that day).  So they helped me get situated again and went on their way saying if I needed anything to just ask.   Well after all the commotion was over I went back to wonder the site even volunteered at gate.  (8 hours later) I went and wondered around and watched some of the activities that took place the first weekend, I did mention it was a weeklong event lol.  Well I showed up on Friday right before midnight Saturday morning lol. Anyway I spent a lot of time in merchant’s row that at one point my boys fell asleep right in front of one of the merchant’s lol.  All rolled up in wool cloaks I found for them.  I also found one of my first cloak it was kind of a greenish color on the outside and burgundy on the inside and had a nice trim it was one of the only ones the lady had that would fit me (Im short), but it kept me and the boys warm that weekend and it has come in handy many times since, and at the time Im typing this story its 2014.  Anyway I even have pictures of the boys asleep on the ground all curled up trying to stay warm lol.  I think that was the merchant where I purchased my crocked wood mug from.  Well I made it through the first day and got invited to an event at the event that was happing that night.  I refused of course but they would not take my reason for a no telling me to bring the boys over and they could go to sleep in the encampment where I was going to hang out in.  So I did at about the time it was to put the kids to bed which was after the fire dancing (what is fire dancing, well I know now lol) by Castle keep, so at about 1030ish I went in and found the lady that offered to let the boys sleep there till I was ready to go back to my tent and she showed me where to put them to bed, once they were settled, I went to join the “party”. That night I was still dressed in belly dance clothes and was entered into a kissing auction and danced by the fire where I got to stay warm.  I was intruded to many different people and that night met someone from Canada.  After being auction off I enjoyed myself and even tried some of the “drink” provided and it was not bad but I still prefer it with no “spirits” lol.  At around maybe 3ish AM I called it quits and the Canadian (thank you) escorted me with my kids in tow back to my tent where I put them to bed and then stayed up till don’t know when talking at the door way of my tent (as I’m allergic to grass I sat inside he sat outside).  When the sun was starting to come up I said good night and went to bed.  Sunday was a good day and everything went smoothly.  Went shopping again or some more and watched the fighters and the boys won one of the kid’s contests and received a bow and arrows and a box, they were so excited.  I took some classes and made new friends and had a good time that night we didn’t stay out late we went back to the tent to sleep right after the fire show and before it started raining.  The next morning I woke up to water all in our tent it was so wet that the boys sleeping bags were soaked and they were laying in a good 1 or 2 inches of water at the bottom of our tent.  I got up and pulled my car up and loaded the kids and all our bedding into the trunk of my little silver Pontiac vibe I owned at the time.  At that time the neighbors that helped me the first time came over and asked if all was alright.  I explained that my tent had leaked that first Sunday night it rained.  They told me of an RV place right out at the main road where there were dryers so I exited the site and went to town kids in tow.  When I got there I kept the kids in their car seats and parked right outside the door of the washer and dryer so I could keep an eye on the kids.  I dried all the blanked and sleeping bags and clothes that had gotten wet (all our clothes for the day were wet as I had everything in bags and not water proof bags).  After we left there we went to the corner store and picked up some tarp and stakes and string (that’s what the pirates told me to get, I still didn’t know their names) and went back to the site.  When I got to site I went in and unloaded and was told that I needed to move my car off site to the parking lot so I unloaded and moved the car by the time I got back the pirates had already put up the tarp (it was too small for my tent so they pulled it to the back and covered the front with the canopy and staked everything down) at that point they offered to move me closer to their encampment so if I needed anything they would be there to help.  So we unstacked everything and moved it next to theirs.  The rest of the day was spent getting to know my new camp mates and more shopping and watching the archery and fighting.  That night I put the kids to bed and went to sleep only to wake up at midnightish to another wet tent.  The one of the pirates offered to give up his bed and tent to me and the boys for the rest of the night so we would stay warm and dry (thank you, but I can’t remember your name) he went and slept in another tent and we went to sleep.  The next morning I packed up all the clothes and blankets that were wet and left everything else the (they said I could leave it there and they would keep an eye on it till I came back in a couple of days) so off I went back home where I purchased a bigger tarp and dried all my clothes and blankets/sleeping bags at the laundry mat. (I had no dryer at the time).  That day I dropped off the kids at daycare and went to class, that was Tuesday, after class on Thursday I picked up the boys and drove back to the event site.  Again they helped me rearrange my tarps so if it rained it would not get wet inside.  (it didn’t rain again that event, but it was really windy). ( I have to say if I had not had the help of the new friends I made, I don’t know if I would have gone back, ok yes I guess I would have now that I think about it).  I have to say these pirates saved my put several more times that first year, from wet tents.  Because I had a really bad time with tents till I broke down and bought one of my own. During the next summer camping season.  If it were not for them I would have been really sick and so would have the boys for sleeping in tents that leaked.  But I will never forget that event.  I was so excited to go I had been searching for this type of events for years even before I was married and there it was all my life and I didn’t even know about them. There were all these large beautiful tents I could see from my tent that all I wanted was one of my own lol, I still don’t have one, but maybe one day.  This was a bad event but in many ways an event I will never forgot.  I had so many things I will remember and some I have forgotten about but one thing is for sure I will never forget that first event where I was helped by pirates and how they became some of my new friends in the SCA. I am so glad I stayed I have become a better person from the experience and things I have learned I will be forever grateful.

I sorta had no idea there was a local group that was as big as it was, so I started playing in Dragons Laire and up and down the I5 corridor.

June Faire was my next event and I was rained out again lol. I had borrowed a tent and it leaked also but I stayed and I'm glad I have.

AOA received at DM Yule Sep 13, 2008 (AS XLIII), I was so scared I cried.

Goutte received at Boars head Hunt and Feast at DM founding event Aug 20, 2011 (AS XLVI) I was so shocked I cried, was told by new Baroness that I was a hard person to track down/find.

Pinecone received at Boars head Hunt and Feast at DM founding event Sep 22, 2012 (AS XLVII) I was told thank you for all contribution you have done for the baron and baroness and for 3M.

Hand of Fulla received at Carnevale di Venezia Feb 15, 2014 (AS XLVIII) I was so excited, I was shocked and happy. I thought I had done something wrong.

(See OP for verification)