s e v e n i s a j o u r n e y

The weekend flew by, filled with various original activities.

On Saturday we, along with most of the rest of the Shire of Darton, trooped up to Masterton for a Day-O-Fun at Oscar’s place. We forgot to bring directions, so we stopped at his bottle store on the way and had the duty managed (Ciny?) give him a call for directions. This stop also gave us a chance to load up on discounted Cantebury Cream for hot chocolates!

Most of the afternoon was spent fighting, which was fun. Oscar had brought out The Dragon, the arbalest he has spent the last year building. We were testing how hard it hit to make sure it was safe and legal for SCA combat. Much of this involved Oscar in minimum armor at 10 meters taking hits from it (as the rules wsely state that you must be willing to be hit by any weapon you want to bring). The rest of us also took shots throughout the day- and we kept requesting that they turn down the power, again and again. Wow, but it hit like a truck! I took one hit at 20 meters on my thigh that I can still feel. It hit cleanly, so that there was no deflection or give in my leg- probably the hardest hit I have taken in 12 years of fighting. My leg is still very sore. Strangly it left no mark- no bruising or swelling- yet it hurts like heck. It must have inflicted some weird deep-tissue damage. I am very glad it had only a tennis-ball tip and not a sharpened steel spike- nothing like a hit like that to give an appreciation for what period seige weapons much have really been like!

On Sunday we were mainly doing animal maintenance. This involved vaccinating the cria, drenching all the adult animals (injetable anti-worm medicine), and weighing the cria. Later in the day we decided to take Jim for a walk. I had taken him around twice the week previous, and he was getting used to the halter again. It was also clear that after 7 months he now trusts us lots more. We got him across the bridge using a sheet of ply across the cattle-grid, and took him all the way up to the end of Takapu road (about 1.5 km), and brought him back. He was a very good llama. It is a great deal of fun to be able to just go out trekking wiht your own llama. Eventually we must get a panel-van so we can take him to the beach or othewr such fun places. We also need to get (or build) a set of packs for Jim, so he can carry our lunch for us. The work would be good for him- he could do to lose a few kilos, his thighs are nearly rubbing together!