Twentieth Year celebrations have ended and now we all must return to the dreaded real world. Wah. The car was unloaded and returned to Mom with a nearly full tank of gas, my car retrieved along with Abigail, the tent and tarp layed out, swept, dried and repacked for future use, the coolers unpacked, and an hour-long bubble bath taken as my reward for doing that much. There is, of course, a metric ton of linen to be washed, and the feast basket to be dealt with, but that will keep for tomorrow.

It was truly a wonderful experience, being my first Kingdom Event and all, and I met a lot of wonderful people in the process. Some, however, deserve special mention. (Names are approximate and generally phonetic and titles are mostly left out because I didn’t know them)

RJ and Brigita of House Asgard: Thank you both *so* very much for being in the gas station when Jammi and I were looking for directions. Somehow we ended up about 50 miles out of our way and being able to follow you to the site was a life-saver, even through all of the rain.

Jeff/Mikowabo and Jennifer/Gwenivere of Wyvernewood(? that’s Tampa right?): Yay for you saving the camp territory for Oldenfeld and for finding me and rescuing me from my temporary status of Little Orphan Oldenfeld. lol (I made the ‘mistake’ of being the first camper to arrive from Oldenfeld and had zero clue where we were setting up.)

Taz and Elena from Ocala: Thanks for the help with the tent and the amusement you both provided. Taz, you are truly an original. Another time, another place perhaps. You definitely did my ego good.

Mistress Gwenllyn: Your Scribal classes were quite enlightening and the handouts in the composition class outstanding! Thanks for having the manuals on hand and for sale as well. Invaluable tools.

Rurik and Co. with the Cat & Badger Tavern: Excellent food and service, thank you for all your efforts.

Ulrich, Kat and Ka’lyn: You were delightful company at feast and added immeasurable mirth to the occasion.

And another gold star (or three) for House Asgard; to Drake, Yohan and Corwyn. Two words: Three Flavors. Okay, a few more words, I really enjoyed your company and your humor. And Corwyn, well, your talent is amazing, your voice positively moving and, well, what can I say, you combine that voice with those looks and, wow, you could sing your way into just about anything I think. I wish you the best on your search for a label and hope to be able to see and hear you perform again soon. (Everyone else, go here to see what I’m talking about, and listen, and buy your own copy of his EP. Seriously. Now. I’ll wait.)

And of course, there were so many others involved and so many others I had the chance to talk to. Thanks go out to all whose hard work provided the event we were so happy to attend. Yes, it was hot and miserably humid, but there was nothing anyone could do about that. Granted, the ants were rather a pest and there was sand in everything (except feast food! and tavern food!), but again, what can you do? I do think that having twice the number of chemises in order to have a fresh one for each half of each day would be a good idea for next time, and maybe one of these days I’ll be able to camp with grace, until then I’ll muddle through like everyone else. The stretchy shorts were definitely a god-send in the humidity for wearing underneath everything, though I wonder about making some peti-pants as a more correct option.

I admit that walking back from the Bardic circle early Monday morning filled me with a feeling of supreme let-down: an end-of-event-malaise, ennui even. I knew then that when I woke up I would be leaving this world of knights and chivalry and returning to the raising gas prices, the long trek home, work, school, bills and all the rest of life. Bedtime was a tad melancholy but I was surprised to wake up refreshed and happy over the event, looking forward to the others ahead. In a few weeks it will be time for Harvest, then Panhandle Skirmishes, and then, if I can swing it, Fall Coronation, before Yule. So much to look forward to. So much to do again, after a day to reflect and relax, I’ll start the next to-do list.