Wednesday night: It's Spring for now . . . .

1. Welcome to collin_m, perilousknits and lady_guenievre.

2. Did an interesting roast chicken last night that really worked.

I am guessing 2.5 pounds or so. Salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Maybe a dozen or so peeled garlic cloves and an onion stuffed inside. Poured part of a leftover bottle of mead over it a couple times. Cooked 30 minutes at 450, 30 at 375, then maybe another 20 at 400 to finally get it to 180 degrees. It tasted great!

3. I am on my own until Monday or Tuesday. alethea_eastrid left this afternoon to visit her parents in Maine, then spread good cheer in Endewearde. I have to work tomorrow and Friday. There are a lot of options for the weekend, but I am probably gonna hang close to home, do some house-cleaning, cooking and movie-watching.

4. I am going to say one thing about the so-called "Fourth Peerage."

"We hates it. We hates it with the fiery passion of a thousand suns. We hates it. We do."

I am not looking to start a discussion here. Please. This is a friendly place.

You can disagree with me. That's cool.

I am gonna try to keep from using a flamethrower on EK List. I really am.

I am going to write to the SCA president (duck, dude!), the society seneschal and the board.

I just need to rewrite my note, which currently consists of "OMGWTFBBQ???????????"

5. Interesting trial going on at the courthouse that is part of the county building where I work.

Updated stories at The Post Star

This is from last Friday. The trial is well under way.

FORT EDWARD - The trial of a Putnam couple accused of repeatedly allowing their teenage son to host underage drinking parties will start Monday.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday morning in the case of Jimmy Joe St. Andrews, 41, and his wife, Kellie St. Andrews, 39, who each face charges in connection with a number of parties at their Charter Brook Road home between 2005 and last April. Mrs. St. Andrews faces 14 misdemeanor charges, her husband 11.

Washington County District Attorney Kevin Kortright said there have been no plea deal talks in the case.

"They (the defendants) made it pretty clear they weren't going to take anything," Kortright said.

Jury selection is expected to last a day, and Kortright said he expects to call 10 to 12 witnesses over a span of two to three days.

The last underage drinking party the St. Andrewses are accused of hosting occurred the night of April 20, and ended when their then 16-year-old son, Dustin St. Andrews, drove a stolen car off Route 22 in Putnam and rolled it over several times, killing two 16-year-old girls who were in the car.

He was drunk and had smoked marijuana, and two police crash reconstructions afterward concluded the Cadillac sedan he was driving was traveling 132 mph when the car left the rural road.

Shannon James, 16, of Ticonderoga, and Michaela "Mika" Lopes, 16, of Enosburg Falls, Vt., both died in the crash. St. Andrews and two young men in the car survived with minor injuries.

Dustin St. Andrews pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter and is serving a 2-1/2- to 7-1/2-year prison sentence. His parents' lawyer, Mark Major, has subpoenaed the teen to testify at trial.

6. Anyone want to talk about anything? I am always up for new topics.

7. Sir Sichelgata, moments after the buffet from King Darius:


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Join me in a drink on Morguhnmas Eve?

In an hour, at 8:30 p.m., Eastern, I will raise a glass of 16-year-old Arberlour in a toast to Duke Morguhn Sheridan, whose birthday is tomorrow.

I ask that you join me. I will be here, on AIM and on Yahoo.

Duchess meirwen asks the following of us:

In days of yore, the family Glenn celebrated Christmas Eve with presents, dinner, lights, and Christmas day was a far more informal affair, beginning with church and then the boys got to play with what Santa brought them.

In keeping with that, tonight is Morguhnmas Eve. If you will be solemn, do it tonight. If you must mourn, do it tonight. If you would count the gifts he brought into your life, do it tonight.

Tomorrow, may I suggest, play with what Morguhn brought you. Flirt with a girl or a guy (he'd do both, even though he was straight as an arrow). If you interact with a waitress/waiter or clerk with one of those name tags, use the name you see there--meaningfully, recognizing the person behind the badge. Pick up your sword, or your epee, mallet or brush, hammer or needle, and practice your art with intensity and joy.

Make tea or coffee for your love, read a book, pet a puppy or a cat.

Most of all, listen. Gently, without judgement, and offer advice if it is asked for, or just sit in silence when the speaker is done, knowing sometimes it is just listening that matters most. That is how I will celebrate Morguhnmas.

In the interest of passing on information . . .

Here are some links Sir Richard Blackmore posted (as a courtesy)

SCA Fourth Peerage Proposal for Non-Rattan Combat


*       Cover Letter <http://www.sca.org/4peerage/CoverLetter.pdf>
*       Proposal for a New <http://www.sca.org/4peerage/NewPeerage.pdf>
Peerage
*       Proposal <http://www.sca.org/4peerage/OL.pdf>  for expanding the activities covered by the Order of the Laurel
*       Proposal <http://www.sca.org/4peerage/MCA.pdf>  for creating a Master of Combat Arts within the Order of the Laurel
*       Number <http://www.sca.org/4peerage/Non-RattanAuthorizationNumbers.pdf>  of Participants Authorized in Non-Rattan Combat
*       Sample Poll <http://www.sca.org/4peerage/SamplePoll.pdf>
*       Polling <http://www.sca.org/4peerage/PollingSummaryandData.pdf> Summary and Data

Please note: Some of us are making cranky noises because there is a fourth peerage -- the Royal peerage -- including the Lady of the Rose for former queens. That would make this proposal the Fifth Peerage.

To absent friends . . .

Especially Duke Morguhn Sheridan.