I am going to Pennsic!!!!!

I had only muttered a few times to select folks that I was not sure about whether I would be able to go to Pennsic.

I'm going!!!!!!!!!

I started my job in November (I think), and we do not get paid vacation until we have been there a year.

I kept putting off asking for leave, but I finally had to.

I had to make my case and have her tell me I should have handled this earlier and should even have mentioned it at hiring. That they could have worked things out earlier than this.

In the end, she said yes, packaged things nicely and gave me the OK.

It's like a weight off my shoulders.

We should arrive sometime late afternoon or early evening of the middle Friday.

We will be staying in a private camp, some of you know where, but official business will be transacted through a notebook at EK Royal.

My days are fairly full, but I am not on duty at night.

If anyone would like to start grabbing evenings for "dates" or "parties" or "stuff," e-mail me at liamstliam@gmail.com .

Yee-ha!

Tuesday evening: All in all, a good day . . .

1. Welcome to toki_redbeard. Tell us a story, Uncle Toki.

2. Pretty good day all around. The Pennsic news was wonderful, and it appears that the "lost" scroll -- of which I was the last person to know its whereabouts -- has been found.

3. I am 90 pages into Naomi Novik's "Victory of Eagles." Just amazing stuff.

4. Aethelmearc haz a bardic schedule.

Her Majesty, Branwyn, is a great lover of the Bardic Arts! As such, she hereby invites Bards, jongleurs, story-tellers, skalds, and others of the Bardic persuasion, to visit Aethelmearc Royal Encampment in the evenings at Pennsic to ply their trade!

The following evenings are set aside specifically for Bardic activity (all begin at oh-dark-30 and end at about 11 PM):

• Wednesday, July 30th - Viscount Sir Haakon Oaktall & Viscountess Eleanor of Waldren's Anniversary Celebration & Bardic Circle

• Friday, August 1st - OPEN MIKE: FILK..... filk songs only... Bring Your Best... The Khatun is very fond of filk.

• Saturday, August 2nd - OPEN MIKE: STORY TELLING!.... shaggy dogs, period stories, "No Shit, There I Was" -- bring it on!

• Monday, August 4th - The Aethelmearc Party & Reception: Her Majesty asks that many performers & DRUMMERS & DANCERS in particular come to entertain at this celebration of Sylvan Aethelmearc.

• Tuesday, August 5th - Lord Snaebjorn's Bawdy Bardic.

• Thursday, August 7th - The Annual Aethelmearc Bardic Get-Together. Gather round the circle & bring your best.... hosted by the absent Sylvan Bard (or his representative)

• Friday, August 8th - The Last Night: OPEN MIKE..... bring your beer, your booze, your best & celebrate the last official night of the War!

5. I know you're gonna call me a heathen, but no excitement here about the All-Star Game, and especiallyh no excitement about the Home Run Derby last night. We are in first place! Let's play ball.

6. If you are a Bull Durham fan, grab this week's Sports Illustrated, which does a "Where have they gone" series, which includes the fates of some of the characters in "Bull Durham."