While I did not take any classes this Pennsic, I did teach one twice. "Heralds don't pun, we cant!" The class during peace week was 4 people (4 more than I thought I would get!) and during war week was 5 people. I think it went well, I explained canting, showed a few examples, then asked people if they could guess some. I might offer it again if there's interest.
I did retain once. The shift was supposed to be 2 hours, 11:00 - 1:00 and it was from the end of heavy list castle battle and a little afterwards. I followed their Majesties back to EK camp with their wagon of supplies. Arabella asked if I minded staying a little past my shift while TRM got their rapier gear on and headed back for the second battle where I would meet my shift reliever. No problem, I said. So I sat around with the other retainer and queens guard while Ryou and Indrakshi relaxed a little bit and assembled their armor. I also made sure they ate from the meat and cheese plate Arabella had provided. Eventually we all made our way back to the battle field and it was 2:00. I passed off the cart and saw Vetra and Vettorio, who I had promised to keep hydrated. They had their own cart with water, gatorade, and their daybags. I hadn't eaten since breakfast, which was a cup of tea and a minibox of cereal. The other retainer had brought a basket of snacks and things for fighters so I begged a cheese stick off her. (So thankful!) The fight lasted about an hour, and my friends did great.
I went to East Kingdom Court to see a friend get her writ for Pelican. I'm so excited for her! But before court started I was talking with Zippy (Herald for the next set of royals) and Yehuda (Brigantia herald). My Peer, knowing that crown herald is one of my goals, had told Zippy that I should be his deputy. So I briefly talked to them about it. Yay! I'm looking forward to learning more about the job. Especially the things needed in lead-up to an event. I know how it goes with baronial herald, but I don't think it would be that simple for kingdom.
So during court at one point I hear my name called out. Oh geez, what did I do now? Aislinn, who I had been sitting with, said afterwards she tried to get up to escort me in, but I zoomed up there too quick. Nerves. Also I realized afterward I forgot to bow to TRM as I approached. Oops. So yeah, now I got a Silver Brooch! With an *amazingly* gorgeous scroll done by my friends.
So let's see what else did I do this war? I was there peace week, so I helped set up our camp. I'd never gone peace week before, I thought it was going to be a lot more work. But it was more like set one big thing up each day and relax the rest of the time. Severus (my son) and I also went over to EK Royal when they had put the call out for volunteers to help set up their public area. So we spent a few hours helping there as well.
We had had some "interesting times" the day before we were going to leave for Pennsic, and my biggest fears were to get covid within days of arriving on site, or to come back home to a flooded house. Neither happened, so it was a very awesome time. We are likely to try doing both weeks again next year.
